Simple Present

FORM

[VERB] + s/es in third person

Examples:
You speak English.
Do you speak English?
You do not speak English.
Simple Present Forms
Most Verbs
Most verbs conjugate like the verb "run" below. Notice
how you add an "s" to third-person forms. Third-
person negative forms and third-person questions are
made using "does."
POSITIVE NEGATIVE QUESTION
I run. I do not run. Do I run?
You run. You do not run. Do you run?
We run. We do not run. Do we run?
They run. They do not run. Do they run?
He runs. He does not run. Does he run?
She runs. She does not run. Does she run?
It runs. It does not run. Does it run?
Instead of "s," "es" is added to positive, third-person forms of verbs ending with the following sounds: s, z, sh, ch, j or zs (as in Zsa Zsa). These special "es"-forms have been
marked below with an asterisk*.
POSITIVE NEGATIVE QUESTION

•I rush. •I do not rush. •Do I rush?

•You rush. •You do not rush. •Do you rush?
•We rush. •We do not rush. •Do we rush?
•They rush. •They do not rush. •Do they rush?
•He rushes. * •He does not rush. •Does he rush?
•She rushes. * •She does not rush. •Does she rush?
•It rushes. * •It does not rush. •Does it rush?
To Have
The verb "have" is irregular in positive, third-person forms. This irregular form
has been marked below with an asterisk*.
POSITIVE NEGATIVE QUESTION

•I have. •I do not have. •Do I have?

•You have. •You do not have. •Do you have?
•We have. •We do not have. •Do we have?
•They have. •They do not have. •Do they have?
•He has. * •He does not have. •Does he have?
•She has. * •She does not have. •Does she have?
•It has. * •It does not have. •Does it have?
To Be
The verb "be" is irregular in the Simple Present. It also has different question
forms and negative forms.

POSITIVE NEGATIVE QUESTION

•I am. •I am not. •Am I?

•You are. •You are not. •Are you?
•We are. •We are not. •Are we?
•They are. •They are not. •Are they?
•He is. •He is not. •Is he?
•She is. •She is not. •Is she?
•It is. •It is not. •Is it?
To DO
The verb “do" is irregular in the Simple Present. It also has different question
forms and negative forms.

POSITIVE NEGATIVE QUESTION

•I do. •I do not. •Do I?

•You do. •You don’t. •Do you?
•We do. •We don’t. • Do we?
•They do. •They don’t. •Do they?
•He does. •He doesn’t. •Does he?
•She does. •She doesn’t. •Does she?
•It does. •It doesn’t. •Does it?
USE 1 Repeated Actions

Use the Simple Present to express the idea that an action is repeated or
usual. The action can be a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled
event or something that often happens. It can also be something a
person often forgets or usually does not do.
Examples:
I play tennis.
She does not play tennis.
Does he play tennis?
The train leaves every morning at 8 AM.
The train does not leave at 9 AM.
When does the train usually leave?
She always forgets her purse.
He never forgets his wallet.
Every twelve months, the Earth circles the Sun.
Does the Sun circle the Earth?
USE 2 Facts or Generalizations

The Simple Present can also indicate the speaker believes that a
fact was true before, is true now, and will be true in the future. It is
not important if the speaker is correct about the fact. It is also
used to make generalizations about people or things.
Examples:
Cats like milk.
Birds do not like milk.
Do pigs like milk?
California is in America.
California is not in the United Kingdom.
Windows are made of glass.
Windows are not made of wood.
New York is a small city. It is not important that this fact is untrue.
USE 3 Scheduled Events in the Near Future

Speakers occasionally use Simple Present to talk about

scheduled events in the near future. This is most
commonly done when talking about public
transportation, but it can be used with other
scheduled events as well.
Examples:
The train leaves tonight at 6 PM.
The bus does not arrive at 11 AM, it arrives at 11 PM.
When do we board the plane?
The party starts at 8 o'clock.
When does class begin tomorrow?
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement for grammar
adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
You only speak English.
Do you only speak English?
Practice
1. She ___ four languages. 7. His job is great because he ___ a lot of people.
a. speak a. meet
b. speaks b. meets
2. Jane is a teacher. She ___ French.
a. teach 8. He always ___ his car on Sundays.
b. teaches a. wash
3. When the kettle ___, will you make some tea? b. Washes
a. boil
b. boils 9. My watch is broken and it ___ to be fixed again.
4. I always ___ the window at night because it is cold. a. need
a. close b. needs
b. closes
5. Those shoes ___ too much. 10. I ___ to watch movies.
a. cost a. love
b. costs b. loves
6. The food in Japan is expensive. It ___ a lot to live there.
a. cost 11. They never ___ tea in the morning.
b. costs a. drink
b. drinks

12. The earth ___ round the sun, doesn't it?

a. go
b. goes
PRACTICE
http://
www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/complex_tests/simple_pre
sent1/index.php
http://
www.learnenglishfeelgood.com/esl-present-tense1.ht
ml
http://
www.isabelperez.com/happy/tenses/present_simple.h
tm
http://
www.englishclub.com/grammar/verb-tenses_present_
quiz.htm