The Simple Present Tense

The Simple Present Tense is one of the most important and commonly used tenses in English. Whether you’re talking about daily routines, facts, habits, or general truths, the simple present is your go-to tense!

When Do We Use the Simple Present Tense?

We use the simple present to talk about:

  1. Daily routines and habits
    • I wake up at 7 a.m.
    • She goes to work every day.
  2. General truths or facts
    • The sun rises in the east.
    • Water boils at 100°C.
  3. Permanent situations
    • They live in Paris.
    • He works at a bank.
  4. Timetables or schedules
    • The train leaves at 8 o’clock.
    • My class starts at 9:30 a.m.

Structure of the Simple Present

Affirmative Sentences

SubjectVerb
I/You/We/Theybase form (play, eat, go, etc.)
He/She/Itbase form + s/es (plays, eats, goes)

Examples:

  • I like tea.
  • He likes tea.
  • They play football.
  • She plays football.

Spelling Rules for He/She/It:

  • add -s: read → reads, play → plays
  • -es: go → goes, watch → watches
  • -ies: study → studies, try → tries

❌ Negative Sentences

We use do not (don’t) or does not (doesn’t) + base verb.

SubjectNegative form
I/You/We/Theydon’t + verb
He/She/Itdoesn’t + verb

Examples:

  • I don’t like coffee.
  • He doesn’t play guitar.
  • They don’t work on Sundays.

❓ Questions in the Simple Present

We use Do or Does at the beginning of the question.

Question WordDo/DoesSubjectVerb
What / Where / WhenDoI / you / we/ theybase form
Wheredotheylive?
What / Where / WhenDoeshe / she / itbase form
Where doeshework?

Examples:

  • Do you speak English?
  • Does she like music?
  • Where do they live?
  • What does he want?

Practice Exercises: exercise 1, exercise 2, exercise 3, exercise 4

Final Tip:

The simple present is a foundation for English grammar. Learn it well, and everything else becomes easier!

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