Simple
Present
FORM
[VERB] + s/es in third
person
Examples:
Examples:
·
You speak English.
·
Do you speak English?
·
You do not
speak English.
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:
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?
USE 4 Now (Non-Continuous Verbs)
Speakers
sometimes use the Simple Present to express the idea that an action is
happening or is not happening now. This can only be done with Non-Continuous
Verbsand certain Mixed Verbs.
Examples:
Examples:
·
I am here now.
·
She is not here now.
·
He needs help right now.
·
He does not
need help now.
·
He has his passport in his hand.
·
Do you have your passport with you?
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below
show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever,
still, just, etc.
Examples:
Examples:
·
You only speak English.
·
Do you only speak English?
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
·
Once a week, Tom cleans the car. Active
·
Once a week, the car is
cleaned by Tom. Passive
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.
You run.
We run.
They run.
He runs.
She runs.
It runs.
|
I do not run.
You do not run.
We do not run.
They do not run.
He does not run.
She does not run.
It does not run.
|
Do I run?
Do you run?
Do we run?
Do they run?
Does he run?
Does she 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.
Yourush.
Werush.
Theyrush.
Herushes.*
Sherushes.*
Itrushes.*
|
I do not rush.
You do not rush.
We do not rush.
They do not rush.
He does not rush.
She does not rush.
It does not rush.
|
Do Irush?
Do yourush?
Do werush?
Dotheyrush?
Doesherush?
Doessherush?
Does itrush?
|
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.
Youhave.
Wehave.
Theyhave.
Hehas.
*
Shehas.
*
Ithas.
*
|
I do not have.
You do not have.
We do not have.
They do not have.
He does not have.
She does not have.
It does not have.
|
Do I have?
Do you have?
Do we have?
Do they have?
Does he have?
Doesshe 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.
Youare.
Weare.
Theyare.
He is.
She is.
It is.
|
I am not.
You are not.
We are not.
They are not.
He is not.
She is not.
It is not.
|
Am I?
Areyou?
Arewe?
Arethey?
Is he?
Is she?
Is it?
|
Modal Verbs
Modal
verbs behave differently from other verbs. Notice that they do not take
"s" in the third person - there is no difference between
first-person, second-person or third-person forms. Like the verb "be"
described above, modal verbs also have different question forms and negative
forms in Simple Present.
Positive
|
Negative
|
Question
|
I should go.
You
should
go.
We should go.
They
should
go.
He
should
go.
She should go.
It should go.
|
I should not go.
You should
not go.
We should
not go.
They should
not go.
He should
not go.
She should
not go.
It should not go.
|
Should I go?
Should you go?
Should we go?
Should they go?
Should he go?
Should she go?
Should it go?
|