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Simple Present/Present Simple - Brief Version

This document provides an overview of the simple present tense in English. It discusses the use of the simple present tense for repeated or habitual actions, things that are generally true, fixed arrangements, instructions, and with special verbs like understand. It provides examples of affirmative, negative, and interrogative sentences in the simple present tense and notes exceptions for verbs like be. It explains that the simple present tense is used to describe actions that are general or habitual across past, present and future time frames.

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Maria Ferrebu
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81 views5 pages

Simple Present/Present Simple - Brief Version

This document provides an overview of the simple present tense in English. It discusses the use of the simple present tense for repeated or habitual actions, things that are generally true, fixed arrangements, instructions, and with special verbs like understand. It provides examples of affirmative, negative, and interrogative sentences in the simple present tense and notes exceptions for verbs like be. It explains that the simple present tense is used to describe actions that are general or habitual across past, present and future time frames.

Uploaded by

Maria Ferrebu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Simple Present/Present Simple - Brief version

Simple Present
Summary
Use
Signal words
Form of affirmative, negative sentences and questions
Spelling
Special verbs
Diagram
Long forms and short forms
Simple Present - Complex Test 1 Complex Test 2
Exercises - Simple Present
Use
1) repeated actions
My friend often draws nice posters.

2) things in general
The sun rises in the East.

3) fixed arrangements, scheduled events
The plane flies to London every Monday.

4) sequence of actions in the present
First I get up, then I have breakfast.

5) instructions
Open your books at page 34.

6) with special verbs
I understand English.

Signal words
every day, often, always, sometimes, never

Form
infinitive (3rd person singular he, she, it: infinitive + -s)

Examples
Affirmative sentences:
I read books. My brother reads books.
We sing pop songs. She sings pop songs.
I play handball. John plays handball.
Negative sentences:
You must not negate a full verb in English. Always use the auxiliary do for negations.
I like computers.
I don't like computers at all.

My friend likes computers.
My mum doesn't like computers at all.
Questions:
Use the auxiliary do.
Do you play football?
Does he play football?

How do we make the Present Simple
Tense?
subject + auxiliary verb + main verb
do base
There are three important exceptions:
1. For positive sentences, we do not normally use the auxiliary.
2. For the 3rd person singular (he, she, it), we add s to the main verb
or es to the auxiliary.
3. For the verb to be, we do not use an auxiliary, even for questions
and negatives.
Look at these examples with the main verb like:
subject auxiliary verb main verb
+ I, you, we, they like coffee.
He, she, it likes coffee.
- I, you, we, they do not like coffee.
He, she, it does not like coffee.
? Do I, you, we, they like coffee?
Does he, she, it like coffee?
Look at these examples with the main verb be. Notice that there is no
auxiliary:
subject main verb
+ I am French.
You, we, they are French.
He, she, it is French.
- I am not old.
You, we, they are not old.
He, she, it is not old.
? Am I late?
Are you, we, they late?
Is he, she, it late?
How do we use the Present Simple Tense?
We use the present simple tense when:
the action is general
the action happens all the time, or habitually, in the past, present
and future
the action is not only happening now
the statement is always true
John drives a taxi.
past present future

It is John's job to drive a taxi. He does it every day. Past, present and
future.
Look at these examples:
I live in New York.
The Moon goes round the Earth.
John drives a taxi.
He does not drive a bus.
We meet every Thursday.
We do not work at night.
Do you play football?
Note that with the verb to be, we can also use the present simple tense for
situations that are not general. We can use the present simple tense to talk
about now. Look at these examples of the verb "to be" in the present
simple tense - some of them are general, some of them are now:
Am I right?
Tara is not at home.
You are happy.
past present future

The situation is now.

I am not fat.
Why are you so beautiful?
Ram is tall.
past present future

The situation is general. Past, present and future.

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