The simple present tense is one of the most common and basic verb tenses in English. It has two main uses: to describe actions that are happening right now, or to describe actions that happen regularly or repeatedly.
FORM AND BASIC MEANING OF THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE
The simple present tense is one of the most common and basic verb tenses in English grammar. It is used to describe actions or situations that are happening in the present, or that happen regularly or repeatedly in the present. For example, we can use the simple present tense to talk about our daily routines, our hobbies, our opinions, or facts that are always true. To form the simple present tense, we usually use the root form of the verb, which is the same as the infinitive form without the word to. However, there are some exceptions and rules that we need to remember.
Let’s see them in detail.
- The root form of the verb is the same as the infinitive form without the word “to.” For example, the root form of “to walk” is “walk,” the root form of “to study” is “study,” and the root form of “to play” is “play.”
- The -s or -es suffix is added to the verb when the subject is a singular noun or a third-person singular pronoun (he, she, it). For example, the verb “walk” becomes “walks” when the subject is he, she, or it. The verb “play” becomes “plays” when the subject is he, she, or it.
- The -ies suffix is used when the subject is a singular noun or a third-person singular pronoun (he, she, it) and the verb ends in a consonant + y. For example, “try” becomes “tries,” “cry” becomes “cries.” NOTE: This rule does not apply in third-person singular sentences with verbs ending in “y” preceded by vowels. If the verb ends in a vowel + y, simply add -s. For example, “play” becomes “plays,” “enjoy” becomes “enjoys.”
- The -es suffix is used when the verb ends with -s, -sh, -ch, -x, -z or -o. For example, the verb “kiss” becomes “kisses,” the verb “wash” becomes “washes,” the verb “watch” becomes “watches,” the verb “fix” becomes “fixes,” the verb “buzz” becomes “buzzes” and the verbs “go,” “undo,” “echo,” and “veto” become “goes,” “undoes,” “echoes,” and “vetoes” respectively.
- Some verbs have irregular forms in the simple present tense that do not follow the rules above. The most common irregular verbs are be, have, and do. The verb be has three forms: am, is, and are. The verb “have” has two forms: have and has. The verb do has two forms: do and does. The forms of these verbs depend on the subject. For example:
- I am a student. / You are a student. / We are students. / They are students.
- He is a student. / She is a student. / It is a student.
- I have a car. / You have a car. / We have cars. / They have cars.
- He has a car. / She has a car. / It has a car.
- I do my homework. / You do your homework. / We do our homework. / They do their homework.
- He does his homework. / She does her homework. / It does its homework.
- The simple present tense expresses actions that are happening right now, or actions that happen regularly or repeatedly. For example:
- I walk to school every day. (This is a regular or repeated action.)
- She walks to school right now. (This is an action that is happening right now.)
- He is a student. (This is a fact or a general truth.)
- She has a car. (This is a fact or a general truth.)
- He does his homework every night. (This is a regular or repeated action.)
- She does her homework right now. (This is an action that is happening right now.)
AFFIRMATIVE, NEGATIVE AND INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES IN THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE
In this section, we will learn how to make sentences in the simple present tense that are affirmative, negative, or interrogative. Affirmative sentences are statements that express a positive or true idea. Negative sentences are statements that express a negative or false idea. Interrogative sentences are questions that ask for information or confirmation.
AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCES
To make an affirmative sentence in the simple present tense, we simply use the subject and the verb in the correct form, depending on whether the subject is singular or plural, or a third-person singular pronoun or not.
Plural noun or I, you, we, they + Base Form of Verb + complement
For example:
- I like coffee. (The subject is “I,” which is singular, and the verb is “like,” which is the root form.)
- You like coffee. (The subject is “you,” which can be singular or plural, and the verb is “like,” which is the root form.)
- We like coffee. (The subject is “we,” which is plural, and the verb is “like,” which is the root form.)
- They like coffee. (The subject is “they,” which is plural, and the verb is “like,” which is the root form.)
The third-person singular pronouns are he, she, and it. When the subject is singular or a third-person singular pronoun, we need to add an –s, -es or –ies suffix to the verb.
Singular noun or he, she, it + Base Form of Verb + ‘-s,’ ‘-es’ or -ies + complement
For example:
- He likes coffee. (The subject is “he,” which is a third-person singular pronoun, and the verb is “likes,” which adds an -s suffix.)
- She likes coffee. (The subject is “she,” which is a third-person singular pronoun, and the verb is “likes,” which adds an -s suffix.)
- It likes coffee. (The subject is “it,” which is a third-person singular pronoun, and the verb is “likes,” which adds an -s suffix.)
The -es suffix is used when the verb ends with -s, -sh, -ch, -x, -o, or -z. For example:
- He kisses me. (The verb “kiss” ends with -s, so we add -es to make “kisses.”)
- She washes her hair. (The verb “wash” ends with -sh, so we add -es to make “washes.”)
- It watches TV. (The verb “watch” ends with -ch, so we add -es to make watches.)
- He fixes the car. (The verb “fix” ends with -x, so we add -es to make “fixes.”)
- She buzzes the door. (The verb buzz ends with -z, so we add -es to make buzzes.)
The -ies suffix is used when the verb ends with a consonant + y. For example:
- He studies English. (The verb “study” ends with consonant + y (study), so we add -ies to make “studies.”)
Some verbs have irregular forms in the simple present tense that do not follow the rules above. The most common irregular verbs are be, have, and do. The verb be has three forms: am, is, and are. The verb have has two forms: have and has. The verb do has two forms: do and does. The forms of these verbs depend on the subject.
Subject + Irregular Verb Form + complement
For example:
- I am a student. (The subject is “I,” and the verb is “am,” which is the irregular form of “be.”)
- You are a student. (The subject is “you,” and the verb is “are,” which is the irregular form of “be.”)
- We are students. (The subject is “we,” and the verb is “are,” which is the irregular form of “be.”)
- They are students. (The subject is “they,” and the verb is “are,” which is the irregular form of “be.”)
- He is a student. (The subject is “he,” and the verb is “is,” which is the irregular form of “be.”)
- She is a student. (The subject is “she,” and the verb is “is,” which is the irregular form of “be.”)
- It is a student. (The subject is “it,” and the verb is “is,” which is the irregular form of “be.”)
- I have a car. (The subject is “I,” and the verb is “have,” which is the irregular form of “have.”)
- You have a car. (The subject is “you,” and the verb is “have,” which is the irregular form of “have.”)
- We have cars. (The subject is “we,” and the verb is “have,” which is the irregular form of “have.”)
- They have cars. (The subject is “they,” and the verb is “have,” which is the irregular form of “have.”)
- He has a car. (The subject is “he,” and the verb is “has,” which is the irregular form of “have.”)
- She has a car. (The subject is “she,” and the verb is “has,” which is the irregular form of “have.”)
- It has a toy. (The subject is “it,” and the verb is “has,” which is the irregular form of “have.”)
- I do my homework. (The subject is “I,” and the verb is “do,” which is the irregular form of “do.”)
- You do your homework. (The subject is “you,” and the verb is “do,” which is the irregular form of “do.”)
- We do our homework. (The subject is “we,” and the verb is “do,” which is the irregular form of “do.”)
- They do their homework. (The subject is “they,” and the verb is “do,” which is the irregular form of “do.”)
- He does his homework. (The subject is “he,” and the verb is “does,” which is the irregular form of “do.”)
- She does her homework. (The subject is “she,” and the verb is “does,” which is the irregular form of “do.”)
- It does its homework. (The subject is “it,” and the verb is “does,” which is the irregular form of “do.”)
NEGATIVE SENTENCES
To make a negative sentence in the simple present tense, we use do not or does not before the verb, or the contractions don’t or doesn’t. We use do not or don’t when the subject is I, you, we, or they. We use does not or doesn’t when the subject is he, she, or it. For example:
- I do not like coffee. / I don’t like coffee. (The subject is I, and we use do not or don’t before the verb like.)
- You do not like coffee. / You don’t like coffee. (The subject is you, and we use do not or don’t before the verb like.)
- We do not like coffee. / We don’t like coffee. (The subject is we, and we use do not or don’t before the verb like.)
- They do not like coffee. / They don’t like coffee. (The subject is they, and we use do not or don’t before the verb like.)
The third-person singular pronouns are he, she, and it. When the subject is a third-person singular pronoun, we use does not or doesn’t before the verb. For example:
- She does not like coffee. / She doesn’t like coffee. (The subject is SHE, and we use does not or doesn’t before the verb like.)
- He does not like coffee. / He doesn’t like coffee. (The subject is HE, and we use does not or doesn’t before the verb like.)
INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES
To make an interrogative sentence in the simple present tense, the auxiliary verbs “do/does” or “is/are/am” are used at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the subject, the base form of the verb, and the complement. The sentence ends with a question mark.
Here are some examples:
- Do/Does + Subject + Base Form of Verb + Complement + ?
- Do you like coffee?
- Does he like coffee?
- Do we like coffee?
- Do they like coffee?
- Is/Are/Am + Subject + Complement + ?
- Are you a student?
- Is he a student?
- Am I a student?
- Are we students?
- Are they students?
- Do/Does + Subject + have + Complement + ?
- Do you have a car?
- Does he have a car?
- Do we have cars?
- Do they have cars?
FREQUENCY ADVERBS AND EXPRESSIONS WITH THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE
In this section, we will learn how to use frequency adverbs and expressions with the simple present tense to indicate how often an action happens. Frequency adverbs and expressions are words or phrases that tell us how often something happens or is true. They can help us describe our habits, routines, preferences, or opinions.
FREQUENCY ADVERBS WITH THE SIMPLE PRESENT
Frequency adverbs are words like always, usually, often, sometimes, seldom, rarely, and never. They tell us how often an action happens or is true. For example:
- I always brush my teeth in the morning. (This means that I brush my teeth in the morning every day, without exception.)
- He is never late for work. (This means that he is always on time for work, without exception.)
We usually place frequency adverbs before the verb, or after the verb to be. For example:
- She usually reads a book before bed. (The frequency adverb usually comes before the verb read.)
- They are often bored at school. (The frequency adverb often comes after the verb to be.)
However, there are some exceptions to this rule. For example:
- We sometimes go to the cinema. (The frequency adverb sometimes can come before or after the verb go.)
- He rarely ever drinks coffee. (The frequency adverb rarely can be followed by ever to emphasize the low frequency.)
- She never, ever lies. (The frequency adverb never can be followed by ever to emphasize the negative idea.)
The order of frequency adverbs from the most frequent to the least frequent is:
- always
- usually
- often
- sometimes
- seldom
- rarely
- never
We can use these adverbs to compare the frequency of different actions or situations. For example:
- I always eat breakfast, but I seldom eat lunch. (This means that I eat breakfast more often than I eat lunch.)
- She often travels abroad, but she rarely visits her family. (This means that she travels abroad more often than she visits her family.)
FREQUENCY EXPRESSIONS WITH THE SIMPLE PRESENT
Frequency expressions are phrases like every day, once a week, three times a month, etc. They tell us how often an action happens or is true in a specific period of time. For example:
- She goes to the gym three times a week. (This means that she goes to the gym three times in one week.)
- He calls his parents once a month. (This means that he calls his parents one time in one month.)
We usually place frequency expressions at the end of the sentence. For example:
- I watch TV every night. (The frequency expression every night comes at the end of the sentence.)
- They play soccer twice a year. (The frequency expression twice a year comes at the end of the sentence.)
However, there are some exceptions to this rule. For example:
- Every morning, I drink a cup of coffee. (The frequency expression every morning can come at the beginning of the sentence, followed by a comma.)
- Once in a while, he goes to the park. (The frequency expression once in a while can come at the beginning of the sentence, followed by a comma.)
The order of frequency expressions from the most frequent to the least frequent depends on the period of time and the number of times. For example:
- every day > every week > every month > every year
- once a day > once a week > once a month > once a year
- twice a day > twice a week > twice a month > twice a year
- three times a day > three times a week > three times a month > three times a year
We can use these expressions to compare the frequency of different actions or situations. For example:
- I go to the dentist twice a year, but I go to the doctor once a month. (This means that I go to the dentist less often than I go to the doctor.)
- She studies English every day, but she studies French once a week. (This means that she studies English more often than she studies French.)
I hope this section helps you understand how to use frequency adverbs and expressions with the simple present tense.
OTHER USES OF THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE
Besides describing actions that are happening right now or happen regularly, the simple present tense can also be used for:
- Stating facts or general truths, such as scientific laws, historical events, or geographical information. For example:
- Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
- The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
- Venezuela is located in South America.
- Expressing preferences, opinions, feelings, or states of mind, such as likes, dislikes, beliefs, wishes, or hopes. For example:
- I love chocolate.
- She hates spiders.
- He believes in God.
- Giving instructions, directions, or commands, such as recipes, manuals, or orders. For example:
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
- Turn left at the next corner.
- Sit down and be quiet.
- Talking about future events that are fixed or scheduled, such as timetables, calendars, or programs. For example:
- The train leaves at 10:00 a.m.
- The concert starts at 8:00 p.m.
- She graduates next month.
SUMMARY
The simple present tense is a versatile and easy-to-use verb tense that can help you communicate clearly and effectively in English. Here are some key points to remember:
- The simple present tense is formed by using the root form of the verb, except for the third-person singular, which adds an -s or -es suffix.
- The simple present tense is used to describe actions that are happening right now, or actions that happen regularly or repeatedly.
- To make a sentence negative in the simple present tense, we use do not or does not before the verb, or the contractions don’t or doesn’t.
- To make a question in the simple present tense, we use do or does before the subject, or the contractions do you or does he/she/it.
- We can also use question words like what, where, when, why, how, who, and which before do or does to make wh- questions.
- We often use frequency adverbs and expressions with the simple present tense to indicate how often an action happens.
- The simple present tense can also be used for stating facts or general truths, expressing preferences, opinions, feelings, or states of mind, giving instructions, directions, or commands, and talking about future events that are fixed or scheduled.
ACTIVITY 1. INTERACTION USING SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE
Instructions for Students:
- Read the following dialogue carefully.
- Answer the questions based on the dialogue.
- Use the simple present tense in your answers.
- Remember to follow the rules of the simple present tense as explained above.
Alice: Hi Bob, how are you?
Bob: Hi Alice, I am good. How about you?
Alice: I am fine too. Do you walk to school every day?
Bob: Yes, I do. I walk to school every day. It’s a nice way to start the day. How about you?
Alice: I usually take the bus, but sometimes I walk too. It depends on the weather.
Bob: That makes sense. By the way, does your brother study in our school?
Alice: No, he doesn’t. He studies engineering at the university.
Bob: That’s interesting. My sister also studies engineering. She really enjoys it.
Alice: That’s great! My brother enjoys his studies too. He says it’s challenging but rewarding.
Bob: I agree. Studying can be hard, but it’s worth it in the end.
Questions:
- Does Alice walk to school every day?
- How does Bob go to school every day?
- Does Alice’s brother study in their school?
- Does Bob’s sister enjoy her studies?
- What does Alice’s brother find about his studies?
ACTIVITY 2. QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS USING SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE
Instructions: The professor (or a student) will ask a question, and then you will answer the question using the second part of the clue and an appropriate simple present tense. Make sure to use the simple present tense in your answers.
Clues:
- She / study / in the library
- He / read / every night before bed
- They / live / near the park
- you / eat / for breakfast every day
- We walk / to school
Example:
- Teacher: Where does she study? Student: She studies in the library.
