Simple Present Tense
It is used to express:
A present action which is always true. (generalizations- feelings)
e.g. I am Argentinean.
I love pop music.
An action which is true for a long time.
e.g. They work in a bank.
Routines and habits.
e.g. She usually gets up at eight o’clock.
Structure
Affirmative form
I
You
We
They
} live in Europe.
He
She
It
} lives * in Europe.
* with the third person singular, the verb ends in s or es
the general rule is to add s at the end of the verb
e.g. works talks puts stops
If the verb ends in e, add s
e.g. lives loves
If the verb ends in s, ss, x, ch, sh, o, add es
e.g. Kisses watches washes goes does
If the verb ends in a consonant + y, y changes into i and add es
e.g. try tries cry cries
If the verb ends in a vowel + y, add s
e.g. play plays stay stays
There are some irregular verbs
e.g. have has Be IS
Negative Form (auxiliary verb= Do not)
}
I
You
do not (don’t) live in Europe.
We
They
}
He
does not (doesn’t) live in Europe.
She
It
Interrogative form
Yes /No Questions
1
I
You
live in Europe?
Do We
They
He
live in Europe?
Does She
It
Answers: e.g. Yes, I do / Yes, she does
No, I don’t /No, She doesn’t
W/h questions (Which begin with a question word*)
I
You
Where do We Live?
They
He
What Does She Do?
It
Answers: e.g. I live in Europe
She is a teacher
*Some Question words are:
What Why How far
When Whose How long
Where Which How old
How How much/ many What time
who How often
Adverbs of frequency
Always Usually Often Sometimes Never
100% 50% 0%
They are usually placed between the subject and the main verb:
e.g. We usually go shopping at weekends
She never drinks coffee
They come after the verb to be:
e.g. I am always late
Sometimes and usually can come at the beginning or at the end of the sentence:
e.g. Usually, we watch TV at night
We watch TV at night usually
Time expressions
Every day At 8 o’clock
Every night On Monday/Tuesday/…
Every year In July/ September
Every month At the weekends
Activities
1. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb:
Carla (have) ………………………… a very big house.
2
The shop (close) ………………………… at 11 p.m.
It (take) ………………………… me 20 minutes to walk to school.
Vegetarians (not eat) ………………………… meat.
An atheist (not believe) ………………………… in God.
The teacher always (give) ………………………… us a lot of homework.
We (work) ………………………… At weekends sometimes.
In Britain, police officers (not use) ………………………… guns.
My father is bald. He (not have) ………………………… hair.
Kangaroos (not live) ………………………… in Mexico.
2. Answer the following questions:
Do you go to school/work by bus?
Do you like listening to heavy metal music?
Do you live in a flat?
Do you like sports?
Do you play any instrument?
Does your friend have a Roll Royce car?
Does he /she love listening to pop music?
Does he /she study a lot?
Does he /she wear a uniform at school/work?
3. Answer the following W/h questions:
What Kind of music do you like most?
Where do you live?
Who do you live with?
What time do you usually get up at week days?
Where is your friend from?
What does he/she usually do at weekends?
How often does he/she read a book at night?
4. Make the questions for these answers:
………………………………………………………………………………………………
I usually get up at 7.00 a.m. every day.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
3
Robert often goes to school by car.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
My sister sometimes does her homework at night.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
We always have tea and biscuits for breakfast.
5. Order the words to make sentences:
play/ guitar/ We/ usually/ the / Mondays/ on.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
often/ watches/ father/ TV/ My/ work/ at.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Real Madrid football players/ wear/ red/ a / never / T-shirt.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
always/ My/ champagne/ drinks/ boss/ special/ on/ occasions.
………………………………………………………………………………………………
6. Write your daily routine:
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………