Understanding Simple Present Tense Usage
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ScribdTranslationsUnderstanding Simple Present Tense Usage
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ScribdTranslationsThe simple present is one of the verb tenses in English. Its correct use is very important.
because it is used for multiple situations, which you will find a little further down.
Additionally, in this article you will learn about its main uses, how it is formed (structure), its
conjugation and, finally, some exceptions or unique cases.
Present simple: how it is used
The simple present in English is the verb tense indicated when you want to express one of the
following conditions:
1. To make known actions or permanent states
Example: Guadalajara is the capital of Jalisco.
2. Communicate actions or states that repeat over time
Example: Every four years is a leap year.
3. Transmit routines, continuous facts, and those that repeat daily or periodically.
determined.
Example: I walk to my work.
4. Give instructions or indications.
Example: First, smash the potatoes and then pour some milk.
5. Mention facts, commitments, or appointments that will occur in the future on a certain hour and day.
determined.
Next Saturday is my wedding!
Tip: A common mistake is to believe that the present simple is used to talk about actions or states that
They occur at the precise moment when it is spoken. This is incorrect. For these situations, we
use the present continuous.
What is the structure of the present simple to form sentences?
This tense has a basic structure for its affirmative, negative, and interrogative forms.
In the following table you can get to know her better.
Present simple: structure
Affirmative Subject + verb + complement
Negative Subject + auxiliary do/does not + verb + complement
Interrogative Do/Does helper + subject + verb + complement
Rules for using the simple present in the third person
Here you have 4 rules for the use of the simple present in English. You will see that in the first two rules
the simple present only affects the third person, and in the third and fourth it is only influenced in
the subjects and their conjugation.
1. Cuando el presente simple se encuentra en su forma afirmativa, los verbos se modifican
adding an -s at the end; however, in its negative and interrogative form you should not add it.
When using verbs ending in -o, -sh, -ch, -ss, -x, and -z, -es must be added to the end, as follows:
Verb Third person
To undergo He undergoes
To push She pushes
To reach He reaches
To guess She guesses
To fix He fixes
To fuzz She fuzzes
When using verbs ending in -y, the -y must be changed to -i and -ed must be added at the end.
es.
Verb Third person
To fly He flies
To try She tries
To carry He carries
You must keep in mind that for verbs ending in -y there is another exception and it is
very important: if before the -y there is another vowel, you only need to add the -s without
modify the verb.
Verb Third person
To play She plays
To stay He stays
To buy She buys
2. When you express yourself in the third person, you must use the auxiliary 'do' and when using the first and
the auxiliary must be 'to be' in the second person singular or plural.
Affirmative
He DOES
She
It
Negative
He DOES NOT
She
It
Interrogative
DOES he
she
it