Simple Present
FORM
[VERB]+ s/es in third person
Examples:
YouspeakEnglish.
DoyouspeakEnglish?
Youdo not speakEnglish.
USE 1 Repeated Actions
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:
Iplaytennis.
Shedoes not playtennis.
Doesheplaytennis?
The trainleavesevery morning at 8 AM.
The traindoes not leaveat 9 AM.
Whendoesthe train usuallyleave?
She alwaysforgetsher purse.
He neverforgetshis wallet.
Every twelve months, the Earthcirclesthe Sun.
Doesthe Suncirclethe Earth?
USE 2 Facts or Generalizations
It indicates 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:
Catslikemilk.
Birdsdo not likemilk.
Dopigslikemilk?
Californiaisin America.
Californiais notin the United Kingdom.
Windowsaremade of glass.
Windowsare notmade of wood.
New Yorkisa small [Link] 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 trainleavestonight at 6 PM.
The busdoes not arriveat 11 AM, itarrivesat
11 PM.
Whendoweboardthe plane?
The partystartsat 8 o'clock.
Whendoesclassbegintomorrow?
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
withNon-Continuous Verbs and certain
Mixed Verbs.
Examples:
Iamhere now.
Sheis nothere now.
Heneedshelp right now.
Hedoes not needhelp now.
Hehashis passport in his hand.
Doyouhaveyour passport with you?
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
Irun. Ido not run. DoIrun?
Yourun. Youdo not run. Doyourun?
Werun. Wedo not run. Dowerun?
Theyrun. Theydo not run. Dotheyrun?
Heruns. Hedoes not run. Doesherun?
Sheruns. Shedoes not run. Doessherun?
Itruns. Itdoes not run. Doesitrun?
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 .These special "es"-forms have
been marked below with an asterisk*.
To Have
Positive Negative Question
Irush. Ido not rush. DoIrush?
Yourush. Youdo not rush. Doyourush?
Werush. Wedo not rush. Dowerush?
Theyrush. Theydo not rush. Dotheyrush?
Herushes.* Hedoes not rush. Doesherush?
Sherushes.* Shedoes not rush. Doessherush?
Itrushes.* Itdoes not rush. Doesitrush?
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
Ihave. Ido not have. DoI have?
Youhave. Youdo not have. Doyou have?
Wehave. Wedo not have. Dowe have?
Theyhave. Theydo not have. Dothey have?
Hehas. * Hedoes not have. Doeshe have?
Shehas. * Shedoes not have. Doesshe have?
Ithas. * Itdoes not have. Doesit have?