SIMPLE PRESENT

The simple present tense in English is used to describe an action that is regular,
true or normal.
We use the present tense:
1. For repeated or regular actions in the present time period.
•I take the train to the office.
•The train to Berlin leaves every hour.
•John sleeps eight hours every night during the week.
2. For facts.
•The President of The USA lives in The White House.
•A dog has four legs.
•We come from Switzerland.
3. For habits.
•I get up early every day.
•Carol brushes her teeth twice a day.
•They travel to their country house every weekend.
4. For things that are always / generally true.
•It rains a lot in winter.
•The Queen of England lives in Buckingham Palace.
•They speak English at work.

Verb Conjugation & Spelling

We form the present tense using the base form of the infinitive (without the TO).
In general, in the third person we add 'S' in the third person.
The Rest of the
Subject Verb
sentence
I / you / we / speak /
English at home
they learn
speaks /
he / she / it English at home
learns
The spelling for the verb in the third person differs depending on the ending of that
verb:
1. For verbs that end in -O, -CH, -SH, -SS, -X, or -Z we add -ES in the third person.
•go – goes
•catch – catches
•wash – washes
•kiss – kisses
•fix – fixes
•buzz – buzzes
2. For verbs that end in a consonant + Y, we remove the Y and add -IES.
•marry – marries
 •study – studies
•carry – carries
•worry – worries
NOTE: For verbs that end in a vowel + Y, we just add -S.
•play – plays
•enjoy – enjoys
•say – says

Negative Sentences in the Simple Present Tense

To make a negative sentence in English we normally use Don't or Doesn't with all
verbs EXCEPT To Be and Modal verbs (can, might, should etc.).
•Affirmative: You speak French.
Negative: You don't speak French.
You will see that we add don't between the subject and the verb. We
use Don't when the subject is I, you, we or they.
•Affirmative: He speaks German.
Negative: He doesn't speak German.
When the subject is he, she or it, we add doesn't between the subject and the
verb to make a negative sentence. Notice that the letter S at the end of the verb in
the affirmative sentence (because it is in third person) disappears in the negative
sentence. We will see the reason why below.

Negative Contractions
Don't = Do not
Doesn't = Does not
I don't like meat = I do not like meat.
There is no difference in meaning though we normally use contractions in spoken
English.

Word Order of Negative Sentences

The following is the word order to construct a basic negative sentence in English in
the Present Tense using Don't or Doesn't.
don't/does The Rest of the
Subject Verb*
n't sentence
I / you / we / have /
don't
they buy
cereal for breakfast
eat / like
he / she / it doesn't etc.
* Verb: The verb that goes here is the base form of the infinitive = The infinitive
without TO before the verb. Instead of the infinitive To have it is just the have part.
Remember that the infinitive is the verb before it is conjugated (changed) and it
begins with TO. For example: to have, to eat, to go, to live, to speak etc.
Examples of Negative Sentences with Don't and Doesn't:
•You don't speak Arabic.
•John doesn't speak Italian.
•We don't have time for a rest.
•It doesn't move.
•They don't want to go to the party.
•She doesn't like fish.

Questions in the Simple Present Tense

To make a question in English we normally use Do or Does. It has no translation in
Spanish though it is essential to show we are making a question. It is normally put
at the beginning of the question.
•Affirmative: You speak English.
Question: Do you speak English?
You will see that we add DO at the beginning of the affirmative sentence to make it
a question. We use Do when the subject is I, you, we or they.
•Affirmative: He speaks French.
Question: Does he speak French?
When the subject is he, she or it, we add DOES at the beginning to make the
affirmative sentence a question. Notice that the letter S at the end of the verb in the
affirmative sentence (because it is in third person) disappears in the question. We
will see the reason why below.
We DON'T use Do or Does in questions that have the verb To Be or Modal
Verbs (can, must, might, should etc.)

Word Order of Questions with Do and Does

The following is the word order to construct a basic question in English
using Do or Does.
Do/Doe The Rest of the
Subject Verb*
s sentence
I / you / we / have /
Do
they need
a new bike?
want
Does he / she / it etc.
*Verb: The verb that goes here is the base form of the infinitive = The infinitive
without TO before the verb. Instead of the infinitive To have it is just the have part.
Remember that the infinitive is the verb before it is conjugated (changed) and it
begins with TO. For example: to have, to eat, to go, to live, to speak etc.
Examples of Questions with Do and Does:
•Do you need a dictionary?
•Does Mary need a dictionary?
 •Do we have a meeting now?
•Does it rain a lot in winter?
•Do they want to go to the party?
•Does he like pizza?

Short Answers with Do and Does

In questions that use do/does it is possible to give short answers to direct questions
as follows:
Short
Short
Answer
Sample Questions Answer
(Affirmativ
(Negative)
e)
Do you like
Yes, I do. No, I don't.
chocolate?
Yes, you No, you
Do I need a pencil?
do. don't.
Do you both like Yes, we No, we
chocolate? do. don't.
Do they like Yes, they No, they
chocolate? do. don't.
Does he like Yes, he No, he
chocolate? does. doesn't.
Does she like Yes, she No, she
chocolate? does. doesn't.
Does it have four Yes, it No, it
wheels? does. doesn't.
However, if a question word such as who, when, where, why, which or how is
used in the question, you can not use the short answers above to respond to the
question.

We use some adverbs to describe how frequently we do an activity.

These are called adverbs of frequency and include:
Frequen Adverb of
Example Sentence
cy Frequency
I always go to bed before 11
100% always
p.m.
 I usually have cereal for
90% usually
breakfast.
normally /
80% I normally go to the gym.
generally
often* /
70% I often surf the internet.
frequently
I sometimes forget my wife's
50% sometimes
birthday.
30% occasionally I occasionally eat junk food.
10% seldom I seldom read the newspaper.
hardly ever /
5% I hardly ever drink alcohol.
rarely
0% never I never swim in the sea.
• Some people pronounce the 'T' in often but many others do not.

The Position of the Adverb in a Sentence

An adverb of frequency goes before a main verb (except with To Be).
Subject + adverb + main verb
I always remember to do my
homework.
He normally gets good marks in
exams.

An adverb of frequency goes after the verb To Be.

Subject + to be + adverb
They are never pleased to
see me.
She isn't usually bad
tempered.

When we use an auxiliary verb (have, will, must, might, could, would, can, etc.), the
adverb is placed between the auxiliary and the main verb. This is also true for to be.
Subject
+ auxiliary + adverb + main verb
She can sometimes beat me in a
race.
I would hardly ever be unkind to
someone.
They might never see each other
again.
They could occasionally be heard
laughing.