i always do my homework present simple

• English Grammar
• Present tense

Present simple

Level: beginner

The present tense is the base form of the verb:

I work in London. 

But with the third person singular ( she / he / it ), we add an –s :

She works in London.

Present simple questions

Look at these questions:

Do you play the piano? Where do you live ? Does Jack play football? Where does he come from ? Do Rita and Angela live in Manchester? Where do they work ?

We use do and does to make questions  with the present simple. We use does for the third person singular ( she / he / it ) and do for the others.

We use do and does with question words like where , what and when :

Where do Angela and Rita live ? What does Angela do ? When does Rita usually get up ?

But questions with who often don't use do or does :

Who lives in London? Who plays football at the weekend? Who works at Liverpool City Hospital?

Here are some useful questions. Try to remember them:

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Present simple negatives

Look at these sentences:

I like tennis but I don't like football. (don't = do not) I don't live in London now. I don't play the piano but I play the guitar. They don't work at the weekend. John doesn't live in Manchester. (doesn't = does not) Angela doesn't drive to work. She goes by bus.

We use do and does to make negatives with the present simple. We use doesn't for the third person singular ( she / he / it ) and don't for the others.

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Present simple and present time

We use the present simple to talk about:

• something that is true in the present:

I 'm nineteen years old. I 'm a student. He lives in London.

• something that happens regularly in the present:

I play football every weekend.

• something that is always true:

The human body contains 206 bones. Light travels at almost 300,000 kilometres per second.

We often use adverbs of frequency  like sometimes , always and  never with the present simple:

I sometimes go to the cinema. She never plays football.

Here are some useful sentences. Complete them so that they are true for you and try to remember them:

Complete these sentences so that they are true for a friend and try to remember them:

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Level: intermediate

Present simple and future time

We also use the present simple to talk about:

• something that is fixed in the future:

The school term  starts next week. The train leaves at 19.45 this evening. We fly to Paris next week.

• something in the future after time words like when , after and before and after if and unless :

I'll talk to John when I see him. You must finish your work before you go home. If it rains we'll get wet. He won't come unless you ask him.

ex. Present simple 8

Level: advanced

We sometimes use the present simple to talk about the past when we are: 

• telling a story:

I was walking down the street the other day when suddenly this man comes up to me and tells me he has lost his wallet and  asks me to lend him some money. Well, he looks a bit dangerous so I 'm not sure what to do and while we are standing there  …

• summarising a book, film or play:

Harry Potter goes to Hogwarts School. He has two close friends, Hermione and … Shakespeare's Hamlet is the Prince of Denmark. One night he sees his father's ghost. The ghost tells him he has been murdered  …

Hello, Can you tell me why the present simple is used in the sentence below? I heard from David last night. He says hello.

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Hello Khangvo2812,

You can use the past simple or present simple here. The past simple means 'He said hello to you when I spoke' while the present simple can be understood as 'He says hello to you through me right now.

The LearnEnglish Team

Hello Peter I don't anticipate it stopping means : Most people consider a long time : a month or more than a month and Temporary: a few days or a few weeks can I use What most people consider ?

I'm afraid I don't understand what your question is. Could you please use inverted commas (') around the language that you're asking about? I think that would help me understand.

All the best, Kirk LearnEnglish team

Hello Peter example i study computer engineering i am studying computer engineering you have said before i use simple present if we do not except to change in the near future what does mean near future more than year i use simple present a year or less i use present continuous?

The near future is not a fixed time which we can describe in this way. It is a question of how the speaker sees the action or situation. If the speaker sees the situation as permanent or unlikely to change for what they consider a long time then the present simple will be used. If the speaker sees it as temporary then the present continuous will be used. Sometimes a temporary situation can last year if in the speaker's mind it is going to change at some point. It's not a question of how long but rather how the speaker sees things.

I can say 'I study physics' even though I know the course only lasts four years because I don't anticipate it stopping. I can say 'I'm living in London' even if I think I'll be in London for a decade because I don't see it as my home but rather a place I'm in for a certain time. It's a question of perspective and it's subjective.

In the Simple Present Tense, we often use 'do' and 'does' as auxiliary verbs to emphasize positive sentences and commands. For example, 'I do speak' and 'He does come' However, when 'do' is used as a main verb, can we also use 'do' or 'does' for emphasis in sentences like- I do do. He does do. And similarly, can we use 'do' for emphasis in commands like- Do do.

I'd like to understand if 'do' and 'does' can be used to emphasize when 'do' is functioning as a main verb, such as 'I do my homework' or 'He does the dishes.'

Is it common to use 'do' and 'does' for emphasis in such sentences?

Additionally, can they be used in commands like- Do do your work

I am aware that these sentences may not be typical in daily conversation, but I am inquiring about their grammatical usage.

Kesari Prakash, Maharashtra, India.

Hi Prakash,

Yes, it is grammatically fine, including in commands (imperatives). As you suspected, these sentences sound a bit unusual because of the double "do", but they are grammatical.

I should mention that "do" as a main verb requires an object or a complement, so the first set of sentences should be something like:

• I do do (well).
• He does do (a good job).
• Do do (that).

I hope that helps.

LearnEnglish team

Could you please explain the grammatical differences between the following sentences:

'It is a bus.' 'There is a bus.' 'There goes the bus!' Additionally, could you clarify the grammatical roles of the words 'there' and 'bus' in these sentences? Specifically, are they considered dummy subjects, subjects, adverbs of place, or nouns?

Hi Prakash,

Sure, I'll try to help.

It is a bus  - in this sentence, the speaker/writer is identifying something ("It"). "It" is a dummy subject.

There is a bus  - "There" is an adverb, introducing the subject of the sentence "a bus". The normal word order of the sentence is inverted.

There goes the bus  - "There" is an adverb of place. It indicates a particular place or space (while in the previous sentence, in the most common use of "There is", "There" indicates the existence of something, with a weaker meaning of pointing to a particular place or space). The normal word order is inverted too. The subject is "the bus".

Hello, Which grammatical construction should I use in video tutorials? I mean knitting tutorials, where I show how to knit step by step. Is it correct to use Present Simple in tutorials and video instructions? For example: «I just cut it in two places, here and here, to have such tails, and after this I make 9 loops with the needles...» I've met people using Present Simple and/or Going To in their tutorials. Why nobody uses Present Continuous without Going To in the tutorials?

Hi chonburi,

Grammatically, there's no problem with using present continuous to explain what you are doing in that moment ( I'm cutting here ... I'm looping it ... ). The present continuous focuses on what's happening at a particular moment.

But since you probably have many steps to make the final product, it would be unusual to use the present continuous to focus on every single step. It's more usual to use the present simple to describe a sequence of actions like this. But, while mainly using the present simple, you can also use present continuous at particular times to emphasise important moments or actions.

Does that make sense?

Yes, that makes sense. Thank you very much for your help!

Can I use the present simple to describe what I see in an image? Not just the facts, but even the actions in progress at the time the photograph was taken?

Hello CarolinaRuiz,

My sense is that we typically use the present continuous to describe an image, unless we're using link or stative verbs.

Imagine an image of a family having a picnic on the grass in a park. We'd typically say things like 'The mother is giving the children some fruit', 'The father is arranging the blanket', 'The girl is drinking some water' to describe actions -- note all the present continuous forms here. But we do also use the present simple quite a bit, e.g. 'The boy looks hungry', 'The father is happy', 'The girl wants to play football', etc. These are all stative or link verbs.

But of course if we're talking about an image of a picnic we were at some time in the past, we'd probably use a range of past tense forms.

In a speaking exam where we're asked to speculate what will happen next in an image, we of course would use appropriate forms there as well.

Hope this answers your question. If not, please let us know.

Hello, Kirk.

Yes, it answered my question. Thank you!!

OK, thanks for confirming! Best wishes

Could you please help me with the following:

1. From today, they take their exams. (Their exams started today and will continue for about two weeks). Is Present Simple correct here? Or have I to day "From today, they have taken/have been taking their exams" or "From today they are taking their exams"?

2. I've seen the following sentence on BBC website: "Goalkeeper signs new three-and-a-half-year Bristol City deal". Could you please explain why Present Simple is used here? Is "will sign" or "is going to sign" possible here?

Thank you so much for your help! I appreciate it a lot! And I'm grateful for the answer to this post beforehand!

Hello howtosay_,

1. The present simple is fine here. The exams are a scheduled event and the present simple is appropriate for this. You could use other forms. Will be taking is often used for expected events or actions, and are taking is also possible for arrangements. Will take is possible but would suggest a decision being taken by the speaker rather than a description of the situation. The present perfect does not work here as it suggests an action which began in the past and continues to the present, not one beginning in the present and extending into the future.

2. The present simple is very common in news headline. If you look at the article you will see other verb forms used in the main body, such as present perfect and past simple.

Sir, could you please answer me which one is correct? 1.When I have breakfast, my mom prepares my lunch. 2.When I am having breakfast, my mom prepares my lunch. Is there have any difference? could you explain me, Sir?

Hello JameK,

The second sentence tells us that your mom prepares your lunch while you are in the process of eating breakfast.

The first sentence is ambiguous. It could mean that your mom waits until you have breakfast and then starts to prepare lunch. Maybe you prepare your breakfast and the kitchen is only available for her to prepare lunch once you sit down to eat, for example. Alternatively, it could mean that on certain days you don't have breakfast and on certain days you do and on the days when you have breakfast your mom prepares your lunch. Without any other context it's not clear.

Thank you Sir.

Hello Sir, thank you so much for your wonderful and practical explenation. I wanted to please ask you about the last part, where you explained about using "Present simple" \ "Present continuous" - when talking about the "past" - when you're telling a story and you want to pull the listener into the moment . In the example story you gave, you used both tenses.

My question is - how sould I know, in this case, when to use in the story the"Present simple" and when the "Present continuous"?

Great, I'm glad you found it useful :)

The present simple is used for the main sequence of events (i.e. the things that happened). The present continuous is used for events which are a background to others, as in the example above ("While we are standing there ..." - it seems that "standing there" was the background action to another action that happened). In that way, the use is similar to the use of the past simple and past continuous in a conventional past narrative.

The present continuous can also be used to heighten even further the effect of being in the moment. Adapting the example above, for example: "Well, he's looking a bit dangerous so I'm not feeling sure ..."

Sir I'm have some questions regarding simple present tense. For example Daniel goes to market or I don't like black coffee. These are simple present but what about these sentences like Tom does work everyday or I do work everyday. Can you explain do and does sentence ? Next one is about questions. For example where do you live ? or where she does live ? these sentences are easy because w form words are used in first place but the problem is with the sentences like. Do you know how to bake a cake ? In this w form word is used in between of the sentence. Sir can you explain this too ?

Hello AbdulBasit1234,

'do' and 'does' work as both auxiliary verbs and as main verbs. For example, in 'Tom does work every day', 'does' is a form of the verb 'do' -- it means to carry out an action. But in questions or negatives, 'do' and 'does' are auxiliary verbs: in 'He doesn't work on Monday', 'doesn't' is an auxiliary verb; 'work' is the main verb. It's also possible for 'do' to be both an auxiliary and a main verb in a sentence where the main verb is 'do': 'He doesn't do much work' ('doesn't' is auxiliary, 'do' is main).

I'm not sure I understand your second question. If you are asking about 'how', 'how to bake a cake' is simple a phrase. A phrase can take the place of a simple noun. For example, we could replace the phrase with a noun like 'Judy' ('Do you know Judy?') and the sentence structure is the same.

All the best, Kirk The LearnEnglish Team

I am a little bit confused about the present tense in short story.

Story: I was walking down the street the other day when suddenly this man comes up to me and tells me he has lost his wallet and asks me to lend him some money. Well, he looks a bit dangerous so I'm not sure what to do and while we are standing there …

I am confused about where it starts with "I was" and then turns to present tense.

Hope you can answer

Hi sxphia_jx,

This is actually quite common in spoken English. Normally, we use past forms for telling stories (narratives). In fact, the verb forms past simple, past continuous, past perfect simple and past perfect continuous are collective sometimes known as 'narrative tenses'. However, when we are recounting a story in a more informal setting (such as telling a joke or a sharing an anecdote), we can use present forms to give a sense of immediacy and to bring the story more to life. As you can see from this text, it's possible to begin with past forms and then switch to present forms for effect.

Present forms can even be used in this way in writing and even in novels. Some well-known examples include One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Ken Kesey), Bleak House (Charles Dickens) and The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins).

I have gone through the article on present simple. It is wonderfully written and has covered its different uses.

What I learnt is that it can be used to talk about the scheduled future events, for example: - 1. The school term starts next week. 2. The train leaves at 19:45 this evening. 3. We fly to Paris next week.

I would like to ask whether we can use simple future (instead of simple present) in these type of sentences like 1. The school term will start next week. 2. The train will leave at 19:45 this evening. 3. We will fly to Paris next week.

Is there any difference in the meaning of the above sentences due to replacement of present simple by future simple or do they mean exactly the same?

Hello Mohit,

I'm glad that you found the page useful. I think you'd find the Talking about the future page useful as well, as it compares the different forms most commonly used to speak about the future. It doesn't cover all possible uses, but is definitely quite useful.

In theory, the three sentences with 'will' could be correct in an appropriate situation, but I'm afraid I'm having a hard time thinking of an example for any of them. The present simple ones are much more commonly used.

If you have a specific situation in mind, please let us know.

Hi, I have questions about summarising. Is it possible to write a whole summary ( for example a book ) in past tenses? And why do we use present tenses + past tenses in a summary?

Hello IRaisa,

Yes, it's possible to use past tenses to summarise. People often use present tenses when telling a story because it makes the story seem more alive or more real. The present tense reflects the reality of the listener, who is finding out about the story in the moment they are hearing it.

In a summary, the present can have a similar sense, or it can also have the sense that the story (or film or whatever) is something that is kind of timeless since it can be told at any time. That is, you can read the book now or read it in the future, and other people read it in the past. It might help to think of the story as a building or the sunrise. Both existed yesterday, are happening today, and we expect them to exist or happen again tomorrow. Just as we say 'The sun rises in the morning', we can use a present simple form to tell or summarise a story.

I hope that's helpful (and not more confusing!). In any case, it's OK to use the past to make a summary of a story, but the present is quite commonly used as well.

Thanks, but I still have a question I read a lot of times when somebody connected Present tenses + past tenses for example Barbossa recruits Gibbs, who burns the charts, admitting he memorized every location. Harry deduces that Voldemort is hunting the Elder Wand, which had passed to Dumbledore after he defeated Grindelwald

What is the purpose of that?

In these cases, the past tense shows that those actions happened before the actions in present tense. The present tense is used to narrate the action or 'current' situation in the story, but, as you have noticed, other tenses can be used when it's necessary to refer to other times.

Hello Sir, I have a question – In the following sentence is there any error in 'made it clear' → 'made clear' OR 'poses' → 'pose ' ( as CLIMATE CHANGE and Continued Ecosystem Degradation two nouns are used so we should not add 's/es' in the main verb

Please make it clear Sorry sir, The sentence is: Science has made it clear the adverse impacts that climate change and continued ecosystem degradation poses for the physical world.

Hello Analiza,

The 'it' should be omitted and the verb should be plural: 'Science has made clear the adverse impacts that climate change and continued ecosystem degradation pose for the physical world.'

Sir, cold you explain me this sentence 'give me my book'. Why we use the present simple verb and in what category the verb 'give' belongs to.I mean,is it routine, habit, future, fact?

If this is the full sentence then it is an imperative form. The imperative is used when giving instructions or commands and it is the same as the base form:

Give me my book!

The negative is formed with don't :

Don't go in - the boss is in a meeting.

Don't do that.

Hello I am a fan

Let's say simple present tense is used to describe about the routine or habit of a subject. There is no subject present in the sentence you provided. It is not a sentence of simple present tense instead we can say that it is a sentence of present tense. Hindimadhyam.in

Hi, I'd like to ask about adverbs of frequency. I read on your website ( teens ) we can use them at the beginning or at the end of a sentence. "We can use usually, often, sometimes and occasionally at the beginning of a sentence, and sometimes and often at the end." I watch a movie on youtube and a teacher said we can use them in order to emphasise and de-emphasis. So do we use them at the beginning to emphasis and de-emphasis at the end? What's more I'd like to ask about Definite Adverbs of Frequency. For example Every week, In the morning, weekly we can use at the end and if we put them at the beginning they give more emphasis or are they de-emphasised? In additional, can we use any adverb of frequency at the beginning in questions? And what is the difference if we put a signal word after person and after negative ? Is there any difference? I normally don't watch YouTube I don't normally watch YouTube Can we use occasionally, sometimes after negative? I don't occasionally... I don't sometimes...

As you've already observed, the position of adverbs is quite slippery; they are used in many different ways. Our grammar explanations don't go into all the details because it's generally best to learn the basics first and then beyond that it's usually best to have a teacher explain the more complex cases.

Those are a lot of questions! I'm afraid I can't go into depth on all of them, but, taking your question about adverbs of definite frequency, as I understand it, they generally go in front position when they are not the main focus of the idea. For example, if you say 'Every morning I study for 15 minutes', the main focus is on the fact that it's studying that you do every morning; the focus is not on the fact that it is the morning that you do this, but rather that it is studying that you do.

Does that help?

It's okay. I thank you for the answer

I made a sentence: "My idea is main", could you tell me whether it is wrong or not (Please explain and reply to me as fast as possible)

Thank you very much Paul.

Hello Paul-Phan,

Most adjectives can be used before a noun (e.g. in 'The red house is new', the adjective 'red' comes before the noun 'house'; this position of the adjective before the noun is called 'attributive position') or after a link verb (e.g. in 'The house is red', the adjective 'red' comes after the link verb 'is'; this position of the adjective after a link verb is called 'predicative position').

But there are some adjectives that are only used in attributive position or predicative position. 'main' is an adjective that is only used in attributive position -- you can see this in this dictionary entry where it says ' adjective   [ only before noun ] '.

Therefore I'm afraid that your sentence is not correct in normal usage. You could perhaps say something like 'My idea is the main one' or 'My idea is central' instead.

Hope this helps.

Hello sir ,

can we use just future tense without present tense in example above (If it rains we ‘ll get up ) , can we say ( if it will rains we will get up )

Hello g-ssan,

No, we generally don't use 'will' in the if-clause. The exception is when we want to say something like 'if you are so stubborn and insist on...' or 'if you refuse to change'. For example:

If you will arrive late then you will have problems > If you refuse to change and insist on arriving late then you will have problems.

Obviously the weather cannot insist on anything as it is not a person so this rare exception does not apply here.

By the way, strictly speaking English has no future tense. 'Will' is a modal verb which can refer to future time but can also have other meanings. In many cases you can replace 'will' with other modal verbs:

I will go tomorrow > I might/may/should/could/can/ought to/must (etc) go tomorrow.

Hi Jonathan, Thanks so much for your reply. If a teacher in the class wants to ask whether his students already understand his explanation, [1] can he use one of the following questions ? (a) Do you understand what I've just explained to you? (b) Did you understand..... ? (c) Do you get what I've just explained to you ? (d) Did you get....... ? (e) Have you got......?

[2] If all the above questions are appropriate, which one(s) is(are) the most commonly used in this situation?

I would highly appreciate your help.

Best regards,

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• 📝 VOCABULARY
• 🚀 GAMES/ACTIVITIES

Simple Present Tense (do-does) – With Usage, Pictures and Example Sentences

Simple present tense (present simple tense) is a verb tense that describes the events and situations that do not change over time. We use simple present tense for the actions that happen regualarly, and that is why we use some frequency adverbs to express these repititive actions. “ Do ” and “ does ” are the auxiliary verbs of present simple tense. However, “ do ” and “ does ” are not used in positive sentences. They are used only in negative and question sentences. The auxiliary verb “ does ” is used for third person singular ( He, She, It ). In other subjects ( I, You, We, They ), the auxiliary verb “ do ” is used. The following animated sentences are examples of present simple tense:

Examples with Pictures Dialogue exercise Sentence scramble game Translation exercise

⬤ Formation of simple present tense

For affirmative sentences we use the infinite form of the verb, but for negative sentences we use “ not ” after the auxiliary “do” and “does”. For questions we put “do/does” before the subject.

⬤ Which auxiliary (helping verb) to use for simple present tense?

The auxiliary verbs in simple present tense are “ do / does “. However we use “ am, is, are ” to talk about a general state or condition. Examples:

• I work in the office.
• I don’t work in the office.
• Do you work in the office?
• I am in the office.
• Are you in the office?

SIMILAR PAGES: ❯❯ Learn verb to be here ❯❯ Learn present continuous tense here ❯❯ Learn future simple tense (will) here ❯❯ Learn be going to future tense here ❯❯ Learn simple past tense here ❯❯ Learn past continuous tense here ❯❯ Learn present perfect tense here

⬤ Positive (Affirmative) sentences

For the formation of positive sentences in simple present tense we do not use “do” or “does” in front of the verb. This may sound strange. Because we know that the auxiliary verbs that precede the verbs help us understand the tense of the sentence. However, the verb is alone here. In addition, for the subjects “He, She, It”, the suffix “ -s ” is added at the end of the verb.

• I like pizza.
• We go abroad every summer.
• She speak s three languages.
• Lions eat meat.
• Oliver walk s to school.
• They play computer games.
• Maria prefer s action movies.

✎ NOTE: The verb “ have ” changes into “ has ” when it gets “-s” at the end.

• She has breakfast.
• She doesn’t have breakfast.
• Does she have breakfast?

✎ NOTE : In positive sentences, when the subject is “He, She, It”, we change “ -s ” into “ -es ” or “ -ies “. The reason is as follows:

• For the verbs ending with “ -s, -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, -o ” we add “ -es ” at the end of the verb. brush es , kiss es , catch es , fix es , go es , do es etc.
• If the verb has “ -y ” at the end and it precedes with a consonant letter, we drop the “-y” and add “ -ies ” try> tr ies , fly> fl ies , carry> carr ies etc.

⬤ Negative sentences

For the formation of negative sentences in simple present tense we use “ not ” together with “ do / does “. The short forms are “ don’t / doesn’t ”

• I don’t like cigarette.
• Sarah doesn’t need help.
• He doesn’t forget names.
• They don’t go out alone.

⬤ Interrogative sentences (questions)

For the formation of question sentences (interrogative) in simple present tense we put “ do / does ” before the subject. This also applies to the “ Wh- questions” which we call “information questions” as well.

• Do you like lemonade?
• Does she keep secret?
• Where do you live?
• Why does Molly wear pink dresses?

⬤ Sentence forms in simple present tense

⬤ example sentences.

• (+) They like basketball.
• (-) They don’t like basketball.
• (?) Do they like basketball?
• (?) What do they like?
• (+) He likes basketball.
• (-) He doesn’t like basketball.
• (?) Does he like basketball?
• (?) What does he like?

⬤ Explanations and usages of simple present tense

Lets go on with the explanations, usages and time adverbs of simple present tense

⬤ 1- Facts or generalizations.

It is used for events and situations that never change. Examples:

• People need food in this village.
• The wind blows a lot here.
• Trains carry many passengers.
• Smart phones cause some health problems.
• Water boils at 100C degrees.
• The earth revolves around the Sun.
• Lions don’t eat grass.
• Plants give us oxygen.
• Pandas live in China.

⬤ 2- Habits, routines or repeated actions.

We use simple present tense to talk about habits and routines. Examples:

• I get up at 8 o’clock every day.
• Do you drink coffee every day?
• She always brushes her teeth.
• Leo plays his guitar in his room.

⬤ 3- Likes and dislikes

We can also use simple present tense to talk about likes and dislikes. Some commonly used verbs are as follows: “like”,”love”, “hate”, “dislike”, “enjoy” etc. Examples:

• I love ice-cream.
• Do you like playing chess?
• She hates lies.
• Sandra doesn’t like tea with sugar.
• We like to swim.
• I dislike cold weather.

⬤ 4- Scheduled events in near future

• The train arrives at 9 AM.
• The bus arrives at 3 o’clock in the afternoon.
• When do we board the plane?
• When does the wedding ceremony start?
• The films starts at 8.30
• The bus arrives at 6PM.
• The English lesson starts at 10.30.

⬤ 5- With non-progressive verbs

Some verbs in English doesn’t have continuous forms. These verbs are called non-progressive or non-continuous verbs. We use simple present tense with these verbs. Some non-progressive verbs are: believe, know, remember, understand, need, hate, like, love, prefer, want, feel, mean etc. Examples:

• I know the answer. – CORRECT I am knowing the answer. – INCORRECT
• I want some sugar. – CORRECT I am wanting some sugar. – INCORRECT
• Brian feels cold. – CORRECT Brian isn’t feeling cold. – INCORRECT
• I don’t remember her name. – CORRECT I am not remembering her name. – INCORRECT
• Do you understand? – CORRECT Are you understanding? – INCORRECT

⬤ 6- Narrating events

Example: The man opens the door and goes out slowly. He looks around carefully. Then he sees a little cat under the tree. He grabs it and says “Oh. Are you hungry?”

⬤ Adverbs of Frequency

What are Adverbs of frequency? Simple present tense indicates repetitive actions, so it is good to say the frequency of these actions. In this case, we use some words called “Frequency adverbs”. These words are used just before the verb. This list of frequency adverbs is as follows:

⬤ List of frequency adverbs

• occasionally
• hardly ever

➔ Examples of frequency adverbs

Read the example sentences with the frequency adverbs and try to make similar sentences. Examples:

• I often eat eggs for the breakfast.
• I never smoke.
• Lisa always walks to school.
• Do you usually get up early?
• You hardly ever say “Thanks”.
• They don’t normally go out for dinner.
• My father often forgets my birthday.
• I generally have breakfast before I go out.

⬤ Memory cards to learn the adverbs of frequency

The cards below have adverbs of frequency. Click on them and try to say the meaning of them in your native language.

⬤ Time adverbs to use in simple present tense.

every ….

• I play football ever weekend.
• We go holiday ever summer.
• She gets up late every day.

once, twice, three times, ten times etc.

• I go to cinema once a month.
• She goes out with her friends twice a week.
• I call my son at least 3 times a day.

on Mondays, at the weekends, in the mornings

• I call my grandparents on Saturdays.
• In the evenings I take a taxi to go back home.

⬤ Verb to be (am, is, are)

We use am, is, are when we talk about a state rather than an action.

• ⬤ I work in London. (Action verb)
• ⬤ I am in London. (State verb)

➔ Action verbs examples (do, does)

• Frank works at the hospital.
• Frank doesn’t work at the hospital.
• Does Frank work at the hospital?
• Where does Frank work?

➔ Verb to be examples (am,is,are)

• Frank is at the hospital.
• Frank isn’t at the hospital.
• Is Frank at the hospital?
• Where is Frank?

⬤ Images and example sentences

Look at the images below and read the simple present tense sentences. Then try to understand the usage.

⬤ A dialogue example

Here is a dialogue to learn simple present tense. Read and try to make similar dialogues.

Do you go holiday every summer?

I like summer holidays very much.

Where do you go for holiday?

In fact, I don’t go to seaside.

I like camping in the mountains.

Where do you go for camping?

It is up to us.

We usually decide before we go.

If you want, you can join us.

⬤ Translate the sentences about simple present tense.

You will see some examples of simple present tense below. Translate them into your native language.

⬤ Sentence scramble game

You will see scrambled words of simple present tense sentences. Click on the words in the correct order to make meaningful sentences.

⬤ Example sentences to learn simple present tense

Here are examples of simple present tense in context below. Some are affirmative some sentences are negative and some are interrogative.

➔ 10 example sentences :

• I always get up early.
• I don’t like hot weather.
• Mr. Anderson usually forgets to lock the door.
• She keeps secrets.
• Cats don’t like swimming.
• She rarely writes emails.
• Steven looks happy.
• I like reading poems a lot.
• The children brush their teeth every day.
• When I buy something, I read the instructions.

⬤ Questions and answers

You will see 10 questions with their answers below. Try to understand the formation of the sentences.

➔ 10 questions and answers

• How do you go to school? I go to school by bus.
• Do you like ice-cream? Yes, I like ice-cream.
• Why do you always wear sunglasses? Because I have a problem with my eyes.
• Does your father help your mother at home? Yes, he does.
• What time do you go to bed? I go to bed at about 11 PM.
• Do you make noise in the classroom? No, I don’t.
• Where are you from? I am from Canada.
• How often do you watch TV? I sometimes watch TV.
• Do you agree with me? No, I don’t agree with you.
• Are you OK? Yes, I am OK.

⬤ Reading passage – Daily routine

My daily routine My name is Lydia Collins. I live in a flat. My day daily routine starts very early. Every morning I wake up at six o’clock and wear my school uniform. Then I have breakfast with my father and mother. My little brother doesn’t have breakfast with us. Because it is too early for him. After breakfast I go out and wait for the school bus. At about 7 AM I get on the bus. I come back home at 3 PM. I feel tired when I come back. I have a rest and play with Dody, our cat. Then I start doing my homework. I try to finish it before 7 PM. So that I can go out and play with my friends. We have dinner at 8 PM. We often have chicken for dinner but I hate chicken. I eat it because mum gets angry. After dinner I watch TV for an hour. I go to bed early because I’m always very tired at the end of the day.

External resources: You can also visit Wikibooks page to learn simple present tense , or watch a video for example sentences .

related pages

Fill in the blanks quiz for simple present tense, sentence scramble game for simple present tense, accessories vocabulary 👓 exercises pictures audio, body parts in english 👨 with games and listed images, classroom objects vocabulary in english 📕 with games, clothes vocabulary in english 👕 learn with images and flashcards, colour names in english 🎈 with tests and images, computer parts (hardware) vocabulary: pictures audio, verb to be (am, is, are) – with examples and online exercises, modal “can” – with explanations exercises and activities, present continuous tense – with usage examples and pictures, future simple tense (will) – with activities dialogue and exercises.

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Present Simple Tense: How to Use It, With Examples

Published by

Olivia Drake

On this page:

The present simple tense is a verb tense that is used to talk about actions or states that are habitual, repeated, or always true. It is one of the most commonly used verb tenses in English. The structure of a present simple sentence is:

Subject + base form of the verb

Let’s take a look at some examples to understand this better:

Example 1: I wake up at 6 am every day. This sentence expresses a habitual action. It means that the speaker wakes up at 6 am every day.

Example 2: She works as a teacher. This sentence expresses a present state. It means that the person is currently working as a teacher.

Example 3: He drinks coffee every morning. This sentence expresses a habitual action. It means that the person drinks coffee every morning.

Example 4: The sun rises in the east. This sentence expresses a fact that is always true. It means that the sun always rises in the east.

Example 5: I like to read books. This sentence expresses a habitual action. It means that the speaker likes to read books regularly.

How to form the simple present?

Let’s take a look how we form simple present.

Step 1:  Identify the base form of the verb The base form of the verb is the infinitive form without “to” (e.g., play, eat, work). It is the form of the verb that is used to form the simple present tense.

Example:  John plays tennis every day.

Step 2:  Add “-s” or “-es” to the verb To form the simple present tense, we need to add “-s” or “-es” to the base form of the verb, depending on the subject of the sentence. We add “-s” to the verb when the subject is a singular third-person pronoun (he, she, it) and “-es” when the verb ends in “s,” “sh,” “ch,” “x,” or “o.”

• John plays tennis every day. (singular third-person subject “John”)
• She eats breakfast at 7 am. (singular third-person subject “she”)
• The dog barks at the mailman. (verb “bark” ends in “k,” so we add “-s”)
• He washes the dishes after dinner. (verb “wash” ends in “sh,” so we add “-es”)
• The bus passes by my house every morning. (verb “pass” ends in “s,” so we add “-es”)

Step 3:  Irregular verbs Not all verbs follow the same rules when forming the simple present tense. Some verbs have irregular forms that must be memorized. For example:

I have breakfast at 8 am. (verb “have” does not follow the “-s” or “-es” rule)They go to the movies every Friday. (verb “go” has the same form for all subjects)

How to make the simple present negative?

To make the simple present negative, we need to add the word “not” after the auxiliary verb “do.”

Step 1:  Identify the auxiliary verb “do” The auxiliary verb “do” is used to form questions, negatives, and emphasis in the simple present tense. It is important to identify this verb in a sentence to make the negative correctly.

Step 2:  Add “do not” or “does not” To make the simple present negative, we need to add “do not” or “does not” after the auxiliary verb “do.” The word “not” negates the verb in the sentence.

Examples:  

• John does not play tennis every day.
• They do not eat meat.
• She does not work on Sundays.

Step 3:  Contracting “do not” or “does not” It is common to contract “do not” to “don’t” and “does not” to “doesn’t” in spoken English. This is unnecessary but it can make the sentence sound more natural.

• John doesn’t play tennis every day.
• They don’t eat meat.
• She doesn’t work on Sundays.

Step 4:  Using negative adverbs Negative adverbs can also be used to make the simple present negative. Some common negative adverbs include “never,” “rarely,” “hardly ever,” and “not often.” These adverbs are placed before the main verb in the sentence.

• John never plays tennis.
• They rarely eat meat.
• She hardly ever works on Sundays.

Making the simple present negative in English is a straightforward process that requires adding the word “not” after the auxiliary verb “do.” Remember to identify the auxiliary verb and contract “do not” or “does not” if necessary. You can also use negative adverbs to add emphasis to the negative.

How to ask a question?

Step 1:  Identify the auxiliary verb To form questions in the simple present tense, we need to use the auxiliary verb “do” or “does.” We use “do” for first-person and second-person subjects (I, you, we, they), and “does” for third-person singular subjects (he, she, it).

• Do you like pizza? (first-person subject “you”)
• Does she play tennis? (third-person singular subject “she”)
• Do they have a car? (third-person plural subject “they”)

Step 2:  Invert the subject and auxiliary verb To form a question, we invert the subject and auxiliary verb. The subject comes after the auxiliary verb in a question.

• You like pizza. (statement)
• Do you like pizza? (question)
• She plays tennis. (statement)
• Does she play tennis? (question)
• They have a car. (statement)
• Do they have a car? (question)

Step 3:  Answering questions When answering a question in the simple present tense, we use the auxiliary verb and the base form of the verb.

• Do you like pizza? – Yes, I do. / No, I don’t.
• Does she play tennis? – Yes, she does. / No, she doesn’t.
• Do they have a car? – Yes, they do. / No, they don’t.

Step 4:  Tag questions A tag question is a short question added to the end of a statement to confirm or seek agreement. In the simple present tense, we use the auxiliary verb and the subject pronoun.

• You like pizza, don’t you? (tag question with the first-person subject “you” and the auxiliary verb “do”)
• She plays tennis, doesn’t she? (tag question with the third-person singular subject “she” and the auxiliary verb “does”)
• They have a car, don’t they? (tag question with the third-person plural subject “they” and the auxiliary verb “do”)

Common verbs in the simple present

1. to be:  The verb “to be” is used to describe a state or condition, and it is often used in the simple present tense to describe a permanent state or condition. Example:  She is a doctor.

2. to have:  The verb “to have” is used to indicate possession or ownership, and it is often used in the simple present tense to describe something that someone has or possesses.

Example:  He has a car.

3. to do:  The verb “to do” is used to indicate an action or an activity, and it is often used in the simple present tense to describe routine activities.

Example:  I do my homework every day.

4. to go:  The verb “to go” is used to indicate movement from one place to another, and it is often used in the simple present tense to describe regular movements.

Example:  They go to the gym every morning.

5. to come:  The verb “to come” is used to indicate movement towards a person or a place, and it is often used in the simple present tense to describe regular movements.

Example:  She comes to work early every day.

6. to like:  The verb “to like” is used to indicate preference or enjoyment, and it is often used in the simple present tense to describe someone’s preferences or likes.

Example:  He likes to play soccer.

7. to love:  The verb “to love” is used to indicate strong affection or attachment, and it is often used in the simple present tense to describe someone’s feelings towards another person or thing.

Example:  She loves to read books.

8. to hate:  The verb “to hate” is used to indicate strong dislike or aversion, and it is often used in the simple present tense to describe someone’s feelings towards another person or thing.

Example:  He hates to do housework.

9. to want:  The verb “to want” is used to indicate desire or a wish, and it is often used in the simple present tense to describe someone’s desires or wishes.

Example:  She wants to travel the world.

10. to need:  The verb “to need” is used to indicate a requirement or necessity, and it is often used in the simple present tense to describe something that someone needs.

Example:  He needs to finish his work on time.

The verb to be in the simple present

The verb “to be” is one of the most important verbs in English and is used to describe a state of being or existence. In the simple present tense, “to be” is conjugated differently depending on the subject of the sentence. In this article, we will discuss how to use the verb “to be” in the simple present tense.

Positive form: The positive form of the verb “to be” in the simple present tense is as follows:

• He/She/It is
• I am a teacher.
• You are my friend.
• He is a doctor.
• She is at the park.
• It is a beautiful day.
• We are students.
• They are happy.

Negative form: The negative form of the verb “to be” in the simple present tense is formed by adding “not” after the verb “to be”. The contraction “isn’t” or “aren’t” can be used instead of “is not” or “are not”.

• You are not / You aren’t
• He/She/It is not / He/She/It isn’t
• We are not / We aren’t
• They are not / They aren’t
• I am not a doctor.
• You are not my teacher. / You aren’t my teacher.
• He is not at home. / He isn’t at home.
• She is not happy.
• It is not raining.
• We are not hungry. / We aren’t hungry.
• They are not tired. / They aren’t tired.

Interrogative form: To form a question in the simple present tense with “to be”, invert the subject and the verb “to be”. “Am” is used instead of “is” or “are” in questions with “I”.

• Is he/she/it?
• Are you coming to the party?
• Is he a good singer?
• Are we ready to go?
• Are they from Canada?

Present Simple Examples

Here’s a simple story that uses the present simple tense:

Tom wakes up early every morning. He gets out of bed, stretches, and puts on his running shoes. Then he goes for a run around his neighborhood. Tom likes to listen to music while he runs. He usually listens to upbeat pop songs that give him energy. Sometimes he sings along, but only when there’s nobody else around. After his run, Tom takes a shower and gets dressed for work. He works at a software company where he writes code all day. He enjoys his job because he loves solving problems and creating new things. In the evenings, Tom likes to relax at home. He usually watches TV or reads a book. He also enjoys cooking, and he often makes dinner for himself and his girlfriend, Sarah.

In this story, the present simple tense is used to describe things that happen regularly or habitually. For example:

Tom wakes up early every morning. He gets out of bed, stretches, and puts on his running shoes. Then he goes for a run around his neighborhood. Tom likes to listen to music while he runs. He usually listens to upbeat pop songs that give him energy. After his run, Tom takes a shower and gets dressed for work. He works at a software company where he writes code all day. In the evenings, Tom likes to relax at home. He usually watches TV or reads a book. He also enjoys cooking, and he often makes dinner for himself and his girlfriend, Sarah.

Note that the verb is in the present simple tense in each of these sentences. This is because these actions happen regularly or habitually, rather than being a one-time event in the past or future.

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Chapter 3: Simple Present

Daily Habits & Routines

Learning Goals

At the end of this chapter you should be able to:

• Add -s for the third person singular verb
• Write yes/no questions and short answers
• Write information questions using wh- question words
• Add the plural marker -s ,-es, and -ies to verbs and nouns

Recognize and use

• the simple present in the affirmative and negative
• adverbs of frequency

Activity 3.1: Conversation

Directions: Ask your partner or group the following questions about your morning routines. A “routine” is a habit you usually do or a series of actions you do regularly.

• What do you do before school?
• Do you ever wake up late? Do you usually wake up early?
• Do you drink coffee or tea in the morning?
• Do you do your homework in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, or at night?
• How long does it take for you to get ready in the morning?
• How long does it take you to get to campus? Do you live close or far from campus?
• How do you get to campus? Drive? Bike? Bus? Walk? Carpool? Dropped-off?

Directions: Read this story out loud with a partner. One person reads a paragraph, then the other person reads the next paragraph. When you are finished, read the story again. This time, read the paragraphs, you did not read.

Yuri & Palani

       Hi! My name is Yuri. I am from Ukraine. I am a student at Clackamas Community College. I have a roommate. His name is Palani. He is from Laos. We live together, but we are very different.

       I wake up early at 6:00 am. Palani pushes the snooze button on his alarm clock many times, so he wakes up very late. He gets up at 7:30 am. I take a shower in the morning, but Palani takes a shower at night. I take a shower at 6:15 am. He takes a shower at 9:00 pm. I eat breakfast at home, but Palani doesn’t eat breakfast. I make coffee, and I eat cereal for breakfast. I bike to school, but Palani drives to school. I am never late. I leave at 7:30 am.  Palani leaves at 7:50 am. I arrive at school early, but Palani arrives late. I arrive at school at 7:45 am. Palani arrives at 8:05 am. Palani sometimes arrives late because he can’t find parking. We are friends, so I always save him a seat next to me. We sit with Jacques and Ana. They arrive early too. Class begins at 8:00 am.

       How often do you arrive late to class? Are you similar to me, or are you more similar to Palani?

Activity 3.2: Comprehension

Directions: Please write the answers to the questions in complete sentences.

1. What is the name of the man who is talking?

___________________________________________________________________

2. What is the name of his roommate?

3. What is Yuri comparing?

4. Who wakes up early? Who wakes up late?

5. What time does class begin?

6. Who arrives late? Who arrives on time?

7. How about you? Are you an early riser or a late riser?

8. What time does Yuri wake up? What time does Palani wake up?

Activity 3.3: Noticing

Part 1 Directions: Look at the story about Yuri and Palani. Choose (by underlining or otherwise markin g)  the verbs you find. Don’t choose the BE verb. We are not studying that verb in this chapter.

Part 2 Directions: Complete the table with the verb forms that agree with each subject.

Activity 3.4: Try It Out!

Directions: Write the correct simple present tense form of the verb (in parentheses) on the line.

1. I (wake up)_________________________ at 6:00 am.

2. He (wake up)_________________________ at 7:30 am.

3. You (eat)_________________________ breakfast on the bus.

4. They (take)_________________________ a shower before bed.

5. He (take)_________________________ a shower in the morning.

6. We (go) _________________________ to a restaurant for lunch.

7. She (have)_________________________ cereal for breakfast.

8. His class at Oregon City (begin)_________________________ at 9:00 am.

9. My classes at Harmony (begin)_________________________ at 6:00 pm.

10. She (wash) _________________________ the dishes in the morning.

Uses of the Simple Present

The simple present is used for talking about routines, habits, and repeated activities in the present time. We use the simple present to talk about facts, which are always true. Time expressions (e.g., every day, in the summer ) and adverbs of frequency (e.g., never, sometimes, always ) signal the simple present tense.

What is a routine? Something you do every morning, every week, every year.

• I brush my teeth two times a day.
• You go to the gym three times a week.
• He makes breakfast for my children every morning.
• She starts work at 7:00 am.
• They do laundry every Saturday.

What is a habit? Something you do regularly.

• My husband reads in bed before he goes to sleep.
• My cat wakes me up on Saturdays because he is hungry.

What is a repeated action? Action that we do more than once.

• I shop at Winco (not every week, but I like to go there).
• She wears shorts in the summer.

What is a fact? Something that is always true.

• The moon revolves around the earth.
• She has two children.
• Vegetables are healthy.
• Water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit.

Forms of the Simple Present

Affirmative statements in the simple present.

You must add an -s to the verb with the subjects he , she , and it .

subject + verb

Activity 3.5: fill-in-the-blank.

Directions: Write the correct form of the verbs in parentheses.

1. Yuri (wake up)______________ at 6:00 am.

2. Palani (drive)______________ to school.

4. Yuri (make)______________ coffee.

5. I (cook)______________ breakfast.

6. She (eat)______________ cereal.

7. Palani (take)______________ a shower in the evening.

8. They (carpool)______________ together.

9. She (ask)______________ for a pencil.

10. Yuri and Palani (attend) ______________ Clackamas Community College.

11. We (attend) ______________ Clackamas Community College.

12. I (take)______________ a shower in the morning.

13. He (make)______________ and (drink)______________ coffee every morning.

14. She never (arrive)______________ late.

15. Class (begin)______________ at 11:30 am.

16. He usually (find)______________ parking easily.

17. Palani (live)______________ with Yuri.

18. They (brush) ______________ their hair in the morning.

19. We (brush)______________ our teeth twice a day.

20. My cats (sleep)______________ all day.

Activity 3.6: Listening

Directions: Read the paragraph. Then, listen to your instructor read the paragraph. Listen for the verbs and write them on the line. Listen closely for the correct form of the verb.

Ana and Pedro’s Morning Routine

        Ana and Pedro (1)__________ at 6:00 am. Ana (2)__________ coffee. Her brother, Pedro, (3)__________breakfast. She (4)__________a shower at 6:30 am. Her brother (5)__________ a shower at 7:00 am. They (6)__________ and (7)__________ their teeth. Ana (8)__________ the cat. Ana (9)__________ her hair and (10)__________ makeup. Pedro (11)__________ his hair. Ana’s book bag (12)__________ready. Pedro (13)__________ his books in his backpack. Ana (14)__________lunches. Class (15)__________ at 9:00 am. Ana and Pedro (16)__________ the house at 8:30 am. They (17)__________ at school at 8:45 am. Ana (18)__________ out books from the college library before class. She always (19)__________ good books to read. Ana and Pedro (20)__________ to class at 8:55 am. Their first class (21)__________ at 10:50 am.

Activity 3.7: Interview

Part 1 Directions: Interview your partner.

1. Where do you live?

2. What time do you wake up?

3. When do you eat breakfast?

4. What do you eat for breakfast?

5. How do you get to school (walk, bus, car, etc.)?

6. What time do you go to school?

7. What time do you get home?

8. When do you go to bed?

Part 2 Directions: Write 8 sentences about your own daily routine using the same questions.

1. ________________________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________________________

3. ________________________________________________________________

4. ________________________________________________________________

5. ________________________________________________________________

6. ________________________________________________________________

7. ________________________________________________________________

8. ________________________________________________________________

Part 3 Directions: Share and compare your daily activities. Read your sentences to your partner. Your partner reads to you. See if you have the same (or different) daily activities.

Part 4 Directions: Your instructor will give you a Venn Diagram to complete. Write sentences about yourself where it says You. Write sentences about your partner where it says Partner. If you and your partner have any activities that are the same, write them where it says both.

Adverbs of Frequency with the Simple Present

Adverbs of frequency (AoF) let us talk about how often we do something.

How often do you come to class?      I always come to class!

How often do you shop at Fred’s?     I often shop at Fred’s.

Study the chart below to learn the meanings of the following adverbs.

Adverbs of Frequency (AoF) with the BE Verb 

With the BE verb, the AoFs are added between BE and the rest of the sentence. You will see in the next section that this is different with other verbs.

subject + BE + AoF + rest of sentence

Activity 3.8: fill-in-the-blank.

Directions: Put the correct form of the BE verb followed by the AoF on the line.

1. I (be/always) _____________________________________ late.

2. He (be/never) _____________________________________ on time.

3. She (be/often) _____________________________________ busy on Saturday.

4. It (be/never) _____________________________________ cold in August.

5. You (be/usually) _____________________________________ cold in the morning.

6. We (be/never) _____________________________________ hungry in the morning.

7. They (be/seldom) _____________________________________ tired at 9:00  pm.

8. You (be/rarely) _____________________________________ late for school.

9. He (be/sometimes) _____________________________________ tired after work.

10. It (be/usually) _____________________________________ sunny in Los Angeles.

Activity 3.9: Fill-in-the-Blank

1. Class (usually)___________________________ interesting.

2. They (often)___________________________ busy.

3. I (always)___________________________ friendly.

4. You (never)___________________________ hungry after lunch.

5. She (always)___________________________ hungry at 3:00 pm.

6. He (rarely)___________________________ on time for class.

7. They (sometimes)___________________________ confused in class.

8. You (often)___________________________ sleepy.

Adverbs of Frequency with Other Verbs

But, what if we want to say how often we do some activity? In that case, we don’t use the BE verb. We use another verb, like eat, sleep, cook, drive, or talk.

Instead of adding the AoF after the verb, like we did with the BE verb, we add it before the verb. We do this because we are saying how often the activity of the verb happens.

subject + AoF + verb + rest of sentence

We use the AoF to talk about how often or how frequently something happens.

How often do you eat breakfast? I always eat breakfast.

In the sentence above, we are saying how often we eat breakfast (always).

How often does he cook dinner? He usually cooks dinner.

In the sentence above, we are saying how often he cooks dinner. (usually).

How often do they walk to school? They never walk to school.

In the sentence above, we are saying how often they walk to school (never).

Activity 3.10: Fill-in-the-Blank

Directions: Write the Adverb of frequency (AoF) and the verb in the correct form on the line.

When we use any verb except the BE verb, the AoF goes before the verb.

1. I (never/eat) ___________________ breakfast.

2. You (often/do) ___________________ laundry on Saturdays.

3. He (usually/swim) ___________________ on weekends.

4. She (never/sing) ___________________ karaoke.

5. It (rarely/rain) ___________________ in July.

6. They (seldom/watch) ___________________ movies.

7. We (always/do) ___________________ our homework.

8. She (sometimes/make)___________________ the bed.

Activity 3.11: Fill-in-the-Blank

Directions: Put the AoF and the verb in the correct order.

Ana and Pedro (wake up) _______________________________ at 6:00 am.

Our class (start) _________________________________________ at 6:00 pm.

The college (cancel) ________________________ classes because of snow.

The teacher (give) ____________________________________ us homework.

Vegetarians (eat) ________________________________________ vegetables.

The students (sleep) ____________________________________ during class.

7. sometimes

Ana (make) _________________________________________ lunch for Pedro.

Students (speak) ____________________________________ English in class.

Activity 3.12: Classmate Interview

Part 2 Directions: Choose 5 of the questions (and answers) from Part 1. On your own lined paper, use the answers to write sentences about your classmate’s activities. Remember to use adverbs of frequency. Turn this in to your teacher. Write your name, the date, and Activity 3.12 on the top of your paper.

Activity 3.13: Game

Directions: The purpose of this game is to practice using adverbs of frequency. Your teacher will give you some AoF game cards (often, sometimes, never).

• Stand up and find a partner.
• Ask your partner a question. Begin the sentence “How often…”
• The partner answers the question using an AoF.
• If your partner answers your question using the AoF that you have in your hand, give your partner the card.
• If your partner answers using an AoF that you don’t have, then change to another student and try again.
• You can only ask two questions before you need to change partners.
• You can only talk to the same person after you have talked with all your other classmates.
• Talk to as many partners as you can. When you have no more cards, sit down.

The goal of the game is to give away all of your cards.

Student 1: How often do you eat french fries for breakfast?

Student 2: I never eat french fries for breakfast.

(Student 1 gives the card saying “never” to Student 2)

Student 1: How often do you do your homework?

Student 2: I usually do my homework.

(Student 1 doesn’t have a ”usually” card. Student 1 changes partners and tries again.)

Ideas for Questions: How often do you…

wash your hair?

eat at a restaurant?

call your brother?

walk to school?

Pronunciation and Spelling: Adding -s and -es

We add -s and -es for two reasons:

1. The word is a noun, and we are making it plural.

2. The word is a verb, and it agrees with the subject (he, she, or it–3rd person singular)

Pronunciation

In English the same letters can have different sounds. For example, the letter “c” can sound like /k/ in cat , but it can also sound like /s/ in ice .

For words that end in -s or -es, there are three different sounds: /s/, /z/, and /ɪz/. We can predict how the -s or -es ending will sound by the last sound of the word before we add the -s or -es ending.

/θ/=th as in bath   /ð/=th as in that   /ʤ/=j as in judge    /tʃ/=ch as in church     /ʃ/=sh as in wash

Activity 3.14: Pronunciation

Activity 3.15: listening.

Directions: Listen to the teacher say a list of words and then sentences. You will hear each word or sentence two times. Decide if the ending sound is  /s/, /z/, or /ɪz/ and choose (by circling or otherwise marking) your choice.

1.    /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

2.   /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

3.   /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

4.   /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

5.   /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

6.   /s/       /z/      /ɪz/

7.   /s/       /z/      /ɪz/

8.   /s/       /z/      /ɪz/

9.   /s/       /z/      /ɪz/

10. /s/       /z/      /ɪz/

11.  /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

12.  /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

13.  /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

14.  /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

15.  /s/      /z/      /ɪz/

Activity 3.16: Listening & Speaking

Part 1 Directions: Identify which of the three ending sounds (/s/, /z/, or /ɪz/) is at the end of each of the target words. Write the sound symbol on the line.

/s/                /z/              /ɪz/

1.  changes _____

2.  crabs _____

3.  dishes _____

4.  touches _____

5.  helps _____

6.  books _____

7.  pencils _____

8.  sleeps _____

9.  mixes _____

10. kisses _____

11.  The students eat breakfast. _____

12.  My sister walks her dog. _____

13.  The dogs eat peanut butter. _____

14.  The student catches the bus. _____

15.  I have three cats.     _____

16.  Most teachers have pets. _____

17.  She writes a book.     _____

18.  Natasha buys food.     _____

19.  Yuri wakes up on time. _____

20.  She sees her daughter. _____

Part 2 Directions: With a partner, say the word or sentence. Your partner will point to the sound they hear.

If a word ends in /s/,  /z/,  /ch/,  /sh/  or  /x/ sound    →    add -es

Only add -es for the he/she/it form of the verb (third person singular).

watch   →   watches

wash    →   washes

kiss      →    kisses

I pass out papers.    →    She passes out papers.

I wash the dishes.   →    He washes the dishes.

Activity 3.17: Fill-in-the-Blank

Directions: Write the correct form of the verb in parentheses on the lines.

1. (watch) I __________ TV in the morning, but she ________ TV at night.

2. (wash) They ________ dishes together after dinner. He ________ dishes on  weekends.

3. (fix) My father and I _________ cars together. My husband ________ the bicycle.

4. (teach) They  ________ their daughter Ukrainian. Eva ________ her son Amharic.

5. (brush) I ________ my teeth twice a day. He _______ three times a day.

6. (kiss) She _______ her husband in the morning. I ________ my children before bed.

7. (stretch) I always ________ before exercise. Viktor ________ after exercise.

8. (guess) I never ________ the answer, but Tatiana often ________ the answer.

9. (mix) She ________ Spanish and English. They _______ English and Ukranian.

10. (splash) The kids ______ in the bathtub. My daughter always ________, too.

11. (cash) I ______ my check at the bank. He _________ his check too.

12. (latch) I ________ my screen door. She ________ her screen door.

13. (notice) I always ________ mistakes. She never ________ mistakes when she writes.

14. (touch) He ________ the door. We ________ the window.

15. (brush) They  ________ their hair once a day. He _________ his hair three times a day.

16. (pass) She ________ all her classes. They ________ their ESL classes.

17. (ask) I ________ for vegetarian food. Natasha ________ for Ukrainian food.

18. (ask) He ________ a question. We ________ to play a game.

19. (watch) She ________ Jackie Chan movies. They ________ Jet Li movies.

20. (dance) I ______ twice a week. He ________ once a week.

Activity 3.18: Listening

Directions: Read the story. Then listen to your teacher read the story. Listen for the missing words and write them on the line. Remember that the subject and the verb of a sentence have to agree. If they don’t agree, you should listen again. Some verbs end in -s and some verbs end in -es.

Viktor and Tatiana

        Viktor and Tatiana (1)_________ married. They (2)_________ English at Clackamas Community College. They (3)_________ from Ukraine. Tatiana sometimes (4)_________ angry with Viktor because he doesn’t help around the house. Tatiana (5)_________ dinner and Viktor (6)_________ TV. Tatiana (7)_________ the house, and Viktor (8)_________ English.

Then Tatiana remembers that Viktor (9)_________ the car while she (10)_________ books. In the grocery store, he always (11)_________ the shopping cart. He (12)_________ for her when she is sick. He also (13)_________ the socks when they (14)_________ movies at home. On school nights, Viktor (15)_________ the dishes after Tatiana cooks. He (16)_________ her every day when they leave the house, and he (17)_________ her every night before they (18)_________ asleep. Then Tatiana isn’t angry anymore.

If a word ends in a consonant plus -y, change -y to i and add -es. If the word ends in a vowel plus -y, just add -s.

Consonant + -y

Change -y to i and add -es

cry       →   cries

study   →   studies

pay      →   pays

buy      →   buys

Activity 3.19: Fill-in-the-Blank

Directions: Write the correct form of the verb on the line in the sentences below.

1. (study) I ___________ in the morning, but he ___________ at night.

2. (worry) He ___________ about money. I ___________ about him.

3. (cry) The cat ___________ when I leave. The babies  ___________ all the time.

4. (play) She ___________ piano. We ___________ violin.

5. (pay) I ___________ for groceries with a credit card. Tatiana ___________ with cash.

6. (stay) He ___________ after class for help. They ___________ after class to talk.

7. (stay) She ___________ at a hotel. I ___________with my mom.

8. (worry) My husband ___________ about school. I ___________ about our health.

9. (enjoy) We ___________ playing board games. He ___________ online games.

10. (say) They ___________ they are busy Friday, but she ___________ Friday is ok.

11. (fly) A bird ___________ south in winter. Birds ___________ north for the summer.

12. (buy) They ___________ paper online. She ___________ supplies at the store..

13. (fly) He ___________ to Paris today. I ___________ to Denver tomorrow.

14. (study) We ___________ before vocabulary tests. She ___________ for grammar.

15. (pay) He ___________ for 2 classes. I ___________ for 3 classes.

16. (try)     I ___________ to study 3 times a week. She ___________ to study every day.

Activity 3.20: Listening

Using infinitives with like, want, & need.

Some verbs can be combined with an infinitive (to + verb) to express a different meaning or opinion about the activity.

Activity 3.21: Fill-in-the-Blank

Part 1 Directions: Complete the sentences by writing like, want, or need on the line.

1. I ___________ to pay my rent.

2. She ___________ to study for the test.

3. They  ___________ to buy a diamond necklace.

4. You ___________ to have an expensive new car.

5. I ___________ to read a book before bed to help me sleep.

6. You ___________ to do your homework.

7. We ___________ to eat dessert first.

8. I ___________ to sleep until 10:00 am, but I __________ to get up because work starts at 7:00 am.

Negative Statements in the Simple Present

Negatives with the be verb, activity 3.22: writing.

Directions: Make these sentences negative by adding not after the verb.

1. She is a hairdresser.

2. He is busy today.

3. They are from Colombia.

4. He is a contractor.

5. It is sunny.

6. They are students.

7. He is a teacher.

8. The dog is in the garden.

Negatives with All Other Verbs

Using auxiliary verbs.

There are three auxiliary verbs in English: BE, DO, and HAVE. We will learn about BE and DO in this class. We will learn about using HAVE as an auxiliary in the next level. You have already seen the first of our three auxiliary verbs, BE, in Chapter 2. We combine the BE verb with the -ing form of the verb to create the present progressive (an action happening now).

When we make negative sentences with other verbs, we use the auxiliary verb, DO. It has two forms: do and does . The negative not comes after do or does and is followed by the base form of the main verb.

The base form is the infinitive without the to . Instead of “to sing” (infinitive), the base form is sing . Do not add -s to the base verb. Let’s look at an example sentence.

subj      do/does    neg.     base verb     rest of sentence

He         does           not        sing               in the shower.

• He is the subject
• Does is the auxiliary verb. Do/Does agrees with the subject (3rd person singular: add -es).
• Sing is the main verb in the base form. Do not add -s to the main verb.

subject + auxiliary DO + not + base form + rest of sentence

Negative contractions.

To make negative contractions, we contract the auxiliary verb and the negative.

Activity 3.23:  Choose the Correct Form

Directions: Choose the correct form, and then write the contraction on the line. Remember that the auxiliary DO (do/does) has to agree with the subject.

1. The teacher do not / does not eat meat.                                                 ___________________

2. I am a homemaker. I do not / does not work outside my home.    ___________________

3. She is a driver. She do not / does not work in an office.                     ___________________

4. He is a vegetarian. He do not / does not eat meat.                             ___________________

5. They do not / does not drink coffee in the evening.                            ___________________

6. Palani do not / does not like to wake up early.                                     ___________________

7. Yuri do not / does not want to come to school late.                            ___________________

8. Yuri do not / does not press snooze on his alarm clock.                    ___________________

9. They do not / does not have the same habits.                                     ___________________

10. It do not / does not  look like a good book.                                         ___________________

11. The students do not / does not do their homework.                        ___________________

12. He do not / does not get good grades on tests.                                ___________________

Activity 3.24: Fill-in-the-Blank

Directions: Write the correct form of do or does on the line.

1. (do/sing)        She ___________ not ___________ in public.

2. (do/write)     They ___________ not ___________ on the wall.

3. (do/drive)     He ___________ not ___________ for a job.

4. (do/ask)        You ___________ not ___________ for a diamond ring.

5. (do/play)       We ___________ not ___________ guitar.

6. (do/like)        The dog ___________ not ___________ my cat.

7. (do/type)       She ___________ not ___________ fast.

8. (do/read)       He ___________ not ___________ online.

Activity 3.25: Writing

Directions: Make these sentences negative. Use full forms for numbers 1-5 and contractions for numbers 6-10.

1. I go to work at 3:00 pm.

2. She wants to eat Chinese food.

3. They have two children.

4. He has a dog and two cats.

5. You need to stand in line.

6. She finishes her homework.

7. I eat breakfast.

8. You drink coffee.

9. He drinks diet soda.

10. My car has red seats.

Activity 3.26: Interview

Part 1 Directions: Use the sentences below to interview your partner. Take notes on your own lined paper.

Student A: Tell me a food you don’t like.

Student B: I don’t like eggs.

2. Tell me a movie you don’t like.

3. Tell me a place you don’t like.

4. Tell me a sport you don’t like.

5. Tell me a color you don’t like.

6. Tell me a singer or band you don’t like.

7. Tell me a type of music you don’t like.

8. Tell me a book you don’t like.

Part 2 Directions: Now, write 5 sentences about your partner. Use your notes to help you.  Write your partner’s answers in FULL sentences.

Yes/No Questions & Short Answers

Yes/No questions mean that the answer to the question is either yes or no . These questions don’t use wh- question words. Remember, when we use an auxiliary verb, the main verb is in the base form. The auxiliary verb goes before the subject and the main verb goes after the subject.

auxiliary DO + subject + base verb + rest of sentence

Short answers.

Short answers are quick answers to yes/no questions. Remember that if the question uses the BE verb, use the BE verb in your answer. If the auxiliary DO is used in the question, then use DO in the answer.

Do you have cats?    Yes, I do.

Are you a teacher?    Yes, I am.

Do you drink coffee in the morning?      Yes, I do.

Does he drink coffee in the morning?    No, he doesn’t.

Activity 3.27: Fill-in-the-Blank

Directions: Complete the questions with the missing auxiliary verb and subject.

A: Does she wake up early?

B: No, she doesn’t.

1. A:___________________ do her homework every day?

B: Yes, she does.

2. A:___________________ wash the dishes after dinner?

B: Yes, he does.

3. A:___________________ eat dinner together?

B: Yes, they do.

4. A:___________________ work late every day?

5. A:___________________ drive to school?

6. A:___________________ study vocabulary?

B: Yes, I do.

7. A:___________________ eat lunch at home?

B: No, we don’t.

8. A:___________________ ask questions?

9. A:___________________ practice English at the grocery store?

10. A:___________________ do laundry on Saturdays?

Activity 3.28: Game

Information questions in the simple present.

We have seen several lists of wh- question words in previous chapters. Here is a bigger list. You can practice making questions with the new words and review the ones you have seen in Chapters 1 and 2.

* What time asks about specific time. When asks about general time.

What time does class start?     Class starts at 9:00 am.

When is your birthday?         My birthday is in August.

We form information questions (sometimes called wh- questions) the same as yes/no questions. Add the question word (who, what, where, when, what time, etcetera) to the beginning of the question.

wh- + auxiliary DO + subject + main verb

Activity 3.29: choose the correct form.

Directions: Choose the correct question word.

1. Who/What is your teacher?                            My teacher is Susan.

2. Where/What is your address?                        My address is 19 Molalla Ave, Oregon City.

3. Where/When do you wake up?                      I wake up at 7:30 am.

4. Why/Who do you have an umbrella?           Because it’s raining.

5. How/Where do you take ESL?                         I take ESL classes at CCC.

6. When/What do you work?                               I work at 5:00 pm.

7. Why/How do you get to school?                     I take the bus.

8. What/How do you cook hotdogs?                 I boil them, but some people grill them.

9. How much/How often milk do you want?   I want 1 cup.

10. How many/Why cookies do you want?       I want 2 dozen.

Activity 3.30: Fill-in-the-Blank

Directions: Fill in the blank with the correct question word.

1. A:___________ do you go to work?

B: I go to work at 5:00 am.

2. A:___________ is he wearing a sweater?

B: He’s cold.

3. A:___________ do you study vocabulary?

B: I use vocabulary cards.

4. A:___________ are they from?

B: They’re from Italy.

5. A:___________ are you doing?

B: I’m doing my homework.

6. A:___________ often do you sleep in?

B: I sleep in on Saturdays.

7. A:___________ time does class start?

B: Class starts at 6:00 pm.

8. A:___________ do you study?

B: I study at the library.

9. A:___________ is your favorite actor?

B: My favorite actor is Brad Pitt.

10. A:___________ many classes do you take?

B: I take three classes each term.

Activity 3.31: Interview

Directions: Your instructor will give you a worksheet that you can use to interview a classmate.

• Match the wh- question word with the question. You can only use a word one time.
• When you finish matching you will have 10 questions and 10 answers. Choose 5 questions to ask your classmate.
• Write the answers to the 5 questions below.

1. ___________________________________________________________________

2. ___________________________________________________________________

3. ___________________________________________________________________

4. ___________________________________________________________________

5. ___________________________________________________________________

Activity 3.32: Error Correction

Directions: There are 10 mistakes in the paragraph below. Find the mistakes with the simple present, adverbs of frequency, negative sentences, or -s / -es endings and correct them.

My name is Jacques. I lives next to Yuri and Palani. I am a student at CCC also. I arrive always early to class. My brother drive me to school. I do not drives. I eat lunch with my friends. We eat often at Ana and Pedro’s house. I doesn’t cook. After class, always I study in the library. I finishes my homework in the afternoon. I study with my friend. My friend Palani finish his homework at night. I live with my family. My mother cook dinner for the family. She wash the dishes after dinner. I dry them.

Activity 3.33: Writing

Directions: Rewrite these sentences to include the adverb of frequency (AoF) in parentheses.

1. (usually) We eat dinner outside in summer.

2. (always) I wear slippers in the house.

3. (never) My family wakes up early.

4. (sometimes) My friends and I watch movies on Fridays.

5. (rarely) We eat uncooked food.

6. (often) They are late to class.

7. (never) I finish my homework on the computer.

8. (seldom) She takes her dog to the dog park.

9. (usually) You are on time.

10. (rarely) She eats fast food.

11. (never) It snows in August.

12. (always) It rains in October.

13. (often) We have homework.

14. (never) They forget books at home.

Activity 3.34: Writing

Directions: Write the question on the line below. Use the answer for extra information. Some questions are wh-questions, and some are yes/no questions.

1. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: I wake up at 8:00 am.

2. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: Yes, I do (I have a dog.)

3. A:_______________________________________________________________

B: My birthday is in August.

4. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: No, I don’t. (I don’t do my homework in the morning.)

5. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: I take a shower in the morning.

6. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: I arrive early for class.

7. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: He drives to school.

8. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: He washes the dishes every day.

9. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: Yes, I do. (I exercise 3 times a week.)

10. A: ______________________________________________________________

B: I eat fast food once a month.

Directions: Write a paragraph comparing your daily schedule with a partner’s daily schedule. Use the simple present tense, adverbs of frequency, and time expressions.

Pre-writing: 

• Write 6 questions to ask your partner. Use 6 different wh-question words. There is a place to write each question in the chart that follows.
• Answer the 6 questions for yourself.
• Choose a partner, ask your questions, and then write down your partner’s answers.
• Use your own 8.5″ x 11″ lined paper. Do not use other paper sizes, please.
• Heading: Put your full name, the due date, and Ch. 3 Writing Assignment at the top of your paper. Your instructor will tell you where the heading goes (left or right side).
• Indent the first sentence, skip lines (double space), and leave a 1-inch margin on the sides and bottom.

Writing and Grammar:

• First sentence: begin writing by using this topic sentence: [Partner’s name] and I are classmates, but we are very different.
• In your sentences, write your answer and your partner’s answer.
• Use 3 adverbs of frequency.
• Write 2 negative sentences.
• Use full forms; do not use contractions.
• Use capital letters and punctuation correctly.
• Use the rubric below to check your work.

Model Paragraph:

My partner and I are classmates, but we are very different. I get up very early at 5:00am. My partner doesn’t get up early. She often gets up at 9:00am. I usually drink coffee in the morning, but my partner doesn’t like coffee. She likes tea instead. I have two children, so I am busy with them. My partner is married, but she doesn’t have any children. I leave for school at 8:30am. My partners never goes straight to school. She goes to her parents house first. She always helps them because they are very old. My parents are still young at age 50 and 55.

Assignment Rubric:

Self-Assessment

These were our goals at the beginning of Chapter 3:

At the end of this chapter you will be able to:

• Add -s , -es, and -ies to verbs and nouns

Directions: Choose yes if you think you achieved the goals or no in the table below if you think you did not achieve the goals. Then, write an example of the goal in the last column.

Explorations 1: Grammar for the Experienced Beginner Copyright © by Susan; Jen; and Kit is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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1.7: Simple Present Tense

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• Page ID 108057

• Don Bissonnette
• South Seattle Community College

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Simple Present Tense Formation

Affirmative Form: Simple Present Tense, General Truth

I You               go                 all of the time. We                come             every morning. They             study            on weekdays. ----------------------- He                 go es               all of the time. She              come s             every morning. It                 stud ies          on weekdays.

We come to class from Monday to Thursday from 8:00 to 10:50. My students do their homework either in the afternoon or in the evening. My wife washes clothes every Saturday afternoon. It rains a lot in Seattle every spring. The sun shines a lot in the summer. Young boys like to run around and make a lot of noise all of the time.

Negative Form:  Simple Present Tense, General Truth

I                don’t You            don’t                 go . We             don’t               come . They          don’t                 study . ------------------------- He               doesn’t           go . She            doesn’t            come .           Do not put an “s” on the verb in the negative. It                doesn’t            study .

My sons don’t come home during the week. It doesn’t rain a lot in summer. I don’t like to drive on I-5. My sister doesn’t speak French. Boys don’t often sit down quietly when they are young. My neighbor doesn’t clean his yard at all. Girls don’t usually cause as much trouble as boys when they are young. Flying is a plane doesn’t make me sick.

Interrogative (Question) Form: Simple Present Tense, General Truth

           I

Do       you        go

           we        come     ?

           they      study

-------------------------

             he        go

Does      she      come      ?

             it         study

Do girls like to go shopping with friends? Does it rain a lot in Seattle during the spring? Do teachers have to correct a lot of homework papers? Does this class begin at 8:00 AM? Does grammar help students to write better in English? Do most men like sports?

Questions with Affirmative and Negative Answers

Do cars cost a lot of money to run and take care of?

Yes, cars cost a lot of money to run and take care of. No, cars don’t cost a lot of money to run and take care of.

Does water help plants in a garden to grow?

Yes, water helps plants in a garden to grow. No, water doesn’t help plants in a garden to grow.

Do students study at school every day?

Yes, students study at school every day. No, students don’t study at school every day.

Does the moon appear in the evening?

Yes, the moon appears in the evening. No, the moon doesn’t appear in the evening.

Forming the Negative with Present Time Verbs

The Present Tense Versus the Present Continuous Tense

Present Tense

I                                     go   You     don’t                    eat We                                  shop They                                write                                                                     General Truth:                                                                          All of the time, but       NOT NOW

He                                   go                                       She     doesn’t                 eat It                                   shop              No “s” on the verb.                                       write

                            Present Continuous Tense

I am not                       go ing

He She     is not (isn’t)      eat ing It                                                                 Right Now                                     shop ping

We You are not (aren’t) writ ing They

I don’t speak Chinese. I am not speaking Chinese right now.

He doesn’t go to movies very often. He isn’t going to a movie right now.

We don’t play with guns. We aren’t playing with guns now.

She doesn’t help her mother in the house. She isn’t helping her mother in the house this morning.

They don’t do their homework on Friday nights. They aren’t doing their homework right now.

Exercise 36:  Fill in the blanks with simple present tense verbs, please.

1.  Most boys -------------------- (want) to play sports.

2.  My son -------------------- (like) to play music.

3.  A girl usually -------------------- (help) to do housework.

4.  My elder son -------------------- (communicate) with his friends in America by Facebook.

5.  Both of my sons -------------------- (love) to eat my wife’s food.

6.  Talking on the phone -------------------- (bother) me when I am working.

7.  Smoking cigarettes -------------------- (make) a person stink.

8.  Old people -------------------- (walk) slowly down the street.

9.  My dog -------------------- (enjoy) going for walks with my wife.

10.  My wife -------------------- (wash) the kitchen floor every day.

11.  All of you -------------------- (want) to learn English quickly.

12.  My wife -------------------- (do) the shopping for fruit and vegetables.

13.  A mechanic -------------------- (repair) cars for a living.

14.  Students -------------------- (have) to learn irregular verbs.

15.  My cat -------------------- (sleep) in the basement.

16.  Some friends of mine --------------------- (go) to restaurants every night.

17.  Not studying ------------------- (hurt) students’ grades.

18.  Cold beer -------------------- (taste) good on a hot day.

19.  My younger son --------------------- (write) music at work and at home.

20.  Old men -------------------- (enjoy) the company of other old men.

21.   A young man -------------------- (live) across the street from me.

22.  I usually -------------------- (listen to) music in my office.

Exercise 37:  Answer the following questions, please.

1.  Where do you come from?

2.  Do you have any brothers and sisters?

3.  How many days a week does your teacher come to this college?

4.  Do you speak English at home?

5.  Does it rain a lot in Seattle?

6.  Does your teacher have a long beard?

7.  What time do you go to bed?

8.  Do you want to graduate from SSC?

9.  Does your mother speak English well?

10.  How long does it take for you to get to college each morning?

11.  Do dogs and cats usually like each other?

12.  Does your teacher dress nicely for class every day?

13.  When does winter vacation start?

14.  Does your father have a moustache?

15.  When does the weekend for this class start?

Exercise 38:  Change the following sentences to the negative, please.  Remember to use either “ don’t ” or “ doesn’t ” and the base form of the verb.

The boys come to class on time. -----------The boys don’t come to class on time.

The girl needs to buy a new book. -------- The girl doesn’t need to buy a new book.

1.     My sister tries to take care of my brother.

2.     The dog eats on the porch at my house.

3.     I write all of my exercises for my students.

4.     A mechanic usually fixes my car.

5.     Some students take their children to school.

6.     It rains a lot in Seattle in spring.

7.     I make my sons do their homework in the evening.

8.     Alex reaches for his back pack before he leaves the house.

9.     My car has a broken window.

10.  André carries his books to school in his back pack.

11.  Students like to write sentences in class.

12.  You have to learn a lot of English this quarter.

13.   Your teacher likes to give homework.

Exercise 39:  Answer the following questions with long answers , please.  Do this exercise on a separate sheet of paper, please.

1.  Does it rain in Seattle every day?

2.  Do children attend this class?

3.  Do you speak Chinese?

4.  Do I wear jeans to class?

5.  Do children go to school?

6.  Does the president of the United States live in Seattle?

7.  Does it cost very much to attend this class?

8.  Do I teach English in the evening?

9.  Do we come to school on Saturday?

10.  Do some boys play the piano?

11.  Do young boys make a lot of noise?

12.  Does your teacher give you a lot of homework?

13.  Do women have babies?

14.  Do men have babies?

15.  Does your bedroom have a television in it?

16.  Do we study in room 210?

17.  Do you spend money every week?

18.  Do elephants eat a lot of food?

19.  Does my wife live in Seattle?

20.  Do my sons attend school every day?

21.  Do you cook dinner every night?

22.  Does the sun shine at night?

Exercise 40:  Answer the following questions about a typical evening at home, please.

1.  About what time do you get home from work or school every day?

2.  When do you read the newspaper?

3.  Where do you sit when you are at home?

4.  Who sometimes takes a walk with you?

5.  Where do you usually take a walk?

6.  When do you listen to the radio?

7.  What time do you eat dinner?

8.  Whom do you eat dinner with?

9.  What do you do after you eat dinner?

10.  When do you watch television?

11.  Where do you sit when you watch television?

12.  Whom do you watch television with?

13.  At what time do you usually go to bed?

14.  How many hours of sleep do you usually get?

15.  What time do you usually get up in the morning?

Exercise 41:  Change the following sentences to simple yes/no questions, please.

1. The woman has beautiful brown eyes.

2. She speaks to her friends on the bus.

3. I drink coffee in the morning.

4. My sons make a lot of noise at my house.

5. Some students always do their homework on time.

6. I enjoy teaching English as a second language.

7. The sun shines every day in the summer.

8. A bus driver has a lot of responsibility.

9. We use the computer lab on Friday mornings.

10. Good students try hard in school.

11. A postman delivers the mail every day.

12. Children like to play computer games.

13. Learning to speak English takes a lot of time.

14. Girls wear prettier clothes than boys.

15. My sister buys toys for her grandchildren.

Exercise 42:  Change the following sentences to simple yes/no questions, please.

1. My dog barks for food every night.

2. Cats sleep all day long.

3. A job application takes a long time to fill out.

4. This exercise has 25 sentences.

5. Gas for my car costs $3.67 per gallon.

6.  My son has two violins.

7.  You are making questions right now.

8.  You often make questions in this class.

9.  Smoking causes lung cancer.

10.  I always grow a lot of vegetables in my garden.

11.  The days get very short and the nights very long in December.

12.  I am writing this exercise in my office.

13.  The teacher often writes exercises in my office.

14.  Most women have to do a lot of work at home.

15.  A new student comes to class late every morning.

Exercise 43:  Change the following sentences to Yes/No questions and then answer them in the negative, please.  You need to write two sentences.

1.  The woman has nine big dogs in her back yard.

2.   She talks to her friends on the phone.

3.  The boy draws pictures in his notebook.

4.  My neighbors make a lot of noise during the weekend.

5.  Some students always use pens to do their homework.

6.  I enjoy working in my garden in the spring time.

7.  The moon shines every night in the summer.

8.  A cab driver has a lot of customers.

9.  We use our ears to listen to people speak.

10.  My students try hard in school.

11. A doctor sees patients in hospitals.

Present Continuous Tense and Simple Present Tense Exercise

Exercise 44:  Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb, please.  Be careful.

1.  We sometimes --------------- (spend) too much money when we --------------- (go) shopping with our friends.

2.  Look!  I see a man, and he --------------- (walk) with three dogs.

3.  As I write this, my wife ---------------- (sleep) in our bedroom.

4.  I always --------------- (pay) my bills at the end of the month.

5.  My sons --------------- (not do) their homework right now because they --------------- (watch) television in the living room.

6.  My dog --------------- (bark) as I write this assignment.  I wonder what --------------- (bother) her at this time of night.

7.  Every morning right after I --------------- (wake up), I --------------- (have) two cups of coffee and something to eat.

8.  My sister --------------- (not live) with me anymore because she --------------- (live) in R. I.

9.  While I --------------- (type) this exercise, my sons --------------- (sleep) downstairs.

10.  We often --------------- (stay up) late at night in my house.

11.  You --------------- (think) about the answers to these questions.

12.  People --------------- (think) a lot about their relatives who have died.

13.  Some of my students --------------- (be) homesick and --------------- (want) to go home to see their families, but they can't.

14.  Although my car --------------- (run) well, my wife --------------- (want) me to buy a newer one, so I am probably going to get an older one.

15.  Studying three languages at one time --------------- (take) a lot of effort and --------------- (require) a special kind of student.

16.  Children -------------------- (love) their parents.

17. I am sitting in this chair, and my dog ------------------------- (wag) its tail.

WH Question Formation Exercise:  Simple Present Tense and the Present Continuous Tense 

Exercise 45:  Change the following sentences to WH questions with the word provided, please. 

1. The woman has long, blond hair.

What color hair

3. I drink two cups of coffee in the morning.

4. My sons are making quite a bit of noise at my house.

5. John always uses his brother’s car on Thursday.

9. We are using the new computer lab now.

12. My children like to play computer games on their friend’s computer.

14. My son wears his old clothes when he works in my garden.

15. My sister is buying toys for her grandchildren at Toys ‘R Us right now.

16. My dog barks for food every night.

17. Cats get about 15 hours of sleep a day.

18. A job application takes a long time for students to fill out.

19. This exercise has 21 sentences.

20. Gas for my car costs $1.49 per gallon.

21. I speak to my wife’s brother on the phone once in a while.

Making Information Question (WH Questions) with the Subjects of Sentences

When making WH questions with the subjects of sentences, only replace the subject of the sentences.  DO NOT change the word order.  Also, when the subject is who or what , the verb is always in the S From.  The verb is in the S Form because the “question” is about the subject and the answer is unknown in normal conversation.  For example, if there is a knock at your door, do you know how many people are outside your door?  No, you don’t, so you say, “Who is it”?  You say “it” because you don’t know who is there.  You don’t know if it is a man or a woman, or five men, or three little girls, etc.

The man buys groceries for his family at Safeway. Who buys groceries at Safeway for his family?

The dogs eat on the back porch. What eats on the porch?

The men play baseball in the park. Who plays baseball in the park?

Many flowers grow in my garden. What grows in my garden?

However, if the subject contains within it a WH Question word and a plural noun, then the Base Form of the verb is used.

Four boys sleep in the same room.  How many boys sleep in the same room?

A lot of cats live in that house. How many cats live in that house?

The white blouses cost a lot of money. Which blouses cost a lot of money?

Bonnie’s daughters talk a lot. Whose daughters talk a lot?

New cars cost a lot of money. What costs a lot of money?

Ten new cars cost a lot of money. How many new cars cost a lot of money?

Exercise 46:  Make WH questions with the words following the sentences, please.

1.  The boys like to ride horses in the afternoon.

2.  My friend swims in the ocean with his sons.

3.  The young boy eats a lot of ice cream every afternoon.

4.  I give presents to my sons’ teachers every year.

5.  Some people buy expensive cars.

6.  Thirteen boys play football every afternoon.

Exercise 47:  Make questions with the Question Words given for the Subjects of the sentences, please.

1.  The man buys gas for his car once a week.

2.  My dog sleeps in the kitchen at our house.

3.  The radio gives the news every hour.

4.  The book costs $45.00 at the bookstore.

5.  The man and the woman go to restaurants twice a week.

6.  Driving at night makes me nervous.

7.  Seventy-five people eat in the food court at noon.

8.  Boys get into trouble more often than girls.

9.  My chickens lay eggs every day.

10.  Alex and Andre sometimes argue with their mother.

The Present Simple Tense in English

Use the Present Simple tense (“I go”, “He goes” etc) to talk about facts, things that are always true, or for routines and habits.

For example:

In England it often snows in winter. (a fact) I live in London (true – I don’t change my house every day) John eats cereal for breakfast (routine or habit)

How to form the Present Simple

Use the same verb ending as the infinitive form for I, you, we and they. For he, she or it, add s or es or ies.

I play tennis You play tennis He / She plays tennis We play tennis They play tennis

Add es for verbs that end -ss, -sh, -ch, -tch:

I kiss / He kisses I wish / She wishes I match / It matches I march / She marches I study / She studies (the y changes to ies for verbs that end in ‘consonant + y’)

In the present simple of all verbs (except the verb to be and other modal verbs) you need an auxiliary to form negatives and questions. The auxiliary is do / does (for questions) and don’t / doesn’t for negatives.

Negative form of the Present Simple

To form the negative, use the auxiliary don’t (for I, you, we, they) and doesn’t (for he, she, it). Then follow the auxiliary with the infinitive form of the verb.

I don’t live here You don’t live here She doesn’t live here We don’t live here They don’t live here

In all the above, live is the infinitive form.

To form the question, use do / does as the auxiliary. Use do for I, you, we, they; and does for he, she, it.

Here is the word order for questions in the present simple:

Question word (optional) – auxiliary – subject – verb

Where do you live? What does he do? What does this computer program do? Why do they argue all the time? Do you like tennis? (There is no question word “why”, “what”,  “where” in this question, so the question starts with the auxiliary “do”.)

The verb that comes after the subject is the infinitive form.

Short answers

You can answer a “do you” type question with a short answer. Use the auxiliary do / don’t; or does / doesn’t in your reply – NOT the infinitive.

Do I sign here? Yes, you do / No you don’t . Do you work here? Yes I do / No I don’t . Does she speak Spanish? Yes she does / No she doesn’t . Do we take this train? Yes, we do / No we don’t . Do they do their homework? Yes they do / No they don’t .

Also check out the page Nationalities and the verb to be for more grammar help.

Common errors

Be careful to avoid these common errors.

Affirmative

He live in London. (Correct: He lives in London.) He does live in London. (Correct: He lives in London)

He does live in London? (Correct: Does he live in London?) Does live he in London? (Correct: Does he live in London?)

He don’t live in London. (Correct: He doesn’t live in London.) He doesn’t lives in London. (Correct: He doesn’t live in London.)

Present Simple

Choose the correct answer.

Your answer:

Correct answer:

Your Answers

Now get essential verbs and phrases to talk about your job and daily routine (plus how to tell the time) on the next page:  Talking About Your Job

Homework: Present Simple

I am, I am not, I have, I don't have...

Pre-intermediate

The Present Simple is usually the first tense that students are introduced to as they get to know the English language, but that certainly doesn’t mean it’s the easiest. In fact, with different rules for the verb BE, changing forms for the third person, and, at times, tricky spelling rules, it can be anything but easy. It is nevertheless an essential one for them to master before moving on to other tenses. The exercises in this activity homework sheet help students practise the Present Simple in a varied and practical way.

After downloading your PDF: print it immediately or save and print later. Answers are provided for teachers on the second page.

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Present simple exercises

Negative forms

Questions - exercises

Mixed forms

Intermediate level

Worksheets - lessons

Present simple

Worksheets - pdf exercises.

• Simple present tense - pdf exercises
• Worksheet - questions pdf
• Present simple - pdf exercises
• Present simple - handout pdf
• Present simple exercises - answers
• Simple present worksheets -> answers
• Present simple - worksheets
• Present simple - negative
• Present simple - questions
• Simple present 2 -> answers
• The present simple - handout
• Affirmative, negative, questions
• Exercises : worksheets / handouts
• Present - worksheet pdf
• Worksheets pdf - print
• Grammar worksheets - handouts

Lessons - resources - videos

• Simple present tense - rules
• Present simple explanations
• Present tense - third person - rules

T075 - Present Tense - Simple and Continuous

Gap-fill exercise.

Fill in the correct form of the Present Tense (Simple or Continuous) :

• The girls ( NOT ARGUE ) now. They ( WATCH ) a film together.
• Look ! Mary ( SING ) again. She often ( SING ) this song.
• My dad ( HAVE ) a lot of work to do every weekend.
• Please go to the supermarket and ( BUY ) me some food.
• Emma ( SPEAK ) English and French but her sister doesn't.
• He usually ( LEAVE ) home at 9.00 o'clock but today he ( LEAVE ) later.
• I ( VISIT ) my grandmother every Friday. My sister often ( VISIT ) her as well.
• She ( WRITE ) to her pen friend at the moment.
• They sometimes ( HAVE ) lunch at work, but today they ( GO ) to a restaurant.
• She can't talk to you. She ( HAVE ) a shower.
• Where ( ALEX , NORMALLY, LIVE ) ? - In France.
• Jane ( GIVE ) a party today because it ( BE ) her birthday.
• My mother always ( COOK ) in the morning.
• The lesson ( START ) at 9 every morning.
• What ( YOU USUALLY DO ) at the weekends ?
• After school I always ( CHECK ) my Facebook posts before I do my homework.
• Pay attention ! The teacher ( WRITE ) some examples on the blackboard.
• She never ( SMOKE ).
• He ( LIKE ) watching TV but he ( NOT WATCH ) at the moment because he is asleep.
• My brother can't play tennis because he ( HAVE ) a racket.

Present Simple

We use the present simple when we talk about things in general. We use this tense to say that something:

• happens all the time
• happens repeatedly
• is true in general

Have a look at the example below.

Jane .css-35ezg3{font-weight:600;} works as a barista. Her shift begins at 7 a.m

In the first sentence is general truth. And the second sentence is something that happens repeatedly all the time.

I like apples but my father likes grapes

Verbs ending in o , s , ch , sh , x add -es for the third person singular.

My sister watches TV in the evening and my brother does his homework

Such verbs as to be and to have are irregular.

Note the difference between British English and American English.

(BrE) I have got a car. (Present Perfect) .css-15p9n5u{height:24px;} (AmE) I have a car. (Present Simple)

Questions are formed with do and the bare infinitive form of the verb. The third person singular is formed with does .

Negatives are formed with do not and the bare infinitive form of the verb. The third person singular is formed with does not and the bare infinitive form of verb.

(+) He gets up at 6 o'clock every morning (-) He does not get up at 6 o'clock every morning. He gets up at 7 (?) Does he get up at 6 o'clock every morning? / When does he get up?

Some time markers can explain how often someone does an action, or something happens. These time markers are always , often , usually , sometimes , rarely , never , every day etc.

I usually cook at home but my friend always eats at the local cafe

Note that in the above examples time markers come before the verb. With the verb to be the time marker comes after it.

Kim is always late for classes

.css-12m0k8p{pointer-events:auto;} Guided Practice .css-1aa87m5{color:hsl(255deg, 85%, 30%);font-weight:400;outline:none;opacity:0;margin-left:0.375rem;}.css-1aa87m5:focus,.css-1aa87m5[data-focus]{opacity:1;box-shadow:0 0 0 3px rgba(66, 153, 225, 0.6);} #

Short story using present simple #.

- Hello! What's your name ?

- Oh, hi, my name's Sarah . And yours?

- I'm Alex . Nice to meet you, Sarah!

- Nice to meet you too! So, where do you come from?

- I come from Germany. And where are you from?

- I'm from the UK.

- Oh, I have a lot of friends from the UK. You probably have a great sense of humour.

- I'm not sure about that! I don't always get our jokes.

- You're an exception then!

- I'll take that as a compliment.

Independent Practice #

Choose the correct phrase.

Write the correct answer

Answer the following question.

Test on Simple Present 2

Test your knowledge on the simple present. After submitting your answers, you will see how well you have done in the test.

Form of Affirmative Sentences - Part 1

Put the verbs into the correct form.

• I (to listen) to music every day.
• Simon (to collect) stamps.
• We (to wash) the dishes once a day.
• My mother always (to make) breakfast.
• Sarah usually (to meet) Maria at the tennis club.

Form of Affirmative Sentences - Part 2

• Mr Williams often (to teach) the dogs new tricks.
• They always (to throw) their litter in the bin.
• The referee usually (to stop) the game after 90 minutes.
• The kids (to hurry) to open their presents.
• This car can (to do) 250 km/h.

Long and Short Forms

Rewrite the sentences in the short form (where the long form is given) or in the long form (where the short form is given).

• She has got a nice mobile. →
• We don't use a computer. →
• Johnny does not swim in the lake. →
• They are from Budapest, Hungary. →
• This isn't my cup of tea. →

Negative Sentences

Make negative sentences.

• They go to the supermarket. →
• Ben does his homework in the kitchen. →
• Jenny takes photos. →
• I learn French words. →
• He has two older sisters. →

Ask for the bold part of the sentence.

• Danny goes to school from Monday to Friday . →
• My rabbit has a cage in the garden. →
• The children like cats because they are nice . →
• Jenny is never late. →
• Andrew's new mountain bike costs €1000 . →

Before submitting the test, check the following:

• Got the spelling right?
• Put in the full stop or question mark where required?
• Used the correct key to type the apostrophe (Shift and #)?

In the test we cannot give you a second try. Such careless mistakes would therefore cost you valuable points.

Search form

• A1-A2 grammar

Present simple

Daisy is chatting to her brother Oliver, and his best mate Alfie, about her new boyfriend. Daisy and Oliver’s mum is working in Thailand this week.

Instructions

As you watch the video, look at the examples of the present simple. They are in red in the subtitles. Then read the conversation below to learn more. Finally, do the grammar exercises to check you understand, and can use, the present simple tense.

Alfie: So, how’s it going with Jack? Daisy: Not great. I mean, I like him a lot, but it’s impossible! During the week I have swimming practice on Mondays, I do taekwondo on Tuesdays and tennis on Thursdays. Alfie: Do you see him on Wednesdays, then? Daisy: No, he watches black and white films at his cinema club on Wednesdays. Oliver: Yeah, and they’re not just really old films, Alfie, they watch foreign ones with subtitles too! Alfie: Well, there’s always the weekend. Do you go out together at the weekends? Daisy: That’s just it, it’s tricky. He works in the bookshop all day Saturday and he goes out with his mates from the book club on Saturday evenings. Alfie: Whoa! Book club? So, he loves old films and books!? Mmm ... Does he like sports? Daisy: Not really. He thinks chess is a sport! Well, he watches football on the telly sometimes, but he doesn’t play any sports. Alfie: Mmm ... I think you’re right. It’s impossible! Daisy: Right, I’m late. See you later. Alfie and Oliver: See you, Daisy.

Sophie: Hi, love. Oliver: All right, Mum? Sophie: Yeah, I’m fine. Oliver: Good trip? Sophie: Not bad, but Thailand’s really hot at this time of year. I’m off to Chiang Mai tomorrow to do a three-day trek. The train leaves at 5 in the morning. How’s Daisy? Is she with you? Oliver: No, she has tennis on Thursdays. Sophie: Ah, of course. No problem. Listen, ask Daisy to phone me later, OK? The number of the hotel is on the fridge and I’m in room 37. Oliver: All right, Mum. Speak later. Watch out for the snakes! Sophie: Thanks, Ollie! Bye, love. See you Sunday. Alfie: Is your mum in Thailand this week? Oliver: Yeah. Trekking in Chiang Mai for three days. Alfie: Wow – that beats going to college. Imagine, three days in the jungle! I can’t imagine my mum doing that. Cool. Does she like walking? Oliver: No, not really. Only if it’s to go shopping on the high street! Alfie: See you tomorrow. Oliver: Yeah, see you tomorrow. 

We use the present simple to talk about repeated actions or events, permanent states or things which are always true. To find out more about the present simple, read and listen to the conversation below.

Can you give me some examples?

Yes, of course. We use the present simple to talk about things which are repeated every day, every week, every year, etc.

I usually get up at 7 o'clock. During the week I have swimming practice on Mondays, I do taekwondo on Tuesdays and tennis on Thursdays. We always go on holiday in the summer.

I see. And you use words for explaining more about the time too.

Yes, we often use adverbs of frequency sometimes , often , usually or other time expressions like on Mondays , twice a week or in the summer .

What about permanent states? What does that mean?

Permanent states are situations or feelings which are not temporary.

I like him a lot. Sophie works as a travel writer. They live in London.

We also use the present simple for general facts, for example when talking about science or geography.

Thailand is really hot at this time of year. Snakes live on the ground, in trees and in water.

So what do I need to know about forming the present simple?

The main thing is that the third person singular forms end in - s or - es . That's for he , she or it .

He watches black and white films at his cinema club on Wednesdays. He thinks chess is a sport!

OK, and the other forms don't end in - s   or - es ?   I watch TV a lot . We think Coldplay are boring .

What about questions and negatives?

For most verbs we use the present simple of the verb do/does + subject + infinitive without to to form questions.

Do you see him on Wednesdays then? Does Jack like sports?

For negatives we use the subject + do/does + not + infinitive without to .

Daisy and Jack don't go out together much at the weekend. I don't think Coldplay are boring.

To go back to the idea of permanent and temporary things, what about this sentence: Is your mum in Thailand this week? Isn't that temporary?

Yes, it is. That's a very good point. Normally we use the present simple for permanent states, and the present continuous for temporary states, but some verbs are thought of as State Verbs and they are not usually used in the continuous form.

And the verb to be is one of those verbs?

Exactly! So even though staying in Thailand is temporary, we use the present simple with the verb to be . Here's another example:

How' s Daisy? Is she with you?   

But that isn't the question form you just told me about! Where's the do ?

Ah, no. I said 'for most verbs we use do in questions'. The verb to be is different and so are modal verbs like can . We'll look at the verb to be separately because it's different and very common.

What are the other state verbs?

We'll look at those when we look at the Present Continuous. Any more questions?

Yes, what about: The train leaves at 5 in the morning?  Isn't that talking about an event in the future?

Yes, it is, but it's also a repeated event. This is sometimes called the 'timetable future'.

OK, I have a maths class in a minute, so I have to go.

Good use of the 'timetable future'! Bye!

Check your grammar: true or false - present simple

Check your grammar: multiple choice - present simple, check your grammar: gap fill - present simple, worksheets and downloads.

Tell us about your typical day. Remember to use the present simple!

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Do you do your homework in the evening?

A. Yes, I do B. Yes, I does

Select your answer:          

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Other quiz:

I don’t think you ________ that project today.

A. will be able to finishing

B. will be able finish

C. will be able to finish

I like the food……by my mother.

A. was cooked

C. which cooked

How to use : Read the question carefully, then select one of the answers button.

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