The Present Simple Tense

1. Forms of the Present Simple Tense

💡 The Present Simple Tense has three main forms: affirmative, negative, and interrogative.

A. Affirmative Form

💡 Structure:

For I, you, we, they: use the base form of the verb.

For he, she, it: add -s, -es (or change -y to -ies) to the base form.

Examples:

• 🚶 I walk
• 🎮 You play
• 📖 He reads
• 📞 She calls
• 🌧️ It rains
• ✈️ We travel
• 🎶 You listen
• 📚 They study

B. Negative Form

💡 Structure:

For I, you, we, they: use do not (don’t) + base verb.

For he, she, it: use does not (doesn’t) + base verb.

Examples:

• 🚶 I do not (don’t) walk
• 🎮 You do not (don’t) play
• 📖 He does not (doesn’t) read
• 📞 She does not (doesn’t) call
• 🌧️ It does not (doesn’t) rain
• ✈️ We do not (don’t) travel
• 🎶 You do not (don’t) listen
• 📚 They do not (don’t) study

C. Interrogative Form

💡 Structure:

For I, you, we, they: use Do + subject + base verb?

For he, she, it: use Does + subject + base verb?

Examples:

• 🚶 Do I walk?
• 🎮 Do you play?
• 📖 Does he read?
• 📞 Does she call?
• 🌧️ Does it rain?
• ✈️ Do we travel?
• 🎶 Do you listen?
• 📚 Do they study?

Wh-Questions:

💡 To form wh-questions, start with a question word (what, where, when, why, how) followed by do/does and the base verb.

• 📖 What do you study?
• 🌆 Where does she go every evening?
• 🚌 When does the bus arrive?
• 💼 Why do they work so hard?
• 🛠️ How does it work?

2. Spelling Rules for the Present Simple

When forming the Present Simple for he, she, it, you must add the correct ending to the base verb. Here are some simple rules:

A. General Rule

💡 Add -s to the base form.

Examples:

• 🚗 drive → drives
• 🎮 play → plays
• 🏃 run → runs
• 📖 read → reads

B. Verbs Ending in -s, -ch, -sh, -o, -ss, -x, -z

💡 For verbs ending in these letters, add “es”.

Examples:

• 🐝 buzz → buzzes
• 💋 kiss → kisses
• 🧪 mix → mixes
• 👩‍🏫 teach → teaches
• 🐈 catch → catches
• 😔 miss → misses

C. Verbs Ending in -y

💡 When a verb ends in “y” preceded by a consonant, drop the “y” and add “ies”.

Examples:

• 😭 cry → cries
• ✈️ fly → flies
• 🧐 study → studies

💡 If the verb ends in “y” after a vowel, simply add “s”.

Examples:

• 😊 enjoy → enjoys
• 👮 obey → obeys

3. Uses of the Present Simple Tense

A. Habits and Repeated Actions

Use the Present Simple to describe actions that happen regularly or habits.

Examples:

• ⏰ I always wake up at 6.
• 🪒 He shaves every Saturday.
• 🪥 I brush my teeth three times a day.
• 🛏️ He makes the bed every morning.
• 🚶‍♂️ The boy always goes to school alone.
• 🛍️ She goes shopping twice a month.
• 📰 The man usually reads the newspaper every morning.
• 👔 My father always goes home late.
• 🚶 They walk every morning.

B. Eternal Facts and General Truths

Use the Present Simple for universal truths or facts that do not change.

Examples:

• 🐄 Cows make milk.
• 🌎 The earth moves round the sun.
• 🌅 The sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
• 🌧️ It rains in winter.
• ❄️ Water freezes at 0°C.
• 💧 Water boils at 100°C.
• 🧲 A magnet attracts iron.
• 🍂 Trees lose their leaves in autumn.
• 🕊️ Birds fly in the sky.
• 🐟 Fish live in water.

C. Present Feelings and States

Use the Present Simple to talk about feelings, opinions, or states that are true now.

Examples:

• 🍕 I like pizza.
• 🏙️ My friend lives in New York City.
• 🏜️ He likes the pyramids.
• 👩‍👧 The mother looks very tired.
• 📚 The children love reading.
• ⏰ They hate waking up early.
• 🌞 We prefer summer over winter.
• 🥶 He feels cold today.

D. Timetables and Fixed Plans

Use the Present Simple for schedules, timetables, or fixed future plans.

Examples:

• 🚆 The train leaves at 3:05.
• 📚 The class starts at 8:30.
• 🚌 The bus arrives at the station at 6:30 p.m. every evening.
• ✈️ Our flight departs at 5:00 p.m. next Monday.
• 🎬 The movie begins at 7:00 p.m. tonight.

4. Time Indicators for the Present Simple Tense

Time expressions help clarify when actions take place. They often show frequency or regularity.

A. Time Expressions for Days

• 📅 every Monday
• 📅 every Tuesday
• 📅 every Wednesday
• 📅 every Thursday
• 📅 every Friday
• 📅 every Saturday
• 📅 every Sunday

B. Time Expressions for Frequency

• 📆 every week
• 📆 every month
• 🌞 every morning
• ☀️ every afternoon
• 🌙 every evening
• 🌐 every year
• 🌅 every weekend

C. Specific Frequency Expressions

• 1️⃣ once a week
• 2️⃣ twice a month
• 4️⃣ four times a year

D. Adverbs of Frequency

• 🌟 Always – 100%
• 📈 Usually – 90%
• 📊 Normally/Generally – 80%
• 🔄 Often/Frequently – 70%
• 🔸 Sometimes – 50%
• 🎲 Occasionally – 30%
• 📉 Seldom/Rarely – 20%
• ⚠️ Hardly ever – 10%
• 🚫 Never – 0%

Examples of Use:

• ☕ I always drink coffee in the morning.
• 🍔 She never eats fast food.
• 🌙 They usually go to bed at 10 p.m.
• 👵 We often visit our grandparents on weekends.
• 📖 He sometimes reads before going to sleep.
• 🎮 The kids rarely play video games.
• 🚌 I take the bus every day.
• 📞 She calls her mom every week.
• 🍽️ We meet for lunch every month.
• 🏋️‍♂️ He exercises once a week.
• ✈️ They travel abroad twice a year.
• 🛒 I go to the market on Sundays.

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