The Present Simple Tense

The Present Simple Tense is a fundamental part of English grammar, used to express habits, facts, states, and schedules. Below is a detailed explanation with examples, spelling rules, and time indicators.

1. Forms of the Present Simple Tense

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

A. Affirmative Form

💡 Structure:
I, you, we, they → Base verb
He, she, it → Base verb + -s (or -es or -ies)

Examples:

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

B. Negative Form

💡 Structure:
I, you, we, they → do not (don’t) + Base verb
He, she, it → 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:
Do + subject (I, you, we, they) + Base verb?
Does + subject (he, she, it) + 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-Question:

💡 Use question words (what, where, when, why, how) followed by do/does and the base verb.

Examples:

📖 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 Present Simple

A. General Rule

💡 Add -s to the base verb for he, she, it.

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

💡 Add “es” for verbs ending in s, ch, sh, o, ss, x, z with “he, she, it”:

  • Examples:

    🐝 It buzzes

  • 💋 She kisses
  • 🧪 He mixes
  • 👩‍🏫 She teaches
  • 🐈 It catches
  • 😔 He misses
  • 🏃‍♀️ She goes
  • 👀 It watches
  • 👍 He does
  • ✋ She pushes

C. Verbs Ending in -y

💡 When a verb ends in ‘y’ after a consonant, drop ‘y’ and add “ies” with “he, she, it”:

  • Examples:

    😭 I cry → She cries

  • ✈️ We fly → It flies
  • 🧐 They justify → He justifies
  • 🧪 You try → She tries
  • 📖 I study → He studies
  • 💧 They dry → She dries
  • 🍳 We fry → He fries

💡 If a verb ends in ‘y’ after a vowel, simply add “s” with “he, she, it”:

  • Examples:

    😠 I annoy → He annoys

  • 🛍️ You buy → She buys
  • 😊 We enjoy → He enjoys
  • 👮 You obey → It obeys
  • 💵 They pay → He pays
  • 🎮 You play → It plays

3. Uses of the Present Simple Tense

A. Habits and Repeated Actions

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

  • 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.

2. Eternal Facts and General Truths

Use the Present Simple for universal truths or facts.

  • 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.

3. Present Feelings and States

Use the Present Simple for feelings 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.

4. Timetables and Fixed Plans

Use the Present Simple to talk about schedules or fixed events, including 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

Time expressions often accompany the Present Simple to indicate 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:

  • ☕ 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.