English Tenses: Simple Present

English Tenses:

A tense tells us when and and how a action takes place. A tense is time plus aspect.

In fact, in English the time is devided into three: present, past and future. And that time is divided into four aspects: simple, continous, perfect and perfect continuous.

Hence, we can infer that there are twelve tenses in English, namely:

Simple past

Past continous

Past perfect

Past perfect continous

Simple present

Present continous

Present perfect

Present perfect continous

Simple future

Future continous

Future perfect

Future perfect continous

English Tense: Form and Usage

VERB TENSES

Simple present tense with 'be'

The verb 'be' is different from the other verbs in this tense. Let's look at 'be' first:

Here's the positive form (positive means a normal sentence, not a negative or a question. This is sometimes called 'affirmative')

Positive Positive Short Form

I am I'm

you are you're

he is he's

she is she's

it is it's

we are we're

they are they're

Next, here's the negative. It's very easy. You only add 'not'.

Negative Negative short form

I am not I'm not

you are not you aren't

he is not he isn't

she is not she isn't

it is not it isn't

we are not we aren't

they are not they aren't

And finally let's talk about the question form of the present simple with 'be'.

Firstly, here's the 'yes / no' question form:

Yes / No Questions

am I ?

are you ?

is he ?

is she ?

is it ?

are we ?

are they ?

If you'd like to make a 'wh' question, you just put the question word at the front:

Wh Questions

where am I ?

what are you ?

why is he ?

who is she ?

when are we ?

how are they ?

Present simple tense with other verbs

With all other verbs, we make the present simple in the same way.

The positive is really easy. It's just the verb with an extra 's' if the subject is 'he', 'she', or 'it'. Let's take the verb 'play' as an example:

Positive (of 'play')

I play

you play

he plays

she plays

it plays

we play

they play

Don't forget the 's'! Even really advanced students do this!

For a few verbs, there is a spelling change before the 's'. For example, 'study' becomes 'studies'. Click here for a list of these verbs

.

There are also few verbs which are irregular in the present simple:

'have' becomes 'has'

'do' becomes 'does'

'go' becomes 'goes'

To make the negative form, you need to use 'do not' (don't) or ' does not' (doesn't).

Negative (of 'play')

I do not play I don't play

you do not play you don't play

he does not play he doesn't play

she does not play she doesn't play

it does not play it doesn't play

we do not play we don't play

they do not play they don't play

How about the question form of the present simple tense?

We use 'do' or 'does' before the subject to make the 'yes / no' question:

Yes / No questions

do I play ?

do you play ?

does he play ?

does she play ?

does it play ?

do we play ?

do they play ?

Just like with 'be', if you'd like to make a 'wh' question, you just put the question word at the front:

Wh Questions

where do I play ?

what do you play ?

why does he play ?

who does she play ?

when do we play ?

how do they play ?

usage

1: We use the present simple when something is generally or always true.

People need food.

It snows in winter here.

Two and two make four.

2: Similarly, we need to use this tense for a situation that we think is more or less permanent. (See the present continuous for temporary situations.)

Where do you live?

She works in a bank.

I don't like mushrooms.

3: The next use is for habits or things that we do regularly. We often use adverbs of frequency (such as 'often', 'always' and 'sometimes') in this case, as well as expressions like 'every Sunday' or 'twice a month'. (See the present continuous for new, temporary or annoying habits).

Do you smoke?

I play tennis every Tuesday.

I don't travel very often.

4: We can also use the present simple for short actions that are happening now. The actions are so short that they are finished almost as soon as you've said the sentence. This is often used with sports commentary.

He takes the ball, he runs down the wing, and he scores!

Future Uses

5: We use the present simple to talk about the future when we are discussing a timetable or a fixed plan. Usually, the timetable is fixed by an organisation, not by us.

School begins at nine tomorrow.

What time does the film start?

The plane doesn't arrive at seven. It arrives at seven thirty.

6: We also use the present simple to talk about the future after words like ' 'when', 'until', 'after', 'before' and 'as soon as'. These are sometimes called subordinate clauses of time.

I will call you when I have time. (Not 'will have'.)

I won't go out until it stops raining.

I'm going to make dinner after I watch the news.

Conditional Uses

7: We use the present simple in the first and the zero conditionals. (See the conditionals section for more information.)

If it rains, we won't come.

If you heat water to 100 degrees, it boils.

Practice:

Now, please put the verbs between brackets in the correct form. Provide your answers on the comments. I will correct them back and provide you with the scores.

Present Simple 'Be' Positive

Put in am / is / are

1) She (be) a teacher.

2) We (be) hungry.

3) Luke (be) late.

4) They (be) Spanish.

5) You (be) happy.

6) I (be) thirsty.

7) It (be) cold.

8) She (be) German.

9) He (be) early.

10) We (be) tired.

1) (he / go to school every day)

2) (I / like swimming)

3) (you / play badminton on Saturdays)

4) (the class / begin at 9 am)

5) (they / sometimes go to the cinema)

6) (she / love chocolate)

7) (we / study French)

8) (they / live in London)

9) (he / work in a restaurant)

10) (Lucy / play the guitar)

11) (we / cook every day)

12) (he / clean the house at the weekends)

13) (I / like reading detective stories)

14) (you / come from France)

15) (John and David / often go to restaurants)

16) (Susie / study English every night)

17) (the train / leave at 6 pm)

18) (we / go to the park on Sundays)

19) (he / like taking photographs)

20) (the moon / go round the earth)