English

How do we make the Present Simple Tense?
subject | + | auxiliary verb | + | main verb |
  |   | do |   | base |
There are three important exceptions:
1. For positive sentences, we do notnormally use the auxiliary.
2. For the 3rd person singular (he, she, it), we add s to the main verb or es to the auxiliary.
3. For the verb to be, we do not use an auxiliary, even for questionsand negatives.
Look at these examples with the main verb like:
  | subject | auxiliary verb |   | main verb |   |
+ | I, you, we, they | |   | like | coffee. |
| He, she, it | |   | likes |coffee. |
- | I, you, we, they | do | not | like | coffee. |
| He, she, it | does | not | like | coffee. |
? | Do | I, you, we, they |   | like | coffee? |
| Does | he, she, it |   | like |coffee? |
Look at these examples with the main verb be. Notice that there is no auxiliary:
  | subject | main verb |   |   |
+ | I | am |   | French. |
| You, we, they | are |   | French. || He, she, it | is |   | French. |
- | I | am | not | old. |
| You, we, they | are | not | old. |
| He, she, it | is | not | old. |
? | Am | I |   | late? |
| Are | you, we, they |   |late? |
| Is | he, she, it |   | late? |
How do we use the Present Simple Tense?
We use the present simple tense when:
* the action is general
* the action happens all the time, orhabitually, in the past, present and future
* the action is not only happening now
* the statement is always true
John drives a taxi. |
past | present | future |
|
It is John's job to drive ataxi. He does it every day. Past, present and future. |
Look at these examples:
* I live in New York.
* The Moon goes round the Earth.
* John drives a taxi.
* He does not drive abus.
* We meet every Thursday.
* We do not work at night.
* Do you play football?
Note that with the verb to be, we can also use the present simple tense for situations that are not...