Present Simple

Present Simple

|Affirmative |Interrogative |Negative long form |Negative short form |
|I work |Do I work? |I do not work |I don’t work |
|You work |Do you work? |You do not work |You don’twork |
|He works |Does he work? |He does not work |He doesn’t work |
|She works |Does she work? |She does not work |She doesn’t work |
|It works |Does it work? |It does not work |Itdoesn’t work |
|We work |Do we work? |We do not work |We don’t work |
|You work |Do you work? |You do not work |You don’t work |
|They work |Do they work? |They do not work|They don’t work |


Language notes:
1. Use the –s form after he, she, it, singular nouns, everyone, everything, someone, somebody, something, no one, nobody, nothing, or family.
2. Add –es to verbs that end in s, sh, tch, ch, x, or, z: wash>washes, touch>touches.
3. Drop the –y and add –ies to most verbs that end in y: try>tries, carry>carries.
4. Use the baseform after I, you, we, they, and plural nouns.
5. Three verbs have an irregular –s form: have>has, go>goes, do>does. The verb be has three forms in the simple present tense: (I) am; (you, we, they) are; and (he, she, it) is.




Negative statements with the simple present tense

Use do not + the base form with I, we, you, they, or a plural noun.
Example: My neighbours have two dogs.They don’t have a cat.
Use does not + base form with he, she, it or a singular noun.
Language notes:
1. Don’t is the contraction for do not. Doesn’t is the contraction for does not.
2. Always use the base form after don’t and doesn’t.


Questions with the simple present tense

|Wh- word |Do/Does |Subject |Verb |Complement|Short Answer |
| |Don’t/Doesn’t | | | | |
| | |My friend |Has |A dog. | |
| | |She |Doesn’t have|A cat. | |
| |Does |She |Have |A labrador |No, she doesn’t |
|What kind of dog |Does |She |Have? | | |
|Why |Doesn’t ||Have |A cat? | |


Uses of the simple present

• With a general truth. Ex. Cats like milk.
• To state a fact. Ex. The sun rises in the east.
• To show one’s country, city or place of origin. Ex. Marianne comes from the Mexico.
• To show a regular activity, a habit or a custom. Ex. We get up around 6 a.m and go tobed around midnight.

Time expressions we use with the Present Simple.
Every hour/day/week/summer/year/morning/evening/afternoon/night
In the morning/afternoon/evening
At night


Frequency words and position of frequency words

|Frequency words Example |
|Always...