Simple Present Tense

The simple present tense is one of several forms of present tense in English. It is used to describe habitual actions, unchanging situations, general truths, and fixed arrangements or schedules. The simple present uses the base form of the verb: (I eat; you eat; we eat; they eat.) The 3rd person singular takes an -s at the end. (He eat, she eats)

The simple present tense is used to express:

1. habitual actions

• He drinks tea at breakfast.
• She only eats fish.
• They watch television regularly.

2.  general truths

• Water freezes at zero degrees.
• The Earth revolves around the Sun.
• The earth is round.

3.  repeated actions or unchanging situations, emotions and wishes:

• We catch the bus every morning.
• Her mother is Peruvian.
• I love you.

4.       To give instructions or directions:

• Open the packet and pour the contents into hot water.
• You take the No.6 bus to Watney and then the No.10 to Bedford.
• Go to bed, it is 10.00 p.m. now.

5.       To express fixed arrangements, present or future:

• His mother arrives tomorrow.
• Our holiday starts on the 21th December
• You have to meet the doctor at 4.00 this afternoon.

6.       To express future time, after some conjunctions: after, when, before, as soon as, until:

• She'll see you before she leaves.
• We'll give it to her when she arrives.
•  I will tell her as soon as she arrives home.

Note: Be careful! The simple present is not used to express actions happening now.

 

Forming the simple present tense: to eat

Affirmative         Interrogative                     Negative

I eat rice.             Do I eat rice?                      I do not eat rice.

You eat rice.       Do eat rice?                        You do not eat rice

He eats rice         Does he eat rice?              He does not eat rice

She eats rice.      Does she eat rice?            She does not eat rice

It eat rice.            Does it eat rice?                It does not eat rice.

We eat rice.        Do we eat rice? We do not eat rice.

They eat rice.     Do they eat rice?              They do not eat rice.

 

Rules in changing the verbs

·       Verbs ending in -y : the third person changes the -y to -ies:

fly --> flies, cry --> cries

Exception: if there is a vowel before the -y:

play --> plays, pray --> prays

·       Add -es to verbs ending in:-ss, -x, -sh, -ch:

he passes, she catches, he fixes, it pushes

Examples:

·       Bird flies.

·       Ronaldo plays football very well.

·       The baby cries.

·       He studies very hard for his coming examination.

·       She enjoys playing the piano.

Exercise