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GRAMMAR LESSON

Present Simple Tense

Beginner

Tense

UNDERSTAND THE PATTERN

The rule in plain English

Use present simple for habits, general facts and many states. Use the base verb with I/you/we/they and usually -s or -es with he/she/it. Questions and negatives normally use do/does + base verb. Be has its own forms: am/is/are.

SEE HOW IT WORKS

Examples in context

  1. He goes to school every day.
  2. She doesn’t eat apples.
  3. I wake up at seven.

MAKE IT STICK

Put the rule into practice

Try 3 questions. Read the explanation after each answer, then review any mistakes and try again.

Make it yours

Write one sentence about your life using this grammar.

Check your sentence

Use present simple for habits, general facts and many states. Use the base verb with I/you/we/they and usually -s or -es with he/she/it. Questions and negatives normally use do/does + base verb. Be has its own forms: am/is/are.

Compare: He goes to school every day.

Check the sentence structure and whether your meaning fits the rule.

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GO DEEPER

Explore the full explanation

Talk about habits, facts and schedules

The present simple commonly describes routines, repeated events, general facts and states: I practise after breakfast. She knows the answer. It can also express a timetable: The next train leaves at eight.

Positive forms

For most verbs, use the base form with I, you, we and they. Add -s or -es with he, she and it: They work nearby. She works nearby. Some spellings change: study → studies, go → goes. Have becomes has.

Questions and negatives

For most ordinary verbs, use do / does + base verb in questions and do not / does not + base verb in negatives.

  • Do you work here?
  • Does she work here? Not: does she works.
  • They don’t work here.
  • He doesn’t work here.

When who or what is the subject of an ordinary positive question, no extra do is needed: Who lives here? Compare Where does she live?

Be has its own forms

Use am, is, are: I am ready, she is ready, they are ready. Put not after be and invert it in questions: She isn’t ready. Is she ready? Do not use does in this pattern.

Frequency and instructions

Frequency words include always, usually, often, sometimes and never. They commonly go before an ordinary main verb and after be: She usually walks; she is usually early. Choose a frequency that matches the facts. Forgetting to do something sometimes does not mean never doing it.

You take the first left is a present-simple statement that can give directions. Take the first left is an imperative. These can serve a similar purpose but have different grammatical forms.

Quick self-check

Use the present simple.

  1. She ___ (bake) bread every Sunday.
  2. ___ they walk to school? Choose do/does.
  3. The shop ___ (open) at nine each morning.
  4. We ___ (not go) there on Mondays.
Check the answers

1. Bakes: she takes -s. 2. Do: the subject is they. 3. Opens: the shop is singular. 4. Do not go / don’t go: use the base verb after do not.

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