Present Simple
The Present
Simple tense is
the most basic tense in English and uses the base form of the verb (except for
the verb be).
The only change from the base is the addition of s for third person singular.
How do we make the Present Simple tense?
There
are two basic structures for the Present Simple:
1.
Positive sentences
subject
|
+
|
main verb
|
Present Simple
|
2.
Negative and question sentences
subject
|
+
|
auxiliary do
|
+
|
main verb
|
conjugated in Present Simple
|
|
|||
do, does
|
base
|
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?
|
From
the above table, notice the following points...
For
positive sentences:
- There is no
auxiliary verb.
- We conjugate the main verb by
adding s to the third person
singular.
For
negative and question sentences:
- The auxiliary verb (do) is
conjugated in the Present Simple: do, does
- The main verb is invariable in
base form: base
- For negative sentences, we
insert not between the auxiliary verb
and the main verb.
- For question sentences, we exchange the subject and the
auxiliary verb.
Present Simple with main verb be
The structure of the Present Simple with the main
verb be is:
subject
|
+
|
main verb be
|
conjugated in Present Simple
|
||
am,
are, is
|
Look at these examples with the main verb be:
|
subject
|
main
verb be
|
|
|
+
|
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?
|
From the above table, notice the following points...
- There is no auxiliary verb, even for questions and
negatives.
- The main verb (be) is
conjugated in the Present Simple: am, are, is
- For negative sentences, we
insert not after the
main verb.
- For question sentences,
we exchange the subject
and the main verb.
How do we use the Present Simple tense?
We use the Present Simple to talk about:
- general time (action verbs)
- situations now (stative verbs)
- general time and situations
now (verb be)
Present Simple for
general time
We use the Present Simple tense when:
- the action is general
- the action happens all the
time, or habitually, 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 a taxi. 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 a bus.
- We meet every Thursday.
- We do not work at night.
- Do you play football?
Present Simple for now
For stative verbs, we can use the Present
Simple to talk about now.
Stative verbs do not describe action. They describe state, and are verbs such
as: like,
sound, belong to, need, seem. We can use these verbs with the Present Simple tense to
talk about about a situation at the present time, not general.
I want a
coffee.
That sounds interesting. Do you need some help? |
||
past
|
present
|
future
|
|
The situation is now.
|
|
Present Simple for
general time and now
The verb be is
always special. It is a stative verb, and we use it in the Present Simple tense
to talk about now situations and about general situations. Look at these examples of the
verb be in the Present Simple tense -
some are general and
some are now:
I am not
fat.
Why are you so beautiful? Ram is tall. |
||
past
|
present
|
future
|
The situation is general. Past, present and future.
|
Am I right?
Tara is not at home. We are hungry. |
||
past
|
present
|
future
|
|
The situation is now.
|
|
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