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Present simple


Introduction

We use the present simple

Part 1 - Present simple positive

We usually use the base form of the verb for "I" / "you" / "we" / "they". For "he" / "she" / "it", we change the verb to end with "-s", "-es" or "-ies".

For example:
I
You
We
They 		eat
play
watch
worry
He / She / It eats
plays
watches
worries

Examples:

Practice

.
1)
The sky    blue. (be)

 
2)
Tom and Sarah    three children. (have)

 
3)
David    to the cinema every weekend. (go)

 
4)
I    three languages. (speak)

 
5)
Sarah    English every evening. (study)

 
6)
We    cold in winter. (feel)

 
7)
James and Susanna    very tired. (be)

 
8)
You never    my birthday. (forget)

 
9)
Jason    television in the evenings. (watch)

 

Part 2 - Present simple negative

We do not change the verb in negative forms. Instead, we use the verb "do" and change it for "he" / "she" / "it".

For example:

I
You
We
They 		do not
don't 		drink milk.
He / She / It does not
doesn't

Practice

.
1)
They    meat. (eat)

 
2)
Cats    cheese. (like)

 
3)
Simon    pets. (have)

 
4)
We    in the city. (live)

 

Part 3 - Present simple questions

We do not change the verb in question forms. Instead, we use the verb "do" and change it for "he" / "she" / "it"

Question:
Do I
You
We
They 		drink milk?
Does He / She / It

Answer:
Yes, I
You
We
They 		do.
He / She / It does.
No, I
You
We
They 		don't.
do not.
He / She / It doesn't.
does not.

Practice

.
1)
   you    any breakfast? (want)

 
2)
   they    children? (have)

 
3)
   he    the piano? (play)

 
4)
   we    his address? (know)

 

Further practice

Choose the correct answer to complete the sentence: a, b, c or d.
.
1)
____ English?
 

 
2)
Simon ____ coffee every morning.
 

 
3)
They ____ television.
 

 
4)
Sarah and Kate ____ tennis every Saturday.
 

 
5)
We never ____ to the theatre.
 

 
6)
____ sugar with your tea?
 

 

Intermediate language point

We also use the present simple for when something happens in the future:

I
You
We
They 		leave this evening.
He / She / It leaves

Examples:

Positive My flight leaves tomorrow morning.
Negative Our flight doesn't leave tomorrow morning.
Question Does her flight leave tomorrow morning?

Intermediate language point

Sometimes we use the negative form in a question, usually to show surprise:

Do I
you
we
they 		not drink milk?
Does he / she / it

Don't I
you
we
they 		drink milk?
Doesn't he / she / it

Examples:

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Related links

The following exercises include use of this grammar structure:
 
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