Simple Present Tense

Here are some guidelines on how to form and use the Simple Present Tense in English:

Usage

We use the Simple Present Tense to talk about actions which happen regularly or usually in the present.

Form

Base form of the verb (without “to) for I – you – We – They:

TO WORK ——- I WORK, YOU WORK, WE WORK, THEY WORK

Base form + -s/-es for He – She – It:

TO WORK —— HE WORKS, SHE WORKS, IT WORKS

TO WATCH —– HE WATCHES, SHE WATCHES, IT WATCHES

HE – SHE – IT FORMS IN SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE
As we saw above, most verbs: Add “s”	Work	works	Sit	sits
	Leave	leaves	See	sees
	know	knows	Live	lives
Verbs ending with consonant and “y”: Change “y” for “ies”	Cry	cries	Hurry	hurries
	Fly	flies	Imply	implies
	Try	tries
Verbs ending with vowel and “y” add just “s”	pay	pays	say	says
	stay	stays
	pray	prays
Verbs ending in sibilant sounds –s, -z, -ch, -sh, or –x  add “ es”	Push	pushes	Fix	Fixes
	Catch	catches	Confess	confesses
	Buzz	buzzes	Finish	finishes
Verbs ending with “o” add “ es”	Go	goes	Do	does
The verb “have” has its own form. It is what we call an irregular verb.	Have	has

 

Key words

The following words demand the use of the Simple Present Tense:

ADVERBS OF FREQUENCY:

Never

Sometimes

Often

Usually

Always

Rarely

These words usually go before the verb: I always go to school.

but after the verb “to be”: You’re often late.

 

EXPRESSIONS OF FREQUENCY:

Once a day/week/month/year

Twice a day/week/month/year

Three times a day/week/month/year

Every day/week/month

 

Examples – Every day, I brush my teeth. I go to school once a week.

 

Quiz

Write the He – She – It forms of the following verbs in the Simple Present Tense:

to spy, to rush, to get, to play, to tax, to employ, to sew, to follow, to fight, to boil, to deny, to meet, to look, to reach, to display, to pass, to fry, to echo, to teach, to ask, to touch, to kiss, to send, to buy, to fax, to hiss

Answers:

1. spies, rushes, gets, plays, taxes, employs, sews, follows, fights, boils, denies, meets, looks, reaches, displays, passes, fries, echoes, teaches, asks, touches, kisses, sends, buys, faxes, hisses

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