The present simple tense has three uses:
- States that are happening now.
- I am happy.
(happy now)
- I am happy.
- Actions that happen regularly.
- I swim in the sea every Saturday.
(regularly/every Saturday)
- I swim in the sea every Saturday.
- Things that don’t change.
- Water boils at 100c.
(water always boils at 100c)
- Water boils at 100c.
The present tense is formed subject + present simple form of the verb.
- I walk to work.
(subject/I + present simple form of the verb/walk) - He lives in Liverpool.
(subject/he + present simple of the verb/lives)
The present simple form of the verb is the same as the bare infinitive form of the verb except in the third person singular. The third person singular is formed by adding -s to the bare infinitive.
- I / you / we / they – live
(bare infinitive/live) - He / she / it – lives
(bare infinitive + s/lives)
The negative is formed subject + do/does + not (don’t/doesn’t) + present simple form of the verb.
- I do not walk to work.
(subject/I + do + not + present simple form of the verb/walk) - He doesn’t live in Liverpool.
(subject/He + does + not + present simple form of the verb/live)
The question is formed question word + do/does + subject + present simple form of the verb.
- Why do you walk to work?
(question word/Why + do + subject/you + present simple form of the verb/walk) - Why does he live in Liverpool?
(question word/Why + does + subject/he + present simple form of the verb/live)
For yes/no questions it is formed do/does + subject + present simple form of the verb.
- Do you walk to work?
(Do + subject/you + present simple form of the verb/walk) - Does he live in Liverpool?
(Does + subject/he + present simple form of the verb/live)
Common mistakes with tenses.
