UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL

“JOSÉ FAUSTINO SÁNCHEZ CARRIÓN”

FACULTAD DE EDUCACIÓN

THEORY GUIDE: SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

I. USE:
The simple present tense is used to:

 Describe habits and routines.

Examples: I listen to music in my free time.
He listens to the news in his free time.
 Express feelings.
Examples: I like English.
She likes Mathematics.
 Talk about on-going activities.
Examples: You work in a school.
He works in a university.

II. FORMS:
The simple present tense has three forms: affirmative, negative and interrogative.
2.1. AFFIRMATIVE FORM: Subject + verb + complement
I listen to music.
You listen to music.
We listen to music.
They listen to music.
He listens to music.
She listens to music.
It listens to music.

2.1.1. SPELLING RULES IN AFFIRMATIVE FORM

The verbs that are conjugated with singular third person ( He, She, It ), change their writing
according to four cases:
1st. Case: Most verbs add s at the end.
listen – listens , like – likes , work – works , play – plays , read – reads
2nd. Case: Verbs with final consonants: ch,sh,ss,x,z add es at the end.
watch – watches , fish – fishes , kiss – kisses , fix – fixes , quiz – quizes
3rd. Case: Verbs that finish in consonat + y, change it by ies.
study – studies , carry – carries , fly – flies
4th. Case: There are some irregular verbs that change their writing when they are
conjugated with singular third person.
do – does , go – goes , have – has

2.2. NEGATIVE FORM: Subject + auxiliary + not + verb (base form) + complement
I do not listen to music.
You don’t listen to music.
We don’t listen to music.
They don’t listen to music.
She does not listen to music.
He doesn’t listen to music.
It doesn’t listen to music.

2.3. INTERROGATIVE FORM:

Auxiliary + subject + verb (base form) + complement? SHORT ANSWERS:
Do you listen to music? Yes, I do / No, I don’t
Do I listen to music? Yes, you do / No, you don’t
Do we listen to music? Yes, we do / No, we don’t
Do they listen to music? Yes, they do / No, they don’t
Does she listen to music? Yes, she does / No, she doesn’t
Does he listen to music? Yes, he does / No, he doesn’t
Does it listen to music? Yes, it does / No, it doesn’t
III. TIME EXPRESSIONS:
La expresiones de tiempo en el presente simple por lo general van al final de la oración
como parte del complemento.
every day / week / weekend
every morning / afternoon/ evening / night
in the morning(s) / afternoon(s) / evening (s)
at night (s)
Examples:
I exercise in the mornings.
She goes to the supermarket every weekend.
They watch the news on television at nights.

IV. FREQUENCY ADVERBS:

Los adverbios de frecuencia son usados en el presente simple y van antes del verbo
principal o después del verbo to be.
Always, usually, often, sometimes, seldom, never.
I usually get up at 6:30 a.m.
She sometimes irons the clothes.
You never take a shower with hot water.
I am always early for virtual class.
She is often late for work.
You are seldom tired in the morning.