Simple Present Tense in English Grammar

What is the simple present?

The simple present (also called present simple) is the basic present tense in English.

It expresses facts, sequential and repeated actions and timetabled future events. It is one of the
most commonly used tenses in the English language.

Example

Colin likes football. He is a forward. A forward tries to score goals for his team.

Colin plays football every Tuesday. His training starts at five o’clock. After school
Colin goes home, packs his bag, puts on his football shirt and then he goes to football training.
He has to take the bus. The bus leaves at half past four.

Usage

We use the simple present tense for:

 events that take place regularly or habitually with signal words such as: always, never,
rarely, often

Example:
He plays football every Tuesday.
  events that take place one after the other

Example:
After school Colin goes home, packs his bag, puts on his football shirt and then
he goes to football training.
 facts, or things that are generally valid

Example:
A forward tries to score goals for his team.
 future actions that are planned and predetermined (e.g. by a timetable or programme)

Example:
The bus leaves at half past four.
His training starts at five o’clock.
 stative verbs and verbs of thought/memory

Example:
Colin likes football.
He is a forward.

Signal Words: English Simple Present Tense

The following are signal words for the simple present:

 always, normally, usually

 often, sometimes, seldom
 never
 every day/week/month/…

Conjugation of English Simple Present Tense

The conjugation of English verbs in the simple present is relatively simple. We add an -s/-es to
verbs in the third person singular (he/she/it), otherwise the verb does not change. In positive
sentences, we use the verb in its present form. In negative sentences and questions, we use
the auxiliary verb do. The main verb is used in the infinitive form.

positive negative question

I/you/we/
I speak I do not speak Do I speak?
they
 positive negative question
he
he/she/it he does not speak Does he speak?
speaks

Simple Present – Spelling Rules

To conjugate verbs in the third person singular in English grammar, we simply and an -s to
the verb. However, there are a few exceptions to take note of:

 When the verb ends with an -o, -ch, -sh, we add -es.

Example:
do – he does
wash – she washes
 When the verb ends with a consonant + y, we change the y to ie before adding the -s.
However, verbs that end in vowel + y simply take -s.

Example:
worry – he worries
(but: play – he plays)
 Modal verbs such as can, may, might, and must never take an -s. They remain the same in
all forms.

Example:
he can swim
she must go

The Verbs be and have

be

The verb be is irregular in all its forms. In negative sentences and questions, we do not use it
with an auxiliary verb.

positive negative question

I I am I am not Am I?
he/she/it he is he is not Is he?
you/we/ you are you are not Are you?
 positive negative question
they

have or have got

There are two versions of the verb have in the simple present: have and have got. They are
conjugated differently in positive, negative and interrogative senteces.

positive negative question

I/you/we/
I have/I have got I do not have/I have not got Do I have?/Have I got?
they
he has/he has he does not have/he has not Does he have?/Has he
he/she/it
got got got?
Usage of have got

Have got expresses possession/belonging in British English. This form is uncommon in

American English.

Contractions

Contractions are a combination of certain pronouns, verbs and the word not. They are mostly
used in spoken and informal written English. The table below provides an overview of
contractions in the present simple using the verbs be, have and do.

long form contraction example

am (not) …’m (not) I’m (not) (not: I amn’t)
are …’re you’re
are not …’re not/… aren’t we’re not/we aren’t
is …’s he’s
is not …’s not/… isn’t she’s not/she isn’t
have …’ve they’ve
have not …’ve not/… haven’t I’ve not/I haven’t
has …’s she’s
has not …’s not/… hasn’t he’s not/he hasn’t
do not don’t you don’t
does not doesn’t it doesn’t
In written English, the contracted form of are can only be used after pronouns, not after nouns,
or names.

Example:
They’re not interested in football.
(but not: The girls’re not interested in football.)

Exercises

Type in the verbs in the correct Simple Present form.

1. Anne (work) in a language school.

2. She (be) a teacher.
3. She (teach) English.
4. Her students (come) from all over the world.
5. Anne usually (go) to school by bus.
6. On the bus she (have) time to correct a few tests.

Complete the sentences with the negation.

1. The children (be/not) tired.

2. Carol (have/not) any brothers or sisters.
3. I (drink/not) milk.
4. She (like/not) maths.
5. I (be/not) from England.

Construct questions.

1. (have/you/a dog)
2. (speak/they/English)
3. (be/I/right)
4. (play/he/tennis)
5. (be/you/on holiday)

Exercises

Type in the verbs in the correct Simple Present form.

1. Anne works in a language school.

2. She is a teacher.
3. She teaches English.
4. Her students come from all over the world.
 5. Anne usually goes to school by bus.
6. On the bus she has time to correct a few tests.

Complete the sentences with the negation.

1. The children are not tired.

2. Carol has not got any brothers or sisters.
3. I do not drink milk.
4. She does not like maths.
5. I am not from England.

Construct questions.

1. Have you got a dog?

2. Do they speak English?
3. Am I right?
4. Does he play tennis?
5. Are you on holiday?