Present Uses

We use the present simple when we talk about something always true, a permanent situation,
habits, future timetables or future in time clauses
1: Something generally or always true.

 Human beings need food.

 It snows in winter here.
 Three and seven make ten.

2: A situation that we think is more or less permanent.

 I live in New York

 They work in a mental asylum.
 He doesn't like hypocrites.

3: Habits or things that we do regularly. We often use adverbs of frequency (such as 'often',
'always' and 'sometimes') in this case, as well as expressions like 'every Sunday' or 'twice a
month'..

 Do you eat chocolate?

 I play with them every Thursday.
 I don't stab in people’s back very often.

4: Short actions that are happening now. The actions are so short that they are finished almost
as soon as you've said the sentence. This is often used when we comment sport actions.

 He takes the ball, and he scores!

5: Future timetable or a fixed plan. Usually, the timetable is fixed by an organisation, not by
us.

 School begins at eight tomorrow.

 What time does it finish?
 The ship doesn't arrive at six. It arrives at six thirty.

6: After words like ' 'when', 'until', 'after', 'before' and 'as soon as'. These are sometimes called
subordinate clauses of time.

 I will call you when I have time. (Not 'will have'.)

 I won't leave until it stops raining.
 I'm going to make dinner after I watch the news.

7: In the first and the zero conditionals.

 If it rains, we won't come.

 If you heat water to 100 degrees, it boils.