In English we use the present simple tense to talk about facts or things that are always true, as well as things in general. Present simple is also used to talk about a repeated action such as a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens.
In English we use 'do' and 'does' as auxiliary verbs in negatives and questions and we often use the present simple with adverbs of frequency such as sometimes, always, often, never, usually, rarely, and hardly ever.
Notes for use of present simple :
In the third person, ‘s’ is added to the verb form. For example;
work --> works
run --> runs
live --> lives
For verbs that end in 'o', 'sh', 'ch', 's' and 'x', we add 'es' to the verb form. For example;
go --> goes
wish --> wishes
watch --> watches
kiss --> kisses
fax --> faxes
For verbs that end in a consonant + 'y', we change the 'y' to 'i' and add 'es'. For example;
try --> tries
study --> studies
The table below shows the different forms of present simple :
Example Verb : Work | I / You / We / They | He / She / It |
Positive | ... work. | ... works. |
Negative | ... don't work. | ... doesn't work. |
Questions | Do ... work? | Does ... work? |
Short answers | Yes, ... do. / No, ... don't. | Yes, ... does. / No, ... doesn't. |
For the verb 'to be' we use 'am', 'is', 'are' in the present simple. No auxiliary verbs are used in negative sentences and questions.
Verb: Be | I | You / We / They | He / She / It |
Positive | I'm ... | ... 're ... | ... 's ... |
Negative | I'm not ... | ... aren't ... | ... isn't ... |
Questions | Am I ... ? | Are ... ...? | Is ... ...? |
Short answers | Yes, I am. / No, I'm not. | Yes, ... are. / No, ... aren't. | Yes, ... is. / No, ... isn't. |
Present Simple Example Sentences :
Positive Examples of Present Simple :
Negative Examples of Present Simple :
Question Examples of Present Simple :
Present simple example sentences | |
---|---|
Are you serious? | Ist das dein Ernst? |
No, it's not mine, I think it belongs to the house. | Nein, er gehört nicht mir. Er gehört allen im Haus. |
He also wants to increase our rent by 50%! | Er will auch unsere Miete um 50% erhöhen! |
Yeah, I've got it! | Ja, ich habe ihn! |
Where is your school, is it in central London? | Wo ist deine Schule? Liegt sie im Zentrum von London? |
It definitely costs a lot, but that's not the only problem. | Es kostet definitiv eine Menge, aber das ist nicht der einzige Grund. |
Alright, deal! You have 3 days to think, starting now! | Okay, abgemacht! Du hast 3 Tage ab jetzt, um darüber nachzudenken! |
Does anyone else need anything? | Brauchst sonst noch irgendjemand etwas? |
It's about a web project. | Es geht um ein Internet-Projekt. |
I think I've got a better idea about what to do with the bed! | Ich denke ich habe eine bessere Idee, was wir mit dem Bett machen können! |
Sure, my name is Cate and my number is 077... | Klar, mein Name ist Cate und meine Nummer ist 077... |
It's a kind of welcoming party for her. | Es ist ein Art Willkommensparty für sie. |
Okay, how long is it, do you know? | Okay, wie lang ist sie? Weißt du das? |
And on the ground floor we have easy access to the garden. | Und im Erdgeschoss haben wir direkten Zugang zum Garten. |
Nope, it gives me a headache! | Nein, davon bekomme ich Kopfschmerzen! |
Is there anything else you want me to do? | Soll ich etwas anderes machen? |
No worries, I have got a peeler for you! | Keine Sorge, ich habe einen Schäler für dich! |
I'm really sorry to hear that, mate! | Tut mir echt leid das zu hören! |
Okay, so do you want me to make 3 serves? | Okay, soll ich also 3 Portionen machen? |
Hang on a minute, they are both 300 gr and the same brand. | Warte kurz. Beide wiegen 300g und sind von derselben Marke. |