







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 | |
|---|---|
| Hope to see you later. | Espero voltar a ver você. |
| How are you? | Como você está? |
| How old are you? | Quantos anos você tem? |
| So, it's obvious you have no clue how much renting a house costs. | Então, é óbvio que você não tem ideia de quanto custa alugar uma casa. |
| Hey, Cate! Do you need anything? | Ei, Cate! Precisa de alguma coisa? |
| It seems there is no one in the house! | Parece que não está ninguém em casa! |
| Can your mum handle the situation by herself? | Sua mãe consegue gerir a situação sozinha? |
| Australia is very strict with its customs rules. | A Austrália é muito rigorosa no que toca às regras nas alfândegas. |
| That's right, I think pressure cookers are quite dangerous, too! | Isso é verdade, eu acho que as panelas de pressão também são bastante perigosas! |
| It's like, the bus you are waiting for never comes. | É como o ônibus que você está esperando que nunca chega. |
| As I'm a smoker, I prefer sitting outside. | Sou fumador, eu prefiro ficar lá fora. |
| Do you remember me? | Você se lembra de mim? |
| So do you want me to find a house by myself? | Você quer que eu encontre uma casa sozinha? |
| What do you think, dear, do you like it, too? | O que você acha, querido, também gosta? |
| What else could I do? Do you expect me not to sleep till I die? | O que mais podia fazer? Você espera que eu não durma mais até morrer? |
| Yes, she is coming back, but isn't it what I always do? | Sim, ela vai voltar, mas não é o que eu faço sempre? |
| It sounds important. | Parece importante. |
| You are absolutely right! | Você tem toda a razão! |
| Oh, come on dear, I was just joking, you know that... | Oh, vá lá querida, eu estava apenas zombando, você sabe... |
| Yeah, it's open here already... | Sim, já está aqui aberto... |