







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 | |
|---|---|
| I'm happy to hear that. | Fico feliz por ouvir isso. |
| I live just opposite the pub. | Eu vivo em frente ao pub. |
| Well, I don't think we need to cook too many things at once. | Bem, eu não acho que seja preciso cozinhar demasiadas coisas de uma vez. |
| Really? I don't want to ruin your plan, but... | Sério? Eu não quero arruinar seu plano, mas... |
| Yes, it's in Piccadilly Circus right in the centre. | Sim, é em Piccadilly Circus, mesmo no centro. |
| But sometimes I feel guilty not being there! | Mas às vezes me sinto culpada por não estar lá! |
| Yeah, it's not common, but that's what it says in the recipe. | Sim, não é normal, mas é o que diz na receita. |
| Cate, are you okay? You seem a little bit aggressive. | Cate, você está bem? Parece estar um pouco agressiva. |
| Hey Mike, you look so worried! | Ei, Mike, você parece tão preocupado! |
| Is there anything else you want me to do? | Quer que eu faça mais alguma coisa? |
| I mean, do you cook Asian or other kinds of cuisines? | Quero dizer, você confeciona pratos asiáticos ou de outros tipos de cozinhas? |
| Who is Mike, darling? | Quem é o Mike, querida? |
| Yep, she was born in Australia, but her mother is Japanese. | Sim, ela nasceu na Austrália, mas a mãe é japonesa. |
| Nope, as I said before, they live in Australia. | Não, como eu disse antes, eles vivem na Austrália. |
| Yes, he is one of them. | Sim, ele é um deles. |
| Oh, your girlfriend's cat... Does she live here with you? | Oh, o gato de sua namorada... Ela vive aqui com você? |
| Do you feel a bit better now? | Já se sente um pouco melhor agora? |
| For the risotto, I need some arborio rice. | Preciso de arroz arbório para o risotto. |
| Then people come and complain to me! | Depois as pessoas fazem queixa a mim! |
| Do you want me to wash the wine bottle before I pour it? | Você quer que eu lave a garrafa de vinho antes de o servir? |