The Present Simple - How to use it?

• How to form the present simple
• The verb to be in the present simple
• How to make the simple present negative
• How to ask a question
• Common verbs in the present

This week I’m going to talk about the present simple and explain how and when we use the present simple tense. It is one of the first tenses we learn when studying English but believe it or not, it also one of the tenses which students find most difficult to use correctly. I often see students at an upper-intermediate or advanced level still making mistakes with the present simple. So don’t get demotivated, keep trying and trying. Also don't forget to read up about The Present Continuous.

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What is the present simple?

The simple present is a tense used in the English language for the following situation:

• To talk about habits: I go to work at 8 am every day.
• To talk about permanent situations: Peter lives in Dubai.
• To talk about states: I like the new film with Robert De Niro.
• To talk about general truths: There are 52 cards in a deck of cards.

The verbs in bold above are all in the present simple.

!! Remember that you can ask me questions about this grammar point at the bottom of this page !!

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How to Form the Simple Present?

In the simple present, most regular verbs use the root form (also called infinitive without to), except in the third-person singular (he, she, it) which ends in -s.

First-person singular: I love

Second-person singular: You love

Third-person singular: He/she/it loves (note the ‑s)

First-person plural: We love

Second-person plural: You love

Third-person plural: They love

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For a few verbs, the third-person singular ends with -es instead of -s. Typically, these are verbs whose root form ends in o, ch, sh, th, ss, gh, z

First-person singular: I watch

Second-person singular: You watch

Third-person singular: He/she/it watches (note the ‑es)

First-person plural: We watch

Second-person plural: You watch

Third-person plural: They watch