The present simple

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1. Formation of the present simple:

1.1 Present simple

I, you, we, you, they (everything EXCEPT he, she, it) = infinitive form of the verb (without to) E.g.: I play, we look, you think

he, she, it = infinitive form of the verb (without to) + S E.g.: she plays, it looks, he thinks

AFFIRMATIVE QUESTION (+) NEGATIVE* QUESTION (-)**

I make Do I make? I don’t make Don’t I make?

You make Do you make? You don’t make Don’t you make?

She makes Does she make? She doesn’t make Doesn’t she make?

They make Do they make? They don’t make Don’t they make?

1.2 Third person: verb ending in o, ch, sh, ss, x, z + ES

• o to do = she does

• ch to watch = he watches

• sh to wish = she wishes

• ss to pass = he passes

• x to vex = she vexes

1.3 Third person: verb ending in y

• consonant + y = + IES cry = she cries, carry = he carries,…

• vowel + y = + YS play = it plays, stay = she stays,…

The present simple

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1.4 Exceptions

• to be

Affirmative Negative

• I am

• I’m

• I am not

• I’m not

• you, we, they are

• you, we, they’re

• you, we, they are not

• you, we, they aren’t

• you, we, they’re not

• he, she, it is

• he, she, it’s

• he, she, it is not

• he, she, it isn’t

• to have

Affirmative Negative

• I, you, we, they have

• I, you, we, they’ve

• you, we, they do not have

• you, we, they don’t have

• he, she, it has • he, she, it doesn’t have

• he, she, it does not have

• can, must, ought, may no changes, not even with he, she, it

Affirmative Negative

• can (I can, she can) • cannot (I cannot, she cannot)

• can’t ( I can’t, she can’t)

• must (I must, she must) • must not (I must not, she must not)

• mustn’t ( I mustn’t, she mustn’t)

• ought (I ought, she ought) • ought not (I ought not, she ought not)

• oughtn’t (I oughtn’t, she oughtn’t)

• may (I may, she may) • may not (I may not, she may not)

The present simple

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2. Use of the present simple

2.1 To describe a habit or a repeated action.

E.g.: She plays tennis every Saturday.

Do you speak English?

The sun doesn’t circle the Earth.

He usually goes to London on Mondays.

Some adverbs used with the present simple are:

always, never, frequently, usually, seldom, sometimes, often, generally,…

2.2 To describe facts or generalizations (true or false).

E.g.: A bird has wings.

Paris is in France.

Paris is in Germany. (FALSE)

Cats have four legs.

2.3 Non-continuous verbs

PAST PRESENT FUTURE

PAST PRESENT FUTURE

The present simple

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Non-continuous verbs are verbs that describe emotion, existence, knowledge, perception

and thought. These verbs are usually things you cannot see somebody doing and are

used with the simple form of verb tenses. Non-continuous verbs are divided into nine

groups:

• Verbs which describe appearance appear, look, seem,…

E.g.: She looks like her mother.

• Modal verbs can, need, must, ought,…

E.g.: You can drink.

• Verbs of emotions like, dislike, love, prefer, detest, appreciate,…

E.g.: He loves you.

• Verbs Expressing existence be, keep, exist,…

E.g.: I’m in Switzerland.

• Verbs expressing knowledge know, remember, understand, forget, doubt,…

E.g.: I don’t remember the right answer.

• Verbs of perception feel, notice, see, recognize, taste,…

E.g.: She feels ill.

• Verbs of possession belong, have (possession), own,…

E.g.: That car belongs to me!

• Verbs of thought believe, mean, suppose, think,…

E.g.: I believe in justice.

• Verbs expressing wish want, wish,…

E.g.: I want that dress!