Everything you need to use the simple present correctly: the formula, when to use it, signal words, common mistakes and exercises with answers.
Describes habits, facts and general truths. Affirmative: S + V(s/es); Negative: S + do/does + not + V; Interrogative: Do/Does + S + V? Signal words: always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never.
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | S + V(s/es) I/You/We/They + V | He/She/It + V(s/es) | She works at a hospital. Add -es after verbs ending in -o, -s, -x, -z, -ch or -sh (goes, watches, washes) |
| Negative | S + do/does + not + V I/You/We/They + do not | He/She/It + does not | She does not (doesn't) work on Sundays. Contractions: do not = don't, does not = doesn't |
| Interrogative | Do/Does + S + V? Do + I/you/we/they | Does + he/she/it | Does she work at a hospital? Short answers: Yes, she does. / No, she doesn't. |
Used for actions that happen regularly or over and over.
Used for facts, scientific truths and anything generally accepted as true.
Used for situations that are fixed or long-lasting.
Used for scheduled events, especially timetables for transport.
Used in instructions, recipes and directions.
| Word | Example | Note |
|---|---|---|
| always | She always arrives on time. | Goes before an ordinary verb, but after the verb 'to be' |
| usually | I usually have breakfast at 7. | |
| often | They often go to the cinema. | |
| sometimes | Sometimes I work from home. | Can go at the start of the sentence or in the middle |
| rarely | He rarely eats fast food. | |
| never | I never drink alcohol. | Not used together with "not" |
| every day | She exercises every day. | |
| every week/month/year | We meet every month. | |
| on Mondays | The class is on Mondays. | The plural (Mondays) means every Monday |
| once/twice a week | I go swimming twice a week. |
Fill in the blank, then open the answer to check it.
Options: go · goes · going · went
goes. With "she" (third person singular) we add -es to "go" → "goes". "Every day" marks a habit, so the present simple is the tense to use.
Options: boil · boiled · boiling · boils
boils. This is a scientific fact, a general truth, so it takes the present simple. "Water" is third person singular, so the verb adds -s.
Options: call · calls · was calling · will have been calling
calls. "every day" shows that this happens over and over again as a habit, so this sentence uses the Present Simple tense. The subject "Anna" is third person singular so the verb must add -s/-es: call → calls.
Options: has played · play · will have been playing · will play
play. "every morning" shows that this happens over and over again as a habit, so this sentence uses the Present Simple tense. The subject "The children" is not third person singular so the verb retains its original form: play.
Options: are showing · is showing · show · studys
show. "at weekends" shows that this happens over and over again as a habit, so this sentence uses the Present Simple tense. The subject "The students" is not third person singular so the verb retains its original form: show.
Options: gave · give · has been giving · have given
give. "usually" shows that this happens over and over again as a habit, so this sentence uses the Present Simple tense. The subject "The workers" is not third person singular so the verb retains its original form: give.
Options: finds · has been finding · have found · were finding
finds. "always" shows that this happens over and over again as a habit, so this sentence uses the Present Simple tense. The subject "My sister" is third person singular so the verb must add -s/-es: find → finds.
Options: build · have built · were building · will have built
build. "every week" shows that this happens over and over again as a habit, so this sentence uses the Present Simple tense. The subject "My parents" is not third person singular so the verb retains its original form: build.
Options: clean · cleaned · will be cleaning · will have been cleaning
clean. "every day" shows that this happens over and over again as a habit, so this sentence uses the Present Simple tense. The subject "My friends" is not third person singular, so the verb retains its original form: clean.
Options: are saving · had saved · has saved · save
save. "every morning" shows that this happens over and over again as a habit, so this sentence uses the Present Simple tense. The subject "The children" is not third person singular so the verb retains its original form: save.
Options: cried · cries · crying · have cried
cries. "at weekends" shows that this happens over and over again as a habit, so this sentence uses the Present Simple tense. The subject "My brother" is the third person singular, so the verb must add -s/-es: cry → cries.
Options: have been paying · is paying · pay · pays
pays. "usually" shows that this happens over and over again as a habit, so this sentence uses the Present Simple tense. The subject "The teacher" is third person singular so the verb must add -s/-es: pay → pays.
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