This page shows the use of the simple present tense to talk about general events. But note that there are some other uses for the simple present tense.
- The simple present tense says that something was true in the past, is true in the present, and will be true in the future. it is used for general statements of fact.
- Water consist of hydrogen and oxygen.
- Most animals kill only for food.
- The world is round.
- The simple present is used to express habitual or everyday activity.
- I study for two hours every night.
- my classes begin at nine.
- He always eats a sandwich for lunch.
- Certain verbs are not used in the progressive tenses. With these verbs, the simple present may indicate a situation that exists right now, at the moment of speaking.
- I have only a dollar right now
- I don't recognize that man.
- He needs a pen right now.
How do we make the Simple Present Tense?
| subject | + | auxiliary verb | + | main verb |
| do | base |
There are three important exceptions:
- For positive sentences, we do not normally use the auxiliary.
- For the 3rd person singular (he, she, it), we add s to the main verb or es to the auxiliary.
- For the verb to be, we do not use an auxiliary, even for questions and negatives.
Look at these examples with the main verb like:
| | subject | auxiliary verb | | main verb | |
| + | I, you, we, they | | | like | coffee. |
| He, she, it | | | likes | coffee. | |
| - | I, you, we, they | do | not | like | coffee. |
| He, she, it | does | not | like | coffee. | |
| ? | Do | I, you, we, they | | like | coffee? |
| Does | he, she, it | | like | coffee? |
Look at these examples with the main verb be. Notice that there is no auxiliary:
| | subject | main verb | | |
| + | I | am | | French. |
| You, we, they | are | | French. | |
| He, she, it | is | | French. | |
| - | I | am | not | old. |
| You, we, they | are | not | old. | |
| He, she, it | is | not | old. | |
| ? | Am | I | | late? |
| Are | you, we, they | | late? | |
| Is | he, she, it | | late? |
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