Present Simple: how to form and how to use

Present Simple is the foundation of English grammar, essential for both beginners and advanced learners. Many consider this tense too basic to focus on, but in reality, it is a fundamental tense, and mastering it is crucial for understanding more complex grammar structures. In this article, we will break down all the key rules of Present Simple with examples and learn how to use it effectively in real-life communication.

Contents

1. How to form sentences in Present Simple: rules and examples
    1.1. Affirmative sentences
    1.2. Negative sentences
    1.3. Interrogative sentences
    1.4. WH-questions
2. Forms of the verb “to be” in Present Simple: rules
3. How to use Present Simple: rules
4. Time markers for Present Simple: examples
    4.1. Adverbs of frequency
    4.2. Time expressions
    4.3. Other time markers
5. Common mistakes
6. Present Simple: practice exercise
7. FAQs

How to form sentences in Present Simple: rules and examples

One of the main advantages of Present Simple rules is a simple and clear structure. That’s why this tense is one of the first to be studied in English lessons. It is easy to start forming affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences. Let’s break down each type of sentence and highlight important nuances.

Affirmative sentences

Affirmative sentences express a positive action or state. To form sentences in Present Simple according to the rules, the base form of the verb (infinitive without “to”) is used. The formula for an affirmative sentence is as follows:

Subject + Verb + Object 

• Subject is the doer of the action in the sentence or the thing being talked about. It is usually a noun or a pronoun.
• Verb — the verb is in its base form, without “to”.
• Object — the thing / person that the action is done to.

For most subjects expressed by pronouns like I / you / we / they, the verb will remain in its base form.

• I study English.
• You play the guitar.
• We go to work 5 times a week.
• They play football every weekend.

However, if the subject is the third person singular (he / she / it), the verb takes the -s ending.

• He reads books.
• She plants violets.
• It usually rains in autumn.

Pay attention, when we talk about the third person singular, the verb may take either the -s or -es ending. How do we decide which ending to add? The choice depends on the last letter of the verb.

1. If the verb ends in -o, -ch, -sh, -ss, -x, or -z, we add the ending -es. For example:

• She watches TV every evening.
• He goes to university by bus.

2. If the verb ends in a consonant +y, we change the -y to -ies. For example:

• She studies English every day.
• He tries to solve the problem.

3. If the verb ends in a vowel +y, you just add -s to the verb.

• He plays the piano.

Negative sentences

Negative sentences are formed using the auxiliary verb “do” / “does” and the word “not”. The sentence structure will be as follows:

Subject + do / does + not + Verb + Object 

What is the difference between “do” and “does” and when to use each? For I / you / we / they, we use “do not” or the contracted form “don't” for a more natural sound.

• I don’t drink coffee in the morning.
• They don’t like windy weather. 

If the subject is he / she / it, “does not” or the contracted form “doesn't” is used.

• He doesn't share his girlfriend's passion for K-pop.
• She doesn’t go to the gym on weekdays.

Note that after the auxiliary verb “does”, the main verb always stays in its base form, meaning without the -s ending.

✗ He doesn’t works late.
✓ He doesn’t work late.

Interrogative sentences

The construction of interrogative sentences in Present Simple follows the rule where the auxiliary verb “do” / “does” is placed at the beginning of the sentence, before the subject, as follows:

Do / Does + Subject + Verb + Object?

Just like in negative sentences, we use the auxiliary verb “do” for I / you / we / they, and “does” for he / she / it.

• Do you enjoy watching rom-coms in your free time?
• Does she cook delicious meals?
• Do they play chess?
• Does Mr Strong work as a PE teacher?

To give short answers like “yes / no” to questions in Present Simple according to the rules, say:

• Yes, I do. / No, I don’t. 
• Yes, he does. / No, he doesn’t. 

For example:

— Does she like milk chocolate?
— Yes, she does. And what about you? Do you always eat sweets after the main course?
— No, I don’t. 

WH-questions

In English, there are also questions with question words, known as Wh-questions. They are used to gather information about a specific time, place, event, or person. In fact, this is the most common type of question in everyday communication. They differ from the previously mentioned general questions (yes / no questions). Because when answering them, we provide specific information.

Here are the following Wh-words in English:

• Who; 
• What;
• When;
• Where;
• Why; 
• How; 
• Which; 
• How much; 
• How many.

The formula for forming Wh-questions is:

Wh-word + do / does + Subject + Verb + Object?

• Who do you love?
• When do they leave for work?
• Where do you spend your holidays?
• How does she get to the museum?
• Which book do you prefer?
• How many days a week do you eat out?

Forms of the verb “to be” in Present Simple: rules

The verb “to be” is fundamental in the English language because it serves several important functions, such as:

• describing states;
• characteristics;
• location and identification, etc.

The rules of Present Simple highlight several forms of the verb “to be”. In general, there are three forms (am / is / are). This verb is a linking verb, meaning it connects the subject with the rest of the sentence. Let's take a closer look at the forms of the verb “to be” in Present Simple. For example:

Let's take a look at the given rules for using Present Simple with examples:

• I am tired.
• She is very kind.
• The keys are on the table.
• Is he at work?
• They are not in the garden.
• Are you ready?

It should be noted that the presence of the verb “to be” in Present Simple examples, according to the rules, excludes the possibility of using any other main verb — a verb that carries its own meaning and indicates an action. For example:

✗ My mother is cooks dinner.
✓ My mother cooks dinner. 

In this case, the action is represented by the verb “to cook” — to prepare food, so there is no need to use the verb “to be”.

How to use Present Simple: rules

According to the rules, it is used to describe things that are permanent or repeated. Let's look at the table below for a detailed overview of the cases and examples of Present Simple.

Time markers for Present Simple: examples

Time markers for Present Simple are crucial for its proper usage. Observant readers may have already noticed their presence in the examples provided earlier in the article. Now, let's take a closer look at the main groups of words and phrases that help us understand when and how to correctly form Present Simple sentences using the appropriate rules.

Adverbs of frequency

• always;
• usually; 
• often;
• sometimes; 
• occasionally; 
• rarely / seldom; 
• hardly; 
• ever; 
• never.

Where should frequency adverbs be placed in sentences?

Time expressions

• every day / week / month / year;
• once / twice a week / month / three times a day;
• on Mondays / Wednesdays / Sundays;
• in the morning / afternoon / evening.

These time markers in Present Simple are typically placed at the end of the sentence according to the rules. Here's how it works:

• He boxes every day.
• She cleans her mansion three times a month.
• Do you go jogging in the afternoon?
• We don’t visit our grandparents on Sundays; we visit them once a month.
• He doesn’t read the newspaper in the morning.

Other time markers

There are also time markers in Present Simple that are not tied to frequency but emphasize that an action happens regularly. For example:

• typically;
• normally;
• in general / generally;
• commonly;
• as a rule;
• usually speaking;
• habitually;
• in most cases.

“Typically”, “normally”, “commonly”, and “habitually” are adverbs used to emphasize regularity or frequency in actions. They are often placed in the middle of the sentence, before the main verb. Other markers can appear at the beginning or the end of the sentence to highlight the habit or regularity of the action.

• People normally have breakfast in the morning.
• In general, students enjoy studying in groups.
• He habitually checks his email every morning.
• Usually speaking, people prefer warm weather.
• In most cases, people learn from their mistakes.

Common mistakes

Yes, even experienced English students sometimes make silly mistakes when using Present Simple rules. Let's look at and remember 3 most common mistakes so we don't repeat them in the future.

1. Probably, the first mistake is forgetting to add the ending -s / -es to the verb when the subject is the third person singular.

✗ She work in an office.
✓ She works in an office.

2. Another common mistake is the unnecessary use of the verbs “do” / “does” in affirmative sentences, where they are not needed.

✗ He does drinks 3 liters of water every day.
✓ He drinks 3 liters of water every day. 

3. To complete this list of mistakes — adding the ending -s to the verb after the auxiliary does in interrogative sentences.

✗ Does she lives in Chicago?
✓ Does she live in Chicago?

If you are not tired yet, we suggest you deepen your knowledge of the present tenses in English even further:

• Present Continuous
• Present Perfect
• Present Perfect Continuous

Present Simple: practice exercise

Here is an exercise to help you memorize the rules faster. Find and correct the mistakes in the sentences.

FAQs 

1. When is Present Simple used?

It is the grammar tense in English, which is used to describe regular actions, daily routines, habits, schedules, facts and universally known truths.

2. How is Present Simple formed?

It is formed using the base form of the verb (without “to”) for subjects I / you / we / they. For third-person singular subjects he / she / it, the verb takes the ending -s or -es.

• We watch horror movies.
• He never skips breakfast.

3. How are questions formed?

To form questions in Present Simple according to the rules, we use the auxiliary verbs “do” or “does”, which are placed at the beginning of the sentence, before the subject. “Do” is used with subjects like I / you / we / they, while “does” is used with the third person singular subjects —he / she / it.

• Do you like green tea?
• Does she like pizza?

4. What are the time markers for Present Simple?

Time markers for Present Simple include words like “always”, “usually”, “often”, “sometimes”, “never”, as well as phrases such as “every day”, “on Mondays”, “once a week”, “in the evening”, “in general”, and others.

5. Can I use the rules of Present Simple for future events? 

Yes, you can use this tense to talk about future events when these events are scheduled or part of a fixed timetable. For example, it's commonly used to describe events such as public transportation schedules, meetings, or any events that are planned and regular.

• The bus arrives at 7:30 a.m. tomorrow.
• The train leaves the station in 10 minutes.
• Our class begins at 9 a.m. every Monday.