What is Simple Present Tense? Definition & Formula.

Simple present tense

 

The simple present tense is used to describe habits, general truths, and regular actions.

For example: 

“The sun rises in the east” or “I study English every day.” It’s an essential part of English grammar and is one of the first tenses learners encounter.

The simple present tense is most commonly used for actions that are habitual or regular, general facts, and scheduled events.

 

For instance: “She practices yoga every morning” or “The train departs at 8:00 AM tomorrow.” This tense is straightforward in its structure but has some specific rules depending on the verb, especially in the third-person singular (he, she, it).

What is the Simple Present Tense?

The simple present tense is used to express actions that happen regularly, general truths, and scheduled events. It’s a fundamental tense in English that describes things like daily routines (“He drinks coffee every morning”) or universal truths (“Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius”). It can also be used to describe future events when they are part of a fixed schedule (“The train leaves at 6 PM”).

How to Form the Simple Present Tense?

In affirmative sentences, the structure is simple: Subject + base verb (for most verbs). However, when using third-person singular (he, she, it), you typically add an -s or -es to the verb. For example:

  • I walk to school.
  • She walks to school.

For negative sentences, you use do not (don’t) or does not (doesn’t) followed by the base verb:

  • I don’t like coffee.
  • He doesn’t like coffee.

For questions, the structure changes slightly. You use do/does + subject + base verb:

  • Do you play football?
  • Does she like pizza?

When to Use the Simple Present Tense?

  1. Habitual Actions: Use the simple present tense to describe actions that happen regularly, like routines or habits. For example, “She goes to the gym every morning” or “They always have breakfast at 7 AM.”
  2. General Truths: This tense is perfect for stating facts or general truths. For instance, “The Earth revolves around the sun” or “The sky is blue on clear days.”
  3. Scheduled Events: Use the simple present to talk about events that are part of a fixed schedule. For example, “The flight departs at 6 PM tomorrow.”
  4. Instructions and Directions: When giving instructions or directions, the simple present tense is common. For example, “Turn left at the next intersection” or “First, mix the flour and water.”

Examples of Simple Present Tense Sentences.

  • Positive: “He works at a software company.”
  • Negative: “They don’t play soccer on weekends.”
  • Question: “Do you speak French?”

Common Mistakes with Simple Present Tense.

Learners often confuse the simple present tense with the present continuous. Remember, the simple present is for habitual actions or general truths, while the present continuous describes actions happening right now (“I am eating breakfast”). Also, be careful not to use the simple present to talk about past or future events unless they are part of a schedule.

Here are more examples of simple present tense sentences that illustrate various uses:

Positive Sentences:

  1. General Truths:
    • Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
    • The sun rises in the east.
  2. Habitual Actions:
    • He drinks coffee every morning.
    • They play tennis every weekend.
  3. Scheduled Events:
    • The bus arrives at 9 AM.
    • The conference starts on Monday.

Negative Sentences:

  1. General Truths:
    • The Earth doesn’t revolve around the moon.
    • Water does not freeze at 10 degrees Celsius.
  2. Habitual Actions:
    • She doesn’t like spicy food.
    • We don’t go to the gym on Sundays.
  3. Scheduled Events:
    • The train doesn’t depart at 5 PM.
    • The meeting does not start at noon.

Question Sentences:

  1. General Truths:
    • Does the sun set in the west?
    • Do birds fly south in the winter?
  2. Habitual Actions:
    • Do you brush your teeth twice a day?
    • Does he go jogging every morning?
  3. Scheduled Events:
    • Does the train leave at 6 PM?
    • Do classes begin at 8 AM?

simple present tense (formula)

Here are some unique exercises to practice the simple present tense:

1. Fill in the Blanks

Complete the sentences by filling in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in parentheses.

  1. She _______ (play) the piano every evening.
  2. They _______ (go) to the park on Sundays.
  3. The sun _______ (rise) in the east.
  4. I _______ (not like) cold weather.
  5. _______ (do) you _______ (eat) breakfast every day?
  6. He _______ (study) English at school.
  7. The train _______ (leave) at 8:00 AM tomorrow.
  8. We _______ (walk) to work every morning.
  9. My brother _______ (not play) video games on weekdays.
  10. _______ (does) she _______ (enjoy) reading novels?

2. Rewrite Sentences

Rewrite the following sentences in the simple present tense:

  1. She is reading a book. (habitual action)
  2. We are going to the gym every day. (routine)
  3. He will meet his friend at the cafe. (scheduled event)
  4. They are watching TV right now. (general truth)
  5. I will start my new job tomorrow. (future schedule)

3. Correct the Errors

Each sentence below contains an error related to the simple present tense. Find and correct the mistake.

  1. The birds flys south for the winter.
  2. She don’t like chocolate ice cream.
  3. Do he works at the hospital?
  4. My friend play tennis every weekend.
  5. They doesn’t go to school on Saturdays.

4. Make Sentences

Create sentences in the simple present tense using the given prompts.

  1. habitual action: (he / go / gym / every morning)
  2. general truth: (water / boil / 100 degrees Celsius)
  3. scheduled event: (bus / arrive / 6 PM)
  4. negative sentence: (we / not / eat / dinner / late)
  5. question: (they / study / English / every day?)

5. Time Expressions Matching

Match the correct time expression with the sentence in the simple present tense.

  1. She plays the guitar __________.
    • (a) in the evenings
    • (b) at the moment
  2. They visit their grandparents __________.
    • (a) every summer
    • (b) right now
  3. The movie starts __________.
    • (a) tomorrow at 8 PM
    • (b) currently

When using the simple present tense, there are several common mistakes that learners should avoid to ensure their sentences are grammatically correct and clearly understood. Here are some of the most frequent errors and tips to avoid them:

1. Forgetting the Third-Person Singular “s”

One of the most common mistakes is forgetting to add -s or -es to the verb when the subject is in the third-person singular (he, she, it).

  • Incorrect: She walk to school.
  • Correct: She walks to school.

Tip: Always remember that when the subject is he, she, or it, you must add -s or -es to the verb.

2. Incorrect Negatives

In the simple present tense, negative sentences should use do not (don’t) or does not (doesn’t) followed by the base form of the verb.

  • Incorrect: She doesn’t likes chocolate.
  • Correct: She doesn’t like chocolate.

Tip: After don’t or doesn’t, always use the base form of the verb, without adding -s.

3. Confusing Simple Present with Present Continuous

Learners often confuse the simple present (used for habitual actions) with the present continuous (used for actions happening right now).

  • Incorrect: I am go to work every day.
  • Correct: I go to work every day.
  • Present continuous: I am going to work right now.

Tip: Use the simple present for habits and routines. Use the present continuous for actions happening at the moment of speaking.

4. Using the Simple Present for Past Actions

The simple present tense should not be used to describe past events. For past actions, use the simple past tense.

  • Incorrect: Yesterday, I go to the market.
  • Correct: Yesterday, I went to the market.
  1. Incorrect Question Formation

When forming questions in the simple present tense, learners sometimes forget to use do or does before the subject.

  • Incorrect: She likes pizza?
  • Correct: Does she like pizza?

Here are some real-life examples of the simple present tense, showcasing how it’s used in daily communication, routines, general truths, and scheduled events:

1. Daily Routines and Habits

  • I drink coffee every morning. (routine)
  • He drives to work every day. (habit)
  • They take the bus to school every weekday.

These sentences describe activities that are repeated regularly in daily life. The simple present tense is perfect for expressing habits and routines.

2. General Truths

  • Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
  • The Earth orbits the sun.
  • Cats sleep most of the day.

These sentences express universal truths or scientific facts. The simple present tense is used to state facts that are always true.

3. Scheduled Events

  • The train leaves at 6:00 PM.
  • The meeting starts at 9:00 AM tomorrow.
  • Our flight departs next Monday.

These examples show how the simple present tense can be used to describe future events that are part of a fixed schedule, like transport timetables or meetings.

4. Instructions and Directions

  • First, you add the sugar, then stir.
  • Turn left at the next traffic light.
  • Press the power button to start the computer.

The simple present tense is commonly used when giving instructions, especially in recipes, guides, or directions.

5. Commentaries and Narratives

  • The quarterback throws the ball to the wide receiver.
  • In the story, the hero saves the day at the last moment.
  • She enters the room and immediately notices something is wrong.

These real-life examples show how versatile the simple present tense is, fitting into various aspects of daily conversation and communication.

 

The -es ending is added to verbs in the simple present tense when the subject is third-person singular (he, she, it) and the verb ends in certain consonants. The addition of -es follows specific spelling rules to maintain the correct pronunciation and flow of the word.

When to Add -es:

1. Verbs ending in -s, -sh, -ch, -x, or -z:

    • -es is added to maintain the sound and make the verb easier to pronounce.
    • Examples:
      • He* washes** the car every Saturday.*
      • She* watches** TV in the evening.*
      • It* fixes** the problem automatically.*

2. Verbs ending in a consonant + o:

    • For verbs that end in -o, you also add -es.
    • Examples:
      • He* goes** to school every day.*
      • She* does** her homework after dinner.*

3. Verbs ending in consonant + y:

    • For verbs ending in a consonant + y, the y is changed to -ies in the third-person singular form.
    • Examples:
      • She* studies** hard for her exams.*
      • He* tries** to learn new things every day.*

Why Add -es?

The main reason to add -es is phonological. It ensures that the verb form is easier to pronounce and flows naturally in speech. Without adding -es for these specific endings, the verbs would sound awkward or difficult to articulate.

 

The -ies ending is used in the simple present tense for verbs that end in a consonant followed by the letter y when the subject is third-person singular (he, she, it). This rule applies to maintain proper spelling and pronunciation. Here’s why and when to use -ies:

When to Use -ies:

1. Verbs Ending in Consonant + y:

    • When a verb ends with a consonant + y, the y changes to -ies in the third-person singular form.
    • Examples:
      • She* studies** English every day.*
      • He* tries** to improve his skills.*

2. Why Change to -ies?

    • Spelling Rule: The y is replaced with -ies to maintain the integrity of the word’s pronunciation. If only -s were added (e.g., studys), it would look awkward and disrupt the flow of the word.
    • Phonetic Reason: This change helps in pronunciation, ensuring that the verb form is smooth and natural in speech.

Exceptions:

  • If the verb ends in a vowel + y (e.g., play, stay), the rule does not apply, and you simply add -s without changing the y.
    • Examples:
      • He* plays** football every Sunday.*
      • She* stays** late at work.*

In the simple present tense, specific rules apply to ensure verbs are correctly conjugated, particularly for third-person singular subjects (he, she, it). Here are some more key rules and examples:

1. Basic Rule for Most Verbs

  • For most verbs, simply add -s in the third-person singular form.
    • Examples:
      • He plays soccer.
      • She writes emails every day.

2. Adding -es to Verbs Ending in Certain Letters

  • Verbs ending in -s, -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, -z, or -o require -es in the third-person singular form.
    • Examples:
      • He watches TV every night. (verb ends in -ch)
      • She goes to the gym after work. (verb ends in -o)
      • It fixes the error automatically. (verb ends in -x)

3. Changing -y to -ies for Consonant + y Verbs

  • When a verb ends in a consonant + y, change the y to -ies in the third-person singular form.
    • Examples:
      • She studies every afternoon. (study → studies)
      • He tries to learn new skills. (try → tries)

Exceptions: Verbs that end in a vowel + y simply add -s.

  • Examples:
    • He plays the guitar. (play → plays)
    • She enjoys reading. (enjoy → enjoys)

4. Irregular Verbs

Some verbs, like to be and to have, are irregular in the simple present tense. They don’t follow the typical rules.

  • Examples:
    • I am, he is (irregular forms of to be)
    • I have, he has (irregular form of to have)

5. Negative Sentences.

  • In negative sentences, use do not (don’t) or does not (doesn’t) followed by the base form of the verb.
    • Examples:
      • I don’t like coffee.
      • He doesn’t eat meat.

Tip: After don’t or doesn’t, the verb remains in its base form, regardless of the subject.

6. Question Formation

  • To form questions, use do/does before the subject, followed by the base form of the verb.
    • Examples:
      • Do you like chocolate?
      • Does she speak Spanish?

Tip: Like with negatives, the verb stays in its base form after do/does.

7. Time Expressions

The simple present tense often pairs with time expressions to indicate frequency or schedule:

  • Common expressions: every day, usually, always, often, sometimes, never.
  • Examples:
    • She always drinks coffee in the morning.
    • They never miss a workout.

By following these rules, you can effectively use the simple present tense to communicate habitual actions, general truths, and scheduled events 

There are some more excercises to practice. 

Fill in the blanks correctly. Take care of the singular and plural forms. 

1) He_________the mountain.  (Climb, climbed, climbs)

2) They ________  on the road every day. (played, play, playing)

3) she  ________ to god every day. (prays, prayed, praying)

4) My friend _________ to God every day. (prays, prayed, praying)

5) He __________ his teacher on weekends. (meets, met. meeting)

6) You ________ to the school daily. (go, goes, went)

7) Jong ___________ the room on time.   (cleaned, cleaning, cleans)

8) Kids _________ milk. (love, loved, loving)

9) They _______________ the teacher to take a class.   (paid,  pays, pay)

10) Khan __________ news every day. (listens, listened, listening)

11) He __________ flowers annually.    (grow, grew, grows)

12) she  ________ to the office every day. (goes, went, gone)

Check out the answers which are colored in green.

1) He_________the mountain.  (Climb, climbed, climbs)

2) They ________  on the road every day. (played, play, playing)

3) she  ________ to god every day. (prays, prayed, praying)

4) My friend _________ to God every day. (prays, prayed, praying)

5) He __________ his teacher on weekends. (meets, met. meeting)

6) You ________ to the school daily. (go, goes, went)

7) Jong ___________ the room on time.   (cleaned, cleaning, cleans)

8) Kids _________ milk. (love, loved, loving)

9) They _______________ the teacher to take a class.   (paid,  pays, pay)

10) Khan __________ news every day. (listens, listened, listening)

11) He __________ flowers annually.    (grow, grew, grows)

12) she  ________ to the office every day. (goes, went, gone)

 

Put ‘T’ for a true sentence and ‘F’ for a false sentence. Check out the simple present tense.

  • They go to work every day.  ( True, False)
  • They like to see her dance.     ( True, False)
  • He desire his father to cook.   ( True, False)
  • John cried to find the man.    ( True, False)
  • Children wishes to swim.   ( True, False)
  • Her parents go to work.   ( True, False)
  • Kamran visit me every day.   ( True, False)
  • Sun rises from the east.    ( True, False)
  • The teachers plays a broad role in the class.   ( True, False)
  • His mother washe the clothes daily.   ( True, False)
  •  The coachs arranges the players on time.   ( True, False)
  • Animals like to eat.   ( True, False)

The answers are given below in green color, check out and rectify your worksheet.

  • They go to work every day.  ( True, False)
  • They like to see her dance.     ( True, False)
  • He desires his father to cook.   ( True, False)
  • John cried to find the man.    ( True, False)
  • Children wish to swim.   ( True, False)
  • Her parents go to work.   ( True, False)
  • Kamran visits me every day.   ( True, False)
  • Sun rises from the east.    ( True, False)
  • The teachers plays a broad role in the class.   ( True, False)
  • His mother washes the clothes daily.   ( True, False)
  •  The coachs arranges the players on time.   ( True, False)
  • Animals likes to eat.   ( True, False)

MCQ Exercises. Choose the correct option for the given three options.

 

1) They _______ to visit the park every evening.

 

  • likes
  • like
  • liked

2) Kamran ________ have any book to read. Does not

 

  • does not
  • do not
  • do

3) She ________ like to spoil the rule.

 

  • do not
  • does
  • do

4) He ______ to run on the roof.

 

  • love
  • loves
  • loved

5) I ______ have to go to school.

 

  • Does
  • Does not
  • Do

6) ________ she know about the summer?

 

  • Do
  • Does
  • Done

7) ________ his friends know about his health?

 

  • Do
  • Does
  • Do not

8) Donny and shumaila ______ play together.

 

  • don’t
  • doesn’t
  • do

9) My teacher ________ like to be interrupted.

 

  • do not
  • doesn’t
  • does

10) ______ they to come on time?

 

  • do
  • does
  • do not

11) He and his friends ______ to run on the roof.

 

  • love
  • loves
  • loved

12) We ______ have to go to the party.

 

  • Does
  • Does not
  • Do

13) ________ she know about the match?

  • Do
  • Does
  • Done

14) She ______ to run on the roof.

  • want
  • wants
  • wanted

15) I ______ have to go to the meeting.

  • Does not
  • Do
  • Do not

16) All of them _________ every afternoon.

  • swim
  • swims
  • swimming

17) The man __________ money to them.

  • provide
  • provides
  • provided

18) My students’ _________ to relax on my lawn.

  • liked
  • like
  • likes

19) They _________ the nearby ground every Tuesday.

  • visited
  • visit
  • visits

20) My uncle ________ his work.

  • loves
  • love
  • loved

The answers are listed here.

  1. like 2) does not 3) does not. 4) loves 5) do 6) does 7) do 8) do not 9 does not 10) do 11)love 12) do 13 ) does 14) wants 15) do not 16)  swim 17) provides 18) like 19) visit 20) loves

Worksheet Simple Present Tense.

 

simple present tense worksheet

 

Practice these Exercises carefully and write the answers in the comment sections. If you have any questions or suggestions commend me or email me.

  1. Ali ______ historical books. ( reads, read)
  2. She always ________ TV in the evening. ( watch, watches)
  3. He never ________ early. (comes, come)
  4. Ahmad ________like playing football. (do not, does not)
  5. They __________ the students. ( teach, teaches)
  6. I _________ to play football in the morning. (want, wants)
  7. You __________ like to learn English. (do not, does not)
  8. _________you walk at the morning? (do, does)
  9. He never___________ football in the morning. ( plays, played, play)
  10. Does he _________ the movie at night?  ( watches, watch, watching)
  11. She always ________ TV in the evening. (Watch, watches)
  12. I do not ____________ the apple for him. (brings, bringing, bring)
  13. He never ________ early. (Comes, come)
  14. What does he ___________ in the morning? (does do, doing)
  15. Ahmad ________like playing football. (Do not, does not)
  16. She _______________the classes very well. (manage, manages, managing)
  17. They __________ the students. (Teach, teaches, teaching)
  18. We do not ___________the man. (finds, find, finding)
  19. I _________ to play football in the morning. (Want, wants)
  20. She __________the music. (like, likes, liking)
  21. You __________ like to learn English. (Do not, does not)
  22. Do they like to learn English? (does do, don’t)
  23. _________you walk at the morning? (Do, does)
  24. Why do not you ____________the man in the ground? (bring, brings, bringing)
  25. Does she __________ the note on the whiteboard? (reads, read,)
  26. When _________ he watches the movie? (do, does,)
  27. Kamran and John __________want to open the door. (does not, do not)
  28. Does she ___________ the letter? (write, writes, wrote)
  29. When do they _____________ the papers? ( bring, brought, brings)
  30. I never ___________ English in public. (spoke, speak, speaks)

Available on the Pinterest website too.

The simple present tense describes habits, general truths, or actions that occur regularly. For example:
“The sun rises in the east.”
“She studies English every day.”
 
The present simple (or simple present) is a verb tense used to express habitual actions, general truths, and scheduled events. For example, “I work from home” or “Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.”

The structure of the simple present tense depends on the sentence type:

  • Affirmative: Subject + base verb (add -s or -es for third-person singular)
    • Example: “She walks to school.”
  • Negative: Subject + do/does not + base verb
    • Example: “He doesn’t like chocolate.”
  • Question: Do/Does + subject + base verb?
    • Example: “Do you play tennis?”

The Simple Present tense is a verbal tense utilized to convey present actions, including events occurring at the present moment. Moreover, it is used to describe habitual activities, which are actions that individuals undertake regularly as a result of their habits. Additionally, it is employed to describe everyday activities or routine work.

 

This tense is also utilized to express universal facts, which are immutable and cannot be changed by human beings. Finally, the Simple Present tense is used to describe possession and state, which refer to general truths that pertain to things or activities.

Learners often confuse the simple present tense with the present continuous. Remember, the simple present is for habitual actions or general truths, while the present continuously describes actions happening right now (“I am eating breakfast”). Also, be careful not to use the simple present to talk about past or future events unless they are part of a schedule.

Here are 10 examples of sentences in the simple present tense:

  1. He goes to the gym every morning.
  2. They play soccer on weekends.
  3. She teaches mathematics at a university.
  4. The store opens at 9 AM.
  5. We eat dinner at 7 PM.
  6. He drinks coffee every morning.
  7. The bus arrives at 6 PM.
  8. She watches TV in the evening.
  9. They study together every day.
  10. The dog barks when someone knocks on the door