Present Simple

The Present Simple Tense is one of the most basic and important tenses in English. We use it to talk about things that happen regularly or facts that are always true.

Present Simple - Exercises and Quiz

These exercises focus on Present Simple

When Do We Use the Present Simple Tense?

For actions that happen regularly (every day, often, always, sometimes).

Example: I go to school every day.

For facts or general truths.

Example: The sun rises in the east.

For habits or routines.

Example: She drinks coffee every morning.

How to Form the Present Simple Tense

The Present Simple has two forms:

For most subjects (I, you, we, they), the verb stays in its base form.

Example: I play soccer.

For he, she, it, we add -s or -es to the verb.

Example: He plays soccer.

Subject Pronoun	Verb Example: "to play"
I	play
You	play
We	play
They	play
He	plays
She	plays
It	plays

Present Simple with He / She / It

When the subject is he, she, or it, you need to add -s or -es to the verb. Here's how to do it:

Verb Base Form	He / She / It Form
run	runs
eat	eats
go	goes
watch	watches
study	studies

Spelling Rules:

Add -s for most verbs: read → reads.
Add -es for verbs ending in -sh, -ch, -ss, -x, -o: watch → watches.
If the verb ends in a consonant + y, change y to i and add -es: study → studies.

Negative Sentences in the Present Simple

To make a negative sentence in the present simple, use do not (don’t) or does not (doesn’t) before the verb.

For I, you, we, they, use do not (don't).

Example: I don’t like carrots.

For he, she, it, use does not (doesn’t).

Example: She doesn’t play tennis.

Subject	Positive Sentence	Negative Sentence
I	I like pizza.	I don’t like pizza.
He	He plays soccer.	He doesn’t play soccer.
They	They watch TV.	They don’t watch TV.
She	She goes to school.	She doesn’t go to school.

Questions in the Present Simple

To ask a question in the present simple, use do or does at the beginning of the sentence.

For I, you, we, they, use do.

Example: Do you like pizza?

For he, she, it, use does.

Example: Does he play soccer?

Subject	Positive Sentence	Question
I	I like ice cream.	Do I like ice cream?
You	You play football.	Do you play football?
She	She eats breakfast.	Does she eat breakfast?
They	They watch movies.	Do they watch movies?

Answering Questions:

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

Common Time Expressions with Present Simple

We often use the present simple with time expressions like:

Every day: I go to school every day.
Often: She often plays tennis.
Always: He always eats breakfast.
Sometimes: They sometimes watch TV.
Never: We never drink coffee.

Common Errors and How to Fix Them

Forgetting the -s with he/she/it:

Incorrect: He play soccer.
Correct: He plays soccer.

Using "do" or "does" in positive sentences:

Incorrect: He does plays soccer.
Correct: He plays soccer.

Mixing up "do" and "does" in questions:

Incorrect: Do she like ice cream?
Correct: Does she like ice cream?

Everyday Use of the Present Simple

You use the present simple every day to talk about:

Routines: I brush my teeth every morning.
Facts: Water boils at 100°C.
Likes/Dislikes: She likes chocolate.

FAQ

When do I use the present simple?

Use the present simple for things that happen regularly, facts, and habits. For example: "I go to school every day."

How do I form a negative sentence?

Use don’t or doesn’t + the verb. For example: "I don’t like coffee" or "She doesn’t like coffee."

How do I ask a question?

Use do or does + the subject + the verb. For example: "Do you like pizza?" or "Does he play tennis?"

What is the rule for "he", "she", and "it"?

For he, she, and it, you must add -s or -es to the verb. For example: "He plays football."

How can I practice the present simple?

Talk about your daily routine! For example, "I wake up at 7 AM. I eat breakfast. I go to school."