Present Simple
Table of Contents
- Present Simple - Exercises and Quiz
- When Do We Use the Present Simple Tense?
- How to Form the Present Simple Tense
- Present Simple with He / She / It
- Negative Sentences in the Present Simple
- Questions in the Present Simple
- Common Time Expressions with Present Simple
- Common Errors and How to Fix Them
- Everyday Use of the Present Simple
- FAQ
Present Simple - Exercises and Quiz
These exercises focus on Present Simple
When Do We Use the Present Simple Tense?
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For actions that happen regularly (every day, often, always, sometimes).
Example: I go to school every day.
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For facts or general truths.
Example: The sun rises in the east.
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For habits or routines.
Example: She drinks coffee every morning.
How to Form the Present Simple Tense
The Present Simple has two forms:
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For most subjects (I, you, we, they), the verb stays in its base form.
Example: I play soccer.
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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:
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Add -s for most verbs: read → reads.
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Add -es for verbs ending in -sh, -ch, -ss, -x, -o: watch → watches.
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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.
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For I, you, we, they, use do not (don't).
Example: I don’t like carrots.
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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.
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For I, you, we, they, use do.
Example: Do you like pizza?
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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:
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Yes, I do / No, I don’t.
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Yes, she does / No, she doesn’t.
Common Time Expressions with Present Simple
We often use the present simple with time expressions like:
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Every day: I go to school every day.
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Often: She often plays tennis.
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Always: He always eats breakfast.
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Sometimes: They sometimes watch TV.
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Never: We never drink coffee.
Common Errors and How to Fix Them
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Forgetting the -s with he/she/it:
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Incorrect: He play soccer.
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Correct: He plays soccer.
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Using "do" or "does" in positive sentences:
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Incorrect: He does plays soccer.
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Correct: He plays soccer.
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Mixing up "do" and "does" in questions:
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Incorrect: Do she like ice cream?
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Correct: Does she like ice cream?
Everyday Use of the Present Simple
You use the present simple every day to talk about:
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Routines: I brush my teeth every morning.
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Facts: Water boils at 100°C.
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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."