Present Simple Tense: How to Use It, With Examples

The present simple tense is a verb tense that is used to talk about actions or states that are habitual, repeated, or always true. It is one of the most commonly used verb tenses in English. The structure of a present simple sentence is:
Subject + base form of the verb
Let's take a look at some examples to understand this better:
Example 1:I wake up at 6 am every day.This sentence expresses a habitual action. It means that the speaker wakes up at 6 am every day.
Example 2:She works as a teacher.This sentence expresses a present state. It means that the person is currently working as a teacher.
Example 3:He drinks coffee every morning.This sentence expresses a habitual action. It means that the person drinks coffee every morning.
Example 4:The sun rises in the east.This sentence expresses a fact that is always true. It means that the sun always rises in the east.
Example 5:I like to read books.This sentence expresses a habitual action. It means that the speaker likes to read books regularly.

How to form the simple present?

Let's take a look how we form simple present.
Step 1: Identify the base form of the verb
The base form of the verb is the infinitive form without "to" (e.g., play, eat, work). It is the form of the verb that is used to form the simple present tense.
Example: John plays tennis every day.
Step 2: Add "-s" or "-es" to the verb
To form the simple present tense, we need to add "-s" or "-es" to the base form of the verb, depending on the subject of the sentence. We add "-s" to the verb when the subject is a singular third-person pronoun (he, she, it) and "-es" when the verb ends in "s," "sh," "ch," "x," or "o."
Examples:● John plays tennis every day. (singular third-person subject "John")● She eats breakfast at 7 am. (singular third-person subject "she")● The dog barks at the mailman. (verb "bark" ends in "k," so we add "-s")● He washes the dishes after dinner. (verb "wash" ends in "sh," so we add "-es")● The bus passes by my house every morning. (verb "pass" ends in "s," so we add "-es")
Step 3: Irregular verbs
Not all verbs follow the same rules when forming the simple present tense. Some verbs have irregular forms that must be memorized. For example:
I have breakfast at 8 am. (verb "have" does not follow the "-s" or "-es" rule)They go to the movies every Friday. (verb "go" has the same form for all subjects)

How to make the simple present negative?

To make the simple present negative, we need to add the word "not" after the auxiliary verb "do."
Step 1: Identify the auxiliary verb "do"
The auxiliary verb "do" is used to form questions, negatives, and emphasis in the simple present tense. It is important to identify this verb in a sentence to make the negative correctly.
Example: John plays tennis every day.
Step 2: Add "do not" or "does not"
To make the simple present negative, we need to add "do not" or "does not" after the auxiliary verb "do." The word "not" negates the verb in the sentence.
Examples: ● John does not play tennis every day.● They do not eat meat.● She does not work on Sundays.
Step 3: Contracting "do not" or "does not"
It is common to contract "do not" to "don't" and "does not" to "doesn't" in spoken English. This is not necessary, but it can make the sentence sound more natural.
Examples: ● John doesn't play tennis every day.● They don't eat meat.● She doesn't work on Sundays.
Step 4: Using negative adverbs
Negative adverbs can also be used to make the simple present negative. Some common negative adverbs include "never," "rarely," "hardly ever," and "not often." These adverbs are placed before the main verb in the sentence.
Examples: ● John never plays tennis.● They rarely eat meat.● She hardly ever works on Sundays.
Making the simple present negative in English is a straightforward process that requires adding the word "not" after the auxiliary verb "do." Remember to identify the auxiliary verb and contract "do not" or "does not" if necessary. You can also use negative adverbs to add emphasis to the negative.

How to ask a question?

Step 1: Identify the auxiliary verb
To form questions in the simple present tense, we need to use the auxiliary verb "do" or "does." We use "do" for first-person and second-person subjects (I, you, we, they), and "does" for third-person singular subjects (he, she, it).
Examples:● Do you like pizza? (first-person subject "you")● Does she play tennis? (third-person singular subject "she")● Do they have a car? (third-person plural subject "they")
Step 2: Invert the subject and auxiliary verb
To form a question, we invert the subject and auxiliary verb. The subject comes after the auxiliary verb in a question.
Examples:● You like pizza. (statement)● Do you like pizza? (question)● She plays tennis. (statement)● Does she play tennis? (question)● They have a car. (statement)● Do they have a car? (question)
Step 3: Answering questions
When answering a question in the simple present tense, we use the auxiliary verb and the base form of the verb.
Examples:● Do you like pizza? - Yes, I do. / No, I don't.● Does she play tennis? - Yes, she does. / No, she doesn't.● Do they have a car? - Yes, they do. / No, they don't.
Step 4: Tag questions
A tag question is a short question added to the end of a statement to confirm or seek agreement. In the simple present tense, we use the auxiliary verb and the subject pronoun.
Examples:● You like pizza, don't you? (tag question with the first-person subject "you" and the auxiliary verb "do")● She plays tennis, doesn't she? (tag question with the third-person singular subject "she" and the auxiliary verb "does")● They have a car, don't they? (tag question with the third-person plural subject "they" and the auxiliary verb "do")

Common verbs in the simple present

1. to be: The verb "to be" is used to describe a state or condition, and it is often used in the simple present tense to describe a permanent state or condition.Example: She is a doctor.
2. to have: The verb "to have" is used to indicate possession or ownership, and it is often used in the simple present tense to describe something that someone has or possesses.Example: He has a car.
3. to do: The verb "to do" is used to indicate an action or an activity, and it is often used in the simple present tense to describe routine activities.Example: I do my homework every day.
4. to go: The verb "to go" is used to indicate movement from one place to another, and it is often used in the simple present tense to describe regular movements.Example: They go to the gym every morning.
5. to come: The verb "to come" is used to indicate movement towards a person or a place, and it is often used in the simple present tense to describe regular movements.Example: She comes to work early every day.
6. to like: The verb "to like" is used to indicate preference or enjoyment, and it is often used in the simple present tense to describe someone's preferences or likes.Example: He likes to play soccer.
7. to love: The verb "to love" is used to indicate strong affection or attachment, and it is often used in the simple present tense to describe someone's feelings towards another person or thing.Example: She loves to read books.
8. to hate: The verb "to hate" is used to indicate strong dislike or aversion, and it is often used in the simple present tense to describe someone's feelings towards another person or thing.Example: He hates to do housework.
9. to want: The verb "to want" is used to indicate desire or a wish, and it is often used in the simple present tense to describe someone's desires or wishes.Example: She wants to travel the world.
10. to need: The verb "to need" is used to indicate a requirement or necessity, and it is often used in the simple present tense to describe something that someone needs.Example: He needs to finish his work on time.

The verb to be in the simple present

The verb "to be" is one of the most important verbs in English and is used to describe a state of being or existence. In the simple present tense, "to be" is conjugated differently depending on the subject of the sentence. In this article, we will discuss how to use the verb "to be" in the simple present tense.
Positive form:
The positive form of the verb "to be" in the simple present tense is as follows:● I am● You are● He/She/It is● We are● They are
Examples:● I am a teacher.● You are my friend.● He is a doctor.● She is at the park.● It is a beautiful day.● We are students.● They are happy.
Negative form:
The negative form of the verb "to be" in the simple present tense is formed by adding "not" after the verb "to be". The contraction "isn't" or "aren't" can be used instead of "is not" or "are not".
● I am not● You are not / You aren't● He/She/It is not / He/She/It isn't● We are not / We aren't● They are not / They aren't
Examples:● I am not a doctor.● You are not my teacher. / You aren't my teacher.● He is not at home. / He isn't at home.● She is not happy.● It is not raining.● We are not hungry. / We aren't hungry.● They are not tired. / They aren't tired.
Interrogative form:
To form a question in the simple present tense with "to be", invert the subject and the verb "to be". "Am" is used instead of "is" or "are" in questions with "I".
● Am I?● Are you?● Is he/she/it?● Are we?● Are they?
Examples:● Am I late?● Are you coming to the party?● Is he a good singer?● Are we ready to go?● Are they from Canada?

Present Simple Examples

Here's a simple story that uses the present simple tense:
Tom wakes up early every morning. He gets out of bed, stretches, and puts on his running shoes. Then he goes for a run around his neighborhood.
Tom likes to listen to music while he runs. He usually listens to upbeat pop songs that give him energy. Sometimes he sings along, but only when there's nobody else around.
After his run, Tom takes a shower and gets dressed for work. He works at a software company where he writes code all day. He enjoys his job because he loves solving problems and creating new things.
In the evenings, Tom likes to relax at home. He usually watches TV or reads a book. He also enjoys cooking, and he often makes dinner for himself and his girlfriend, Sarah.
In this story, the present simple tense is used to describe things that happen regularly or habitually. For example:
Tom wakes up early every morning.He gets out of bed, stretches, and puts on his running shoes.Then he goes for a run around his neighborhood.Tom likes to listen to music while he runs.He usually listens to upbeat pop songs that give him energy.After his run, Tom takes a shower and gets dressed for work.He works at a software company where he writes code all day.In the evenings, Tom likes to relax at home.He usually watches TV or reads a book.He also enjoys cooking, and he often makes dinner for himself and his girlfriend, Sarah.
Note that in each of these sentences, the verb is in the present simple tense. This is because these actions happen regularly or habitually, rather than being a one-time event in the past or future.