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Present Simple

The document explains the use of the present simple tense in English, detailing its application for habits, general truths, and future plans. It outlines the structure for positive, negative, and question forms, including specific rules for third person singular verbs. Additionally, it provides examples and exercises to practice the present simple tense.

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madalena.r.gomess
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14 views

Present Simple

The document explains the use of the present simple tense in English, detailing its application for habits, general truths, and future plans. It outlines the structure for positive, negative, and question forms, including specific rules for third person singular verbs. Additionally, it provides examples and exercises to practice the present simple tense.

Uploaded by

madalena.r.gomess
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PRESENT SIMPLE

WHEN DO WE USE THE PRESENT SIMPLE?


EXAMPLES
WHEN TALKING ABOUT HABITS AND ROUTINES
To talk about actions that happen regularly or I usually go to the gym
repeatedly.

WHEN TALKING ABOUT GENERAL FACTS/


TRUTHS The sun rises at east.
To state facts that are always true. It snows in Serra da Estrela.

WHEN TALKING ABOUT FUTURE


PLANS/SCHEDULES School starts next week.
For fixed plans (like travel schedules, events or The train arrives at 3 p.m.
appointments).

 Expressions used with the present simple: twice a month, on Fridays, often,
sometimes, usually, etc.

HOW DO WE USE THE PRESENT SIMPLE?

POSITIVE NEGATIVE QUESTION

I/ You/ We/ They + base I/ You/ We/ They + do not/ Do + I/ You/ We/ They +
verb don’t + base verb
+ base verb

He/ She/ It + base verb + -s He/ She/ It + does not/ Does + He/ She/ It + base
or -es doesn’t + base verb verb
! IMPORTANT 

 When the verb ends in a consonant + -y, the -y changes to -ies in the third
person singular.

• I try → He tries.
• They study → She studies

However, if the verb ends in a vowel + -y, you just add -s.

• I play → He plays.
• They enjoy → She enjoys.

 For verbs that end in -o, -ch, -sh, -ss, -x, or -z, add -es to the verb in the third
person singular.

• He goes.
• She watches.
• It brushes.

 Some verbs are irregular in the third person singular form.


• I have → He has (not haves).

 The verb to be does not follow the regular rules for the present simple tense and
has its own set of forms: I am, you are, he/she/it is, we/they are.

• I am a student.
• He is happy.
• They are from Portugal.

 Modal verbs (like can, should, must) do not change in the third person singular.
• I can swim. → He can swim. (not he cans swim).
• They should go. → She should go.
EXAMPLE

POSITIVE NEGATIVE QUESTION

I I love cats I don’t love cats Do I love cats?

You You love cats You don’t love cats Do you love cats?

He He loves cats He doesn’t love cats Does he love cats?

She She loves cats She doesn’t love Does she love
cats cats?

It It loves cats It doesn’t love cats Does it love cats?

We We love cats We don’t love cats Do we love cats?

You You love cats You don’t love cats Do you love cats?

They They love cats They don’t love cats Do they love cats?
EXERCISES

1. Fill in the correct form of the verbs in brackets.

1. My sister ____________ (read) a book.


2. Frank ________ (like) dogs.
3. My parents ____________ (do) the shopping.
4. We sometimes ____________ (meet) in front of the cinema.
5. Uncle George ____________ (go) to the doctor's.
6. Our friends ____________ (play) football in the park.
7. She ___________ (go) to the park every Friday.
8. He____________ (ride) his bike every day.
9. We ____________ (have) the best ideas.
10. My uncle _______________ a new laptop every year. (buy)
11. She ___________ (be) the best singer in our class.
12. My sister __________(live) in a big house.
13. The children _________ (eat) hamburgers.
14. Bill __________ (have) got two notebooks.
15. I ____________ (be) at home.

2. Complete the text.

A typical day in Lisa's life


Her mother always __________________ (wake) her up at seven o'clock. She
__________________ (get) up and __________________ (go) to the bathroom. There
she __________________ (wash) and __________________ (brush) her teeth. Then she
__________________ (walk) downstairs and __________________ (have) breakfast.
Then she __________________ (say) goodbye to her parents and
__________________ (leave) the house. She usually __________________ (catch) the
bus to school where she (meet) some friends. After school she
__________________ (do) her homework and __________________ (study) for a test.
Then she __________________ (chat) with her friends, __________________ (read) a
book or __________________ (watch) one of her favourite sitcoms.

3. Write the negative of the following sentences.


1. We have some milk. We ________________ any milk.
2. Mother sews Jenny's jeans. Mother _________________ Jenny's jeans.
3. I hate Maths lessons. I ___________________ Maths lessons.
4. My brother likes eating oranges. My brother ___________________ eating oranges.
5. My parents often watch westerns. My parents
___________________ often westerns.
6. Children like ice cream. Some children ___________________ ice cream.
7. The monkey wants some bananas. The monkey ___________________ some
bananas.
8. They are hungry. They___________________ hungry.
9. We get up early on Sundays. We ___________________ up early on Sundays.
10. Peter is sometimes very tired. Peter ___________________ sometimes very tired.
11. I am a good pupil. I ___________________ a good pupil.
12. School always starts at seven o'clock. School always ___________________ at
seven o'clock.
14. In summer it's sometimes very hot. In summer it
___________________ sometimes very hot.
15. Mum washes all my dirty clothes. Mum ___________________ all my dirty
clothes.
16. Peter has got a brother. Peter ___________________ a brother.
17. The frog is under the caravan. The frog ___________________ under the caravan.
18. They are cool. They ___________________ cool.
19. Dad buys a new car. Dad ___________________ a new car.
20. The boys play football. The boys ___________________ football.
4. Form questions in the present simple with the words given.

What / you / have / for breakfast - ?

____________________________________________________________________

When / he / come / home on Fridays - ?

_____________________________________________________________________
How often / she / go out / with her friends - ?

_____________________________________________________________________
Your brother / live / in England - ?

_____________________________________________________________________
The kids / like / their new English teacher - ?

_____________________________________________________________________

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