Simple present tense is one of the commonly used verb tense in English.
What is simple present tense?
Simple present tense is a verb tense that indicates an action that is happening regularly, truths, or habits. The main characteristic of simple present tense is using the root form of the verb. For the 3rd singular person – he, she, it – add the ‘-s’ or ‘-es’.
When should we use simple present tense?
We use simple present tense for the following conditions:
- To express habitual actions or repeated actions.
- To show general truths or scientific facts.
- To give directions or instructions.
- To state thoughts or opinions or feelings.
Note: We do not use simple present tense to indicate an action that is happening right now. We use the present continuous tense instead.
How to form a simple present tense sentence?
Positive Sentences
All, except for he, she, it: Subject + Verb 1
He, she, it: Subject + Verb 1 (-s/-es)
Negative Sentences
All, except for he, she, it: Subject + Do + Not + Verb 1
He, she, it: Subject + Does + Not + Verb 1
Questions
All, except for he, she, it: Do + Subject + Verb 1 + ?
He, she, it: Does + Subject + Verb 1 + ?
Note: Verb 1 or infinitive form is a verb that uses the root form of the verb.
What is the general rule for the verbs?
Almost Every Verb
Add ‘–s’ at the end of the base form.
| I come |
| You come |
| We come |
| They come |
| He comes |
| She comes |
| It comes |
Ending in ‘Consonant + Y’
Substitute ‘–y’ to ‘-ies’.
| I try |
| You try |
| We try |
| They try |
| He tries |
| She tries |
| It tries |
Ending in s, z, ch, sh, x
Add ‘-es’ at the end of the base form.
| I miss | I fizz | I catch | I brush | I fix |
| You miss | You fizz | You catch | You brush | You fix |
| We miss | We fizz | We catch | We brush | We fix |
| They miss | They fizz | They catch | They brush | They fix |
| He misses | He fizzes | He catches | He brushes | He fixes |
| She misses | She fizzes | She catches | She brushes | She fixes |
| It misses | It fizzes | It catches | It brushes | It fixes |
Exceptions
For the verb ‘do’ and ‘go’, add ‘-es’ at the end.
| I do | I go |
| You do | You go |
| We do | We go |
| They do | They go |
| He does | He goes |
| She does | She goes |
| It does | It goes |
Examples
| Positive Sentences | Negative Sentences | Questions |
| I come to Bali every month. | I do not come to Bali every month. | Do you come to Bali every month?* |
| They come to Bali every month. | They do not come to Bali every month. | Do they come to Bali every month? |
| He comes to Bali every month. | He does not come to Bali every month. | Does he come to Bali every month? |
| Positive Sentences | Negative Sentences | Questions |
| I catch fishes every morning. | I do not catch fishes every morning. | Do you catch fishes every morning?* |
| They catch fishes every morning. | They do not catch fishes every morning. | Do they catch fishes every morning? |
| He catches fishes every morning. | He does not catch fishes every morning. | Does he catch fishes every morning? |
| Positive Sentences | Negative Sentences | Questions |
| I brush teeth twice a day. | I do not brush teeth twice a day. | Do you brush teeth twice a day?* |
| They brush teeth twice a day. | They do not brush teeth twice a day. | Do they brush teeth twice a day? |
| He brushes teeth twice a day. | He does not brush teeth twice a day. | Does he brush teeth twice a day? |
Are there any special rules for a certain verb?
Yes, there are. For the verb ‘to be’, use the following rules:
Positive Sentences
I: Subject + Am + …
You, we, they: Subject + Are + …
He, she, it: Subject + Is + …
Negative Sentences
I: Subject + Am + Not + …
You, we, they: Subject + Are + Not + …
He, she, it: Subject + Is + Not + …
Questions
I: Am + Subject + … + ?
You, we, they: Are + Subject + … + ?
He, she, it: Is + Subject + … + ?
Note: ‘…’ can be substituted with nouns, adjectives, or other part of speech.
Examples
| Positive Sentences | Negative Sentences | Questions |
| I am happy. | I am not happy. | Are you happy?* |
| They are happy. | They are not happy. | Are they happy? |
| He is happy. | He is not happy. | Is he happy? |
| Positive Sentences | Negative Sentences | Questions |
| I am a teacher. | I am not a teacher. | Are you a teacher?* |
| They are teachers. | They are not teachers. | Are they teachers? |
| He is a teacher. | He is not a teacher. | Is he a teacher? |
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