Simple Present Tense: Use, Form, Negative, Question

A summary of the simple present tense in English language 

1. Use: 

the simple present is used to talk about truths, general facts and routines. Some students mix between this tense and the present continuous. However, the simple present can not be used to describe actions that are happening at the time of speaking. 

2. Form:

Subject + base form(s, es) + complement 

The subject can be either a first person like ( I, you, we, they) or any plural noun, or a third person such as ( he, she, it) or any singular noun. 

However, if the subject is a third person singular, then we should add (s or es) to the main verb. So, when do we add s or es? We add es when the verb ends in one of these sounds ( Sh, ch, x, o, z, s, ss). We add only s with the other sounds. Furthermore, if the verb ends with ( y ) and before y a constant sound, then we omit the y and add ( ies ) with the third person singular. 

3. Examples: 

I get at 6:30 every morning. 

They go shopping every Friday. 

Tom and Sam always play soccer. 

Sarah gets up at 7:30 in the morning. 

She makes breakfast everyday. 

Her mother always washes the dishes. 

John studies English in the afternoon. 

Her baby cries everyday. 

4. Key Words: 

always, often, usually, sometimes 

Every day

Every week 

Every month 

Every year 

Every............ 

5. Negative: 

To make any sentence in the simple present negative in two ways. 

A.  first person plural subject: we add ( don't ) before the verb. For example, 

I don't get up at 6:30 in the morning. 

They don't go shopping every Friday. 

Tom and Sam don't play soccer everyday. 

B. third person singular: We add  ( does ) before the verb and omit ( s or es ). For example, 

Sarah doesn't get up at 7:30. 

She doesn't make breakfast everyday. 

Her baby doesn't cry everyday. 

6. Question: 

A. Yes/No questions: 

We add ( do ) before the first person plural subject. For example, 

Do you get up at 6:30 in the morning? 

Do they go shopping every Friday? 

If the subject is a third person singular, then we add ( does ) in the beginning and omit ( s or es ) from the verb. Examples,

Does Sarah get up at 7:30? 

Does she make breakfast? 

Does her mother wash the dishes? 

B. Wh-questions: 

What time do you get up? 

What time does Sarah get up? 

What does her mother do everyday? 

When does she go shopping?