The simple present is used:
- to give opinions - I like ice cream. I don't like spicy food.
- to talk about schedules - The library opens at eight. It doesn't open at 7.
- to talk about daily habits (routine actions)- Sara eats a cheese for breakfast every day. She doesn't eat cereal.
- to give facts - The earth circles the sun. The moon doesn't circle the sun.
The spelling of the third person singular form of the simple present:
All the verbs take an "s" in the simple
present when conjugated in the third person singular (he, she, it) form:
Examples:
- I visit my parents every summer holiday. But my wife visits her parents every weekend.
- My brother meets his girlfriend everyday.
So the rule is:
He / she / it + Verb + S
|
There are however some special cases. Here are the
spelling rules:
Silent e
|
Vowel
+ y
|
Consonant
+ y
|
Verbs
ending ino
|
Verbs ending in s, z, sh, tch,ch
|
close = closes
note = notes |
play = plays
say = says |
study = studies
marry = marries |
go = goes
do = does |
miss = misses
buzz = buzzes hatch = hatches finish = finishes teach = teaches |
Things to remember about the simple present:
1.In the interrogative forms, we use "do" or
"does".
- "Do you like the house?"
- "Does she go to school?"
2; Verbs never take an "s" in the the
negative and interrogative forms.
- "Does he speak German?"
- "Do they play soccer?"
- She doesn't like ice cream.
3. don't is the short form of "do not". You
can say either:
- I do not speak Italian, or
- I don't speak Italian.
4.doesn't is the short form of "does not". you can say
either:
- He does not listen to jazz music, or
- He doesn't listen to jazz music.
FORM
Affirmative:
Subject + verb + complements
Example: I play tennis everyday.
We add letters “s” to the verb with the third person (he, she, it)
Ex: She plays
tennis everyday.
Negative
Subject + don’t or doesn’t + complements
Ex: I don’t play tennis.
She doesn’t play
tennis.
Don’t: I, You, We, They
Doesn’t: He, She, It
Interrogative
Do or Does + Subject + verb + complements
Ex: Do you play tennis? Yes, I
do / No, I don’t.
Does she play tennis? Yes,
she does / No, she doesn’t.
Do: I, You, We, They
Does: He, She, It
Here you have a video explaining the simple present, have a look!!!
Click on the following links to practice:
