What is the Present Simple?

The Present Simple is a verb tense in English. We use it to talk about actions or situations that are always true, happen regularly, or are part of a schedule.

Think of it as the “everyday” tense. It helps us describe the world around us and our daily lives.

When do we use the Present Simple?

We use the Present Simple for several main situations:

• Habits and Routines: Actions you do regularly, every day, week, or year.
  • I wake up at 7 AM every day.
  • She drinks tea in the morning.
  • They play football on Saturdays.
• Facts and General Truths: Things that are always true.
  • Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
  • Cats eat fish.
  • The Earth goes around the Sun.
• Schedules and Timetables: Fixed events like train times or cinema showings.
  • The train leaves at 8:30 AM.
  • The movie starts at 7 PM.

How do we form the Present Simple?

The form of the Present Simple changes slightly depending on the subject of the sentence.

Affirmative Sentences:

• For I, you, we, they, use the base form of the verb.
  • I work.
  • You study.
  • We live in Madrid.
  • They speak English.
• For he, she, it, add -s or -es to the base form.
  • He works.
  • She studies. (Note: study → studies)
  • It rains a lot here.

Negative Sentences:

We use do not (or don’t) and does not (or doesn’t) before the base form of the verb.

• For I, you, we, they, use do not / don’t.
  • I do not like coffee. (or I don’t like coffee.)
  • They do not live here. (or They don’t live here.)
• For he, she, it, use does not / doesn’t.
  • He does not play tennis. (or He doesn’t play tennis.)
  • She does not understand. (or She doesn’t understand.)

Questions:

We use Do or Does at the beginning of the question, followed by the subject and the base form of the verb.

• For I, you, we, they, use Do.
  • Do you like pizza?
  • Do they speak Spanish?
• For he, she, it, use Does.
  • Does he work here?
  • Does she live in London?

Examples

• I usually walk to school.
• She watches TV every evening.
• We don’t eat meat.
• Does your brother play football?
• The museum opens at 9 AM.
• Birds fly.

Practice

Common mistakes for Spanish speakers

Spanish speakers sometimes make these mistakes with the Present Simple:

• Forgetting the -s for he/she/it:
  • Incorrect: He live in Paris.
  • Correct: He lives in Paris.
• Using do/does with the verb to be:
  • Incorrect: Do you are happy?
  • Correct: Are you happy?
• Using do/does with the -s form of the main verb in questions/negatives:
  • Incorrect: Does she likes coffee?
  • Correct: Does she like coffee? (The -s is on does, not like)

Frequently asked questions

What is the main use of the Present Simple?

The main use is for habits, routines, and facts that are generally true. For example, I drink water every day.

When do I add -s to the verb?

You add -s (or -es) to the verb when the subject is he, she, or it. For example, She works, He eats.

How do I make a question in the Present Simple?

You start with Do or Does, then the subject, and then the base form of the verb. For example, Do you like pizza? or Does he speak English?

Is the Present Simple important for the A2 Key (KET) exam?

Yes, the Present Simple is very important for the A2 Key exam. You will need to use it correctly in speaking, writing, and reading tasks, especially when talking about daily life, hobbies, and personal information.

Related lessons

• Present simple