PRESENT SIMPLE The simple present tense in English is used to describe an action that is regular, true or normal.

We use the present tense: 1. For repeated or regular actions in the present time period. I take the train to the office. The train to Berlin leaves every hour. John sleeps eight hours every night during the wee . . For !acts. The !resident of The "#$ lives in The White %ouse. $ dog has four legs. We come from #wit&erland. ". For ha#its. I get up early every day. 'arol #rushes her teeth twice a day. They travel to their country house every wee end. $. For things that are al%a&s ' generall& true. It rains a lot in winter. The (ueen of England lives in Buc ingham !alace. They speak English at wor .

(er# )on*ugation + Spelling

We form the present tense using the base form of the infinitive )without the T*+. In general, in the third person we add ,S, in the third person. Su#*ect (er# The Rest o! the sentence I - you - we - they spea - learn English at home he - she - it spea s - learns English at home The spelling for the verb in the third person differs depending on the ending of that verb: .. /or verbs that end in ,-. ,)/. ,S/. ,SS. ,0. or ,1 we add ,ES in the third person. go 0 goes catch 0 catches wash 0 washes iss 0 isses fi1 0 fi1es bu&& 0 bu&&es

2. /or verbs that end in a consonant 2 3, we remove the 3 and add ,IES. marry 0 marries study 0 studies

 carry 0 carries worry 0 worries 3*TE: /or verbs that end in a vo%el 2 3, we 4ust add ,S. play 0 plays en4oy 0 en4oys say 0 says

Negative Sentences in the Simple Present Tense

To ma e a negative sentence in English we normally use 5on,t or 5oesn,t with all verbs E6'E!T To 4e and Modal ver#s )can, might, should etc.+. $ffirmative: 7ou spea /rench. 3egative: 7ou don5t spea /rench. 7ou will see that we add don5t between the sub4ect and the verb. We use 6on5t when the sub4ect is I, &ou, %e or the&. $ffirmative: %e spea s 8erman. 3egative: %e doesn5t spea 8erman. When the sub4ect is he, she or it, we add doesn5t between the sub4ect and the verb to ma e a negative sentence. 3otice that the letter S at the end of the verb in the affirmative sentence )because it is in third person+ disappears in the negative sentence. We will see the reason why below.

7ord -rder o! Negative Sentences

The following is the word order to construct a basic negative sentence in English in the !resent Tense using 6on5t or 6oesn5t. Su#*ect don5t'doesn5t (er#8 The Rest o! the sentence I - you - we - they don,t have - buy cereal for brea fast eat - li e etc. he - she - it doesn,t

9uestions in the Simple Present Tense

To ma e a 9uestion in English we normally use 5o or 5oes. It has no translation in #panish though it is essential to show we are ma ing a 9uestion. It is normally put at the beginning of the 9uestion. $ffirmative: 7ou spea English. (uestion: 6o you spea English: 7ou will see that we add 6- at the beginning of the affirmative sentence to ma e it a 9uestion. We use 6o when the sub4ect is I, &ou, %e or the&. $ffirmative: %e spea s /rench. (uestion: 6oes he spea /rench: When the sub4ect is he, she or it, we add 6-ES at the beginning to ma e the affirmative sentence a 9uestion. 3otice that the letter S at the end of the verb in the affirmative sentence )because it is in third person+ disappears in the 9uestion. We will see the reason why below.

We 6-N5T use 6o or 6oes in 9uestions that have the verb To 4e or Modal (er#s )can, must, might, should etc.+

7ord -rder o! 9uestions %ith 6o and 6oes

The following is the word order to construct a basic 9uestion in English using 6o or 6oes. 6o'6oes Su#*ect (er#8 The Rest o! the sentence 5o I - you - we - they have - need a new bi e: want etc. 5oes he - she - it

Short :ns%ers %ith 6o and 6oes

In 9uestions that use do-does it is possible to give short answers to direct 9uestions as follows: Short :ns%er Short :ns%er ;:!!irmative< ;Negative< 5o you li e chocolate: 7es, I do. 3o, I don,t. 5o I need a pencil: 7es, you do. 3o, you don,t. 5o you both li e chocolate: 7es, we do. 3o, we don,t. 5o they li e chocolate: 7es, they do. 3o, they don,t. 5oes he li e chocolate: 7es, he does. 3o, he doesn,t. 5oes she li e chocolate: 7es, she does. 3o, she doesn,t. 5oes it have four wheels: 7es, it does. 3o, it doesn,t. %owever, if a 9uestion word such as %ho, %hen, %here, %h&, %hich or ho% is used in the 9uestion, you can not use the short answers above to respond to the 9uestion. Sample 9uestions