Simple Present - Use

The Simple Present is frequently used in English. It is also called Present Simple. Have a
look at the following examples
1) repeated actions !every day" always" often" sometimes or never#
$y friend often draws nice posters.
I never drink milk.
2) things in general
The sun rises in the East.
3) fixed arrangements, scheduled events (e.g. timetable)
The plane flies to %ondon every $onday.
4) seuence of actions in the present (first ! then, after that)
&irst I get up" then I have 'reakfast.
") instructions
#pen your 'ooks at page ().
$) with special verbs ! which are normally not used with the Present Progressive !These
ver's express states" possessions" feelings etc.#
'e" 'elieve" 'elong" hate" hear" like" love" mean" prefer" remain" reali*e" see" seem" smell"
think" understand" want" wish
I understand English.
He doesn%t like fish.
Simple Present - Signal words
These words tell you what tense you have to use. For the Simple Present these are adverbs of
frequency:
always
often
usually
sometimes
seldom
never
Other phrases of time can occur, like:
every day
every week
every year
on Mondays
after school
Form of the Simple Present
e use the infinitive of the verb. !n the "rd person Sin#ular $he, she, it % or a name& we put an
%s to the end of the infinitive.
infinitive % "rd person Sin#ular $he, she, it& infinitive ' -s
Affirmative sentences:
!(we(you(they play football.
)e(she(it plays football.
NOTE: he, she, it % *o not for#et the %s.
Negative sentences:
e use the au+iliary do.
!(we(you(they do not play football.
)e(she(it does not play football.
NOTE: e often use short forms in ne#ative sentences in the Simple Present:
!(we(you(they don't play football.
)e(she(it doesn't play football.
Questions:
Do !(we(you(they play football,
Does he(she(it play football,
Simple Present - Spelling
-e careful with some words when usin# the "rd person sin#ular.
1 ver!s endin" in a si!ilant [s] [z] [] [] [] [] or ver!s endin" in -o preceded !y a
consonant
e add %es to the infinitive.
.+amples:
! watch % he watches
! pass % he passes
! #o % he #oes
! do % he does
# ver!s endin" in -y
verbs ending in 'y' preceded by a vowel a! e! i! o! u": /dd %s.
.+ample:
! play % he plays
verbs ending in 'y' preceded by a consonant: 0han#e 1y1 to 1i1 and add 1es1.
.+ample:
! hurry % he hurries
Present Progressive#$ontinuous - %se
The Present Pro#ressive is used when we talk about somethin# which is happenin# now. !t is
also called Present 0ontinuous. )ave a look at the followin# e+amples:
1 actions happenin" at the moment of speakin" $now, at the moment&
Peter is readin" a book now.
She$s listenin" to the radio.
# fi%ed plan in the near future
She is "oin" to -asel on Saturday.
& temporary actions
)is father is workin" in 2ome this month.
Note:
e do use verbs which e+press states and are normally not used with the Present Pro#ressive.
atch the difference in meanin#.
They love bein# to#ether. (They are not together now.)
They are lovin" bein# to#ether. (They are together now.)
' actions happenin" around the moment of speakin" (lon"er actions
3y friend is preparin" for his e+ams.
) trends
3ore and more people are usin" their computers to listen to music.
* repeated actions which are irritatin" to the speaker $with always, constantly, forever&
/ndrew is always comin" late. (I don't like it.)
+imple ,resent:
/ndrew always comes late. (Here I don't give a comment.)
Present Progressive - Signal words
Si#nal words tell you what tense you have to use. !n the Present Pro#ressive these words are
used in situations which happen at the time of speakin#.
now
at the moment
-ook.
-isten.
Form of the Present Progressive#$ontinuous
e use a form of to be $am, are or is&, the infinitive of the verb and the endin# 4in#.
to !e (am/ are/ is ' infinitive ' -in"
Affirmative sentences:
! am playin" volleyball.
)e(she(it is playin" volleyball.
e(you(they are playin" volleyball.
NOTE: 5se am with 0 % is with he, she, it % and with all other pronouns are.
e often use short forms in affirmative sentences in the Present Pro#ressive.
Negative sentences:
! am not playin" volleyball.
)e(she(it is not playin" volleyball.
e(you(they are not playin" volleyball.
NOTE: e often use short forms in ne#ative sentences in the Present Pro#ressive.
Questions:
!n the Present Pro#ressive we put the au+iliary $am, are or is& before the sub6ect
$/u+iliary % Sub6ect % 7erb % 2est&. see: 8uestions in Present Pro#ressive
1m ! playin" volleyball,
0s he(she(it playin" volleyball,
1re we(you(they playin" volleyball,
Present Progressive - Spelling
-e careful with some words when addin# %in# to the infinitive.
1 consonant after a short/ stressed vowel at the end of the word
&ouble the consonant'
sit 4 he is sittin"
put % he is puttin"
!f the consonant is not stressed, we do not double it:
benefit % benefitin" $)ere we stress the first 1e1, not the 1i1.&
!n -ritish .n#lish we double one %l at the end of the word:
travel % travellin"
# one -e at the end of the word
(eave out the -e'
write 4 he is writin"
take 4 he is takin"
23T:
double 4e: add %in#
see 4 he is seein"
& ver!s endin" in -ie
$hange 'ie' to 'y''
lie % he is lyin"
' ver!s endin" in -c
$hange 'c' to 'c)''
picnic % he is picnickin"
Simple Past - %se
The Simple Past is used to talk about actions or situations in the past. !t is also called Past
Simple.
)ave a look at the followin# e+amples:
1 action finished in the past (sin"le or repeated
! visited -erlin last week.
/ndrew watched T7 yesterday.
# series of completed actions in the past
First ! "ot up, then ! had breakfast.
& to"ether with the ,ast ,ro"ressive45ontinuous - The +imple ,ast interrupted an
action which was in pro"ress in the past6
They were playin" cards when the telephone ran".
9st action: Past Pro#ressive were playin"
:nd action: Simple Past ran"
Simple Past - Signal words
These words tell you what tense you have to use. For the Simple Past these are e+pressions of
time in the past.
yesterday
last week
a month a"o
in #77#
Form of the Simple Past
Form the Simple Past:
% with re#ular verbs: infinitive ' -ed
% with irre#ular verbs: #nd column of the table of the irre#ular verbs
Affirmative sentences:
5se the same form of the verb every time re#ardless the sub6ect.
re"ular ver!s irre"ular ver!s
! played football. ! went to the supermarket.
Negative sentences:
5se the au+iliary did $Simple Past of do& every time re#ardless the sub6ect.
re"ular ver!s irre"ular ver!s
! did not play football. ! did not "o to the supermarket.
NOTE: Short forms in ne#ative sentences in the Simple Past are used quite often.
re"ular ver!s irre"ular ver!s
! didn't play football. ! didn't "o to the supermarket.
Questions:
5se the au+iliary did $Simple Past of do& every time re#ardless the sub6ect.
re"ular ver!s irre"ular ver!s
Did you play football, Did ! "o to the supermarket,
Simple Past - Spelling
;ou have to know all forms of the irre#ular verbs very well. For the Simple Past you need the
form of the verb which can be found in the :nd column of the table of the irre#ular verbs.
#o % went % #one
/dd %ed with re#ular verbs.
re"ular ver!s
infinitive ' %ed
Sometimes the are e+ceptions in spellin# when addin# %ed.
1 consonant after short/ stressed vowel at the end of the word
&ouble the consonant'
stop 4 stopped
swap % swapped
!f the consonant is not stressed, we do not double it:
benefit % benefited $)ere we stress the first 1e1, not the 1i1.& !n -ritish .n#lish we double one %l at
the end of the word:
travel % travelled
# one -e at the end of the word
Add only -d'
love 4 loved
save 4 saved
& ver!s endin" in -y
verbs ending in 'y' preceded by a vowel a! e! i! o! u": /dd %ed.
.+ample:
! play % he played
verbs ending in 'y' preceded by a consonant: 0han#e 1y1 to 1i1 Then add %ed.
.+ample:
! hurry % he hurried
irre"ular ver!s
#nd column of the table of the irre#ular verbs