Present Simple

Third person singular

1. Forming the simple present tense
There are only two basic forms for the simple present tense; one
ends with -s and the other doesn't. Here are the rules, using the
example verb "sing":
Subject Verb Form Example

I simple form I sing

You simple form You sing

simple form +
He He sings
S
simple form +
She She sings
S
simple form +
It It sings
S
We simple form We sing

They simple form They sing

only THIRD PERSON SINGULAR subjects (he, she and it) have to have
a verb with -S.
2. -s or -es ?
With most verbs, the third person singular form is created simply by
adding -S. However, with some verbs, you need to add -ES or change
the ending a little. Here are the rules:
How to make
Verb ending the 3rd
Example
in... person
singular
s Add -ES He passes

z Add -ES She dozes

sh Add -ES She wishes

ch Add -ES He watches

Change Y to I,
consonant + y It flies
then add -ES

[anything else] Add -S He sings

 What's the best word to complete the
sentence?
writes
1. My best friend ________ to me every week.

Write/writes/writing
tries
2. John ________ very hard in class, but I don't think he'll pass the
course.
Try/tries/trys
Lives in Florida.
3. She ________

Lives/laives/live
work in a bank.
4. I ________

work/workes/works
5. My life is so boring -- I just ________ TV every
night.
Watches/watching/watch
 1. Forming a negative
Negatives in the simple present are formed by adding don't or
doesn't before the simple form of the verb:

Subject Auxiliary Example

I don't I don't sing

You don't You don't sing

He doesn't He doesn't sing

She doesn't
She doesn't
sing
It doesn't It doesn't sing

We don't We don't sing

They don't They don't sing

only third person singular subjects (he, she and it) have doesn't —
the rest have don't.
2. Forming a yes/no question
Yes/no questions are also created using the auxiliary do. This time, the
auxiliary is placed before the subject. Here are the rules:

Auxiliary Subject Example

Do I Do I sing?

Do you Do you sing?

Does he Does he sing?

Does she Does she sing?

Does it Does it sing?

Do we Do we sing?

Do they Do they sing?

3. Forming a WH- question
WH- questions (using words such as “what”, “when”, and “where”) are
also created by putting the auxiliary do before the subject. Then, you
add the WH- word at the beginning. Here are some examples:

Yes/no
Statement WH- question
question
I sing Do I sing? What do I sing?

You fight. Do you fight? Why do you fight?

He lives Does he live? Where does he live?

 Change each sentence into a negative.

Example: "John has red hair" becomes "John doesn't have red hair".

1. The
1. The
Olympic
Olympic
champion
champion
comes come
doesn’t from Wales. from
Wales.

2. His
2. His
wine doesn’t
wine
costs costof money.
a lot a lot of
money.

3. Mary
3. Mary
has
doesn’t
an expensive
have car.
an expensive car.

4. Some
4. Some
insects
insects
don’t
carrycarry
serious diseases.
serious diseases.

5.5.I don’t
like
I eggs.
like eggs
 Change each sentence into a yes/no
question.
Example: "John has red hair." becomes "Does John
have red hair?".

1. He teaches physics. Do he teachesphysics?

2. They live in teepees. Dothey liveinteepees?
3. He plays tennis. Do e heplay tennis?
s
4. She works hard. Doesshe work hard
?
5. I drink coffee every day. IDo
drink coffee every day
?
Raccoo Fox shee Sugar
n p lumps teepees Wine
Change each sentence into a Wh- question using the
question word in brackets.
Example: "John lives in Vancouver (where)" becomes "Where
does John live?".

does this car have?

This car has two doors. (how many)How many doors

A fox lives in our garden. (what) lives in our garden?

What

Raccoons come out at night. (when) raccoons come out?

When do

wool come from?

Wool comes from sheep. (where) Where does

She takes two sugars in her coffee. (how many)

How many sugars does she take in her

coffee?
References

Studyzone website

http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/StudyZone/330/grammar/presnq3.htm