Simple Present Tense: Rules, Tips and How to Use Them

Introduction to Simple Present Tense

The simplest definition of simple present tense/ present indefinite tense/ present simple tense is that it is a verb tense that is used to describe actions that either happen at a regular interval of time or are currently happening.

Another important thing to know about the simple present is that it uses the base form of the verbs and only changes for the third-person singular, which adds "s" or "es." For example, "I walk" becomes "He Walks" in the third person.

Below are the main areas where simple present tense is used, along with examples:

1. Habits and Routines

As we mentioned above, simple tense is generally used to describe an individual's habits and routines. For example:

Simple tense: "I go to the gym every morning."

Third-person singular: "She goes to the gym every day."

1. Facts and General Truths

Secondly, you can also use the present simple tense to describe facts and general truths. Which means describing actions or things that don't change or are universally accepted. For example:

Simple tense: "The Earth revolves around the Sun"

"I live in New York."

Third-person singular: "She lives in New York."

"She works as a teacher."

1. Instructions and Directions

Another use case of present indefinite tense is that it is also used to give directions and instructions that you want someone to follow. For example:

Simple tense: "Walk straight for two blocks, then turn left."

"Open the door, then step inside."

Also Read: Parts of speech

How to Structure Different Simple Present Tense Sentences?

You can also use simple present tense in various types of sentences, such as affirmative, negative, and interrogative sentences. Below, we have mentioned the simple present tense formula for structuring all these different types of sentences:

Structure for Affirmative Sentences

Affirmative sentences are used to state facts, habits, or general truths that you cannot change or that are universally accepted.

Structure: Subject + Base Verb (+s/es for third-person singular)

For Example: “I play cricket”

“She reads books.”

“The dog barks loudly.”

Structure for Negative Sentences

A negative sentence is used when the action does not happen and is generally formed by adding “don’t” or “doesn’t” between the subject and the verb.

Structure: Subject + Do/Does Not + Base Verb

For Example: “They do not like spicy food.”

“He doesn’t drive to work.”

Structure for Interrogative Sentences

Interrogative sentences are generally used to ask questions. Below is the simple present tense formula for creating an interrogative sentence.

Structure: Do/Does + Subject + Base Verb?

For Example: “Do you enjoy cooking?”

“Does she play the piano?”

Also Read: Tenses

Rules while using Simple Present Tense

In order to use it correctly, there are a few rules of simple present tense that you should keep in mind. You can find these rules below:

1. Subject-Verb Agreement: When using third-person singular subjects like “he,” she,” and “it,” you need to add “s” or “es” to the base verb. Additionally, when a verb ends with “y,” it changes to “ies.”

For example: “She writes neatly”

“He studies late.”

Next, you should use the base form of the verb for all the other subjects like “I,” “We,” “You,” and “They.”

For example: “They play football every weekend”

1. Helping Verbs in Question and Negative Forms: In a negative sentence, you need to use either “do not” (don’t) or “does not” (doesn’t) before the base verb.

For example: “I don’t like coffee.”

“He doesn’t watch TV often.”

When forming a question, you need to add “Do” or “Does” before the subject and base verb.

For example: “Do you work here?”

“Does she enjoy reading?”

1. No Helping Verb in Positive Sentences: Another one of the rules of simple present tense is that you should avoid using “do” or “does” in positive or affirmative sentences.

For example: Correct: “He goes to school”

Incorrect: “He does goes to school.”

1. Time Expressions: To indicate habits or routines, time-expressive words like always, often, sometimes, usually, and every day are frequently used.

For example: “She always arrives on time”

Simple Present Tense with Verbs

When we form a sentence in the present simple tense, a verb plays the central role. Below, we have mentioned in detail the types of verbs in a simple present tense for you to use:

Common verbs

To be verb

Tips on Using Simple Present Tense

If you find it difficult to use the present indefinite tense, then there are a few tips that you can follow.

1. The first and foremost is to pay attention to subject-verb agreement and check who is performing the action.

2. Secondly, you can also incorporate time words like always, usually, often, and sometimes.

3. You can also try to create short dialogues and keep it simple at first. For example, “I play football.”

4. Learning common everyday verbs can also help you form sentences easily.

5. Another effective tip is to speak about yourself. For example, “I like reading books.”

6. Lastly, you can also practice asking and answering questions. For example, “Do you drink tea?” to which you can answer, “Yes, I drink tea every morning.”

Also Read: Present tense

Worksheet Simple Present Tense

To help you get better at using present simple tense, below is a worksheet that you can practice with.

1. Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb in parentheses:

· She ___ (read) a book every evening.

· The cat ___ (chase) the mouse in the garden.

· We ___ (not/play) football on Sundays.

· ___ he ___ (watch) TV after school?

· My parents always ___ (cook) dinner together.

2. Rewrite these sentences using the negative form:

· He drives to work every day.

· They enjoy playing cricket.

· She sings very well.

3. Make questions from the following sentences:

· I work at a bank.

· He likes chocolate.

· They go to school every morning.

4. Correct the mistakes in these sentences:

· She do not likes tea.

· The baby cries every night.

· Do he plays football?

Answers:

1. Fill in the blanks:

• She reads a book every evening.
• The cat chases the mouse in the garden.
• We do not (don’t) play football on Sundays.
• Does he watch TV after school?
• My parents always cook dinner together.

2. Negative form:

• He does not (doesn’t) drive to work every day.
• They do not (don’t) enjoy playing cricket.
• She does not (doesn’t) sing very well.

3. Questions:

• Do you work at a bank?
• Does he like chocolate?
• Do they go to school every morning?

4. Correct the mistakes:

• She does not (doesn’t) like tea.
• The baby cries every night. (Correct as is!)
• Does he play football?

Conclusion

And there you have it, a simple guide on using simple present tense. In the blog above, we covered all the essential tips and rules and present indefinite tense examples that will help you understand and apply this tense effectively in your daily life.

The more you practice using simple present tense, the easier it will be to enhance your conversational skills. Additionally, if you find yourself struggling, you can get help from Gradding.com, and our experts will provide tailored assistance every step of the way.

FAQs

1. What is a Simple Present Tense Example?

One example of the simple present tense is, "He plays football every evening." This example expresses the subject's habits.

2. How to Use Present Simple Tense?

You can use simple present tense to describe habits, routines, facts, or schedules.

3. What is the Rule of Simple Present?

One of the main rules of simple present tense is that you need to use the base verb for most subjects. And add "s" or "es" for singular third-person subjects.

4. How to Identify Simple Present Tense?

To identify simple present tense, look at the base verb or its -s/-es form. These are generally accompanied by time expressions like always, every day, or sometimes.