Present Simple Tense Formula and Uses with Examples


The present simple tense is formed using the first form of the verb, as shown below.

Present Simple Tense Formula: Subject + (Verb)1 + Object

Learn: 50+ Examples of Simple Present Tense

The sentence can be positive/affirmative, negative, or interrogative in the present simple tense. If the subject is singular, i.e., he, she, or it or any other singular noun or pronoun, add s, es to the verb. We add s/es to the main verb only in the affirmative sentences.

Present Simple Tense Positive Sentences

Present Simple Tense: Structure, Uses and Examples

Formula: Subject + (Verb)1 + Object

Present Simple Tense Negative Sentences Examples

  • I play cricket.
  • He likes bananas.
  • We like mangoes.
  • Babies cry.
  • She takes a shower every day.
  • It snows in winter in New York.

Present Simple Tense Negative Sentences

The negative is formed by adding the word not after the auxiliary verb “do” or “does.”

Formula: Subject + do/does + not+(Verb)1 + Object

Present Simple Tense Negative Sentences Examples

  • I do not eat a banana.
  • We do not eat the banana.
  • You do not eat the banana.
  •  He/she/it does not eat the banana.
  •  They do not eat the banana.

Present Simple Tense Interrogative Sentences

Related: Past Simple Tense Structure, Rules, and Uses with Examples

Structure: Do/does + Subject + (Verb)1 + Object

Present Simple Tense Negative Sentences Examples

  • Do I eat the banana?
  •  Do we eat the banana?
  • Do you eat the banana?
  •  Does he/she/it eat the banana?
  •  Do they eat the banana?

This pattern of interrogative sentences isn’t followed when asking who or what did something.

  • Has she an answer to the question?
  • Where are they?
  • When does the match start?

Simple Present Tense with Verb to be (is, am, are)

The verbs are is, am, and are called the be verbs and are used to form the present simple tense. The “be verbs in the present simple tense do not need “do when we are making negative statements. We put only not after these verbs in forming negative statements. To form the interrogative, move the be verb to the start of that sentence.

Use am when the subject is I

Examples

  • Am I included?
  • I am a doctor.
  • I am in school every day at 12:00

If the subject is, we, you, or they, we use are

Examples

  • They are very late.
  • Are you busy at the moment?
  • You are well again.
  • We are not Indian.

If the subject is the third person singular, i.e., he, she, or it,’ we use the verb “is.”

Examples

  • She is an English teacher.
  • He isn’t rich or famous.
  • Is there a problem here?

Rules and Uses of the Present Simple Tense

The simple present tense expresses habit, general truth, routine, always true, repeated actions, etc.

Examples

  • She is a teacher at this school. (Her regular activity is being a teacher.)
  • I get up early in the morning.  
  • Two and two make four.         
  • The sunsets in the west.
  • I usually get home at about 9 o’clock.
  • The earth goes around the sun.
  • He lives in Canada. (permanent resident of Canada)
  • She visits her garden every Sunday.
  • Each year, she goes to New York for a holiday.
  • Wood floats in water.

The ideas in the present simple tense are often expressed by the adverbs of frequency, such as seldom, daily, usually, normally, occasionally, generally, always, frequently, rarely, often, never.

  • We usually eat lunch at the university canteen.
  • He leaves the office at 4.30 daily.
  • I rarely visit this school.
  • He always comes in on time.
  • He doesn’t usually arrive until eight.
  • We see each other quite frequently.
  • I never come late to class.
  • He is seldom home.
  • I don’t often drink cold water.

Other time expressions such as on Sunday/Monday, at night/the weekend, etc., in the afternoon/evening, etc., every day/week/month, etc., are also used in the present simple tense.

  • David goes shopping on Sunday.
  • He usually goes fishing at weekends.
  • I meet him at school every day.

The simple tense is also used for future events when it is a part of the fixed timetable.

Examples

  • The bus leaves at 7 p.m.
  • My exam starts tomorrow morning at 10 o’clock.
  • The supermarket opens at nine tomorrow morning. 

Some verbs do not use continuous form; we use present simple tense instead of present continuous tense.

Verbs of perception

prefer, see, hear, taste, smell, please.

Verbs of emotion and feelings or effect

: love, hate, hope, like, dislike, wish, want, fear, forgive, value, want, impress, satisfy, appreciate, astonish, desire, care, etc.

Verbs of Thinking Process

think, know, mean, mind, agree, consider, trust, forget, imagine, guess, perceive, regard, remember, remember, understand. Etc.

Verbs Showing Possession

Own, have, belong, comprise, possess, contain, etc.

Other stative verbs are

Amaze, appreciate, be, believe, care, concern, consist, doubt, envy, equal, exist, fear, feel, forget, look, matter. Need, owe, recognize, remember, resemble, see, seem, understand, weigh 

The following sentences are correct.       

  • She loves me.
  • I like mangoes.
  • He owns this house.
  • She prefers tea to coffee.
  • He hates him.
  • These grapes taste sour.

Some of these verbs are sometimes used in continuous form as well, for example, to do something repeatedly or to prevent someone from doing something.

Examples

  • He kept hoping that he’d phone him.
  • She is very late, what’s keeping her? (what keeps her late)
  • What are you holding in your hand?
  • He’s having a bath at the moment.

Examples of Present Simple Tense (Positive, Negative and Interrogative)

  • She works at a hotel.
  • I like watching movies.
  • My son likes mangoes, but he doesn’t like bananas. 
  • He has four brothers.
  • She isn’t alone in this house.
  • Planes leave here every hour.
  • He comes from Delhi.
  • Leopards don’t eat grass.
  • Bees make honey.
  • Children usually smile because they are happy.
  • There goes my friend, looking as cheerful as usual.
  • He promises he won’t be late.
  • I never waste my time.
  • The next plane leaves at 7 p.m.
  • She doesn’t have many children.
  • I have a large number of dogs.
Note The verb must be plural if the subject is I, we, you, and they or any other plural noun or pronoun. The singular verb goes with the singular subject, i.e., he, she, and it.   The verbs do not form their plural by adding s or es as nouns do. Verbs become singular when s or es are added to it.

                                 


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