Present Simple Tense in English

The Present Simple tense is a fundamental tense in English. It describes actions and states that are regular, repeated, general, or true in the present. It is widely used in both spoken and written English to express routines, facts, schedules, emotions, and more.

The Present Simple is also known as the "Simple Present" and is formed using the base form of the verb (infinitive without 'to').

1. Structure of Present Simple (Affirmative Only)

The form of the Present Simple tense depends on the subject of the sentence:

  • I / you / we / they → base form of the verb (e.g., run, read, sleep)
  • He / she / it → base form + -s or -es

Examples:

  • I wake up early.
  • You drive to work every day.
  • He plays the guitar very well.
  • She likes chocolate.
  • It makes a strange sound.
  • We study at the same university.
  • They exercise regularly.

2. Verb Conjugation Table (Affirmative)

Here is how a regular verb like "work" is conjugated with different subjects in the Present Simple tense:

Subject Verb (to work) Example
I work I work in a school.
You work You work very hard.
He works He works as a designer.
She works She works in a hospital.
It works It works perfectly.
We work We work together on this project.
They work They work in the city center.

Note that only the third person singular forms (he, she, it) require the verb to end in -s.

3. Main Uses of Present Simple

1. Repeated or habitual actions: Actions that happen again and again.

  • She brushes her teeth twice a day.
  • We visit our grandparents every weekend.

2. General truths or facts: Things that are always true or accepted as facts.

  • The sun rises in the east.
  • Water freezes at 0°C.

3. Permanent situations or states: Things that do not change quickly or often.

  • He lives in London.
  • She works for a bank.

4. Scheduled events (especially with transportation or public events):

  • The train departs at 9:00 AM.
  • The shop opens at 10 o’clock.

5. Feelings, opinions, and states of mind:

  • I prefer tea to coffee.
  • He loves classical music.
  • They believe in hard work.

4. Spelling Rules for Third Person Singular

When the subject is he, she, or it, the verb changes slightly. Here are the spelling rules:

  • Most verbs: add -s → run → runs, cook → cooks
  • Verbs ending in -o, -ch, -sh, -ss, -x, -z: add -es → go → goes, watch → watches, wash → washes
  • Verbs ending in consonant + y: change y to i and add -es → study → studies, try → tries
  • Verbs ending in vowel + y: just add -s → play → plays, enjoy → enjoys

Examples:

  • He watches the news every night.
  • She studies economics at university.
  • It goes very fast.

5. Common Time Expressions Used with Present Simple

The Present Simple is often used with adverbs and phrases that indicate regularity. These time expressions help signal that an action is habitual or repeated.

  • Always
  • Usually
  • Often
  • Sometimes
  • Never
  • Every day / week / month / year
  • On Mondays / Fridays / weekends
  • Once a week / Twice a month

Examples:

  • They usually eat lunch together.
  • He never drinks alcohol.
  • I go to the gym twice a week.
  • She calls her parents every Sunday.