Present Simple

When to use it

1. Habits and routines

I drink coffee every morning.

She plays tennis on Saturdays.

2. Facts and things that are always true

Water boils at 100 degrees.

The Earth goes around the Sun.

3. States: feelings, thoughts, possession

He likes jazz, but he doesn’t know much about it.

We own a small flat near the station.

4. Timetables and schedules (even in the future)

The train leaves at 6:45 tomorrow.

Signal words: always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never, every day, on Mondays, at the weekend, twice a week.

Form: positive, negative, questions

Use the base verb. With he, she, it (or one person or thing) add -s.

The -s appears only once. When you use does or doesn’t, the main verb goes back to the base form: She doesn’t work (not doesn’t works).

He, she, it: spelling rules

• Most verbs: add -s → play → plays, read → reads
• Verbs ending in -ch, -sh, -s, -x, -z, -o: add -es → watch → watches, fix → fixes, go → goes
• Consonant + y: change to -ies → study → studies, carry → carries
• Vowel + y: just add -s → play → plays, enjoy → enjoys
• Irregular: have → has, do → does, go → goes

The verb “be”

Be is special: it doesn’t use do/does.

My parents are from Brazil.

Wrong: Do you be tired?Are you tired?

Frequency adverbs

1. always100%
2. usually
3. often
4. sometimes
5. rarely · hardly ever
6. never0%

They go before the main verb, but after “be”:

She always walks to work.

She is always late.

Wrong: He plays often tennis.He often plays tennis.

Never, rarely and hardly ever are already negative — don’t add don’t: I never eat meat (not I don’t never eat).

Wh- and subject questions

Question word + do/does + subject + base verb:

Where does your sister work?

How often do you go to the gym?

When who or what is the subject, don’t use do/does — and the verb takes -s:

Who lives in that house?Answer: Tom lives there.

Wrong: Who does live here?Who lives here?

Simple or continuous?

Use the present simple for habits and permanent things, and the present continuous for actions happening now.

I cook dinner every evening.A habit → present simple.

I’m cooking dinner right now.Happening now → present continuous.

State verbs — know, like, love, hate, want, need, own, believe, understand, remember — are normally used only in the simple form:

Wrong: I am knowing the answer.I know the answer.

Advanced uses (B2–C2)

Future after time words

After when, as soon as, until, before, after we use the present simple, not will:

Wrong: I’ll call you when she will arrive.I’ll call you when she arrives.

Question tags and replies

You work here, don’t you?

“I love jazz.” — “So do I.” “I don’t eat meat.” — “Neither do I.”

Emphatic do

I do like your idea — honestly!Do/does + base verb adds emphasis or contrast.

Inversion after negative adverbs (formal)

Rarely does she miss a deadline.

Not only does he speak French, but he also teaches it.

Present subjunctive (formal)

The doctor recommends that he rest for a few days.After insist, recommend, suggest… use the base form for every subject.

Common mistakes

Wrong: She work in a bank.She works in a bank.

Wrong: He don’t like fish.He doesn’t like fish.

Wrong: Does she speaks French?Does she speak French?

Wrong: My brother watchs TV.My brother watches TV.

Wrong: They is at home.They are at home.

Wrong: Yes, she’s.Yes, she is.Don’t contract positive short answers.