Present Simple

We use the present simple...in an awful lot of situations -__-

That may include:

• Permanent states: I go to school.
• It is part of your sad little life.
• Repeated actions: We play basketball.
• Basketball is a hobby.
• Routines: He has English class every week.
• Something that happens in equal periods of time (every-whatever).
• General truths; laws of nature: The heart pumps blood around the body.
• Congratulations. You pass your biology class.... ._.
• Timetables: The schoolbus arrives at 8:00am.
• Make sure you don't miss it.
• Programmes: You can watch live NBA on t.v. at 5:00pm tomorrow.
• Ditto.
• Commentaries: LeBron James drives baseline with the behind the basket one-handed reverse dunk.
• Check out the video here.
• Reviews: In the movie "Oz: The Great and Powerful", James Franco plays the part of a circus magician.
• Watch the trailer here.
• Narration, usually in plays or live acts: Cosette trembles fearfully on her way to get water from the well.
• She is a character from the novel Les Misérables. Learn more about her here.
• Give instructions on how to do something (NOT orders): You mix all the ingredients together and then you leave it to set overnight. (NOT: Mix all the ingredients together...)

The present simple can be used with the following time expressions:

usually, often, always, frequently, sometimes, every day/week/month/year, in the morning/afternoon/ evening, at night, at the weekend, on Mondays, etc etc etc.

These time expressions talk about now, the present, but also talk about what could have happened in the past or what will happen. Because the meanings of these expressions are so broad and can be used so generally, they can be associated with the simple present tense.


Exercise 1  (20 marks)

We have listed TEN situations where the Present Simple may be used. Think of one sentence for each of these situations, and write them down to create a passage for yourself.


Exercise 2  (50 marks)


A) Underline the correct verb forms.

1) Andy wash/washes/washs the family car.

2) The girls do/does/dos the shopping.

3) It am/are/be/is a beautiful day today.

4) John often play/playes/plays handball.

5) Mr. Black write/writes/writs e-mails in the evenings.

6) Do you like/likes/liks milk in your tea?

7) His friend go/goes/gos to school.

8) Am/are/be/is I correct?

9) Every morning my mother get up/get ups/gets up at 6 o'clock.

10) Mandy and Susan watch/watches/watchs films every weekend.


B) Which answers are correct?

1) Which verb forms are correct?

•  he flies
•  he flys
•  he livees 
•  he lives 
•  he workes 
•  he works 

2) Which of the following words are used with the Simple Present (signal words)?

•  always 
•  at the moment
•  every day
•  now 
•  often 
•  sometimes 
•  yesterday 

3) Which verb forms go with the Simple Present?

•  Infinitive
•  Infinitive + -ed 
•  Infinitive + -ing 
•  Infinitive + s 
•  have + Infinitive + -ed

4) To which verbs/auxiliaries can >not< be added?

•  am 
•  are 
•  can 
•  is
•  play 
•  read 
•  speak

5) Which sentences/questions are in the Simple Present?

•  Do you speak Spanish? 
•  He's 15. 
•  I'm in room 201. 
•  She didn't help her mother.
•  She doesn't like milk.
•  She drives a car. 
•  We are reading a book. 

C) Which sentences/questions are correct?




1) Which question is in the Simple Present?

•  From where do you come?
•  Where do you come from?
•  Where does you come from? 
•  Where dos you come from? 

2) Which question is in the Simple Present?

•  Do she work in an office? 
•  Do she works in an office? 
•  Does she work in an office?
•  Work she in an office?
•  Works she in an office? 

3) Which negative sentence is in the Simple Present?

•  We do'nt work in a bank.
•  We does not work in a bank. 
•  We don't work in a bank.

4) Which negative sentence is in the Simple Present?

•  He do not reads a book. 
•  He does not read a book.
•  He is not reading a book. 
•  He not read a book. 

5) Which sentence is in the Simple Present?

•  He has read a book. 
•  He is reading a book. 
•  He read a book.
•  He reads a book.
•  He will read a book. 

D) Fill in the verbs in brackets into the gaps.

Example: He never writes a letter.

1) Jill  two children. (to have)

2) She  to Menorca every summer. (to fly)

3)   you  English? (to speak)

4) Peter  e-mails. (not/to write)

5) The pupils  songs in the classroom. (to sing)

6)   she  stamps? (to collect)

7) The boys  computer games. (not/to play)

8) I often  to the cinema. (to go)

9) Andy's brother  in an office. (to work)

10) She  my sister. (to be)


E) Negate the sentences.

Example: He works on the computer. - He does not work on the computer.

1) The kite flies into the air.


2) The children know the answer.


3) Sandy washes her hair.


4) Kevin plays basketball.


5) He is from Spain.


6) I run to school.


7) Mr Smith teaches French.


8) She sits on a chair.


9) Anne and Sue carry a box.


10) Steve can make breakfast.




F) Form questions.

Example: where / they / to have / breakfast

Where do they have breakfast?

1) where / she / to live


2) you / to walk / to school


3) what / they / to eat / for breakfast


4) Frank / to read / comics


5) Marie and Joe / to like / homework


6) why / you / to ride / your bike


7) can / Ron / to speak / English


8) to be / Peter / from Austria


9) when / his mum / to come / home


10) how / Linda / to go / to the park