Present Simple (Entry 2)

​Present Simple

By John S

I get up at 7:00 am.
You eat breakfast.
We have a shower.
I go to work.

Daily routine

We use the present simple tense to talk about our routines and habits.

- Things we do regularly (like every day, every week).
- Things we do sometimes (sometimes, often, usually, occasionally)
- Things we always or never do.
- Facts about life and the world.

Present Simple

To make the present simple we need to use a subject + a verb.

The subject is the person doing the verb.

Example: I, you, he, she, it, we, they, Mrs Smith, the doctor, British people.

Making the Present Simple

Make the present simple with subject + a verb + anything else you need.

Example:
British people + drink + a lot of tea every day.
(subject) (verb) (anything else)

The "anything else" is sometimes called a "complement". Don't worry about that.

Present Simple positive

positive sentences ☑

Make present simple negatives with
subject + "do not" + a verb + anything else you need.

Example:
British people + do not + play + baseball at school.
(subject) "do not" (verb) (anything else)

Present Simple negative

negative sentences ⮽

Make present simple questions with
"Do" + subject + a verb + anything else you need. Use a question mark!

Example:
Do + British people + play + baseball at school?
"Do" (subject) (verb) (anything else)

Present Simple questions

questions ?

Time to practice!

Multiple Choice

What is a "subject"?

• an action

• the person doing a verb

• something you do

Multiple Choice

How do we make a positive sentence in the present simple?

• verb + subject

• subject + verb + "ing"

• subject + verb

• subject + "do" + verb

Multiple Choice

"No thank you. __________ smoke."

• Do I

• I do not

• I not

• I do

Multiple Choice

I need to find my hotel.

What should I say to this lady?

• You know this hotel?

• This hotel do you know?

• Know you this hotel?

• Do you know this hotel?

The 3rd person singular

The "1st person" talks.
The "2nd person" listens.
The "3rd person" is somebody else. They don't talk and they don't listen.

In grammar, we use "1st person", "2nd person", "3rd person" to mean different people.

What is "3rd person singular"?

1st person
(talk)

2nd person
(listen)

3rd person
(not talk)
(not listen)

3rd person can be a name or description!

"my boss"
"the girl wearing the red dress"
"everyone in class 3R"
"a small horse"

"I" and "we" are 1st person.

"you" is 2nd person.

"he", "she", "it" are 3rd person.

What is "3rd person singular"?

Singular: I, you, she, he, it
Plural: we, you, they

Singular: a man, the table, Jim
Plural: some men, the tables, Jim and Andy

"Singular" means we are talking about one person.
"Plural" means we are talking about 2+ people.

What is "singular"?

3rd person

she

a girl in a red dress

that woman

"She is not your wife!"

singular

​

Hey!

1st person
I
"I talk."

2nd person
you
"You don't listen!"

The girl in blue talks.
She is the 1st person.

plural

​

Hey!

3rd person

they

that couple

those people

"They are watching!"

1st person
we
"We will be late!"

Make the 3rd person singular present simple with
subject + a verb + s + anything else you need.

Example:
He + drinks + a lot of tea every day.
(subject) (verb) (anything else)

3rd person singular positive

If the verb ends with "s", "sh", "z", "ch" then add -es instead of -s. The sound changes.

Example:
He + watches + a lot of TV every day.
(subject) (verb) (anything else)

3rd person singular positive

3rd person singular positive ☑

Make the 3rd person singular present simple negative with
subject + "does not" + a verb + anything else you need.

Example:
He + does not + drink + coffee.
(subject) "does not" (verb) (anything else)

3rd person singular negative

3rd person singular negative ⮽

Make the 3rd person singular present simple question with
"does" + subject + a verb + anything else you need.

Example:
"Does" + he + play + baseball?
"Does" (subject) (verb) (anything else)

3rd person singular question

3rd person singular questions ?

Multiple Choice

Which one is correct?

• He cook very well

• He do cook very well

• He cooks very well

• He does cook very well

Multiple Choice

Which one is correct?

• She does not want flowers.

• She wants not flowers.

• She is not want flowers.

• She no wanting flowers.

Multiple Choice

Which one is correct?

• Do it eat fish?

• It eats fish?

• Does eat fish?

• Does it eat fish?

Multiple Choice

A lot of children ... animals

• likes

• like

Multiple Choice

It ... a lot in this country.

• don't rain

• doesn't rain

Multiple Choice

Mr. Lewis ... a fast car.

• drive

• drives

Multiple Choice

You ... a lot of books

• read

• reads

Multiple Choice

My boyfriend ... English

• doesn't speak

• don't speak

Multiple Choice

We ... a new computer.

• need

• needs

Fill in the Blank

I ... tennis.
(not play)

Fill in the Blank

They ... to the cinema.
(not go)

Fill in the Blank

Paul ... four children.
(have)

Fill in the Blank

Her father ... in an office.
(not work)

Fill in the Blank

The restaurant ... at 11:30 a.m.
(open)

Fill in the Blank

My parents ... French.
(not speak)

Multiple Choice

Make a question

your brother / university / study ?

• Your brother studies at university?

• Do your brother study at university?

• Does your brother study at university?

• Your brother do study at university?

Multiple Choice

Make a question

you / your homework / finish / always ?

• Do you always finish your homework?

• You always does finish your homework?

• Does you always finish your homework?

• You does always finish your homework?

More about present simple

BBC Bitesize

On the next page is a link to a BBC Bitesize lesson about present simple. You can read this and practice to get more confident!

Matching the verb to the subject - BBC Bitesize

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