English Drills to sharpen your English

 

Present Simple Tense

The simple present tense is one of the most common tenses in English. This page will explain the rules for forming the tense with regular verbs.

Uses

Examples

1. Habitual actions

I go to the gym on Monday and Friday

2. Permanent states

The Sun rises in the morning

3. Feelings and emotions (like, hate, want, hope, etc.)

I like your T-shirt. I want a blue one

4. Verb of senses (hear, taste, see, smell, sound and etc.)

Listen! I hear some music

 

Forming the simple present tense

There are only two basic forms for the simple present tense; one ends with -s and the other doesn't. Here are the rules, using the example verb "sing":

 

Subject

Verb Form

Example

I

simple form

I sing

You

simple form

You sing

He

simple form + S

He sings

She

Simple form + S

She sings

It

Simple form + S

It sings

We

Simple form

We sing

They

Simple form

They sing

 

In other words, only THIRD PERSON SINGULAR subjects (he, she and it) have to have a verb with -S.

 

-S or -ES?

With most verbs, the third person singular form is created simply by adding -S. However, with some verbs, you need to add -ES or change the ending a little. Here are the rules:

Verb ending in...

How to make the 3rd person singular

Example

S

Add �ES

He passes

Z

Add �ES

She dozes

Sh

Add �ES

She wishes

Ch

Add �ES

He watches

consonant + y

Change Y to I, then add �ES

It flies

[anything else]

Add �S

He sings

 

Affirmative

Negative

Interrogative

I drink
You drink

He drinks
She drinks
It drinks

We drink
You drink
They drink

I don't drink
You don't drink

He doesn't drink
She doesn't drink
It doesn't drink

We don't drink
You don't drink
They don't drink

Do I drink?
Do you drink?

Does he drink?
Does she drink?
Does it drink?

Do we drink?
Do you drink?
Do they drink

 

Exercise: Rewrite the sentences into affirmative, negative or question form as required.
  1. Emilio likes pop music.

    2. ____________________________________________________________________________

    ____________________________________________________________________________

  2. Ana does not dance every Saturday with her boyfriend.

    3. ___________________________________________________________________________

    ____________________________________________________________________________
  3. You go to school in the afternoon.

    4. ____________________________________________________________________________

    ____________________________________________________________________________
  4. We work in a pizzeria on Sunday.

    5. ____________________________________________________________________________

    ____________________________________________________________________________
  5. Does she study French at school this year?

    6. ____________________________________________________________________________

    ____________________________________________________________________________
  6. My parents go to the supermarket together on Saturday.

    7. ____________________________________________________________________________

    ____________________________________________________________________________
  7. My brother's girlfriend lives in Seville.

    8. ____________________________________________________________________________

    ____________________________________________________________________________
  8. Do you sing very well?
    9.

____________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________

Check your Answer

 

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Answer Key

1. Emilio does not like pop music. Does Emilio like pop music?

2. Ana dances every Saturday with her boyfriend. Does Ana dance every Saturday with her boyfriend?

3. You do not go to school in the afternoon. Do you go to school in the afternoon?

4. We do not work in a pizzeria on Sunday. Do you work in a pizzeria on Sunday?

5. She does not study French at school this year. She studies French at school this year.

6. My parents do not go to the supermarket on Saturday. Do your parents go to the supermarket on Saturday?

7. My brother's girlfriend does not live in Seville. Does your brother's girlfriend likei n Seville?

8. You do not sing well. Do you sing well?

 

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