Present Simple

THE PRESENT SIMPLE

The present simple is used to talk about facts (things which are true at any time) or for situations that exists for a long time, and for actions that are repeated.

          I. FORM
          Positive 

Subject + Verb (present) + ...
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I, We, You, They	go	to school.
He, She, It	goes	to school.

          Negative 

Subject + do not / does not + Verb (present) + ...
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I, We, You, They	do not (don't)	go	to school.
He, She, It	do not (don't)	go	to school.

          Question

Do / Dose + Subject + Verb (present) + ...?
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Do	I, we, you, they	to school?
Dose	he, she, it	to school?

          II. USE
          1. To express a habitual action.
                    - He drinks coffee every morning.
                    - I get up every day at five o'clock.

          2. To express a fact which is always true.
                    - The sun rises in the east.
                    - The sun shines by day and the moon shines by night.

          3. To express a fact which is true for a long time.
                    - I live in Cambodia.
                    - He works in a bank.

          4. To express a vivid narration.
                    - William Shakespeare is the greatest writers of plays in English literature.
                    - Sin Sisamut's songs are still in the Khmer people's heart today.

          5. To express a future plan.
                    - We go to Bomby next week.
                    - Let's begin our new job tomorrow.

Note : Spelling of the third person singular
          1. Most verbs add -s in the third person singular.
                    - Wear   ----> Wears
                    - Speak  ----> Speaks
                    - Live     ----> Lives
          2. If the verbs end in -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, and -o, add with -es
                    - Kiss        ----> Kisses
                    - Wash      ----> Washes
                    - Watch     ----> Watches
                    - Box         ----> Boxes
                    - Go          ----> Goes
                    - Do          ----> Does
          3. If the verbs end in a consonant + -y, the y change to -ies
                    - Cry      ----> Cries
                    - Fly       ----> Flies
                    - Study   ----> Studies
                    - Carry   ----> Carries

           BUT: If the verbs end in a vowel + -y, the y doesn't change
                     - Play      ----> Plays
                     - Stay      ----> Stays

          4. Have is irregular.
                     - Have      ----> Has

We only add -s, -es, or change y to -ies, in the positive sentence.

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More Example

          Positive Sentence :
                   - He speaks English.
                   - She studies English.
                   - He plays tennis.
                   - He watches television every night.
                   - My sister washes her clothes on Sundays. 
          Negative Sentence :
                   - He doesn't speak English.
                   - She doesn't study English.
                   - He doesn't play tennis.
                   - He doesn't watch television every night.
                   - My sister doesn't wash her clothes on Sundays. 
          Question Sentence :
                   - Does he speak English?
                   - Does she study English?
                   - Does he play tennis?
                   - Does he watch television every night?
                   - Does your sister wash her clothes on Sundays?

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Practice 1
Practice 2
Practice 3
Practice 4

Next to Present Continuous >>

Categories: Grammar