How do we make the Simple Present Tense?
subject | + | auxillary verb | + | main verb |
do | - | base |
There are three important exceptions:
1. For positive sentences, we do not normally use the auxiliary.
2. For the 3rd person singular (he, she, it), we add s to the main verb or es to the auxiliary.
3. For the verb to be, we do not use an auxiliary, even for questions and negatives.
Look at these examples with the main verb like:
. | subject | auxillary verb | . | main verb | . |
+ | I, you, we, they | . | . | like | coffee. |
He, she, it | . | . | likes | coffee. | |
- | I, you, we, they | do | not | like | coffee. |
He, she, it | does | not | like | coffee. | |
? | Do | I, you, we, they | . | like | coffee? |
Does | he, she, it | . | like | coffee? |
Look at these examples with the main verb be. Notice that there is no auxiliary:
. | subject | main verb | . | . |
+ | I | am | . | French |
You, we, they | are | . | French | |
He, she, it | is | . | French | |
- | I | am | not | old |
You, we, they | are | not | old | |
He, she, it | is | not | old | |
? | Am | I | . | late? |
Are | you, we, they | . | late? | |
Is | he, she, it | . | late? |
How do we use the Simple Present Tense?
We use the simple present tense when:
John drives a taxi. | ||
past | present | future |
. | ||
It is John's job to drive a taxi. He does it every day. Past, present and future |
Look at these examples:
Note that with the verb to be, we can also use the simple present tense for situations that are not general. We can use the simple present tense to talk about now. Look at these examples of the verb "to be" in the simple present tense—some of them are general, some of them are now:
past | present | future |
. | ||
The situation is now. |
I am not fat.
Why are you so beautiful? Ram is tall. |
||
past | present | future |
. | ||
The situation is general. Past, present and future. |
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