Grammar › Verb Tenses › Present Simple
Present Simple
The present simple (base verb, or verb + -s for he/she/it) is for things that are generally true. Use it for:
- Facts and general truths — Water boils at 100°C.
- Habits and routines — She walks to work every day.
- Timetables and schedules — The train leaves at 6.
For something happening right now, use the present continuous instead — She’s walking to work at the moment.
How to form the present simple
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | subject + base verb (+ -s for he/she/it) | She works in Girona. |
| Negative | subject + don’t/doesn’t + base verb | They don’t work on Sundays. |
| Question | Do/Does + subject + base verb? | Do you work here? |
The tricky part is the third person (he/she/it), which adds -s: work → works. Add -es after -o, -ch, -sh, -ss, -x (go → goes, watch → watches), and change -y to -ies after a consonant (study → studies).
When to use the present simple
1. Facts and general truths
Things that are always true, not just now.
- The sun rises in the east.
- Water freezes at 0°C.
⚠️ Typical error:
The sun is rising in the east every morning.→ A permanent truth takes the present simple: The sun rises in the east.
2. Habits and routines
Actions you repeat, often with an adverb of frequency (always, usually, never).
- I usually get up at seven.
- He never drinks coffee.
⚠️ Typical error:
I am going to the gym every Monday.→ A regular habit takes the present simple: I go to the gym every Monday.
3. Timetables and schedules
Fixed events in the future — trains, films, opening times.
- The film starts at eight.
- Our flight leaves at noon tomorrow.
Questions with be
With the verb be, do not use do/does: put am/is/are first. Are you tired? Is she a teacher? (Not Does she be a teacher?)
Pronouncing the -s
The ending is said in three ways: /s/ after p, t, k (works), /z/ after most other sounds (plays, lives) and /ɪz/ after s, sh, ch, x, z (watches, washes).
Signal words
| Word | Position | Example |
|---|---|---|
| always / usually / often | before the main verb | We usually eat at home. |
| sometimes | before the main verb | She sometimes works late. |
| never | before the main verb (the verb itself stays positive: never is already negative) | He never lies. |
| always / usually / often / never | after the verb be | She is always late. |
| every day / on Mondays | usually at the end | I check my email every day. |
Common mistakes
1. Forgetting the -s on he/she/it. The number-one present-simple error: I work, you work, we work have no ending, so the -s on he works is easy to forget. He work → He works in a bank.
2. Using the present continuous for habits. Learners often reach for the -ing form because it feels like “what I do these days”. For a routine, English uses the present simple: I work here, not I am working here (unless it is temporary or happening right now).
3. Keeping the -s in questions and negatives. After does or doesn’t, the main verb goes back to its base form. Does she works? → Does she work? and He doesn’t works → He doesn’t work.
✏️ Practice: Present Simple
1. She ___ to work every day.
2. ___ your brother ___ English?
3. We ___ on Sundays.
4. The Moon ___ around the Earth.
5. He ___ coffee. He prefers tea.
6. He ___ coffee after dinner.
7. The train ___ at 6 o’clock tomorrow morning.
8. My parents ___ in Barcelona, but I live in Girona.
9. How often ___ you ___ to the gym?
10. Choose the sentence with the same meaning as: ‘He rarely eats breakfast.’
11. Fill in the gap
My neighbour ___ the piano every evening. (play)
Type one word.
12. Correct the mistake
He work in a bank.
Type the whole corrected sentence.
13. Correct the mistake
Does your brother speaks English?
Type the whole corrected sentence.
✏️ Practice: Fill in the gap
Type the present simple form. Twenty original sentences — facts, habits, and timetables. Watch the third-person -s.
✏️ Practice: Put the words in order
Tap the words below to build each sentence in the right order. Twenty original sentences, mixing statements, negatives and questions.
✏️ Practice: Match the he/she/it form
Tap a base verb, then tap its correct he/she/it form. Most just add -s, some add -es, some change -y to -ies — and one is irregular.
✏️ Practice: Beat the clock
15 seconds per question. Some of these need the present simple — but a few might tempt you toward the present continuous. Watch the signal words.
20 questions, 15 seconds each. The clock starts when you press Start.
✏️ Practice: Find the mistake
Each sentence has exactly one mistake. Tap the word you think is wrong. Twenty original sentences.
✏️ Level check: How well do you know it?
20 mixed questions — typing, word order, -s spelling, multiple choice, and spot-the-mistake. One pass, then a breakdown of where you’re strong and where to go back and practise.
Frequently asked questions
When do I add -s to the verb?
Only with he, she and it: she works, he goes, it rains. With I, you, we and they, use the base verb with no -s: they work.
What is the difference between the present simple and the present continuous?
The present simple is for habits and general truths (I work in a bank). The present continuous is for things happening right now (I’m working from home today).
Why do we say ‘Does she work?’ and not ‘Does she works?’
The -s is already carried by ‘does’, so the main verb goes back to its base form: Does she work? and She doesn’t work.
Can the present simple talk about the future?
Yes, for timetables and schedules: The train leaves at 6. The shop opens at 9 tomorrow.
👩🏫 For teachers
CEFR objectives for “Present Simple”:
- Can form affirmative, negative and interrogative present simple sentences, including the third-person -s (CEFR A2).
- Can place adverbs of frequency (always, usually, sometimes, never) correctly in a sentence.
- Can choose the present simple over the present continuous for habits, facts and timetables.
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