Section 3:The Simple
Present
By: Areej Dawoud
Examples
1.
2.
3.
4.



I play tennis every day.
The sun rises from the east.
The train leaves at 6 PM.
They like apples.
The simple present is a verb. It has only two forms:
the simple form without an –s (sleep).
the simple form + s (sleeps) with third person
singular subjects.
Forming the simple present
Subject
Verb
I
You
We
They
Subject
Verb
He
Work
She
It
Works
Usages of the simple present

USE 1 Repeated Actions

Use the Simple Present to express the idea that an
action is repeated or usual. The action can be a
habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or
something that often happens.

E.g. She walks to school.
Usages of the simple present

USE 2 Facts or Generalizations

The Simple Present can also indicate the speaker
believes that a fact was true before, is true now, and
will be true in the future. It is used to make
generalizations about people or things.

E.g. Cats like milk.
Usages of the simple present

USE 3 Scheduled Events in the Near Future

Speakers occasionally use Simple Present to talk
about scheduled events in the near future. This is
most commonly done when talking about public
transportation, but it can be used with other
scheduled events as well.

E.g. The party starts at 8 o’clock.
Adverbs of frequency

Examples
1.
I always brush my teeth before I go to bed.
Ann usually has toast for breakfast.
Mr. Smith often goes to the park with his dog.
We sometimes see Susan down at the shops.
They rarely smoke cigars.
He never works on the weekend.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Adverbs of frequency
Adverbs of frequency








Adverbs of frequency tell us how many times something
happens.
Always
= every day
Usually
= happens most days
Often
= many times
Sometimes= at particular occasions but not all the time
Rarely
= it is not common
Never
= not at any time or not on any occasion
Adverbs of frequency come between the subject and the
main verb.
Subject
I
Adv. Of
frequency
Simple
present
always
do
my
home
work
Adverbs of frequency with to
be





Examples
Tom is usually very friendly.
Ramon and Frank are often hungry.
Ted is rarely late.
We put adverbs of frequency after the verb
to be (is / are).
subject Simple
present
to be
Peter
is
Adverb of
frequency
always
nice
3.4 spelling of final -s & -es
Verb
The verb ends in
the sounds /f/, /k/,
/p/, /t/
ends in the
sounds /b/, /d/,
/g/, /l/, /m/, /n/, /r/,
/v/ or in a vowel
ends in /ch/, /sh/,
/s/, /x/, /z/.
ends con. + y
ends in a vowel+
y
Spelling
Examples
Pronunciation
+s
He likes coffee..
It sleeps.
/s/
+s
He swims.
She reads.
/z/
+es
She watches TV.
It finishes at 10
p.m.
/iz/
Drop y, add -ies
He worries a lot.
/z/
She stays at
home.
/z/
+s
3.5 Irregular verbs
I have a job.
He
She
It
has a problem.
I do the work.
He
She
It
does the work.
I go to work.
He
She
It
goes outside.
3.6 have (got) & has (got)





We use have (got) & has (got):
For things we possess or own. I have got a car.
To describe people, places, animals, and things.
She has (got) black hair.
For our families and people we know. I have (got) a
son.
With some expressions like the following: have got
(a cold, the flu, temperature, headache, toothache, a
problem)
3.6 have (got) & has (got)
Singular
I, you
have (got)
He, she, it
has (got)
a book
Plural
You, we, they
have (got)
books.
3.8 The simple present: yes /
no

We use do or does to make questions in the
simple present. We always use the base form
after do and does.
do/does
subject
Do
Does
Base v.
Affirm.
Neg.
I, we, you, Work?
they
Yes,
I do.
You do.
No, they
don’t
We don’t
He, she, it Work?
Yes, he
does
No, it
doesn’t
The simple present:whquestions
Where does he live?
 What do they do?
We put question words (what, where, when,
why, who,…) before do or does.



Frequency adverbs comes after the subject in
the question.
When do you usually get up?
4.1 The present continuous

We form the present continuous with the
present of verb to be (am, is, are) and the base
verb + ing.
subject
To be
I
am
He, she, it
is
They, we,
you
are
Base v. + ing
working
4.2 The spelling of verbs
ending in -ing
Verb ending
Rule
example
Consonant + e
Drop the e, add
-ing
dance, come
1 vowel +
consonant
fitting
Verbs end in w,
x, y
Double the con., sit
add –ing
Do not double
show
the con.
fix
say
2 vowels + 1
con.
Do not double,
add -ing
eat
sleep
eating
sleeping
All other verbs
Add -ing
talk
read
talking
reading
dancing
coming
showing
fixing
saying
4.3 The present continuous
negative



To form the negative of the present
continuous, we use not after the verb to be
and the verb with –ing.
He is not working.
You are not sleeping.
4.4 The present continuous:
yes/ no questions
To be
subject
Am
I
Is
he, she, it
Are
you, we, they
Base v. + ing
Working?
4.5 The present continuous:
wh- questions



Where, What, Why, When, How, Who
I am drinking tea.
What am I drinking?
4.6 Verbs not used in the
present continuous
Non action verbs (describe a state or
condition):
 Believe
hate
have
hear
know
like
remember think
see
smell
taste
think
understand
want
 Julia has a car.
 Julia is having a cup of tea.

Conclusion
1.
2.
3.
The simple present has two forms.
Adverbs of frequency usually come with the
simple present between the subject and the
verb.
Adverbs of frequency come after verb to be.
To practice more



www.englischhilfen.de/en/exercises/adverbs_of_freque
ncy.htm
www.english-zone.com/verbs/freq-adv01.html
http://esl.about.com/library/grammar/blgr_adverbs_freq
uency.htm
Thank you