THE SIMPLE PRESENT
Colégio Vértice
Profa. Rita Moretti
Uses of The Simple
Present
1. The Simple Present can be used
to refer to actions which occur at
regular intervals.
Rita teaches
English at Colégio
Vértice three times
a week.
Ann sings in the
school choir.
Daniel always sleeps
during his Math class.
He usually drinks
tea after a meal.
She usually works on
her basket after dinner.
They go to a dance
every Sunday.
They take a
walk with
their son
every day.
run/every day
More
sentences:
He runs to
school every
day.
not/do/homework
do/
every
day
She does her
homework
every day.
He doesn’t do his homework every
day.
not/like
get
She
doesn’t
like
school.
He always
listens to the
teacher!!
A+
He gets an A+ on
every quiz!
listen/always
I always make a
snowman in the
winter.
I don’t.
make
throw
I throw
snowballs.
I always
brush my
teeth.
eat
I don’t.
I always
eat a lot
of candy.
Mmmm.
brush
2. The Simple Present is also used
in stating general truths.
The earth goes
around the sun.
Birds fly.
Water freezes at 32 degrees.
32º
Triangles have three sides.
3. Occasionally, the Simple Present
is used to express actions
occurring in the future.
• Our plane leaves at
eight o'clock
tomorrow night.
4. In addition, the Simple Present
is used when referring to printed
material, and when describing
events portrayed in a book, film, or
other work of art.
NASA starts
countdown to Mars
mission.
(from cnn.com)
Formation of the simple
present
The simple present is formed from
the bare infinitive of the verb. As
shown in the following examples, the
bare infinitive of a verb consists of
the infinitive without the word to.
Infinitive
Bare Infinitive
to be
be
to walk
walk
to work
work
For example, the Simple Present of the verb to work
is conjugated as follows:
I work
you work
he works
she works
it works
we work
they work
The form of the verb used with the subjects he, she
and it is generally referred to as the third person
singular
Spelling rules for the third person
singular
Some verbs change their spelling by JUST adding S
to their bare infinitive.
(work – show )
When a verb ends in Y preceded by a vowel just add
S. ( play – enjoy – buy)
When a verb ends in Y preceded by a consonant cut
the Y and add ies. (study – worry – carry)
When a verb ends in SS, SH, CH, X, Z and O just
add ES. (go – teach – wash – watch – fix – buzz)
The auxiliaries
DO and DOES
The auxiliaries DO and Does are
used to make the Interrogative
and Negative forms.
Negative form
I/You/We/They + do not (don’t) +
bare infinitive (verb without “to”)
We do not (don’t) swim.
He/She/It + does not (doesn’t) +
bare infinitive
She does not (doesn’t) swim
Interrogative form
Do + I/You/We/They +bare infinitive
Do they swim?
Does + He/She/It + bare infinitive
Does he swim?
Note: The simple present of the verb To Have
is conjugated as follows:
I have
you have
he has
she has
it has
we have
they have
Paulo and Daniel like to go to soccer games.
Do Paulo and Daniel like to go to soccer games?
Paulo and Daniel do not (don’t) like to go to soccer
games.
Rita goes to the gym three times a week.
Does Rita go to the gym three times a week?
Rita does not (doesn’t) go to the gym three times a
week.
Eduardo studies engineering at Mackenzie.
Does Eduardo study engineering at Mackenzie?
Eduardo does not (doesn’t) study engineering at
Mackenzie.
Don’t forget!
The auxiliary DO is used with the pronouns I,
YOU, WE and THEY
The auxiliary DOES is used with the pronouns HE,
SHE and IT
When you use the auxiliary DOES
(INTERROGATIVE AND NEGATIVE FORMS),
put the verb in its bare infinitive (without “to”).
That’s all for now folks!
Thanks!
Teacher Rita