Simple Present Tense
English Grammar Rules
The simple present tense in English is used to describe an action that is regular, true or normal.We use the present tense:
1. For repeated or regular actions in the present time period.
- I take the train to the office.
- The train to Berlin leaves every hour.
- John sleeps eight hours every night during the week.
- The President of The USA lives in The White House.
- A dog has four legs.
- We come from Switzerland.
- I get up early every day.
- Carol brushes her teeth twice a day.
- They travel to their country house every weekend.
- It rains a lot in winter.
- The Queen of England lives in Buckingham Palace.
- They speak English at work.
Verb Conjugation & Spelling
We form the present tense using the base form of the infinitive (without the TO).In general, in the third person we add 'S' in the third person.
| Subject | Verb | The Rest of the sentence |
|---|---|---|
| I / you / we / they | speak / learn | English at home |
| he / she / it | speaks / learns | English at home |
1. For verbs that end in -O, -CH, -SH, -SS, -X, or -Z we add -ES in the third person.
- go – goes
- catch – catches
- wash – washes
- kiss – kisses
- fix – fixes
- buzz – buzzes
- marry – marries
- study – studies
- carry – carries
- worry – worries
- play – plays
- enjoy – enjoys
- say – says
Negative Sentences in the Simple Present Tense
To make a negative sentence in English we normally use Don't or Doesn't with all verbs EXCEPT To Be and Modal verbs (can, might, should etc.).- Affirmative: You speak French.
Negative: You don't speak French.
- Affirmative: He speaks German.
Negative: He doesn't speak German.
Negative Contractions
Don't = Do notDoesn't = Does not
I don't like meat = I do not like meat.
There is no difference in meaning though we normally use contractions in spoken English.
Word Order of Negative Sentences
The following is the word order to construct a basic negative sentence in English in the Present Tense using Don't or Doesn't.| Subject | don't/doesn't | Verb* | The Rest of the sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| I / you / we / they | don't | have / buy eat / like etc. | cereal for breakfast |
| he / she / it | doesn't |
Remember that the infinitive is the verb before it is conjugated (changed) and it begins with TO. For example: to have, to eat, to go, to live, to speak etc.
Examples of Negative Sentences with Don't and Doesn't:
- You don't speak Arabic.
- John doesn't speak Italian.
- We don't have time for a rest.
- It doesn't move.
- They don't want to go to the party.
- She doesn't like fish.
Questions in the Simple Present Tense
To make a question in English we normally use Do or Does. It has no translation in Spanish though it is essential to show we are making a question. It is normally put at the beginning of the question.- Affirmative: You speak English.
Question: Do you speak English?
- Affirmative: He speaks French.
Question: Does he speak French?
We DON'T use Do or Does in questions that have the verb To Be or Modal Verbs (can, must, might, should etc.)
Word Order of Questions with Do and Does
The following is the word order to construct a basic question in English using Do or Does.| Do/Does | Subject | Verb* | The Rest of the sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do | I / you / we / they | have / need want etc. | a new bike? |
| Does | he / she / it |
Remember that the infinitive is the verb before it is conjugated (changed) and it begins with TO. For example: to have, to eat, to go, to live, to speak etc.
Examples of Questions with Do and Does:
- Do you need a dictionary?
- Does Mary need a dictionary?
- Do we have a meeting now?
- Does it rain a lot in winter?
- Do they want to go to the party?
- Does he like pizza?
Short Answers with Do and Does
In questions that use do/does it is possible to give short answers to direct questions as follows:| Sample Questions | Short Answer (Affirmative) | Short Answer (Negative) |
|---|---|---|
| Do you like chocolate? | Yes, I do. | No, I don't. |
| Do I need a pencil? | Yes, you do. | No, you don't. |
| Do you both like chocolate? | Yes, we do. | No, we don't. |
| Do they like chocolate? | Yes, they do. | No, they don't. |
| Does he like chocolate? | Yes, he does. | No, he doesn't. |
| Does she like chocolate? | Yes, she does. | No, she doesn't. |
| Does it have four wheels? | Yes, it does. | No, it doesn't. |
Next activity
Grammar Rules:Check out the conjugation rules for Have Has Go Goes and also of Verbs in the Third Person.
Grammar Games:
Practice this tense with our interactive game at: Simple Present Tense or Have - Has - Go - Goes
Simple Past Tense
The past tense is a grammatical tense whose
principal function is to place an action or situation in past time. In languages
which have a past tense, it thus provides a grammatical means of indicating
that the event being referred to took place in the past. Examples of verbs in the past tense include the English
verbs sang, went and was.
USE 1 Completed Action in the Past
Use
the Simple Past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific
time in the past. Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the specific
time, but they do have one specific time in mind.
Examples:
- I saw a movie yesterday.
- I didn't see a play yesterday.
- Last year, I traveled to Japan.
USE 2 A Series of Completed Actions
We
use the Simple Past to list a series of completed actions in the past. These
actions happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on.
Examples:
- I finished work, walked to the beach, and found a nice place to swim.
- He arrived from the airport at 8:00, checked into the hotel at 9:00, and met the others at 10:00.
- Did you add flour, pour in the milk, and then add the eggs?
USE 3 Duration in Past
The
Simple Past can be used with a duration which starts and stops in the past. A
duration is a longer action often indicated by expressions such as: for two
years, for five minutes, all day, all year, etc.
Examples:
- I lived in Brazil for two years.
- Shauna studied Japanese for five years.
- A : How long did you wait for them?
B
: We waited for one
hour.
USE 4 Habits in the Past
Examples:
- I studied French when I was a child.
- He played the violin.
- He didn't play the piano.
USE 5 Past Facts or Generalizations
The Simple Past can also be used to describe past facts or generalizations which are no longer true. As in USE 4 above, this use of the Simple Past is quite similar to the expression "used to."
Examples:
- She was shy as a child, but now she is very outgoing.
- He didn't like tomatoes before.
- Did you live in Texas when you were a kid?
IMPORTANT When-Clauses Happen First
Clauses
are groups of words which have meaning but are often not complete sentences.
Some clauses begin with the word "when" such as "when I dropped
my pen..." or "when class began..." These clauses are called
when-clauses, and they are very important. The examples below contain
when-clauses.
Examples:
- When I paid her one dollar, she answered my question.
- She answered my question when I paid her one dollar.
When-clauses
are important because they always happen first when both clauses are in the
Simple Past. Both of the examples above mean the same thing: first, I paid her
one dollar, and then, she answered my question. It is not important whether
"when I paid her one dollar" is at the beginning of the sentence or
at the end of the sentence. However, the example below has a different meaning.
First, she answered my question, and then, I paid her one dollar.
Example:
- I paid her one dollar when she answered my question.
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The
examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only,
never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
- You just called Debbie.
- Did you just call Debbie?
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
- Tom repaired the car. Active
- The car was repaired by Tom. Passive
FORM Will
[will
+ verb]
- You will help him later.
- Will you help him later?
- You will not help him later.
FORM Be Going To
[am/is/are
+ going to + verb]
Examples:
- You are going to meet Jane tonight.
- Are you going to meet Jane tonight?
- You are not going to meet Jane tonight.
USE 1 "Will" to Express a Voluntary
Action
"Will"
often suggests that a speaker will do something voluntarily. A voluntary action
is one the speaker offers to do for someone else. Often, we use
"will" to respond to someone else's complaint or request for help. We
also use "will" when we request that someone help us or volunteer to
do something for us. Similarly, we use "will not" or
"won't" when we refuse to voluntarily do something.
Examples:
- I will send you the information when I get it.
- Will you help me move this heavy table?
- A: I'm really hungry.
B: I'll make some sandwiches.
USE 2 "Will" to Express a Promise
"Will"
is usually used in promises.
Examples:
- I will call you when I arrive.
- If I am elected President of the United States, I will make sure everyone has access to inexpensive health insurance.
- I promise I will not tell him about the surprise party.
USE 3 "Be going to" to Express a
Plan
"Be
going to" expresses that something is a plan. It expresses the idea that a
person intends to do something in the future. It does not matter whether the
plan is realistic or not.
Examples:
- He is going to spend his vacation in Hawaii.
- She is not going to spend her vacation in Hawaii.
- A: When are we going to meet each other tonight?
B: We are going to meet at 6
PM.
USE 4 "Will" or "Be Going
to" to Express a Prediction
Both
"will" and "be going to" can express the idea of a general
prediction about the future. Predictions are guesses about what might happen in
the future. In "prediction" sentences, the subject usually has little
control over the future and therefore USES 1-3 do not apply. In the following
examples, there is no difference in meaning.
Examples:
- The year 2222 will be a very interesting year.
- The year 2222 is going to be a very interesting year.
- John Smith will be the next President.
IMPORTANT
In
the Simple Future, it is not always clear which USE the speaker has in mind.
Often, there is more than one way to interpret a sentence's meaning.
Like
all future forms, the Simple Future cannot be used in clauses beginning with
time expressions such as: when, while, before, after, by the time, as soon as,
if, unless, etc. Instead of Simple Future, Simple Present is used.
Examples:
- When you will arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Not Correct
- When you arrive tonight, we will go out for dinner. Correct
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The
examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only,
never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
- You will never help him.
- Are you ever going to meet Jane?
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
- John will finish the work by 5:00 PM. Active
- The work will be finished by 5:00 PM. Passive
- Sally is going to make a beautiful dinner tonight. Active
- A beautiful dinner is going to be made by Sally tonight. Passive
Present Perfect Tense
The present perfect is a grammatical combination of the present tense and
the perfect aspect,
used to express a past event that has present consequences. The term is used
particularly in the context of English grammar, where it
refers to forms such as "I have left" and "Sue has died".
These forms are present because they use the present tense of
the auxiliary
verb have, and perfect because they use
that auxiliary in combination with the past participle of
the main verb. (Other perfect constructions also exist, such as the past perfect: "I
had eaten.")
USE 1 Unspecified Time Before Now
We use the Present Perfect to say that an action happened at an unspecified time before now. The exact time is not important. You CANNOT use the Present Perfect with specific time expressions such as: yesterday, one year ago, last week, when I was a child, when I lived in Japan, at that moment, that day, one day, etc. We CAN use the Present Perfect with unspecific expressions such as: ever, never, once, many times, several times, before, so far, already, yet, etc.
- I have seen that movie twenty times.
- I think I have met him once before.
- There have been many earthquakes in California.
- People have traveled to the Moon.
How Do You Actually Use the Present Perfect?
The concept of "unspecified
time" can be very confusing to English learners. It is best to associate
Present Perfect with the following topics:
TOPIC 1 Experience
You can use the Present Perfect to
describe your experience. It is like saying, "I have the experience
of..." You can also use this tense to say that you have never had a
certain experience. The Present Perfect is NOT used to describe a specific
event.
Examples:
- I have been to France.
This
sentence means that you have had the experience of being in France. Maybe you
have been there once, or several times.
- I have been to France three times.
You can
add the number of times at the end of the sentence.
- I have never been to France.
This
sentence means that you have not had the experience of going to France.
TOPIC 2 Change Over Time
We often use the Present Perfect to
talk about change that has happened over a period of time.
Examples:
- You have grown since the last time I saw you.
- The government has become more interested in arts education.
- Japanese has become one of the most popular courses at the university since the Asian studies program was established.
TOPIC 3 Accomplishments
We often use the Present Perfect to
list the accomplishments of individuals and humanity. You cannot mention a
specific time.
Examples:
- Man has walked on the Moon.
- Our son has learned how to read.
TOPIC 4 An Uncompleted Action You Are
Expecting
We often use the Present Perfect to
say that an action which we expected has not happened. Using the Present
Perfect suggests that we are still waiting for the action to happen.
Examples:
- James has not finished his homework yet.
- Susan hasn't mastered Japanese, but she can communicate.
TOPIC 5 Multiple Actions at Different Times
We also use the Present Perfect to
talk about several different actions which have occurred in the past at
different times. Present Perfect suggests the process is not complete and more
actions are possible.
Examples:
- The army has attacked that city five times.
- I have had four quizzes and five tests so far this semester.
Time Expressions with Present Perfect
When we use the Present Perfect it
means that something has happened at some point in our lives before now.
Remember, the exact time the action happened is not important.
Sometimes, we want to limit the time
we are looking in for an experience. We can do this with expressions such as:
in the last week, in the last year, this week, this month, so far, up to now,
etc.
Examples:
- Have you been to Mexico in the last year?
- I have seen that movie six times in the last month.
- They have had three tests in the last week.
- She graduated from university less than three years ago. She has worked for three different companies so far.
NOTICE
"Last year" and "in the
last year" are very different in meaning. "Last year" means the
year before now, and it is considered a specific time which requires Simple
Past. "In the last year" means from 365 days ago until now.
It is not considered a specific time, so it requires Present Perfect.
Examples:
- I went to Mexico last year.
I went to
Mexico in the calendar year before this one.
- I have been to Mexico in the last year.
I have
been to Mexico at least once at some point between 365 days ago and now.
USE 2 Duration From the Past Until Now
(Non-Continuous Verbs)
With Non-Continuous Verbs and non-continuous
uses of Mixed
Verbs, we use the Present Perfect to show that something started in the
past and has continued up until now. "For five minutes," "for
two weeks," and "since Tuesday" are all durations which can be
used with the Present Perfect.
Examples:
- I have had a cold for two weeks.
- She has been in England for six months.
- Mary has loved chocolate since she was a little girl.
Although the above use of Present
Perfect is normally limited to Non-Continuous Verbs and non-continuous uses of
Mixed Verbs, the words "live," "work," "teach,"
and "study" are sometimes used in this way even though they are NOT
Non-Continuous Verbs.
ADVERB PLACEMENT
The examples below show the placement
for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.
Examples:
- You have only seen that movie one time.
- Have you only seen that movie one time?
ACTIVE / PASSIVE
Examples:
- Many tourists have visited that castle. Active
- That castle has been visited by many tourists. Passive
