This document discusses the present simple tense in English. It covers:
- Forming affirmative sentences with the present simple by using the base form of the verb for all subjects except the third person singular, which takes -s.
- Forming negative sentences by adding do/does not before the base form of the verb.
- Forming questions with do/does and short answers with yes/no followed by the subject and base/base+s form of the verb. Examples are provided to illustrate the rules.
2. THE PRESENT SIMPLE: AFFIRMATIVE
SUBJECT VERB INFINITIVE
S
I
N
G
U
L
A
R
I READ EVERY
DAY.
ONCE A
WEEK.
AT HOME.
YOU READ
HE / SHE / IT READS
P
L
U
R
A
L
WE READ
YOU READ
THEY READ
3. In general
+ s
Verbs ending in
conson. + y
y + ies
Verbs ending in –o,
sh, tch, x, ss
+ es
work → works study → studies go → goes
eat → eats cry → cries wash → washes
play → plays try → tries watch → watches
swim → swims spy → spies mix → mixes
write → writes fly → flies kiss → kisses
RULES FOR THE 3RD PERSON SINGULAR (HE / SHE / IT)
4. WE USE PRESENT SIMPLE TO TALK ABOUT:
facts habits and routines
feeling and emotions general truth
I live in Poland. They swim every day.
They like pizza.
Sunday comes after
Saturday.
10. SUBJECT
DO/DOE
S NOT VERB
S
I
N
G
U
L
A
R
I DO NOT READ
EVERY
DAY.
ONCE A
WEEK.
AT HOME.
YOU DO NOT READ
HE / SHE /
IT
DOES NOT READ
P
L
U
R
A
L
WE DO NOT READ
YOU DO NOT READ
THEY DO NOT READ
Negative form
17. YOUR TURN NOW
Write the affirmative /negative form of the
verbs in brackets:
1. Dave ……………… (not live) in Madrid.
2. Sue ……………… (study) German at school.
3. My dad ……………… (drive) a red car.
4. We ……………. (not walk) to school.
5. The 34 bus ………………… (not stop) here.
6. Mr Brown …………………. (teach) maths.
7. The children ……………… (play) football.
8. Mary ……………… (wash) the dishes after lunch.
18. DO/DOES
SUBJEC
T
VERB SHORT ANSWERS
S
I
N
G
U
L
A
R
DO I PLAY ?
Yes, you do. / No, you
don’t.
DO YOU PLAY ?
Yes, you do. / No, you
don’t.
DOES
HE/SHE/
IT
PLAY ?
Yes, he does. / No, he
doesn’t.
P
L
U
R
A
L
DO WE PLAY ?
Yes, we do. / No, we
don’t.
DO YOU PLAY ?
Yes, we do. / No, we
don’t.
DO THEY PLAY ?
Yes, they do. / No, they
don’t.
INTERROGATIVE & SHORT ANSWERS
24. Your turn now
Correct these sentences if necessary:
1.Tom doesn’t never read newspapers.
2. We not like horror films.
3. Do Dave sends e-mails? Yes, he do.
4. Mary drinks sometimes coffee after lunch.
5. My best friend plaies the piano.
6. Do you have a big breakfast?
7. Dad doesn’t the housework, mum does.
8. It doesn’t rains much in summer.