Present simple tense Examples with answers
The Present Simple Tense is one of the most important tenses in English. It is used to talk about habits, routines, facts, general truths, schedules, and permanent situations.
Present Simple Tense
Definition
The Present Simple describes actions that happen regularly, facts that are always true, or situations that do not usually change.
Examples
- I study English every day.
- She drinks coffee every morning.
- The Earth moves around the Sun.
- Birds fly.
Structure
1. Positive Sentences
Formula
Subject + Base Verb + Object
For He / She / It, add -s or -es to the verb.
| Subject | Verb | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I | work | I work every day. |
| You | work | You work hard. |
| We | work | We work together. |
| They | work | They work at night. |
| He | works | He works every day. |
| She | works | She works in a hospital. |
| It | works | It works well. |
Rules for Adding -s or -es
Add -s
- play → plays
- read → reads
- eat → eats
- sleep → sleeps
Add -es
If the verb ends in:
- s
- ss
- sh
- ch
- x
- z
- o
Examples
- watch → watches
- wash → washes
- go → goes
- fix → fixes
- pass → passes
- do → does
Change y to ies
If a verb ends with a consonant + y
- study → studies
- carry → carries
- try → tries
But if there is a vowel before y
- play → plays
- enjoy → enjoys
- buy → buys
Negative Sentences
Formula
Subject + do/does + not + base verb
| Subject | Auxiliary | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I | do not | I do not smoke. |
| You | do not | You do not like coffee. |
| We | do not | We do not play football. |
| They | do not | They do not study French. |
| He | does not | He does not smoke. |
| She | does not | She does not work here. |
| It | does not | It does not rain much. |
Short Forms
- do not = don't
- does not = doesn't
Examples
- I don't watch TV.
- She doesn't eat meat.
- They don't live here.
- He doesn't drive.
Important: After do/does, always use the base form of the verb.
✅ She doesn't play.
❌ She doesn't plays.
Questions
Formula
Do/Does + Subject + Base Verb?
Examples
- Do you speak English?
- Does he work here?
- Do they play football?
- Does she study medicine?
Short Answers
Yes
- Yes, I do.
- Yes, she does.
- Yes, they do.
No
- No, I don't.
- No, he doesn't.
- No, they don't.
When Do We Use the Present Simple?
1. Daily Routines
Examples
- I wake up at 6 a.m.
- She brushes her teeth.
- We eat breakfast together.
- They go to school every day.
2. Habits
Examples
- He drinks tea every morning.
- I exercise three times a week.
- She always reads before bed.
3. General Truths
Examples
- Water boils at 100°C.
- The Sun rises in the east.
- Ice melts in heat.
- Birds have wings.
4. Permanent Situations
Examples
- I live in Iraq.
- She works in a bank.
- They own a restaurant.
5. Timetables and Schedules
Examples
- The train leaves at 7:30.
- School starts at 8:00.
- The movie begins at 9:00.
Time Expressions
These words often appear with the Present Simple:
- always
- usually
- often
- sometimes
- rarely
- never
- every day
- every week
- every month
- every year
- on Mondays
- in the morning
- at night
Examples
- I always drink coffee.
- She usually walks to school.
- They often play football.
- We never smoke.
Signal Words
| Word | Example |
|---|---|
| Always | He always smiles. |
| Usually | She usually cooks dinner. |
| Often | They often travel. |
| Sometimes | I sometimes forget. |
| Never | He never lies. |
| Every day | We study every day. |
30 Practice Examples with Answers
Positive
-
I _____ English every day.
- Answer: study
-
She _____ to school by bus.
- Answer: goes
-
They _____ football every weekend.
- Answer: play
-
He _____ coffee every morning.
- Answer: drinks
-
We _____ TV at night.
- Answer: watch
-
My father _____ in a hospital.
- Answer: works
-
The cat _____ milk.
- Answer: drinks
-
Birds _____ in the sky.
- Answer: fly
-
My mother _____ delicious food.
- Answer: cooks
- The baby _____ a lot.
- Answer: cries
Negative
- She _____ meat.
- Answer: doesn't eat
- They _____ coffee.
- Answer: don't drink
- He _____ TV every day.
- Answer: doesn't watch
- We _____ late.
- Answer: don't arrive
- I _____ smoke.
- Answer: don't
- My brother _____ vegetables.
- Answer: doesn't like
- The dog _____ chocolate.
- Answer: doesn't eat
- They _____ here.
- Answer: don't live
- She _____ French.
- Answer: doesn't speak
- We _____ on Sundays.
- Answer: don't work
Questions
- _____ you like pizza?
- Answer: Do
- _____ she play tennis?
- Answer: Does
- _____ they study English?
- Answer: Do
- _____ he drive a car?
- Answer: Does
- _____ we have class today?
- Answer: Do
- Does she work here?
- Answer: Yes, she does.
- Do they live in London?
- Answer: No, they don't.
- Does he speak Arabic?
- Answer: Yes, he does.
- Do you like coffee?
- Answer: Yes, I do. (or No, I don't.)
- Does your sister study medicine?
- Answer: Yes, she does. (or No, she doesn't.)
Common Mistakes
| Incorrect | Correct |
|---|---|
| He go to school. | He goes to school. |
| She don't like tea. | She doesn't like tea. |
| Does he works? | Does he work? |
| I doesn't know. | I don't know. |
| They plays football. | They play football. |
Quick Summary
| Sentence Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | Subject + Verb (+ s/es) | She works every day. |
| Negative | Subject + do/does + not + Verb | She doesn't work today. |
| Question | Do/Does + Subject + Verb? | Does she work here? |
Remember
- Use the base verb with I, you, we, they.
- Add -s or -es for he, she, it in positive sentences.
- Use do with I, you, we, they.
- Use does with he, she, it.
- After do/does, always use the base form of the verb.