11.1 Usage:

A: to make a statement about actions that are continuing or things happening repeatedly.

e.g. Jean lives in France.

Mary watches television each evening.

B: to give instructions/directions.

e.g. You take the first left then take the next right.

C: to tell jokes and stories.

e.g. A man comes into the pub and he says ............

D: to ask a simple question using do/does.

e.g. Do you like English food?

Does your father speak English?

E: short answers to a simple question.

e.g. Do you enjoy English food? Yes, I do.

11.2 Structure:

A: the verb to be:

singular plural

I am We are

You are You are

He/she/it is They are

B: the verb to have:

singular plural

I have We have

You have You have

He/she/it has They have

The general rule for construction of the Simple Present Tense of most verbs is:

Use the infinitive form of the verb for all persons except the third person singular which adds - s or -es.

C: the verb to sit:

singular plural

I sit We sit

You sit You sit

He/she/it sits They sit

D: the verb to go:

singular plural

I go We go

You go You go

He/she/it goes They go

11.3 Structure: Exception

A: Verbs that end with a consonant plus -y: to try, fly, worry, cry, deny, study:

In the third person singular of the Present Simple Tense of these verbs, replace the -y with - ies.

i.e. He/she/it tries, flies, worries, cries, denies, studies.

B: Verbs that end with a vowel plus -y: to play, enjoy, delay, obey, buy:

In the third person singular of the Present Simple Tense these verbs are normal.

i.e. He/she/it plays, enjoys, delays, obeys, buys.

11.4 Structure: Negatives

In the negative, the Present Simple Tense requires the auxiliary verb do/does:-

e.g. Positive: I walk home every day.

Negative: I do not walk home every day.

/I don't walk home every day.

Positive: She studies English at weekends.

Negative: She does not study English at weekends.

/She doesn't study English at weekends.

11.5 Structure: Questions:

In forming questions, the Present Simple Tense requires the auxiliary verb do/does:

e.g. Do you speak English? (not speak you English?)

Does the cashier use a computer? (not use the cashier a computer?)

N.B. Carefully note the word order for a question including a negative.

e.g. Positive: Do you understand my question?

Negative: Don't you understand my question?

11.6 The Simple Present Tense: Position of Adverbs:

There are rules for the positioning of certain adverbs: always, often, never, usually, sometimes:

A: In positive statements:

In the Simple Present Tense, these adverbs are placed after the subject and before the verb:

S ADV V

e.g. The teacher always shouts at the class.

The student often talks in class.

B: In negative statements:

In the Simple Present Tense, these adverbs are placed after the negative:

e.g. Positive: Chantal is usually happy at work.

Negative: Chantal is not usually happy at work

/Chantal isn't usually happy at work.

Positive: The manager often drives his car to work

Negative: The manager does not often drive his car to work.

/The manager doesn't often drive his car to work.

C: In questions:

In the Simple Present Tense, the question uses the form do/does and the adverb is placed after the subject.

S ADV

e.g. Do your sons sometimes travel by train?

Does your father usually walk to the office?