Simple Present Tense | Structure, Rules, Usage and Examples

Simple present tense, also known as present indefinite tense, is one of English grammar’s most basic and fundamental tenses. It describes actions or states that are currently happening, habitual actions or routines, facts, and general truths. It is simple yet crucial for effective communication and can be used in various situations to express ideas clearly. In this article, we will learn what the Present Simple Tense is with its structure, rules, usage, and examples in detail. So, let’s get started!

What is Simple Present Tense?

The simple present tense is used to describe an action that is happening right now, regularly, or usually. It is also used to describe facts, general truths, or conditions. Unlike other tenses in English, the simple present tense does not change with the subject or the time. It is the most basic form of expressing actions in the present. In simple present tense, the verb takes its base form, and sometimes an ‘s’ or ‘es’ is added to the verb when the subject is third-person singular (he, she, it).

Examples:

I work in an office. (habitual action)
The sun rises in the east. (general truth)
The train arrives at 8 pm. (scheduled event)
The earth revolves around the sun. (Factual)
If it rains, the event will be canceled. (conditional)
Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius. (universal truth)
She is watching a movie right now. (currently happening)

Structure of Simple Present Tense

The structure of the simple present tense is straightforward. It varies slightly based on the subject of the sentence:

Subject (S)+Verb (V)+Object (O)

Subject (S): The doer of the action.
Verb (V): The action or state expressed in the sentence.
Object (O): The receiver of the action (if there is one).

Simple Present Affirmative:

Use the base form of the verb for most subjects, but add ‘s’ or ‘es’ for third person singular (he, she, it).

First Person (I, We): Subject + Base Verb + Object/Complement

Examples:

I eat breakfast at 7 AM every day.
We like to travel during the summer.
I enjoy reading books in my free time.

Second Person (You): Subject + Base Verb + Object/Complement

Examples:

You solve the puzzle.
You work hard every day.
You play the guitar skillfully.

Third Person (He/She/It): Subject + Base Verb + ‘s’ or ‘es’ + Object/Complement

Examples:

He likes to drink black coffee.
She enjoys reading mystery novels.
It snows heavily in the mountains.

Third Person (They): Subject + Base Verb + Object/Complement

Examples:

They prefer to travel by car.
They speak multiple languages.
They work hard to achieve their goals.

Simple Present Negative:

When forming negative sentences, use ‘do not’ (don’t) for most subjects and ‘does not’ (doesn’t) for third person singular (he, she, it).

(I, WE, You, They): Subject + do + not + Base Verb + Object

Examples:

I do not like spicy food.
They do not play basketball.
They do not believe in ghosts.

(He, She, It): Subject + does + not + Base Verb + Object

Examples:

She does not eat apples.
He does not have a car.
It does not need any modifications.

Simple Present Interrogative:

To ask a question in the simple present tense, we use ‘do’ for most subjects and ‘does’ for third person singular (he, she, it) at the beginning of the sentence.

(I, WE, You, They): Do + Subject + Base Verb + Object + ?

Examples:

Do you know the answer?
Do we need more groceries?
Do they understand the instructions?

(He, She, It): Does + Subject + Base Verb + Object + ?

Examples:

Does she like chocolates?
Does it snow in winter here?
Does she speak English fluently?

Negative Interrogatives

To form Simple Present Negative Interrogative sentence, combine the structures of negative and interrogative sentences. Here’s the basic structure:

Do not/Does not + Subject + Base Verb + Object + ?

Examples:

Does not she wear glasses?
Do not you enjoy reading books?
Do not we have a meeting today?

Interrogative Sentences With Question Words

To form Simple Present Interrogative sentences using question words, use question words (what, where, when, why, how, who, which) at the very beginning in the sentence. For example:

Question Word + Do/Does + Subject + Base Verb + Object + ?

Examples:

Where do you live?
How does he solve problems?
What does she eat for breakfast?

Timeline:

The simple present tense is used to express actions or situations that are happening right now, regularly, or generally. However, It doesn’t always have a specific timeline attached to it; it can represent ongoing actions, habitual activities, and general truths that are not limited to a particular moment. It does not explicitly indicate the timing of the action but is more about the timeless or routine nature of the activity. It doesn’t have a strict timeline in the same way that past, present, and future tenses do. Instead, it often describes habits, routines, facts, or timeless truths.

Time Words:

Here are some basic words and expressions that are often associated with the simple present tense:

[now, daily, at night, today, right now, always, often, usually, frequently, sometimes, never, currently, generally, On a daily basis, day by day, as usual, rarely, every day/week/month, In the morning/afternoon/evening, on Mondays/Tuesdays/etc.]

Uses

The simple present tense has various uses, including:

To describe habitual or regular actions.
To describe general truths or conditions.
To express wishes, emotions, opinions, and beliefs.
To express universal truths or scientific facts.
To give directions or instructions.
To tell stories or anecdotes in literature.
To describe future or scheduled events.
For opinions, narration, and commentaries.

Adding ‘s’ or ‘es’:

For third-person singular (he/she/it), we add ‘s’ to the base form of the verb.

She plays video games. (play)
He walks to school every day. (walk)
It rains often in this region. (rain)

For verbs ending in -s, -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, or -o: Add ‘es’. (he, she, it)

She goes to the office regularly. (go)
He washes the dishes after dinner. (wash)
It fixes the problem automatically. (fix)

For verbs that end in a consonant + ‘y’, we change the ‘y’ to ‘i’ and add ‘es’. (he, she, it)

He studies late at night. (study)
She carries a heavy bag. (carry)
He tries his best. (try)

Simple Present Tense Rules:

Verb Form:
- Use the base form of the verb for most subjects (I, you, we, they).
- Add ‘s’ or ‘es’ to the base verb for third-person singular subjects (he, she, it).
Subject-Verb Agreement:
- Use “s” or “es” with the base verb for third-person singular subjects (he, she, it).
Negative Form:
- Add “do not” or “does not” before the base verb to make a negative sentence.
Questions:
- Use “do” or “does” at the beginning of a sentence to form questions.
Daily Routines:
- Use the simple present tense to talk about habitual actions or daily routines.
Facts and Generalizations:
- Use the simple present tense to express facts, general truths, or timeless statements.
Frequency Adverbs:
- Use adverbs of frequency (e.g., always, usually, often) with the simple present tense to describe how often an action occurs.
State Verbs:
- Some verbs (e.g., like, know, understand) are stative and do not take ‘s’ for third-person singular subjects. Use the base form for all subjects.

Simple Present Tense Chart with Examples

Form	Person	Positive Sentence	Negative Sentence	Interrogative Sentence
Structure	First Person (I, We)	Subject + Base Verb + Object	Subject + do + not + Base Verb + Object	Do + Subject + Base Verb + Object + ?
Examples	Without “s” or “es”	I study every day.	I do not study on weekends.	Do we study together?
Structure	Second Person (You)	Subject + Base Verb + Object	Subject + do + not + Base Verb + Object	Do + Subject + Base Verb + Object + ?
Examples	Without “s” or “es”	You solve the puzzle.	You do not play basketball.	Do you eat fruits?
Structure	Third Person (He/She/It)	Subject + Base Verb + ‘s’ or ‘es’ + Object	Subject + does + not + Base Verb + Object	Does + Subject + Base Verb + Object + ?
Examples	Add “s” or “es”	He works in an office.	She does not work on Sundays.	Does it work properly?
Structure	Third Person (They)	Subject + Base Verb + Object	Subject + do + not + Base Verb + Object	Do + Subject + Base Verb + Object + ?
Examples	Without “s” or “es”	They explore new places.	They do not watch reality shows.	Do they like history?

Example Sentences:

I eat breakfast every morning.
She works in a hospital.
Dogs bark loudly.
The sun rises in the east.
We go to school by bus.
It rains in the winter.
He likes ice cream.
They play football on weekends.
The Earth orbits the sun.
She speaks French fluently.
He watches movies on Fridays.
The train departs at 3 PM.
The teacher explains the lesson.
I read books before bedtime.
They always arrive on time.
She wears a red dress.
We listen to music together.
The river flows quietly.
It tastes delicious.
The clock ticks loudly.
She exercises regularly.
I know the answer.
They visit museums occasionally.
He often forgets his keys.
The flowers bloom in spring.

Simple Present Tense Exercise

He ___ to the gym every day. (go/goes/going)
They ___ cricket on weekends. (play/plays/playing)
He ___ a new car last month. (buy/buys/bought)
The sun ___ in the east. (rises/rise/rising)
The students ___ the teacher carefully. (listen/listens/listening)
They ___ English very well. (speak/speaks/speaking)
The train ___ at 8 AM. (leave/leaves/leaving)
Water ___ at 100 degrees Celsius. (boil/boils/boiling)
Why ___ he eat vegetables? (isn’t/doesn’t/don’t)
Why ____ you like horror movies? (do/are/does)

Answers:

goes
play
bought
rises
listen
speak
leaves
boils
doesn’t
do

FAQs

Q1: What is the simple present tense?

The simple present tense is a verb form that indicates the action is happening in the present, or it expresses a general truth, a habitual action, or a state of being. It is formed by using the base form of the verb, with the addition of “-s” or “-es” for third-person singular subjects.

Q2: How do you form affirmative sentences in the simple present tense?

Affirmative sentences follow the pattern: Subject + Base Verb (+s/es for third person singular). For example: “She plays tennis.”

Q3: When do you use the simple present tense?

It is used for actions that occur regularly, facts that are always true, general truths, scientific facts, habitual actions, and statements about daily routines.

Q4: How do you make negative sentences and interrogative sentences in the simple present tense?

Negative sentences are formed by adding “do not” (don’t) or “does not” (doesn’t) before the base verb. For example: “He does not like coffee.” And interrogative sentences start with “do” or “does” followed by the subject and the base verb. For example, “Do you speak Spanish?” or “Does he like pizza?”

Q5: Are there any exceptions in the simple present tense?

Yes, third-person singular subjects (he, she, it) often require special attention, such as adding “es” or changing the spelling of the verb.

Q6: Give some examples of simple present tense.

Here are some example sentences of simple present tense: