Present Tense

There are four main forms of the present tense in English:

1. Simple present: This form is used to describe actions that happen regularly or actions that are true at all times. Example: “I walk to work every day.”
2. Present continuous: This form is used to describe actions that are currently happening at the time of speaking. Example: “I am writing an email right now.”
3. Present perfect: This form is used to describe actions that started in the past and continue up to the present moment. Example: “I have lived in this city for five years.”
4. Present perfect continuous: This form is used to describe actions that started in the past, continue in the present, and may continue into the future. Example: “I have been studying English for three hours.”

1. Simple Present: It is used to describe actions that happen regularly or actions that are true at all times. Example: “I drink coffee every morning.”
2. Present Continuous: It is used to describe actions that are currently happening at the time of speaking. Example: “She is watching TV right now.”
3. Present Perfect: It is used to describe actions that started in the past and continue up to the present moment. Example: “I have finished my work for today.”
4. Present Perfect Continuous: It is used to describe actions that started in the past, continue in the present, and may continue into the future. Example: “He has been studying for the exam for three hours.”

Present Tense Formula

1. Simple Present: Subject + Verb (base form) + Object

Example: “I drink coffee every morning.”

2. Present Continuous: Subject + “to be” (am, is, are) + Verb (ing form) + Object

Example: “She is watching TV right now.”

3. Present Perfect: Subject + “have/has” + Verb (past participle) + Object

Example: “I have finished my work for today.”

4. Present Perfect Continuous: Subject + “have/has been” + Verb (ing form) + Object

Example: “He has been studying for the exam for three hours.”

Note that irregular verbs have unique past participle forms, and some verbs may have slightly irregular present tense forms. It’s important to memorize the irregular verbs and their forms.

1. Simple Present: Subject + Verb (base form) + Object

Example: “I drink coffee every morning.”

2. Present Continuous: Subject + “to be” (am, is, are) + Verb (ing form) + Object

Example: “She is watching TV right now.”

3. Present Perfect: Subject + “have/has” + Verb (past participle) + Object

Example: “I have finished my work for today.”

4. Present Perfect Continuous: Subject + “have/has been” + Verb (ing form) + Object

Example: “He has been studying for the exam for three hours.”

In all of these structures, the subject comes first, followed by the appropriate verb form, and then the object (if there is one). Note that in the present tense, the verb itself does not change based on the subject, except for the third person singular in the simple present tense (adding -s or -es to the verb) and the verb “to be” in the present continuous tense (am, is, are).

The present tense is one of the basic tenses in English and is used to describe actions or states that are currently happening or ongoing, habitual actions or routines, general truths, and some future actions. It can be expressed in various forms depending on the specific type of present tense being used, such as simple present, present continuous, present perfect, and present perfect continuous.

For example:

• Simple present: “I eat breakfast every morning.”
• Present continuous: “She is playing soccer right now.”
• Present perfect: “They have visited Paris before.”
• Present perfect continuous: “He has been studying for three hours.”

Using the appropriate form of the present tense is important in communicating effectively in English and expressing the correct timing and context of the action or situation being described.

Here is the structure of Simple Present Tense: Subject + Base form of the verb + Object

For example:

• I eat lunch at noon. (habitual action)
• She works at the hospital. (a fact)
• The sun rises in the east. (general truth)

Note that the third person singular (he, she, it) verbs require the addition of -s or -es to the base form of the verb in the simple present tense. For example:

• He eats lunch at noon.
• She works at the hospital.
• The sun rises in the east.

The simple present tense can also be used to express future events that are scheduled or planned. For example:

• The train leaves at 7 PM tonight.
• The concert starts in an hour.

Overall, the simple present tense is a basic and commonly used tense in English that is used to describe habitual, general, factual, or scheduled events in the present or future.

1. Simple Present Affirmative: It is used to make statements or affirmative sentences about actions or events that happen habitually, generally or as a fact.

Structure: Subject + Base form of the verb + Object

Example: “She sings in the choir.”

2. Simple Present Negative: It is used to make negative statements about actions or events that do not happen habitually, generally or as a fact.

Structure: Subject + do/does not + Base form of the verb + Object

Example: “I do not eat meat.”

3. Simple Present Interrogative: It is used to ask questions about actions or events that happen habitually, generally or as a fact.

Structure: Do/Does + Subject + Base form of the verb + Object

Example: “Do you play tennis?”

4. Simple Present Interrogative Negative: It is used to ask negative questions about actions or events that do not happen habitually, generally or as a fact.

Structure: Do/Does + Subject + not + Base form of the verb + Object

Example: “Doesn’t she like chocolate?”

Note that the third person singular (he, she, it) verbs require the addition of -s or -es to the base form of the verb in the Simple Present Affirmative. For example: “She sings in the choir.” However, in the Simple Present Negative and Simple Present Interrogative Negative, the third person singular verbs do not require -s or -es. For example: “He does not sing in the choir.” and “Does she not sing in the choir?”

Here are some characteristics of the Present Simple Tense:

• The verb is in its base form (also known as the infinitive form) for most subjects, except for the third person singular (he/she/it) which has an -s or -es added to the base form.
• Examples of third person singular verbs in the Present Simple Tense include: eats, drinks, talks, walks, and takes.
• The tense is used to describe habits, routines, general truths, and events that occur regularly or frequently.
• Time expressions that indicate present time, such as “every day,” “always,” “usually,” “often,” and “sometimes” are often used with the Present Simple Tense.
• In the negative form, the word “do not” or “does not” is used before the base form of the verb.

Here are some examples of the Present Simple Tense:

• I eat breakfast every morning. (verb in base form)
• He eats breakfast every morning. (verb with -s added for third person singular)
• We play soccer on Saturdays. (verb in base form)
• They study English at school. (verb in base form)
• The sun rises in the east. (describing a general truth)
• I do not like spicy food. (negative form with “do not”)
• He does not watch TV in the morning. (negative form with “does not”)

By looking at the verb form and the presence of time expressions and negative particles, we can identify the Present Simple Tense in English.

Here are some examples of sentences in Simple Present Tense:

1. She dances beautifully.
2. They speak English fluently.
3. He goes to the gym every day.
4. We live in New York City.
5. The earth revolves around the sun.
6. I do not eat meat.
7. Does she play the piano?
8. They do not like spicy food.
9. The museum opens at 9 am.
10. He studies hard for his exams.

In these examples, you can see the use of the base form of the verb in the affirmative statements and the use of “do” or “does” in the negative and interrogative forms. Also, note the use of adverbs of frequency, which are commonly used in Simple Present Tense to indicate how often something happens.

The structure of a Simple Present Affirmative sentence is as follows:

• Subject + verb (base form) + object (if any)

Here are some examples of Simple Present Affirmative sentences:

• I like ice cream. (subject: I, verb: like)
• She walks to work every day. (subject: she, verb: walks)
• They speak Spanish fluently. (subject: they, verb: speak)
• We play soccer on the weekends. (subject: we, verb: play)
• The sun rises in the east. (subject: the sun, verb: rises)

In these examples, you can see that the verb is in its base form for most subjects, except for the third person singular where an -s or -es is added to the verb. Also, note that there is no auxiliary verb (such as “do” or “does”) used in the affirmative form of Simple Present Tense.

There are different types of Simple Present Affirmative sentences based on the subject of the sentence. The verb form changes based on the subject and whether it is singular or plural.

Here are the different types of Simple Present Affirmative sentences based on the subject:

1. First-person singular: I + verb (base form) + object (if any) Example: I like to eat pizza.
2. Second-person singular: You + verb (base form) + object (if any) Example: You play the guitar well.
3. Third-person singular: He/She/It + verb (base form + -s/-es) + object (if any) Examples:

• He walks to the store.
• She reads books every night.
• It runs fast.

4. First-person plural: We + verb (base form) + object (if any) Example: We live in a big house.
5. Second-person plural: You + verb (base form) + object (if any) Example: You speak French fluently.
6. Third-person plural: They + verb (base form) + object (if any) Example: They work hard every day.

In each of these examples, you can see how the verb form changes based on the subject of the sentence. It is important to use the correct verb form for each subject to ensure that the sentence is grammatically correct.

Here are some tips to help you identify Simple Present Affirmative Tense:

• Look for a subject in the sentence (I, you, he, she, it, we, or they).
• Check if the verb is in its base form (for most subjects) or if it has an -s or -es added to the end (for the third person singular subjects – he, she, it).
• Look for a statement of fact or routine that is currently happening or always true.

Here are some examples of Simple Present Affirmative Tense:

• She sings in the church choir. (subject: she, verb: sings)
• The sun rises in the east. (subject: the sun, verb: rises)
• They live in a big house. (subject: they, verb: live)
• We work hard every day. (subject: we, verb: work)
• He reads the newspaper every morning. (subject: he, verb: reads)

In each of these examples, the subject and verb are in the present form, indicating that the action is currently happening or always true. The sentences are affirmative because they are stating a fact or routine. Also, note that there is no auxiliary verb (such as “do” or “does”) used in the affirmative form of Simple Present Tense.

1. Start with a subject (I, you, he, she, it, we, or they).
2. Use the base form of the verb for most subjects, or add -s or -es to the end of the verb for the third person singular subjects (he, she, it).
3. Add an object (if any) to complete the sentence.

Here are some examples of how to form Simple Present Affirmative Tense:

• I like to swim. (subject: I, verb: like)
• You speak English well. (subject: you, verb: speak)
• She reads books every day. (subject: she, verb: reads)
• He plays soccer on the weekends. (subject: he, verb: plays)
• It rains a lot in the winter. (subject: it, verb: rains)
• We live in a big city. (subject: we, verb: live)
• They work hard every day. (subject: they, verb: work)

In each of these examples, the subject is followed by the base form of the verb (except for the third person singular where an -s or -es is added to the verb). The sentence is completed with an object (if any) to provide more information. Note that there is no auxiliary verb (such as “do” or “does”) used in the affirmative form of Simple Present Tense.

• I go to the gym every day. (subject: I, verb: go)
• You speak Spanish fluently. (subject: you, verb: speak)
• She loves to read books. (subject: she, verb: loves)
• He listens to music in the car. (subject: he, verb: listens)
• It snows a lot in the winter. (subject: it, verb: snows)
• We study hard for exams. (subject: we, verb: study)
• They play soccer on the weekends. (subject: they, verb: play)

In each of these examples, the Simple Present Affirmative Tense is used to describe a fact or routine that is happening currently or always true. The verb is in its base form or has an -s or -es ending for the third person singular subjects (he, she, it). Note that there is no auxiliary verb (such as “do” or “does”) used in the affirmative form of Simple Present Tense.

To form the Simple Present Negative, we use the auxiliary verb “do not” (don’t) or “does not” (doesn’t) and add the base form of the verb. The contraction “don’t” is used for the first and second person singular and plural (I, you, we, they), while “doesn’t” is used for the third person singular (he, she, it).

Here are some examples of Simple Present Negative:

• I don’t like spicy food. (subject: I, auxiliary verb: don’t, verb: like)
• You don’t study enough. (subject: you, auxiliary verb: don’t, verb: study)
• He doesn’t eat meat. (subject: he, auxiliary verb: doesn’t, verb: eat)
• She doesn’t drive a car. (subject: she, auxiliary verb: doesn’t, verb: drive)
• It doesn’t rain much in this area. (subject: it, auxiliary verb: doesn’t, verb: rain)
• We don’t work on weekends. (subject: we, auxiliary verb: don’t, verb: work)
• They don’t watch TV in the morning. (subject: they, auxiliary verb: don’t, verb: watch)

In each of these examples, the Simple Present Negative Tense is used to describe an action or situation that is not happening or is not true in the present moment. The auxiliary verb “do not” (don’t) or “does not” (doesn’t) is used to make the sentence negative. The verb is in its base form. Note that the contracted form is more commonly used in spoken English.

There is only one type of Simple Present Negative tense. It is used to negate a situation or action in the present time that is not happening or is not true. The negative form is formed by adding the auxiliary verb “do not” (don’t) or “does not” (doesn’t) before the base form of the verb. The contracted form is more commonly used in spoken English.

Example:

• Affirmative: I like ice cream.
• Negative: I don’t like ice cream.

The negative form of Simple Present Tense is formed by adding the auxiliary verb “do not” (don’t) or “does not” (doesn’t) before the base form of the verb. Here are some examples of Simple Present Negative Tense:

• She doesn’t eat meat. (subject: she, auxiliary verb: doesn’t, verb: eat)
• They don’t watch TV in the morning. (subject: they, auxiliary verb: don’t, verb: watch)
• I don’t like coffee. (subject: I, auxiliary verb: don’t, verb: like)
• We don’t have any pets. (subject: we, auxiliary verb: don’t, verb: have)
• He doesn’t play video games. (subject: he, auxiliary verb: doesn’t, verb: play)

In each of these examples, the negative form of Simple Present Tense is used to describe an action or situation that is not happening or is not true in the present moment. The auxiliary verb “do not” (don’t) or “does not” (doesn’t) is used to make the sentence negative, and the verb is in its base form. The contracted form is more commonly used in spoken English.

Here’s how to form the Simple Present Negative Tense:

1. For most verbs, use the auxiliary verb “do not” (don’t) for the first and second person singular and plural (I, you, we, they). Use “does not” (doesn’t) for the third person singular (he, she, it).
2. Add the base form of the verb after the auxiliary verb.
3. Use the contracted form of the auxiliary verb and the negative particle for a more informal tone.

Examples:

• I do not (don’t) like spicy food.
• You do not (don’t) study enough.
• He does not (doesn’t) eat meat.
• She does not (doesn’t) drive a car.
• It does not (doesn’t) rain much in this area.
• We do not (don’t) work on weekends.
• They do not (don’t) watch TV in the morning.

Note that the contracted form is more commonly used in spoken English.

• I do not (don’t) like coffee.
• You do not (don’t) speak Spanish.
• He does not (doesn’t) play tennis.
• She does not (doesn’t) drink alcohol.
• It does not (doesn’t) rain much in this area.
• We do not (don’t) eat meat.
• They do not (don’t) live in the city.

In each of these examples, the negative form of Simple Present Tense is used to describe an action or situation that is not happening or is not true in the present moment. The auxiliary verb “do not” (don’t) or “does not” (doesn’t) is used to make the sentence negative, and the verb is in its base form. The contracted form is more commonly used in spoken English.

To form a Simple Present Interrogative, we usually begin with the auxiliary verb “do” or “does”, followed by the subject, and then the base form of the verb. Here are some examples:

• Do you like coffee? (subject: you, auxiliary verb: do, verb: like)
• Does he play soccer? (subject: he, auxiliary verb: does, verb: play)
• Do they live in the city? (subject: they, auxiliary verb: do, verb: live)
• Does she speak French? (subject: she, auxiliary verb: does, verb: speak)
• Do we have any plans tonight? (subject: we, auxiliary verb: do, verb: have)

In each of these examples, the auxiliary verb “do” or “does” is used to form the question, followed by the subject and the base form of the verb. Note that the auxiliary verb “do” is used for the first and second person singular and plural (I, you, we, they), and “does” is used for the third person singular (he, she, it). Additionally, the contracted form “don’t” and “doesn’t” are used in informal settings.

1. Yes/No questions: These are questions that require a simple “yes” or “no” answer. To form this type of question, we use the auxiliary verb “do” or “does” at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the subject and the base form of the verb. For example:

• Do you like pizza?
• Does she work at a bank?
• Do they speak Spanish?

2. Wh- questions: These are questions that begin with a question word, such as “what”, “where”, “when”, “why”, “who”, or “how”. To form this type of question, we begin with the question word, followed by the auxiliary verb “do” or “does”, the subject, and the base form of the verb. For example:

• What do you like to do in your free time?
• Where does she live?
• When do they usually have lunch?
• Why do you want to learn English?
• Who does he work for?
• How do you make a cake?

In both types of questions, the auxiliary verb “do” is used for the first and second person singular and plural (I, you, we, they), and “does” is used for the third person singular (he, she, it). Additionally, the contracted form “don’t” and “doesn’t” are used in informal settings.

1. Use of auxiliary verbs: The Simple Present Interrogative Tense requires the use of auxiliary verbs “do” or “does” at the beginning of the sentence.
2. Inverted word order: In the Simple Present Interrogative Tense, the subject comes after the auxiliary verb. This means that the word order is inverted compared to the affirmative sentence.
3. Use of question words: The Simple Present Interrogative Tense can be either Yes/No questions or Wh- questions. Yes/No questions require a simple “yes” or “no” answer and don’t use question words. Wh- questions use question words, such as “what”, “where”, “when”, “why”, “who”, or “how”.

Here are some examples of Simple Present Interrogative Tense:

• Do you like pizza? (Yes/No question)
• Does she speak French? (Yes/No question)
• What do you do for a living? (Wh- question)
• Where does he live? (Wh- question)
• How do they usually get to work? (Wh- question)

In each of these examples, the sentence structure follows the pattern of Simple Present Interrogative Tense, which includes an auxiliary verb at the beginning, inverted word order, and either a Yes/No question or a Wh- question.

1. For Yes/No questions: Start the sentence with the auxiliary verb “do” or “does” (depending on the subject), followed by the subject and the base form of the verb. Use “do” for I/you/we/they, and “does” for he/she/it.

Example:

• Do you like pizza?
• Does she work at a bank?

2. For Wh- questions: Start the sentence with a question word (what, where, when, why, who, how), followed by the auxiliary verb “do” or “does”, the subject, and the base form of the verb.

Example:

• What do you like to do in your free time?
• Where does she live?
• Why do you want to learn English?

Remember to use a question mark at the end of the sentence to indicate that it is a question.

In both types of questions, you should invert the subject and auxiliary verb to create the question form. You can also use contractions such as “don’t” and “doesn’t” in informal settings.

Here are some more examples:

• Do they speak Spanish?
• Does he like coffee?
• How do you make a cake?
• When does the train leave?
• Why do they always argue?
• Who does she work with?

Note that in the Simple Present Interrogative Tense, the verb stays in its base form (infinitive) without any inflection or conjugation. The auxiliary verb carries the tense information.

Yes/No Questions:

• Do you like ice cream?
• Does she play tennis on weekends?
• Do they have any children?
• Does he always arrive on time?
• Do we need to bring anything to the party?

Wh- Questions:

• What do you do for a living?
• Where does she work?
• How often do they go to the gym?
• When do you usually wake up?
• Why do they always argue?
• Who is your favorite author?

Note that in each example, the Simple Present Interrogative Tense is formed by using an auxiliary verb (“do” or “does”) followed by the subject and the base form of the main verb. For Wh- questions, a question word (what, where, when, why, who, how) is used to introduce the question. The verb remains in its base form throughout. Also, remember to use a question mark at the end of each sentence to indicate that it is a question.

In this form, the subject and auxiliary verb are inverted, just like in the Simple Present Interrogative form. However, a negative adverb “not” is added between the auxiliary verb and the main verb to make the sentence negative.

The structure for Simple Present Interrogative Negative is as follows:

Auxiliary verb (do/does) + subject + not + base form of the main verb

For example:

• Don’t you like pizza? (Simple Present Interrogative Negative with “do”)
• Doesn’t she work on weekends? (Simple Present Interrogative Negative with “does”)
• Don’t they usually arrive on time? (Simple Present Interrogative Negative with “do”)
• Doesn’t he speak Spanish? (Simple Present Interrogative Negative with “does”)
• Don’t we need to bring anything to the party? (Simple Present Interrogative Negative with “do”)

Note that “not” is often contracted with the auxiliary verb to form contractions like “don’t” and “doesn’t”. Also, the verb remains in its base form throughout the sentence.

Auxiliary verb (do/does) + subject + not + base form of the main verb

For example:

• Don’t you like pizza?
• Doesn’t she work on weekends?
• Don’t they usually arrive on time?
• Doesn’t he speak Spanish?
• Don’t we need to bring anything to the party?

In each example, the auxiliary verb (“do” or “does”) is used before the subject, and “not” is added between the auxiliary verb and the main verb to make the sentence negative. The verb remains in its base form throughout. Finally, a question mark is used at the end of each sentence to indicate that it is a question.

To identify the Simple Present Interrogative Negative tense, you should look for the following characteristics in a sentence:

1. Auxiliary Verb + Subject: The sentence starts with an auxiliary verb (either “do” or “does”, depending on the subject) followed by the subject of the sentence.
2. Not: The negative adverb “not” is added between the auxiliary verb and the main verb.
3. Base form of the main verb: The main verb of the sentence remains in its base form throughout.
4. Inverted word order: In the Simple Present Interrogative Negative form, the subject and auxiliary verb are inverted, just like in the Simple Present Interrogative form.
5. Question Mark: Finally, the sentence should end with a question mark to indicate that it is a question.

For example, consider the following sentences:

• Don’t you like pizza?
• Doesn’t she work on weekends?
• Don’t they usually arrive on time?

Each of these sentences has the auxiliary verb (“do” or “does”) followed by the subject (“you”, “she”, “they”) and “not” in between the auxiliary verb and the base form of the main verb (“like”, “work”, “arrive”). The word order is inverted, and each sentence ends with a question mark. These are all examples of the Simple Present Interrogative Negative tense.

Auxiliary verb (do/does) + subject + not + base form of the main verb + ?

For example:

• Don’t you like pizza?
• Doesn’t she work on weekends?
• Don’t they usually arrive on time?

In each of these examples, the auxiliary verb is used before the subject, and “not” is added between the auxiliary verb and the base form of the main verb to make the sentence negative. The verb remains in its base form throughout. Finally, a question mark is used at the end of each sentence to indicate that it is a question. The negative form of “do” is “don’t” while the negative form of “does” is “doesn’t”.

Simple Present Interrogative Negative Examples

• Don’t you like sushi?
• Doesn’t he study for his exams?
• Don’t they usually take the train to work?
• Don’t we have any milk in the fridge?
• Doesn’t she always forget her keys?
• Don’t you usually get up early?
• Doesn’t he play basketball every weekend?
• Don’t they like horror movies?
• Doesn’t she speak Spanish fluently?
• Don’t we need to buy some bread?

In each of these examples, the auxiliary verb “do” or “does” is used before the subject to form the interrogative form, “not” is used after the auxiliary verb to make the sentence negative, and the base form of the main verb is used after “not”. The subject and auxiliary verb are inverted, as in other interrogative sentences. The question mark is used at the end of each sentence to indicate that it is a question.