Simple Present Tense: Uses & Structure

Simple Present

Uses and Structure

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Simple Present: Uses

USES

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Simple Present: Structure

• Verb "to be"

Structure

• Other verbs

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References

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• British Council. (2023). Present Simple. Learn English. https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/english-grammar-reference/present-simple

• EF: (2023). Simple Present Tense. https://www.ef.com/wwen/english-resources/english-grammar/simple-present-tense/

• EverydayEnglish. 82021). Present Simple Tense: Easy explanation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLBGrLT0O5I

• Grammarly. April 11, 2023. Simple Present Tense: How to use it, with examples. https://www.ef.com/wwen/english-resources/english-grammar/simple-present-tense/

• Woodward English. (2023). Present Simple Tense in English. https://www.woodwardenglish.com/lesson/present-simple-tense-in-english/

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Simple Present

• True facts in the present
• things that happen regularly in the present
• facts, or things that are always true
• habits and routines

We use the Simple Present to talk about:

Talking about the Now (sometimes about the future, and past)

But also:

• Fixed eventsin the future
• General plans in the future
• Appointments, timetables (future also)
• In narratives or when telling stories in the past
• Summarising a film, play or book

USES

• The main verbs in affirmatives use the third person rule
• He,she and it uses DOES as auxiliary; we, you and they use DO
• The "s" dissapears in the questions and negatives

Check on the picture and take notes

If you have a verb (cook, like, live) you need to use the verb (main verb) in affirmations, and the auxiliaries DO/DOES for questions and negaives and the main verb. Notice:

Using verbs in present

"to be" in simple present

When we do not have a verb in the sentence, the main verbs is "to be", and also it is the auxiliary. Check these strucutres:

• Notice:

This is the way we use the verb "to be" for each pronoun

• Affirmative

noun + to be+ complementShe is a teacher

• * Negative

noun+ to be+not+ complementHe isn't a student

• Questions

to be+noun+complementAre they in the classroom?

Watch this video, and take notes

Simple Present

Two structures for the present

In general, there are two main strucutres in the simple present:

• using the verb " to be" as a verb and auxiliary
• using verbs, with the auxiliary DO/DOES

Let's check them!