resent Simple

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Basic form Subject + Verb (Present Form)

Quick Examples
John lives in New York. We play football every day. You are really kind. The meeting starts at 3 PM. The Present Simple is the most basic tense in the English language. It is an interesting tense because it can be used to express the future. Generally, though, we use it to describe the present activities or to talk about routines or habits.

Use
1. Facts, generalizations and universal truths 2. Habits and routines 3. Permanent situations 4. Events that are certain to happen 5. Arrangements that we can't change (e.g. timetables, official meetings) 6. State verbs (e.g. be, have, suppose, know) 7. Narrations, instructions or commentaries

Note
Apart from the above uses, this tense is also used in: Zero Conditional ("If it doesn't rains, I go play football.") First Conditional ("We won't get our pocket money, if we don't pass this exam.") In sentences after when, before, till, after, as soon as ("Before you leave, please take the keys.")

Use 1: Facts, Generalizations and Univeral Truths

We use the Present Simple to talk about universal truths (for example, laws of nature) or things we believe are, or are not, true. It's also used to generalize about something or somebody. Water boils at 100 degrees Celcius. Universal Truth It is a big house. Fact The Earth goes around the Sun. Universal Truth, Fact Dogs are better than cats. Generalization Berlin is the capital city of Germany. Fact The Elephant doesn't fly. Fact London is the capital city of France. Fact (Remember: the sentence does not have to be true)

To understand this use better, watch this interactive animation: [ Scientist: The Earth goes around the Sun (Use 1) ]

Explanation
In this cartoon, you can see a scientist who says: "The Earth goes around the Sun". Why is Present Simple used in this sentence? Because the scientist expresses a fact, something that he believes is true (in this case, he is right: the Earth really orbits the Sun).

Use 2: Habits and Routines

We also use this tense to describe actions that happen frequently. For example: habits, routines, tendencies. We leave for work at 7:30 AM every morning. Routine My husband watches the TV in the evening. Habit, Routine Susan often meets with her friends after school. Habit, Routine They usually play football on Sunday. Habit, Routine Mark rarely visits his sick grandmother. Tendency Pinocchio usually tells lies. Tendency

Adverbs of Frequency
The Present Simple is often used with the frequency adverbs: always frequently/often usually seldom/rarely nowadays never every week/year sometimes/occasionally from time to time every now and then A few examples how to use them in sentences: I always go to church on Sundays. I never eat anything after 10 PM. To understand this use better, watch this interactive animation: [ John: I play basketball every Friday ]

Explanation

In this cartoon, you can see a boy who says: "I play basketball every Friday" (click on the presentbutton to see this). Why is this in Present Simple? Because the boy talks about a habit, something that he does regularly.

Use 3: Pernament Situations

Use the Present Simple to talk about situations in life that last a relatively long time. I live in Boston He works as a fireman. Margaret drives a Volkswagen. Jerry doesn't teach maths at highschool.

Use 4: Events Certain to Happen

Use the Present Simple when an event is certain to happen in the future. My grandmother turns 100 this July. Winter starts on December 21.

Use 5: State Verbs

You should use the Present Simple with state verbs. I like swimming. We know this man. Speaker 1: Ronaldinho, do you like football? (Use 4) Ronaldinho: Yes, I do.

Note
Some of the verbs used in the simple form can also appear in the continuous form. This is typically when they have an active meaning or emphasize change. I'm thinking of moving to San Francisco. I'm loving your new hairdo! Read more

Use 6: Future Arrangements

Use the Present Simple to talk about events that we can't change (for example, an official meeting or a train departure). The meeting starts at 4 PM. The train leaves at the noon. When does the plane take off? Jerry doesn't teach maths at high school.

Use 7: Narrations, Instructions or commentaries

The Present Simple is also used in narrations (e.g. to tell a story or a joke), instructions (e.g. cooking) or commentaries (especially sport commentaries). "A man goes to visit a friend and is amazed to find him playing chess with his dog. He watches the game in astonishment for a while [...]" Read more

Form
Forming a sentence in the Present Simple is easy. To form a declarative sentence, all you need is the subject of the sentence (e.g. I, you, he, a dog) and the verb (e.g. be, talk, swim). Questions and negative sentences are only a little more difficult, because they require an auxiliary verb.

Declarative Sentences

Subject
e.g. he, she, a dog, etc.

Verb (present form)

e.g. go, make, have, etc.

Sharks have sharp teeth (Use 1)

EXAMPLES A dog is an animal. I learn English twice a week. I have two eggs. The course starts in April. The man enters the room and looks at the clock.
Questions

USE
1 2 5 6 7

Questions require the auxiliary verb "to do" or, in the third person singular, "does".

Do or Does

Subject
e.g. he, she, a dog, etc.

Verb (present form)

e.g. go, make, have, etc.

Compare these examples: Person A: Does she like going to the mountains? Person B: Yes, she does. Person A: Does John have a dog? Person B: No, he doesn't.

When asking a question, the verb does not conjugate: Does she have a dog? Does she has a dog? For the verb "to be", we do not use an auxiliary: Is he tall? Does he be tall?

EXAMPLES Is he a lawyer? Doe Mike go swimming every Sunday? Doe she live in London? Do you turn 40 in April?
Negative Sentences

USE
1 2 3 4

Subject
e.g. he, she, a dog, etc.

Don't or Doesn't

Verb (present form)

e.g. go, make, have, etc.

Contracted forms (more)

do + not = don't does + not = doesn't

EXAMPLES They don't live in New York anymore. I don't like winter. He doesn't go to the cinema at all. Spring doesn't start in December.

USE
3 5 2 4

Check your understanding!

Past Simple, Past Perfect and Past Continuous exercise Present Simple Gap-fill Exercise Present Simple vs Present Continuous 3 Present Simple exercise Present Simple multiple choice exercise Present Simple vs Present Continuous 2 Present Simple vs Present Continuous 1 Present Simple gap-fill exercise Future Tenses Quiz Present Simple quiz

Basic form Subject + WAS/WERE + Verb (Continuous Form)

Quick Examples

 The boys had been quarreling for half an hour when we arrived home. I had been dating Angelina for 3 years before we got married. If it hadn't been raining, we would have gone to the park. She told me that she had been working as a teacher for over 40 years. We usually use the Past Continuous to talk about activities that lasted for some time in the past. The actions can be interruped by something or can be happening at the same time.

Use
1. Duration in the past 2. Interrupted actions in progress 3. Actions in progress at the same time in the past 4. Irritation 5. Polite question

USE 1: Duration in the past

We use the Past Continuous to talk about actions or situations that lasted for some time in the past, and whose duration time is unknown or unimportant. I was watching TV yesterday in the evening. She was sleeping on the couch. The dog was barking.

USE 2: Interrupted actions in progress

The Past Continuous is often used when one action in progress is interruped by another action in the past. We usually use when or while to link these two sentences. 1.

Sentence in Past Continuous e.g. I was singing

3.

WHEN

Sentence in Past Simple e.g. my wife came home

WHEN/WHILE

Sentence in Past Continuous e.g. I was singing

Sentence in Past Simple

+
e.g. my wife came home

I was talking with James when the telephone rang. While Angelica was playing tennis, the plane crashed . When Bob was painting windows, it started raining.

To understand this use better, watch this interactive animation: [ Peter: When I was jogging, someone stopped me and asked what time it was ]

Explanation
In this cartoon, you can see a man who says: "When I was jogging someone stopped me and asked what time it was.". Why is this in Past Continuous? Click on the button labled "event 1". You can see that the man is jogging. This is a continuous action. Suddenly, another man stops him and asks what time it is. This is "event 2". Notice that the action of jogging is interrupted by event 2. This is why the use of Past Continuous is correct here.

USE 3: Actions in progress at the same time

We also use this tense to talk about two or more activities happening at the same. We usually usewhen or while to link the two sentences. 1.

Sentence in Past Continuous e.g. I was singing

3.

WHEN/WHILE

Sentence in Past Continuous e.g. She was cooking

WHEN/WHILE

Sentence in Past Continuous e.g. I was singing

Sentence in Past Continuous e.g. She was cooking

I was watching TV and Barbara was reading a book. The family was eating the dinner and talking. When Bob was painting windows, Mary was working in the kitchen.

USE 4: Polite questions

If we want to ask a polite question, we can use the Past Continuous. I was wondering if you could open the window. I was thinking you might help me with this problem. Even though the sentences have a Past Continuous form, they refer to the present moment. Their meaning is similar to the "could you" sentences, but they are more polite.

USE 5: Irritation
Remember that you can also express irritation over somebody or something in the past. She was always coming late for dinner!

Form
To form a sentence in the Past Continuous, you need: 1. The proper conjugation of the auxiliary verb "to be" in the past form 2. The Present Participle of your verb (verb + ing) 1. Auxiliary verb "to be" The past form of the auxiliary verb "to be" is: 1. For the first and third person singular: "was" 2. For all others: "were"

She was always coming late for dinner! You were always coming late for dinner!

2. The Present Participle The present participle is of a verb is a verb form that appears with the present tenses. The present participle is formed by adding -ing to the verb. talk + ing = talking be + ing = being There are exceptions.

Positive Sentences
Auxiliary verb was / were

Subject e.g. I/a dogetc.

Verb + ing

+
e.g. swimming/talkingetc.

[ A rhinoceros was swatting flies with its tail when suddenly a fly bit him (Use 2) ]

Examples

Use

At 3 p.m., I was having lunch

(Use 1)

They were talking about her when she walked into the room.

(Use 2)

While Kenneth was cleaning the living room, Sam was washing the dishes.

(Use 3)

We were all thinking about our holidays.

(Use 2)

Questions
Auxiliary verb was / were

Subject

Verb + ing

e.g. I/a dogetc.

+
e.g. swimming/talkingetc.

Examples

Use

Was she going to the theater when it started raining?

(Use 2)

What were the defenders doing when Kenneth struck the ball?

(Use 2)

Were you painting your house yesterday at 5 p.m.?

(Use 1)

Was Mary shopping when the mall was burning?

(Use 3)

Negative Sentences
Auxiliary verb

Subject e.g. I/a dogetc.

Verb + ing

was not /were not

+
e.g. swimming/talkingetc.

Examples

Use

He asked me why I wasn't having dinner at the hotel.

(Use 1)

We weren't playing football when the earthquake began.

(Use 2)