What Is Simple Present Tense? | Examples, Use & Exercises
We use the simple present tense for verbs when we want to describe regularly occurring actions, states that don’t change, general truths, and scheduled events.
Usually, the simple present tense is the same as the verb’s base (aka infinitive) form (e.g., “call”). For sentences using the third person singular (e.g., “he,” “she,” and “it”), add “-s” to the end of the verb (e.g., “I run,” “she runs”).
| Affirmative | Negative | Interrogative |
|---|---|---|
| I dance | I don’t dance | Do I dance? |
| You dance (singular) | You don’t dance (singular) | Do you dance? (singular) |
| He/she/it dances | He/she/it doesn’t dance | Does he/she/it dance? |
| We dance | We don’t dance | Do we dance? |
| You dance (plural) | You don’t dance (plural) | Do you dance? (plural) |
| They dance | They don’t dance | Do they dance? |
How to use the simple present
The simple present tense has a few uses:
- To talk about things that happen regularly, such as habits.
- To describe circumstances or states that are unchanging.
- To state facts and general truths that don’t change.
- To talk about scheduled events in the future.
I have two brothers and a sister.
Tides rise and fall due to the gravitational pull of the moon.
The party starts at 8 p.m.
Forming the third person singular
Most of the time, the simple present tense is the same as the verb’s infinitive (aka base) form.
The third person singular is used when the subject is neither the speaker nor the person being addressed and is a singular noun or pronoun (e.g., “he,” “she,” “it”).
To form the third person singular in the simple present tense, “-s” is usually added to the end of the verb, although the verb’s spelling can change in a couple of other ways based on the ending of the base form.
| Base form ending | Third person singular ending | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -ch | Add “-es” | snatch → snatches |
| -o | go → goes | |
| -sh | smash → smashes | |
| -ss | pass → passes | |
| -x | fix → fixes | |
| -z | fizz → fizzes | |
| consonant + y | Remove “y” and add “-ies” | try → tries |
| All other endings | Add “-s” | love → loves
play → plays |
- The engineer attends, and they fixes the issue.
- The engineer attends, and they fix the issue.
You can use the QuillBot Grammar Checker to check for mistakes like this.
Irregular verb “be”
“Be” is a stative verb and linking verb and is the most irregular verb in English. It has three simple present tense forms, and the correct one to use depends on the subject.
| Subject | Verb |
|---|---|
| I | am |
| You (singular) | are |
| He/she/it | is |
| We | are |
| You (plural) | are |
| They | are |
- I have a new job.
- Aishah has three guinea pigs.
Present simple and future simple
The future simple tense is formed by adding “will” before the infinitive form of the verb. The verb stays the same regardless of the subject (e.g., “I will run,” “she will run”).
The future simple is used to talk about things that haven’t happened yet but are almost certain to happen.
Sentences using the future simple tense often feature a subordinating conjunction that introduces a dependent clause using the present simple tense.
I will call you as soon as I hear from her.
Present simple vs present continuous
The present simple describes actions that happen regularly, states that don’t change, and unchanging truths. The present continuous (aka the present progressive), on the other hand, is used for an action that is happening in the present but is temporary.
Penny is playing basketball now. [a temporary action]
- This burger tastes delicious.
- This burger is tasting delicious.
Exceptions include the stative verbs “feel” (e.g., “I’m feeling great”) and “look” (e.g., “it’s looking good”)—it’s common for these to be in continuous tenses. However, stative verbs should almost always be in the simple or perfect tenses.
How to form negatives
To form a negative present simple statement, add “do not” (or the contraction “don’t”) after the subject and before the base form of the verb.
For the third person singular, “do” changes its form rather than the main verb. This means “do not/don’t” becomes “does not/doesn’t” and the main verb does not take an “-s.”
My brother doesn’t eat meat.
For the stative verb “be,” add “not” after the verb (for all subjects).
My parents are not retired.
Raheem is not here at the moment.
- Lizzy likes not to run.
- Lizzy doesn’t like to run.
How to form questions
To form a yes or no question in the simple present tense, use the base form of the verb and add “do” before the subject.
For a third person singular subject, “do” changes its form rather than the main verb. This means “do” becomes “does” and the main verb does not take an “-s.”
Does Saoirse play the piano?
For the stative verb “be,” place the verb before the subject.
Are they busy?
Is she a student?
You can add an interrogative pronoun or an interrogative adverb (e.g., “why,” “who,” “how”) before “do/does” or “am/is/are” to ask more detailed questions in the simple present tense.
When does Diego finish work?
Why is Lana angry?
How to form the passive voice
In the active voice, the subject performs the action described by the verb (e.g., “many people watch football”). In the passive voice, the subject receives the action (e.g., “football is watched by many people”).
To form a present simple sentence in the passive voice, follow the subject with a simple present form of the auxiliary verb “be,” and use the past participle of the main verb.
The survey responses are collated by the research assistants.
I am driven to school by my uncle.
Frequently asked questions about the simple present tense
- What is the simple present form of “be”?
-
“Be” is a stative verb and linking verb and is the most irregular verb in English. It has three simple present tense forms: “am,” “is,” and “are.”
“Am” is used for a first person subject (e.g., “I am Spanish”).
“Are” is used for plural subjects (e.g., “we are Spanish”) and for both singular and plural second person subjects (e.g., “you are Spanish”).
“Is” is used for a third person singular subject (e.g., “he/she/it is Spanish”).
- What is the “-ing” form of a verb?
-
The verb form that ends in “-ing” is known as the present participle. Present participles are used in progressive verb tenses (e.g., “I am studying,” “she had been eating”) and as adjectives (e.g., “a tiring hike”).
The “-ing” form of a verb is also used in gerunds, but gerunds operate as nouns (e.g., “Skiing is dangerous”).
