Simple Present Tense 1

When we want to talk about our habits, we use the base form or the '-s' form of the verb. This is known as the simple present tense. Our daily routine describes our habitual actions in the present time.

Base form - go, come, brush, have etc.

For example,

I wake up at 7 am every day.

I teach English every day.

I always have a cup of tea in the morning.

I never drink black tea.

I usually walk to my school.

When we want to talk about the daily routine of some third person (he, she, it, Ram, Rita etc), we use the '-s form' of the verb and not the base form.

-s form : plays, cooks, watches, has

For example,

My mother wakes up at 7 o'clock in the morning.

My husband prepares tea for us.

He watches TV.

She comes back at 5.30 pm.

Hence, we use the present simple form to talk about habits in the present time

I/we/you/they - come, go

He/she/it/Mohan/my mother - comes, goes

You can use the adverbs of frequency like always, usually, sometimes, never etc with this tense. This is to describe how many times you do the action shown by the verb.

When we wish to form negatives and questions of the simple present sentences, we use 'do' of 'does' as helping verbs.

I/we/you/they - do

He/she/it/Mohan/my mother - does

For example,

1. Positive: You study every day.

Negative : You don't study every day.

Question: Do you study every day?

Wh-Question: Why do you study every day?

2. Positive: He studies every day.

Negative: He doesn't study every day.

Question: Does he study every day.

Wh-Question: Where does he study every day?

Happy Learning!

Dr. Leena Jadhav