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Simple Present Tense
Explanation
What is Simple Present Tense?
The simple present tense is used when stating
(1) habits,
(2) objective truths,
(3) actions that happen regularly,
(4) giving instructions and
(5) mentioning fixed arrangements.
Example
Habits |
Uncle Joe smokes. |
Objective truths |
Water boils at 100°C. |
Actions that happen regularly |
I do the homework every Friday. |
Giving instructions |
Press the button to turn on the computer. |
Fixed arrangements |
The airplane takes off ten minutes later. |
How to form the simple present tense?
- 1. Positive Form
First person singular |
I |
love |
cats. |
Second person singular |
You |
love |
cats. |
Third person singular |
He/She/It |
loves |
cats. |
First person plural |
We |
love |
cats. |
Second person plural |
You |
love |
cats. |
Third person plural |
They |
love |
cats. |
In most situations, the verb used under the positive simple present tense remains in its root form (原式).
However, when we start a sentence with he/she/it, the verb should end in -s.
Exceptions where verbs end in -es, instead of -s
Words that end in… |
Examples |
o |
Go(goes), do(does) |
ch |
Catch(catches), watch(watches), touch(touches), teach(teaches) |
sh |
Wash(washes), wish(wishes), splash(splashes) |
x |
Relax(relaxes), fix(fixes) |
ss |
Bless(blesses), assess(assesses), miss(misses) |
z |
Buzz(buzzes) |
When a verb ends with a consonant + y, we take away -y and add -ies.
When a verb ends with a vowel + y, we can directly add -s.
Consonant + y |
Cry(cries), try(tries), fly(flies), study(studies), apply(applies), copy(copies), dry(dries), carry(carries), fry(fries) |
Vowel + y (Vowels: a, e, i, o, u) |
Play(plays), pay(pays), obey(obeys), enjoy(enjoys), annoy(annoys), employ(employs), destroy(destroys) |
Other special irregular verbs (commonly used)
Be |
||
I |
am |
happy. |
He/She/It |
is |
happy. |
You/We/They |
are |
happy. |
Have |
||
I |
have |
a dog. |
He/She/It |
has |
a dog. |
You/We/They |
have |
a dog. |
- 2. Negative Form
First person singular |
I |
do not (don’t) |
love cats. |
Second person singular |
You |
do not (don’t) |
love cats. |
Third person singular |
He/She/It |
does not (doesn’t) |
love cats. |
First person plural |
We |
do not (don’t) |
love cats. |
Second person plural |
You |
do not (don’t) |
love cats. |
Third person plural |
They |
do not (don’t) |
love cats. |
In all situations, the verb after don’t/doesn’t remains in its root form under negative simple present tense.
We use do not(don’t) after I/You/We/They and does not(doesn’t) after He/She/It.
- 3. Asking Questions
First person singular |
Do |
I |
have to? |
Second person singular |
Do |
You |
have to? |
Third person singular |
Does |
He/She/It |
have to? |
First person plural |
Do |
We |
have to? |
Second person plural |
Do |
You |
have to? |
Third person plural |
Do |
They |
have to? |
In all situations, when asking questions in simple present tense, the verb after the pronoun (代詞) remain in its root form.
We use Do before I/You/We/They and Does before He/She/It.
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