Conjugation of verbs in present simple. Present Simple (Indefinite) – present simple (indefinite) tense

Time Present Simple denotes action in the present in the broad sense of the word. It is used to denote habitual, regularly repeated or constant actions, for example when we talk about someone's habits, daily routine, schedule, etc., i.e. Present Simple denotes actions that are currently taking place, but are not tied specifically to the moment of speech.

I live in London.
I live in London.

The meeting starts at 6 o"clock.
The meeting will begin at six o'clock.

Education Present Simple

Affirmative sentences:

Negative Suggestions:

English verb in tense form Present Simple almost always coincides with its initial form, that is, indicated in the dictionary, without a particle to. Only in the 3rd person singular do you need to add the ending -s:

I work - he work s

If the verb ends in -s, -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, -o, then the ending is added to it -es:

I wish - he wish es

To verbs on -y the ending is also added to the preceding consonant -es, A -y is replaced by -i-:

I try - he tr ies

If the verb ends in -y with a preceding vowel, then -y is saved and only the ending is added -s:

I play - he play s

In order to build interrogative sentence, you need to put an auxiliary verb before the subject. Time Present Simple is used without it, so in this case an auxiliary verb is added do(or does in 3 l. units h.):

Do you like rock?
Do you like rock?

Does he speak Spanish?
Does he speak Spanish?

IN negative sentences an auxiliary verb is also used do/does, but not before the subject, but before the verb. After it a negative particle is added not. Do/does And not often shortened to don't And doesn't respectively:

I don't like black coffee
I don't like black coffee.

She doesn't smoke.
She does not smoke.

Note:

Auxiliary do/does can also appear in affirmative sentences. Then the sentence becomes more expressive, the verb becomes emotionally emphasized:

I do want to help you.
I really want to help you.

Jane does know how to cook.
Jane really knows how to cook.

In such sentences the auxiliary verb is never shortened.

Cases of using the Present Simple

• Regular, repetitive actions:

I often go to the park.
I often go to the park.

They play every tennis weekend.
Every weekend they play tennis.

• Action in the present in the broad sense of the word (not necessarily at the moment of speech):

Jim studies French.
Jim is studying French.

We live in Boston.
We live in Boston.

• Well known facts:

The Earth is round.
The earth is round.

The Volga is the longest river in Europe.
The Volga is the longest river in Europe.

• Listing the sequence of actions:

We analyze what our clients may need, develop a new product, produce a sample, improve it and sell it.
We analyze what our customers may need, develop a new product, make a sample, refine it and sell it.

• Some cases of indicating the future tense (if a certain schedule or plan of action is meant, as well as in subordinate clauses time and conditions):

The airplane takes off at 2.30 p.m.
The plane takes off at 14:30.

When you see a big green house, turn left.
When you see the big green house, turn left.

• Some cases of indicating the past tense (in newspaper headlines, when retelling stories):

Airplane crashes in Pakistan.
A plane crashed in Pakistan.

I met Lenny last week. He comes to me and says, “Hello, mister!”
Last week I met Lenny. He comes up to me and says: “Great, Mister!”

There are 12 tenses in the English language instead of the 3 usual for Russian people. Today we will look at Present tense Simple Tense(or Present Indefinite). It is translated into Russian as “simple present tense.”

With it we talk about our habits and preferences, skills and daily actions.

This tense is used constantly in English. Therefore, it is very important to fully understand and learn how to use it from the very beginning. This is perhaps the most basic tense in the English language. The base that our students master already at the first level of courses for adults.

In this article I will explain to you how and when to use the Present Simple, and also tell you about all the nuances of its use.

• Affirmative sentences in Present Simple
• Verb endings -s and -es in the Present simple

Using the Present Simple in English

Present Simple Tense is the simple present tense in English. This tense is used when we talk about actions that happen regularly.

For example: “She does exercises in the morning.”

The following cases of using Present Simple are distinguished:

1. About actions that we do regularly, usually.
We go to work; he reads books; we play sports.

2. About someone's habits and preferences.
Do you like watching comedies? she loves to eat sushi.

3. About the daily schedule, daily routine.
The bus arrives at 10:00; the plane to Paris leaves at 22:00

4. About your skills.
I read (I can read, but do not confuse it with “I am reading at the moment”). He swims (he can swim). I speak English (I can speak English).

Please note that this is the time we we don't use when we talk about actions that are happening right now. For example: “I am cooking (at the moment).”

Education rules affirmative sentences in Present Simple

The affirmative form of the Present Simple is formed using a simple scheme:

1. If the action is performed:

• I - I,
• you - you/you,
• we - we,
• they - they,

then the verb does not change in any way. Look at the table:

Example sentences

I go to work every day.

They usually get up early.
They usually get up early.

2. When actions are performed:

• He - he
• she - she,
• it - it,

then the ending is added to the verb s/es. Pay attention to the verbs in the table.

Example sentences

He play s football every Friday.
He plays football every Friday.

She like s green tea
She likes green tea.

Verb endings -s and -es in the Present Simple

Let's take a closer look at how the endings change if we use the pronouns he, she, it. Ending es We bet in the following cases.

• The verb ends in -s, -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, -z, -o

ki ss(kiss) - kiss es;
cat ch(grab) - catch es;
fi x(fix) - fix es;
g o(go) - go es;

Examples

He wash es(wash - washes) his car often.
He washes his car often.

She miss es her brother (miss - misses).
She misses her brother.

• The verb ends in -y and it is preceded by a consonant. In this case we replace -y with -i and add the ending -es.

fl y(fly) - fl ies;
hurr y(hurry up) - hurr ies.

For example

She stud ies(study - studies) five new words every day.
She learns five new words every day.

Ending -s we bet in all other cases.

Note: if the verb ends in -y and stands in front of her vowel, then we just add the ending -s.

l ay(put) - la ys;
st ay(stay) - sta ys.

For example

She pla ys tennis twice a week.
She plays tennis twice a week.

Special words used in Present Simple

There are some words that indicate and help determine that we have the Present Simple. What all these words have in common is that they show that an action is happening (or not happening) periodically.

• Always - always;
• often - often;
• usually - usually;
• sometimes - sometimes;
• rarely - rarely;
• never - never;
• every time, every morning, every evening, every day - every time, every morning, every evening, every day.

Seeing these words, you can immediately understand that we are talking about some kind of regular, usual action for us.

For example

She cooks dinner usually by herself.
She usually cooks dinner herself.

They never play football.
They never don't play football.

Negative form in Present Simple

A negative sentence will be constructed in exactly the same way as in Russian: using the particle not. For example, I go to work. Let’s add “not” and it turns out: I don’t go to work.

In Present Simple particle Not consists of an auxiliary verb do or does and particles not.

To make a sentence negative, we need to put “not” in front of the verb. That is, the proposal will be structured according to the following scheme:

Actor + do/does not + action (verb in initial form).

Does we use it when we talk about one person (he, she, it), and in all other cases we must use do.

Example sentences

Please note that when we use don't And does not The ending s/es is no longer added to the verb. After all, it is these auxiliary verbs that show time (read the article “Auxiliary verbs in English”). Why do you need to show 2 times that this is a real repeating tense?

Look.

He does not read_books.
He doesn't read books.

We don't talk

He does not reads books.

How can you shorten do not and does not?

We can abbreviate the particle not as follows.

Don't = don't.
Doesn't = doesn't.

Question form in Present Simple

To ask a question, you need to use auxiliary verbs do or does first place in the sentence. In this case, the word order does not change, that is, it will be the same as in the affirmative form. The scheme for constructing a question in the Present Simple is as follows:

Do/does + actor + action (verb in initial form)?

As usual, we use does with he, she, it. In all other cases we use do.

Please note that in the question the verb is in the initial form and its ending does not change.

Do es she like_sweets?
Does she like sweets?

Statement

She usually drink s coffee in the morning.
She usually drinks coffee in the morning.

They eat different fruits every day.
They eat fruit every day.

Question

Does she usually drink_ coffee in the morning?
Does she usually drink coffee in the morning?

Do they eat different fruits every day?
Do they eat fruit every day?

Answers to questions in Present Simple

Short positive answer will contain an auxiliary verb do/does, which will replace the action itself (drinking, eating).

Yes, she does.
Yes, he drinks.

Yes, they do.
Yes, they do.

Complete positive answer will be constructed as an affirmative sentence.

Yes, she usually drinks s coffee in the morning.
Yes, she usually drinks coffee in the morning.

Yes, they eat different fruits every day.
Yes, they eat fruit every day.

IN short negative answer to do/does we add not.

No, she does not.
No, he doesn't drink.

No, they don't.
No, they don't eat.

Complete negative answer is constructed as a negative sentence:

No, she does not drink coffee in the morning.
No, she doesn't usually drink coffee in the morning.

No, they don't eat different fruits every day.
No, they don't eat fruit every day.

Examples

Do do you speak English? — Yes, I do.
Do you speak English? - Yes talking.

Do do you speak English? - No, I don't.
Do you speak English? - No I do not speak.

Do do they like to dance? - Yes, they like to dance.
Do they like to dance? - Yes, they like to dance.

Do do they like to dance? - No, they don't like to dance.
Do they like to dance? - No, they don't like to dance.

Does she play_ tennis? — Yes, she does.
She plays tennis? - Yes, he plays.

Does she play_ tennis? - No, she does not.
She plays tennis? - No, he doesn’t play.

Does he like to travel? - Yes, he likes s to travel.
Does he like to travel? — Yes, he likes to travel.

Does he like to travel? - No, he does not like to travel.
Does he like to travel? - No, he doesn't like to travel.

Special questions in the Present Simple

They should be used when you want to get some additional information. List of words:

• what - what,
• where - where,
• which - which one,
• why - why,
• when - when,
• who - who,
• how - how.

Question words + do/does + actor + action (verb in initial form)?

Examples

Why does does he go to work?
Why does he go to work?

Where do do you usually go?
Where do you usually go?

When does did she come back?
When is she coming back?

What do do they usually watch?
What do they usually watch?

Which tea does she drink?
What kind of tea does she drink?

Who do do you live with?
Who do you live with?

The verb to be in the Present Simple

There is a special verb in English - to be. In the present tense, this verb has three forms: am, is, are.

Very often, English language learners get confused when to use it in the present tense and when not to. Because of this, mistakes are made.

Remember that we use the verb to be in the Present Simple when we want to say:

• who what by whom/what is (she is a nurse);
• who what what is (my cat is gray);
• who what Where is (dad at work).

That is, if we want describe the location anything state something or what is this thing/person, then we use the verb to be.

For example

I am a doctor.
I am a doctor.

She is at home.
She is at home.

We are good singers.
We are good singers.

When you say a phrase and doubt whether you should put the verb be there, you can always test yourself by asking questions to the sentence: am I who/what, is where, is what? If in translation the words “is, is, is” give the sentence a logical meaning, then in English such a sentence will be correct.

Now let's summarize briefly and look at the general table of the use of Present Simple time.

General table of present simple time use

So, Present Simple (simple present tense) is used in the following cases:

1. When we talk about actions that we do regularly, usually.
2. When we talk about someone's habits and preferences.
3. When it comes to the daily schedule, daily routine.
4. When we talk about our skills.

Let's look at the formation of all types of sentences in this tense.

We have analyzed the Present Simple tense. It is quite simple, but you need to know how to use it correctly. If something remains unclear to you, do not hesitate to ask your questions in the comments.

Useful articles on the topic:

Reinforcement task

Now let's practice using the Present Simple tense. I propose to translate the following sentences into English.

1. I love animals.
2. He doesn't work on weekends.
3. Do your parents travel every summer?
4. My brother doesn't go to the gym.
5. I'm never late.

No homework. No cramming. No textbooks

From the course “ENGLISH BEFORE AUTOMATION” you:

• Learn to write competent sentences in English without memorizing grammar
• Learn the secret of a progressive approach, thanks to which you can reduce English learning from 3 years to 15 weeks
• You will check your answers instantly+ get a thorough analysis of each task
• Download the dictionary in PDF and MP3 formats, educational tables and audio recordings of all phrases

Signal words

As we already know, the Simple Present expresses ordinary actions, events that are characterized by uncertainty and have no connection to a given moment.

Very often this time is marked by signal words - circumstances of the manner of action or time, by which one can determine how often the action is performed.

Most often they stand between the subject and the predicate, although they can be used at the beginning and end of a phrase.

Examples:

• I have never great difficulties with languages. – I never have great difficulties with the language.
• I don'tusually use a dictionary, when translate the texts. – I usually don’t use a dictionary when translating.
• Does she always read English literature in original? – Does she always read English literature in the original?

Repetitive actions

Sometimes in sentences with the Simple Present there is an indication of the exact time, a specific date is called, and a sequence of actions is listed, for example:

I coach in English in weekends at 5p.m.o'clock. – I study with an English tutor on weekends at 5 pm.

Simple facts

Adverbs in the Simple Present may not be used if the action or event expressed by the predicate evaluates the subject at the moment or constantly.

Examples:

• I have a gift for languages. – I have a penchant for languages.
• It’s not difficult for me to understand the foreign language. – It is not difficult for me to understand foreign speech.
• Can she make herself understood in English? – Can she explain herself in English?

Absolute truths

Adverbs in sentences with the Simple Present can also be omitted freely if we are talking about general provisions or well-known facts, for example:

The winter is colder than summer.– It’s colder in winter than in summer.

With verbs of mental processes and feelings

Simple Present can denote actions and events occurring here and now, if they are indicated by verbs expressing desires, feelings, will, emotions, physical perceptions, thoughts, etc.

Examples:

• I admire people who know some languages. – I admire people who speak several languages.
• I don't doubt that you can learn English yourself. – I have no doubt that you can learn English on your own.
• Does she remember that she must read that article? – Does she remember that she should read this article?

To indicate the near future

The Simple Present can express a future action or event if it is planned or does not depend in any way on the speaker.

These can be translated as both present and future tense, for example:

I go to the USA the next summer. – I will go (go) to America next summer.

In jokes and anecdotes, annotations to books and films

Since the Simple Present always highlights events, this tense is often used in news, newspaper articles and especially headlines, where it is important to present a fait accompli. It appears when we refer to something, for example, when we announce a film or book, present a report or article.

Simple Present is very often used in colloquial speech in order to bring facts that have already happened closer to the moment of conversation.

Simple Present is one of the simplest forms of tenses in the English language, however, there is definitely some work to be done here. Of course, not all cases and nuances of using this tense are described here, but it is recommended to start your course with the basic rules.

Present Simple is one of the most common in a sentence and denotes an action that occurs regularly, constantly, as can be seen in the following example:

The example above describes an action that Jane performs regularly (for example, from Monday to Friday). However, this does not at all mean that Jane is performing the same action right now: perhaps it is now her day off and she is resting or doing something unrelated to her profession.

Formation of the affirmative form Present Simple

Affirmative, that is, non-interrogative and not containing negation not by using the original form of the verb without in the sentence, for example:

However, if the subject of a sentence is expressed in the form 3rd person singular(what do the pronouns correspond to? he - he,she - she,it - it), then the verb gets the ending –(e)s:

Features of the formation of the 3rd person singular form of some verbs

1. If the verb ends in –s, -z, -sh, -ch, -x or – o, then the ending is added when forming this form – es:

It is worth paying attention to the fact that the letter -e- at the end in this case it is read as [I] (except for verbs in -O), whereas when adding – s to a verb with “dumb” (unreadable) -e at the end, -e remains unpronounceable. Compare:

to watch – watches

to make – makes

1. If the verb ends in – y, then you should pay attention to which letter is before – y: vowel means that – at is preserved when adding an ending, a consonant means - y will turn into – ie:

Formation of the negative form in the Present Simple

If you need to use a verb with a particle not, that is, to make a negative sentence, you will need an auxiliary for most cases and its form does for the 3rd person singular. A particle is added directly to the auxiliary verb not, which in practice quite often gives the following abbreviations:

don't= don't

does not = doesn’t

An auxiliary verb in one of the above negative forms is placed immediately before the semantic verb, which must be in the original form, that is, the ending –(e)s the 3rd person singular is not added. This is due to the fact that the ending –(e)s in this case it is already present in the auxiliary verb in the form do es n't. For example:

Formation of interrogative forms in Present Simple

The form on which the compilation of any (and there are 5 in total) is based is the form general issue, that is, a question requiring a “Yes” or “No” answer. It is formed by placing the same auxiliary verb first in the sentence Do or its forms Does for the 3rd person singular, followed by the subject and semantic verb in the original form, respectively:

Do/Does +S+ V 1...?

Where S– subject, and V 1– semantic verb in its original form.

The answer to such questions is often the words Yes and No. However, answering with just one of these words will not be sufficient in English. Traditionally, a short answer to a general question is constructed according to the following schemes:

a) for an affirmative answer: Yes, SP+ do/does., Where SP – subject in the form of a personal pronoun, for example:

b) for a negative answer: No, SP+ don't/doesn't., For example:

Special question or question with a question word requests specific information and is built according to the following scheme:

Wh + do/does + S + V 1 ...?

Where Wh – question word, S– subject, and V 1– semantic verb in its original form, for example:

However, it should be noted that this pattern is not suitable for questions beginning with Who to mean “Who?” and (less commonly) What meaning “What?” (in the nominative case), since such questions do not belong to the special group. This questions to the subject, which require education according to the following scheme:

Who/What + V(e)s…?

The verb in such questions most often takes the 3rd person singular form ( V(e)s), For example:

Alternative question suggesting a certain choice from two or more objects or actions, is constructed exactly by analogy with the general question, but requires the presence of a conjunction in the sentence or/or, For example:

Separated question, or so-called “tag question,” is a small addition to an affirmative or negative sentence and questions what is said in it. Such a question is always translated into Russian in the same way – “isn’t it? / isn’t it?”, but it is formed differently depending on the structure of the original sentence, for example:

The dividing question is constructed according to the following schemes:

a) for an affirmative base sentence: don't/doesn't +SP?

b) for a negative base sentence: do/does +SP?

The given rules for the formation of affirmative (Affirmative), interrogative (Interrogative) and negative (Negative) forms allow you to understand how the Present Simple is formed, and you can easily remember them using the following table (using the example of a verb):

Table of formation of affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences in Present Simple Tense

Special cases of formation of Present Simple forms

Individual verbs, including mainly auxiliary and modal verbs, form the corresponding forms of the present simple tense not according to the rules given above:

1. Verb toI usually get up at 7 o'clock. action that happens constantly We live in a small village near Dublin. We live in a small village near Dublin. well-known facts Water freezes at 0º C. Water freezes at0 º C. actions that will happen in the future according to a plan or schedule Our train arrives at 8:30 p.m. Our train will arrive at 8:30 pm. sequencing, acting as a kind of forward planning I graduate from the university, take a year off, travel a lot, find an interesting job and only then think of getting married. I graduate from university, take a year off, travel a lot, find interesting job and only then do I think about marriage. actions that happened in the past, in headlines to emotionally "close" the event Terrorists organize riots in Paris. Terrorists organized riots in Paris.

   Thus, the present simple tense is widely used in speech and is one of the basic elements on which subsequent learning of the English language is built.

It's no secret that in order to learn to use foreign language at least at the elementary level, you must first be able to construct simple but competent sentences.

To do this, you must always remember that every sentence contains: a subject and a verb. And, of course, the sentence must express a complete thought.

We call the most basic tense in English Present Simple Tense(Present Indefinite) - Present simple tense. Let's talk about it.

We use the Present Simple to describe an action that is repeated. An activity can be a habit, a hobby, a daily occurrence, a planned event, or something that happens frequently. For example:

• She always forgets her wallet.- She always forgets her wallet.
• Susan often meets with her friends after school.- Susan often meets with her friends after school.
• They usually play football on Sundays.- They usually play football on Sundays.
• Mark rarely visits his retarded brother.- Mark rarely visits his mentally retarded brother.

• Mary (she) likes cake. - Mary (she) likes Coke.
• Colin (he) plays the piano.- Colin (he) plays the piano.

In negative sentences, we use an auxiliary verb between the subject and the predicate. do/does and a negative particle not.

• I do not (don’t) like my stepmother.- I don't love my stepmother.
• Colin (he) does not (doesn’t) want to go to the party.- Colin doesn't want to go to the party.

And finally, questions. We start them with an auxiliary verb do or does(as always for he / hes / it) then we put the subjects and the semantic verb in the first (main) form.

• Do you like ice-cream?- Do you like ice cream?
• Does she work on Saturday?- Does she work on Saturday?

Now that we know how to form the Present Simple, let's find out in what cases it is used.

Using Present Simple Tense

• Well known facts:

People need food.- People need food.
It snows in winter.- There is snow in the winter.
Two and two make four.- Two by two is four.

• Action in the present in the broad sense of the word (not necessarily at the moment of speech):

Where do you live?- Where do you live?
She works in a bank.- She works in a bank.
I don't like mushrooms.- I don't like mushrooms.

Habitual or repeated action, daily routine. In this case, the sentence contains adverbs always(Always), usually(usually), often(often), rarely(rarely), sometimes(Sometimes), never(never), every day / every week(every day / every week), etc.:

I often go to the park.- I often go to the park.
They play tennis every weekend.- Every weekend they play tennis.

• Sports reviews and comments:

The horse number 5 overtakes the favorite and enters the homestretch!- Horse number 5 overtakes the favorite and reaches the finish line!
He takes the ball, runs, and he scores!- He intercepts the ball, runs and he scores!

• Recipes, instructions and guides (instead of imperative mood to list several actions following each other):

You take the train into the city center and then you take a number five bus.- You take the train to the city center, and then take bus number 5.

• Transport schedule (buses, planes, trains), cinema shows, school classes. Actions occur regularly: they are repeated with some frequency according to the schedule:

School begins at nine tomorrow.- School starts at 9 tomorrow.
What time does the film start?- What time does the film start?
The plane takes off at 5 in the evening.- The plane will take off at 5 pm.

• After alliances when(When), until(not yet) as soon as(as soon as), after(after) if the action refers to the future tense. In Russian, the predicate in such a sentence will be translated by a verb in the future tense:

I will call you when I have time.- I'll call you when I have time.
I won't go out until it stops raining.- I won’t go for a walk until the rain stops.
I"m going to make dinner after I watch the news.- I'm going to cook dinner after I watch the news.

• In conditional sentences of the zero (Zero Conditional) and first type (First Conditional):

Zero Conditional- a condition that is always true (laws of nature, scientific facts, generally accepted statements or a well-known truth). Both parts use the Present Simple:

If you freeze water, it becomes ice.- If you freeze water, it turns into ice.
If it rains, the roads are slippery.- If it's raining, the roads are slippery.

First Conditional- a “real” condition that will happen in the near future if fulfilled. We will use the Present Simple after the conjunction " if" In Russian, the part after “if” will be translated in the future tense:

The cat will scratch you if you pull her tail.- The cat will scratch you if you pull its tail.
If the weather is good tomorrow, we will go to the park.- If the weather is good tomorrow, we will go to the park.

Conclusion

As you might have substituted, Present Indefinite is not such a simple tense. It is used not only to describe a fact in the present, but can also replace some aspects of the future. We hope that after our article you will no longer doubt using the correct time.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with other tenses of the English language

Keep on studying and learning new things! :)

Big and friendly EnglishDom family