Present Simple Tense

Saturday, 25 January 2014

Present Simple Tense

It is used to express an action in present time, habitual or usual actions or daily event or universal fact. It is used to express an action in present time which is usually done on a regular basis. For example a student says, “I go to school”. It is a daily activity of a student to go to school, so such actions are expressed by present simple tense. Another example is, “I work in a factory”. It tells about a usual action of a person that he works in a factory on regular basis.

Rules. 1st form of verb or base verb is used as main verb in sentence.

Structure of sentence – Rules

Positive Sentence
• Subject + Main verb + Object
• Subject + 1st form of verb (or base verb) + Object

Note: If the subject in a sentence is “he, she, it, singular or proper noun” then “s” or “es” is added to the first form of verb or base form in the sentence.

Examples.
         I write a letter.
         He gets up early in the morning.
         Sun rises in east.

Negative Sentences
• Subject + auxiliary verb +NOT + Main verb +object
• Subject + Do not/Does not + 1st form of verb (or base form) + object

Examples.
         I do not write a letter.
         He does not get up early in the morning.
         Sun does not rise in east.

Note: In negative sentence auxiliary verb “do or does” along with “not” is used. If the subject in a sentence is “he, she, it, singular or proper noun”, then “Does not” is used after subject in sentence. If subject is “I, we, they, you or plural” then “Do not” is used after subject in sentence. “s” or “es” is not added to main verb in negative sentence

Interrogative Sentence
• Auxiliary verb + Subject + Main verb + Object
• Do/Does + Subject + 1st for of verb (or base verb) + Object

Examples.
         Do I write a letter?
         Does he get up early in the morning?
         Does sun rise in east?

Note: If the subject in a sentence is “he, she, it, singular or proper noun” the sentence is started with Auxiliary verb “Does”. If the subject in a sentence is “I, we, they, you or plural” the sentence is started with auxiliary verb “Do”. “s” or “es” is not added to main verb in Interrogative sentence

More Examples

Positive Sentences
          I sing a song.
          He drinks water
          They read lessons
          Birds chirp
          John reaches home in time.
          Water maintains its surface level.

Negative Sentences
          I do not sing a song
          He does not drink water
          They do not read lessons
          Birds do not chirp
          John does not reach home in time.
          Water does not maintain its surface level.

Interrogative Sentences
        Do I sing a song?
        Does he drink water?
        Do they read lessons?
        Do birds chirp?
        Does John reach home in time?
        Does water maintain its surface level?

Click on each below to study each tense

PRESENT TENSE