Simple Present Tense

Summary

This video lesson covers the fundamentals of the simple present tense, commonly taught in school. It explains how the tense is used to describe habits, unchanging situations, general truths, instructions, and fixed schedules. The lesson differentiates between verbal and nominal sentences, providing examples of positive, negative, and interrogative forms. The speaker also highlights key rules, such as adding 's' or 'es' for third-person singular subjects. By understanding these rules, students can effectively use the simple present tense in descriptive texts. The video encourages students to practice through tasks in Google Classroom.

Takeaways

• 😀 Simple present tense is used to describe habits, unchanging situations, general truths, and fixed schedules.
• ✍️ Example of a habit: 'I smoke.' Example of an unchanging situation: 'I work in London.'
• 📅 Simple present tense is also used to describe fixed schedules and future events tied to schedules (e.g., 'The sun sets at 6 PM').
• 🚶‍♂️ It's used for giving instructions (e.g., 'You walk for 200 meters').
• 🧠 There are two types of simple present tense sentences: verbal (with verbs) and nominal (with adjectives or nouns).
• ❌ Negative sentences in simple present tense add 'do not' or 'does not' before the verb, and the verb loses its 's' or 'es' ending.
• ❓ Questions in the simple present tense involve moving 'do' or 'does' to the start of the sentence (e.g., 'Does he sing?').
• 👥 'He,' 'she,' and 'it' use 'does,' while 'I,' 'you,' 'we,' and 'they' use 'do' in questions and negatives.
• 🏢 Nominal sentences use 'is,' 'am,' or 'are' instead of action verbs (e.g., 'The building is amazing').
• 📝 Practice involves changing sentences from positive to negative or interrogative forms and classifying them as verbal or nominal.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the simple present tense?

The simple present tense is used to describe habits, unchanging situations, general truths, and fixed schedules.

Can you give an example of using the simple present tense for a general truth?

An example of a general truth in the simple present tense is 'The sun sets at 6 PM.'

How is the simple present tense used for instructions or directions?

The simple present tense can be used for instructions by giving commands or directions, such as 'You walk for two hundred meters.'

What is the difference between a verbal and a nominal simple present tense sentence?

A verbal simple present tense sentence includes a verb, while a nominal simple present tense sentence uses 'to be' verbs (e.g., is, am, are) followed by adjectives or nouns.

How do you form a negative simple present tense sentence?

To form a negative sentence in the simple present tense, add 'do not' or 'does not' before the base form of the verb. For example, 'He does not work in London.'

When do we add 's' or 'es' to a verb in the simple present tense?

We add 's' or 'es' to a verb when the subject is he, she, or it. For example, 'He sings' or 'She goes.'

How do we form questions in the simple present tense?

To form questions in the simple present tense, invert the auxiliary verb (do/does) with the subject, followed by the base form of the verb. For example, 'Does he sing?'

What happens to the verb when we use 'do' or 'does' in negative or question forms?

When 'do' or 'does' is used in negative or question forms, the base verb remains unchanged and no longer takes an 's' or 'es.' For example, 'He sings' becomes 'Does he sing?'

How are simple present tense sentences classified?

Simple present tense sentences are classified into verbal sentences (with action verbs) and nominal sentences (with 'to be' verbs).

What is the structure of a simple present tense nominal sentence?

A simple present tense nominal sentence follows the structure: subject + 'to be' (is, am, are) + adjective/noun. For example, 'The building is amazing.'