Learn English Tenses: The Present Simple

Summary

In this English lesson, Bob the Canadian explains the present simple tense, focusing on how to conjugate verbs and when to use this tense. He covers key rules, such as adding 's' or 'es' for 'he' and 'she' subjects, and changing 'y' to 'ies' for some verbs. Bob also describes six situations where the present simple is used, including repeated actions, emotions, facts, and future events with specific times. He also discusses forming negatives and asking questions using the verb 'to do'.

Takeaways

• 😀 The present simple is not used for actions happening right now; instead, it describes general statements.
• 📚 For 'I', 'you', 'we', and 'they', the present simple uses the base form of the verb, e.g., 'I read,' 'you write.'
• ✍️ When using 'he,' 'she,' or a noun, most verbs simply add 's' to the base verb, e.g., 'he reads,' 'she writes.'
• 📝 Verbs ending in 'Y' preceded by a consonant change to 'IES,' e.g., 'he tries,' 'she cries.'
• 🔤 For verbs ending in 'SS,' 'X,' 'SH,' 'CH,' 'Z,' or 'O,' you add 'ES,' e.g., 'he passes,' 'she catches,' 'the bee buzzes.'
• ⏳ The present simple is used to describe repeated actions, general emotions, or universal truths.
• 💡 It also expresses future events scheduled at a specific time, e.g., 'The play starts next fall.'
• 🔄 The present simple can be used in combination with future tenses, e.g., 'I will buy gas before I leave.'
• 💬 In the zero conditional, both clauses use the present simple to state facts, e.g., 'If you heat water, it boils.'
• ❌ To form the negative, you use 'do/does' + 'not' with the base verb, e.g., 'I do not love pizza,' and for questions, invert the sentence, e.g., 'Do you like pizza?'

Q & A

What is the present simple tense used for?

The present simple tense is used to make general statements, express repeated actions, describe feelings or emotions that are always true, make statements of fact, talk about future events at a specific time, and in the zero conditional for factual statements.

How do you conjugate the present simple tense for 'I', 'you', 'we', and 'they'?

For 'I', 'you', 'we', and 'they', you simply use the base form of the verb. For example, 'I read', 'you read', 'we read', and 'they read'.

How do you conjugate verbs in the present simple for 'he' and 'she'?

For 'he' and 'she', most verbs take an 's'. For example, 'he reads' or 'she writes'.

What happens when a verb ends in 'y' preceded by a consonant in the present simple?

When a verb ends in 'y' preceded by a consonant, you change the 'y' to 'ies'. For example, 'he tries' or 'she cries'.

How do you conjugate verbs that end in 'ss', 'x', 'sh', 'ch', 'z', or 'o' in the present simple?

For verbs ending in 'ss', 'x', 'sh', 'ch', 'z', or 'o', you add 'es'. For example, 'he passes', 'she fixes', 'he washes', 'she catches', 'the bee buzzes', and 'he goes'.

When do we use the present simple to talk about repeated actions?

The present simple is used to talk about repeated actions when we also specify when the repetition occurs. For example, 'I eat pizza on Fridays' or 'He plays video games at night'.

How is the present simple used to express emotions or feelings?

The present simple is used to express emotions or feelings that are always true. For example, 'I hate mosquitoes' or 'She likes dogs'.

Can you use the present simple to talk about future events?

Yes, the present simple can be used to talk about future events at a specific time. For example, 'I leave for work tomorrow at seven' or 'The play starts next fall'.

How is the present simple used in the zero conditional?

In the zero conditional, the present simple is used in both clauses to state a fact. For example, 'If you heat water, it boils' or 'When I run, I sweat'.

How do you form negative sentences in the present simple?

To form negative sentences in the present simple, you use the verb 'to do' and 'not'. For example, 'I do not like pizza' or 'He does not read'.

How do you ask questions in the present simple?

To ask questions in the present simple, you start with the verb 'to do' followed by the subject. For example, 'Do you like pizza?' or 'Does he read?'