Simple Present Tense English Grammar Rules The simple present tense in English is used to describe an action that is regular, true or normal. We us e the present tense: 1. For repeated or regular actions in the present time period. • I takethe train to the office. • The train to Berlin leavesevery hour. • John sleepseight hours every night during the wee. 2. For facts. • The !resident of The "#$ livesin The White %ouse. • $ dog hasfour legs. • We comefrom #wit&erland. 3. For haits. • I get upearly ever y day. • 'arol rushesher teeth twice a day. • They travel to their country house every weeend. !. For things that are al"a#s $ generall# true. • It rainsa lot in winter. • The (ueen of England livesin Bucingham !alace. • They speakEnglish at wor.
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To mae a negative sentence in English we normally use 5ont or 5oesnt with all verbs
E6'E!T To e and 4odal vers )can, might, should etc.+.
• $ffirmative: 7ou spea /rench.
3egative: 7ou don5t spea /rench.
7ou will see that we add don5t between the sub4ect and the verb. We use 6on5t when the sub4ectis , #ou, "e or the#.
• $ffirmative: %e speas 8erman.
3egative: %e doesn5t spea 8erman.
When the sub4ect is he, she or it, we add doesn5t between the sub4ect and the verb to mae a
negative sentence. 3otice that the letter S at the end of the verb in the affirmative sentence)because it is in third person+ disappears in the negative sentence. We will see the reason why
below.
egative &ontractions
6on5t 9 6o not
6oesn5t 9 6oes not
I don5t lie meat 9 I do not lie meat.
There is no difference in meaning though we normally use contractions in spoen English.
7ord *rder of egative Sentences
The following is the word order to construct a basic negative sentence in English in the !resentTense using 6on5t or 6oesn5t.
Su'ect don5t$doesn5t %er8 The Rest of the sentence
;erb: The verb that goes here is the base form of the infinitive 9 The infinitive without T*
before the verb. Instead of the infinitive To have it is 4ust the have part.
<emember that the infinitive is the verb before it is con4ugated )changed+ and it begins with T*./or e1ample: to have, to eat, to go, to live, to spea etc.
E9amples of egative Sentences "ith 6on5t and 6oesn5t:
• 7ou don5t spea $rabic.
• John doesn5t spea Italian.
• We don5t have time for a rest.
• It doesn5t move.
• They don5t want to go to the party.
• #he doesn5t lie fish.
;uestions in the Simple Present Tense
To mae a =uestion in English we normally use 5o or 5oes. It has no translation in #panish
though it is essential to show we are maing a =uestion. It is normally put at the beginning of the=uestion.
• $ffirmative: 7ou spea English.
(uestion: 6o you spea English>
7ou will see that we add 6* at the beginning of the affirmative sentence to mae it a =uestion.
We use 6o when the sub4ect is , #ou, "e or the#.
• $ffirmative: %e speas /rench.
(uestion: 6oes he spea /rench>
When the sub4ect is he, she or it, we add 6*ES at the beginning to mae the affirmative
sentence a =uestion. 3otice that the letter S at the end of the verb in the affirmative sentence
)because it is in third person+ disappears in the =uestion. We will see the reason why below.
We 6*5T use 6o or 6oes in =uestions that have the verb To e or 4odal %ers )can, must,might, should etc.+
The following is the word order to construct a basic =uestion in English using 6o or 6oes.
6o$6oes Su'ect %er8 The Rest of the sentence
5o I - you - we - they have - need
want etc.a new bie>
5oes he - she - it
;erb: The verb that goes here is the base form of the infinitive 9 The infinitive without T* before the verb. Instead of the infinitive To have it is 4ust the have part.
<emember that the infinitive is the verb before it is con4ugated )changed+ and it begins with T*.
/or e1ample: to have, to eat, to go, to live, to spea etc.
E9amples of ;uestions "ith 6o and 6oes:
• 6o you need a dictionary>
• 6oes ?ary need a dictionary>
• 6o we have a meeting now>
• 6oes it rain a lot in winter>
•6o they want to go to the party>
• 6oes he lie pi&&a>
Short <ns"ers "ith 6o and 6oes
In =uestions that use do-does it is possible to give short answers to direct =uestions as follows:
Sample ;uestions
Short <ns"er
=<ffirmative>
Short <ns"er
=egative>5o you lie chocolate> 7es, I do. 3o, I dont.
5o I need a pencil> 7es, you do. 3o, you dont.
5o you both lie chocolate> 7es, we do. 3o, we dont.
5o they lie chocolate> 7es, they do. 3o, they dont.
5oes he lie chocolate> 7es, he does. 3o, he doesnt.
5oes she lie chocolate> 7es, she does. 3o, she doesnt.
The main verb )live in the e1ample above+ is in its base form )of the infinitive+. The au1iliary DIDN'T shows that the sentence is negative $35 in the past tense.
3*TI'E: The only difference between a negative sentence in the present tense and a negative
sentence in the past tense is the change in the au1iliary verb.
Both don5t and doesn5t in the present tense become didn5t in the past tense.
'ompare the negative sentences in the e1amples below:
!resent: 7ou don5t need a mechanic.!ast: 7ou didn5t need a mechanic.
!resent: 7ou don5t wal to wor.!ast: 7ou didn5t wal to wor.
8 ,<G A %ang has two different meanings. The first is to attach )or hang+ something in a high
position )e.g. on the wall or on a hoo+. In this case we use the above verbs %angA%ungA%ung.
B"T when %ang means to ill someone by putting a rope around someones nec and leaving
them in a high position without any support, we use different verbs: %angA%angedAhanged. Thisverb is typical of public e1ecutions in the past. )e.g. They hanged him in the main s=uare.+
88 ?E A @ie has two meanings. When it means to put your body in a hori&ontal position
)normally on a bed+ it uses the @ieA@ayA@ain verbs.
B"T it is regular @ieA@iedA@ied when it has the other meaning of not to say the truth.
888 RE<6 A Even though they are written the same, the pronunciation is different in the !astTense and !ast !articiple form.
We use the #imple !ast to list a series of completed actions in the past. These actions happen st,
2nd, Frd, Gth, and so on.
E1amples:
• & fnished -or( walked to t%e bea#%( a$! ound a $i#e pla#e to s-im.
• e arrived from t%e airport at /011( checked i$to t%e %otel at 2011( a$! mett%e ot%ers at 1011.
• Did you add 3our( pour i$ t%e mil( a$! t%e$ add t%e eggs?
USE 4 Duratio$ i$ Past
The #imple !ast can be used with a duration which starts and stops in the past. $ duration is alonger action often indicated by e1pressions such as: for two years, for five minutes, all day, all
year, etc.
E1amples:
• & lived i$ 5ra6il for t-o years.
• S%au$a studied )apa$ese for 7'e years.
• 8%ey sat at t%e bea#% all !ay.
• 8%ey did not stay at t%e party t%e e$tire time.
• 9e talked o$ t%e p%o$e for t%irty mi$utes.
• "0 o- lo$g did you wait for t%em?50 9e waited for o$e %our.