Present Simple Tense-Tutorial and Examples
- How to Form the Present Simple
- When to Use the Present Simple
Form
Use the base form of the verb when your subject is I, you, we, they
Add an –s, -es, -ies ending to the verb when your subject is he, she, or it
I cook breakfast. (cook is the base form of the verb to cook)
She cooks breakfast. (add –S to COOK)
Some verbs are irregular in the present tense including to be and to have.
When to Use
The verb to be is used to express feelings, descriptions, definitions or general truth.
- I am hungry.
- We are exhausted.
Use the present tense when you tell someone to do something.
- Take notes.
- Stand up.
The present simple tense refers to habits, usual actions, repetitive actions, customs, universal truth, and facts.
Words used with the present tense include adverbs of frequency:
| sometimes | rarely | every week | all year |
| always | occasionally | twice a week | four times a year |
| never | every day | every night | six times a year |