Present Simple

By Mr. Seng Muny

Examples

1. She comes to school on time every day.
2. We take a few extra classes in the evening.
3. Water boils at 100 ºC.
4. I have my English class on Mondays and Wednesdays.
5. She likes ice-cream.
6. One of my teachers does not like to drink Coca Cola.

Forms

Positive:              Subject + verb (s/es) + ….

Negative:             Subject + do/does + not + verb (s/es) + ….

Questions:          (Wh-) Do/Does + subject + verb (s/es) + …?

Note: do not ==> don’t;     does not ==> doesn’t

S/ES Spelling

S/ES is used only with he/she/it/singular noun/non-count noun:

1. Most verbs take S. (play ==>plays; look ==> looks; cut ==> cuts; …)
2. Verbs that end in S, SS, Z, X, SH, CH, and O take ES.

            (guess ==>guesses; box ==> boxes; wash ==> washes; match ==> matches; go ==> goes; …)

1. Verbs that end in a consonant and Y, Y is changed to I and ES follows. (study studies)

 

However, be ==> am/is/are; have ==> has

Uses

1. Habits and routines: Mr. Muny rarely gets up late.
2. Permanent states: Mr. Muny lives in Phnom Penh.
3. General Truths: The sun rises in the east. A chicken has two wings.
4. Referring to schedules of buses, trains, planes: His plane arrives at 11:25 a.m.
5. With stative verbs as they cannot be use in presents continuous:

                I understand the lesson now. NOT:  I am understanding the lesson now.

Time Markers

Adverbs of frequency: always, almost always, usually, often, frequently, sometimes, occasionally, seldom, rarely, never, … every + day/month/year/…  one/twice/three times/ four times/… + a day/a week/a month/ year/ … on Mondays/Tuesdays/… = every Monday, every Tuesday, …

Thank you. Drop me your questions, and I will try to look for answers for you.

See more on the video below: