GRAMMAR - PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE: USES AND FORMATION

SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

USES:

- To talk about habits. Examples: I go to school. They have lunch at two o’clock. He studies hard.

- To talk about permanent actions. Examples: You live in Logroño. She works in an important factory.

AFFIRMATIVE	NEGATIVE	INTERROGATIVE	SHORT ANSWERS
S + V + Cs	S + do not / don’t + V + Cs	Do + S + V + Cs?	Yes, S + do / No, S + don’t.
Examples: I read a book. They sing a song.	Examples: I do not / don’t  read a book. They do not / don’t  sing a song.	Examples: Do I read a book? Do they sing a song?	Examples: Yes, I do. / No, I don’t. Yes, they do. / No, they don’t.
3rd p. sg.: HE, SHE, IT* S + V-s + Cs	3rd p. sg.: HE, SHE, IT S+ does not / doesn’t + V + Cs	3rd p. sg.: HE, SHE, IT Does + S + V + Cs?	3rd p. sg.: HE, SHE, IT Yes, S + does / No, S + doesn’t.
Examples: He reads a book. She sings a song.	Examples: He does not / doesn’t  read  a book. She does not / doesn’t  sing a song.	Examples: Does he read a book? Does she sing a song?	Yes, he does. / No, he doesn’t. Yes, she does. / No, she doesn’t.

* SPELLING RULES:

1.    General rules: Most verbs add –s. Examples: read → reads, write → writes, open → opens, play → plays.

2.    Verbs ending in –s, -sh, -ch, -x, -z,  -o → -es. Examples: kiss → kisses, wash → washes, watch → watches, go → goes.

3.    Verbs ending in consonant + y → y –ies. Examples: study → studies, tidy → tidies.