Transcript PRESENT SIMPLE

Present Simple
Grammar Guide
mgr Anna Waligórska – Kotfas
PWSZ Konin
Verb Form – Affirmatives

In the affirmative the present simple has the
same form as the infinitive.
The verb only changes after he, she or it (3rd
person singular), when we add -s to the base
form
I read
you read
he reads
she reads
it reads
we read
you read
they read
Spelling Rules
Note the following spelling rules with -s endings:
 base forms ending in -o / -s / -sh / -ch / -x / -z 
add –es : we watch → she watches

base forms ending in a consonant+Y  change
Y to I and add –es : they copy → he copies

base forms ending in a vowel+Y  no change :
I play → she plays

But: you have  she has
Verb Form – Affirmatives
I go to school by bus.
You start work at 8 o’clock.
Carina likes hospital dramas so she watches
‘ER’ every week.
He plays golf on Saturdays.
It snows in winter.
We drink coffee every morning.
They come from France.
Verb Form – Negatives

We form the negatives with the auxiliary
do
+ not + infinitive
does

We usually use the contracted forms don’t and
doesn’t in speech and informal writing:
Japanese cooking doesn’t use a lot of dairy food.
We don’t play volleyball.
Verb Form – Negatives
 In
standard English nobody, nothing, never
are themselves enough to give a negative
meaning, and not is unnecessary
They never drink tea with milk.
Nothing else matters.
Nobody in our group plays golf.
Verb Form – Y/N Questions

We form the y/n questions with the auxiliary
Do
+
subject
+ infinitive
Does
Does she work on Sundays?
Do interest rates usually go up in order to
reduce inflation?

The short answers are:
Yes, she does.
No, they don’t.
Verb Form – Wh- Questions

We form the wh- questions with
do
Question word +
+ subject + infinitive
does
What does he do?
How much does it cost?
Where do they come from?
Verb Form – Negatives &
Questions
I don’t like tea.
Do you travel a lot? No, I don’t.
Where do you live?
She doesn’t work in a bank.
Does she live in Atlanta? Yes, she does.
What time does she get up?
Verb Form - Practice
 Jennifer finishes work at 10.30 a.m.

y/n?


wh-?
Verb Form - Practice


Jennifer finishes work at 10.30 a.m.
Jennifer doesn’t finish work at 10.30
a.m.
y/n? Does Jennifer finish work at 10.30?
 Yes, she does.
 No, she doesn’t.
wh-?What does she finish at 10.30?
What time does she finish work?
Verb Form - Practice
 Bill has four pets at home.

y/n?


wh-?
Verb Form - Practice
 Bill has four pets at home.

Bill doesn’t have four pets at home.
y/n? Does he have four pets at home?
 Yes, he does.
 No, he doesn’t.
wh-?What does he have at home?
How many pets does he have at
home?
Verb Form - Practice

John and Jim like playing basketball
after school.

y/n?


wh-?
Verb Form - Practice

John and Jim like playing basketball
after school.

They don’t like playing basketball after
school.
y/n? Do they like playing basketball after
school?
 Yes, they do.
 No, they don’t.
wh-? What do they like playing after school?
When do they like playing basketball?
Use: General truths and facts
We often use the present simple to state
truths and to describe things which we feel
are facts or permanent situations:
things
which are generally true:
British people drink a lot of tea, while
Americans drink more coffee.
People in Brazil love dancing.
Use: General truths and facts
 facts:
Broken bones in adults don’t heal as
fast as they do in children.
Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
It rarely snows in Africa.
Vegetarians don’t eat meat.
Use: General truths and facts
 permanent
situations:
A colony of Antarctic penguins lives in
Marwell Zoo.
They speak fluent English.
Alice works for an insurance company.
Use: Repeated events / actions

We use the present simple to describe things
that happen on a regular basis, such as habits
and customs:
I get up at 7 o’clock every day.
He often does his homework in the
afternoon.
The Blairs take their summer holiday in a
quiet part of Tuscany.
I always cry when I watch a sad film.
Time Expressions
We often use the present simple with:
 adverbs of frequency
100%
0%
always / usually / often / sometimes / hardly ever / never
Share prices usually change on a daily
basis – but often by very little.
He hardly ever watches football on TV.
Time Expressions
Note the word order of the adverbs of frequency:
 before the main verb:
We never drink wine at lunchtime.
He hardly ever smokes and he doesn’t
usually eat meat.

after the verb be:
She is always late.
They are often ill.
Time Expressions
We also use the present simple with
expressions of frequency:


every day / week / month / year
once a day / week / month / year
 twice a day / week / month / year
 three times a day / week / month / year
Our two chefs provide an excellent choice of
hot meals every day.
Time Expressions
Note the word order of the expressions of frequency:
 the end of the sentence
She cleans her teeth three times a day.
We go to the opera twice a month .
They watch a film on DVD every week.

the beginning of the sentence
Every day he goes for a short walk in the park.
Once a month we invite our friends and cook a
really nice meal together.
So / Neither (Nor)
A: I speak Spanish.
B: () So do I. / So does she.
() I don’t. / He doesn’t.
A: I don’t play the piano.
B: () Nor do I. / Nor does she.
() I do. / He does.
So / Neither (Nor)
A:
Do you smoke?
B: () Yes, I do.
B: () No, I don’t.
A: () So do I.
A: () I don’t.
A: () Nor do I.
A: () I do.
So / Neither (Nor) - Practice


often go to a casino
play golf at the weekend
 check e-mails every day
 always pay by credit card
 drive to school
 go to a fitness centre on
Fridays
 drink coffee in the
morning
 read a newspaper every
morning
 always turn the mobile off
during classes









go jogging in the evening
play football once a week
get up at 7 o’clock
speak a foreign language
take a nap after dinner
study English every day
meet friends at the
weekend
walk the dog three times
a day
water the plants once a
week
Activity

Prepare eight different questions then ask the
questions to eight different people make notes:
Do you often go to a casino?
Janek: 
Do you drink coffee in the morning?
Kasia: 
Activity
 Look
at the notes and write sentences
including information about yourself:
Janek often goes to a casino and so do I.
Kasia doesn’t drink coffee in the morning
but I do.
Use
the present simple tense
correctly!

Activity

a castle

whisky

Look at the pictures and words and make
sentences.
Activity
 He
drinks whisky.
 He doesn't smoke.
 He plays tennis.
 He watches MTV.
 He lives in a castle.
 He has ten children.
Activity
 Do
you smoke?
 Do you play tennis?
 Do you speak French?
 Do you play football?
 Do you like fast food?
 Do you like Chinese food?
Bibliography
1.
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7.
Bourke K.: Verbs and Tenses: Intermediate. Test it, Fix it. Oxford:
Oxford University Press, 2006.
Leech G., Cruickshank B., Ivanic R.: An A-Z of English Grammar &
Usage. Harlow: Longman, 2004.
Murphy R.: English Grammar in Use. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 2006.
Swan M.: Practical English Usage. Oxford: Oxford University Press,
2005.
Thomas A. J., Martinet A. V.: A practical English Grammar. Oxford:
Oxford University Press, 1986.
Vince M.: Intermediate Language Practice (New Edition) . Oxford:
Macmillan Education 2010.
British Council: Learn English:
http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/englishgrammar/verbs/present-tense/present-simple, 23.10.2013.