This document provides information and examples about using the present simple tense in English. It discusses the affirmative and negative forms of the present simple, including rules for verbs ending in consonant + y, -o, -ss, -sh, -ch, and -x. Examples are given for interrogative sentences and short answers. Exercises are included for the learner to practice forming sentences in the present simple tense based on verb prompts in brackets. The document concludes with exercises for correcting incorrectly formed present simple sentences.

1. PRESENT SIMPLE
MAITE SÁENZ

2. THE PRESENT SIMPLE: AFFIRMATIVE
SUBJECT
VERB
OBJECT
S
I
N
G
U
L
A
R
I READ
A BOOK.
YOU READ
HE / SHE / IT READS
P
L
U
R
A
L
WE READ
YOU READ
THEY READ

3. In general
+ s
Verbs ending in
consonant + y
y + ies
Verbs ending in –o,
sh, ch, x, ss
+ es
work → works study → studies go → goes
eat → eats cry → cries wash → washes
play → plays try → tries watch → watches
swim → swims spy → spies mix → mixes
write → writes fly → flies kiss → kisses
RULES FOR THE 3RD PERSON SINGULAR
(HE / SHE / IT)

4. EXAMPLES: (I/play)

5. (They/eat)

6. (he/go)

7. (She/surf)

8. (She/cry)

9. SUBJECT
DO/DOE
S NOT VERB
S
I
N
G
U
L
A
R
I DO NOT READ
A BOOK
YOU DO NOT READ
HE / SHE /
IT
DOES NOT READ
P
L
U
R
A
L
WE DO NOT READ
YOU DO NOT READ
THEY DO NOT READ
Negative form

10. SUBJECT
SHORT
FORM
VERB
S
I
N
G
U
L
A
R
I DON’T READ
A BOOK.
YOU DON’T READ
HE / SHE / IT DOESN’T READ
P
L
U
R
A
L
WE DON’T READ
YOU DON’T READ
THEY DON’T READ
SHORT FORM:
do not = don‘t does not = doesn’t

11. EXAMPLES: Negative sentences
(They/read)

12. (We/sing)

13. (She/love)

14. (He/drive)

15. (He/work)

16. YOUR TURN NOW
Write the affirmative /negative form of the verbs
in brackets:
1. I ……………… (not live) in Madrid.
2. Sue ……………… (study) German at school.
3. My dad ……………… (drive) a red car.
4. We ……………. (not walk) to school.
5. The 34 bus ………………… (not stop) here.
6. Mr Brown …………………. (teach) maths.
7. The children ……………… (play) football.
8. Mary ……………… (wash) the dishes after lunch.

17. SOLUTIONS:
1. I don´t live in Madrid.
2. Sue studies German at school.
3. My dad drives a red car.
4. We don´t walk to school.
5. The 34 bus doesn´t stop here.
6. Mr Brown teaches maths.
7. The children play football.
8. Mary washes the dishes after lunch.

18. DO/DOES
SUBJEC
T
VERB SHORT ANSWERS
S
I
N
G
U
L
A
R
DO I PLAY ?
Yes, you do. / No, you
don’t.
DO YOU PLAY ?
Yes, you do. / No, you
don’t.
DOES
HE/SHE/
IT
PLAY ?
Yes, he does. / No, he
doesn’t.
P
L
U
R
A
L
DO WE PLAY ?
Yes, we do. / No, we
don’t.
DO YOU PLAY ?
Yes, we do. / No, we
don’t.
DO THEY PLAY ?
Yes, they do. / No, they
don’t.
INTERROGATIVE & SHORT ANSWERS

19. EXAMPLES: YOU/FLY

20. THEY/SWIM

21. HE/ STUDY

22. SHE/ LIKE

23. HE/DRINK

24. HE/WATCH

25. Does Paul have a shower every day?
No, he doesn’t
He has a bath

26. Does Alice love Paul?
No, she doesn’t …
but Paul loves Alice

27. Do the children smile?
No, they don’t
They cry

28. Does he go shopping?
No, he doesn’t
He goes camping

29. What do they eat?
They eat hot dogs

30. Does Dick drive well?
No, he doesn’t
He drives very badly

31. EXERCISES:
Fill in the gaps with the correct present simple form of the
verbs in brackets:
1. James ………… football (not like)
2. ……… you ………… a bath or a shower? (have)
3. My brother ………… medicine (study)
4. We …………… French and German at school (learn)
5. Mary …………... English well (speak)
6. I …………… understand the exercise (not understand)
7. ………… your father ………… to the office? (walk)
8. Sarah never ……… her homework (do)
9. Our teachers …………… us lots of homework (give)
10. My gradma ………… glasses (wear)

32. SOLUTIONS:
1. James doesn´t like football
2. Do you have a bath or a shower?
3. My brother studies medicine
4. We learn French and German at school
5. Mary speaks English well
6. I don´t understand the exercise
7. Does your father walk to the office?
8. Sarah never does her homework
9. Our teachers give us lots of homework
10. My gradma wears glasses

33. EXERCISES:
Correct these sentences :
1.Tom doesn’t reads newspapers.
2. We not like horror films.
3. Do Dave sends e-mails? Yes, he do.
4. Mary drink coffee after lunch.
5. My best friend plaies the piano.
6. Do you has a big breakfast?
7. It doesn’t rains much in summer.

34. SOLUTIONS:
1.Tom doesn’t read newspapers.
2. We don´t like horror films.
3. Does Dave send e-mails? Yes, he does.
4. Mary drinks coffee after lunch.
5. My best friend plays the piano.
6. Do you have a big breakfast?
7. It doesn’t rain much in summer.

35. Bye-bye!!!