2.3: Grammar

Simple Present Tense Uses

We use the simple present tense to:

1. describe routines, habits, and repeated activities in the present time 
2. talk about facts which are always true

We use simple present tense with:

1. Time expressions: every (every day, every week, every month) and with adverbs of frequency such as always, never, sometimes,
2.  Routines: Something you do every morning, every week, every year.

• I brush my teeth two times a day.
• He watches TV every evening after work.

3. Habits: Something you do regularly.

• My son reads in bed before he goes to sleep.
• My cat wakes me up on Saturdays because he is hungry.

4. Repeated actions: Actions that we do more than once.

• I shop at Costco. (not every week, but I like to go there).
• She wears shorts in the summer.

​5. Facts: Things that are always true.

• The moon revolves around the earth.
• Water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit.

Affirmative: Subject + Verb

I/ You/ We/ They +     Verb

He/ She/ It          +     Verb + s/es

Examples:  Study the examples.

1. I walk to school every day.
2. You walk to school every day.
3. We walk to school every day.
4. They walk to school every day.
5. He gets up at 7 am. 
6. She gets up at 7 am. 
7. It gets up at 7 am. 

Spelling rules

• If a verb ends with letters s, x, z, ch, sh, o, add es

kiss- kisses              fix- fixes              buzz- buzzes

watch- watches       wash- washes       go- goes

• If a verb ends with a consonant + y, change y to i and add es

try- tries           study- studies

•  If a verb ends with a vowel + y, add s

play- plays           pay- pays

Negative: Subject + do not/does not + Verb

I/ You/ We/ They   +    do not (don't)        + Verb

He/ She/ It            +    does not (doesn't) + Verb 

Examples:  Study the examples.

1. I do not (don't)  watch TV on weekdays. 
2. You do not (don't)  watch TV on weekdays. 
3. We do not (don't)  watch TV on weekdays. 
4. They do not (don't)  watch TV on weekdays. 
5. He does not (doesn't) wake up early on weekends. 
6. She does not (doesn't) wake up early on weekends. 
7. It does not (doesn't) wake up early on weekends. 

Interrogative

Practice 1

Directions:  Write the correct form of the verbs in parentheses.

Example:  I (sleep)_sleep_ seven hours every night.

1. Yuri (wake) ____________________ up at 6:00 every morning.
2. Palani (drive) _____________________ to school on Monday and Wednesday.
3. Yuri and Palani (bike) ______________________ to school every Friday.
4. Yuri and I (make) _____________________ coffee in the morning.
5. I (cook) _______________________ breakfast on the weekend.
6. She (eat) _______________________ cereal for breakfast.
7. Palani (watch) __________________________ TV in the evening.
8. Mary (study) _________________________ by herself  after school.
9. You (ask) ________________________ the teacher many questions in class.
10. Yuri (go) ________________________ to Evergreen Valley College.

Practice 2

Directions:  Write the correct form of the verb on the line in the sentences below.

Example: (work) My sister works from home, but I work in the office. 

1. (study) I _______________ in the morning, but he _______________ at night.

2. (not worry) He _______________ about money. I _______________ about him.

3. (cry) The cat _______________ when I leave. The babies _______________ all the time.

4. (play) She _______________ the piano. We _______________ the violin.

5. (not pay) I _______________ for groceries with a credit card. Tatiana _______________ with cash.

6. (not stay) He _______________ after class for help. They _______________ after class to talk.

7. (wash) She _______________ the dishes every evening. I __________________ my clothes on weekends.

8. (go) My husband _______________ to school every day. I _______________ to work every morning.

9. (not enjoy) We _______________ playing board games. He _______________ online games.

10. (take) Maria and Eric ________________ their children to the park, and Huong _______________ her dog.

Practice 3

Directions:  Change the affirmative sentences to negative sentences. Use both full forms and contractions.

Example:  Mary and Peter study in the same class.
Full form:  Mary and Peter do not study in the same class.
Contraction:  Mary and Peter don’t study in the same class.

1. I go to work at 3:00 pm.                   ______________________________________________________
2. She wants to eat Chinese food.          ______________________________________________________   
3. They have two children.                    ______________________________________________________
4. He has a dog and two cats.               ______________________________________________________
5. You need to stand in line.                  ______________________________________________________
6. She does her homework after school.  ______________________________________________________
7. I eat breakfast every morning.            ______________________________________________________
8. His friends drink coffee at Starbucks.             ______________________________________________________
9. He drinks diet soda every day.           ______________________________________________________
10. My car has comfortable seats.             ______________________________________________________

Practice 4 

Directions:  Interview your partner and write down the answers in complete sentences.

Example:  A: Where do you work?       B: I work at Evergreen Valley College. 

1. Where do you live?  __________________________________________________________

2. What time do you wake up?  ___________________________________________________

3. What time do you go to bed?  __________________________________________________

4. When do you eat breakfast?  ___________________________________________________

5. How many days a week do you go to school? ______________________________________

6. How do you go to school?  _____________________________________________________

7. How many hours a day do you study English?  _____________________________________

8. Which city do you like to visit?  __________________________________________________

9. What do you eat for lunch?  ____________________________________________________

10. Why do you study English?  ____________________________________________________