Understanding the Simple Present Tense (Formula, Exercises & Worksheet)
The Simple Present Tense
English is a notoriously tricky language to learn, largely due to its strange spelling and grammar rules. However, one of the most difficult aspects of English for non-native speakers is its use of tense. In English, there are three main tenses – past, present, and future – each of which can be subdivided into many different forms. However, it is worth taking the time to learn how to use them correctly, as they are essential for communicating properly in English. In this blog, we will explore the simple present tense formula, and how you can learn its correct usage.
For example, the past tense can be further divided into the regular past tense (e.g. “I played”), the irregular past tense (e.g. “I wrote”), and the perfect past tense (e.g. “I have played”). As a result, mastering English verb tenses can be a challenge, even for advanced learners.
Definition
The simple present tense is used to describe habits, unchanging situations, general truths, and feelings. It is conjugated using the Formula: Subject + Base Verb.
For example, the simple present tense of “I eat” would be “I eat.” The simple present tense is often used with adverbs of frequency, such as “always,” “usually,” and “seldom.”
It can also be used with time expressions, such as “every day,” “once a week,” and “on Mondays.”
In addition, the simple present tense is used to describe scheduled future events, such as “The boat leaves at 3:00 pm.” As you can see, the simple present tense has a variety of uses in the English language.
Simple Present Tense Formula
The simple present tense is one of the most basic verb tenses in English. It is used to describe habits, unchanging situations, and general truths. There are three main formulas for the simple present tense:
1) Subject + Base Form of Verb (I rollerblade to work every day.)
2) Subject + Auxiliary Verb + Base Form of Verb (She is going to school right now.)
3) Subject + Auxiliary Verb + NOT + Base Form of Verb (They are not watching TV right now.)
The simple present tense is formed by using the base form of the verb, which is the same as the infinitive form without “to”. For example, the base form of “to walk” is “walk”.
To form a sentence in the simple present tense, you just need to add a subject. For example: “I run to the gym every day”.
The simple present tense can also be used to describe future events that are scheduled or part of a timetable. For example: “My plane takes off at 10am”.
Rules
What is the formula of simple present tense? The simple present tense is one of the most basic verb tenses in English. It is used to describe habits, unchanging situations, general truths, and sensations. To form the simple present tense, all you need to do is take the base form of the verb and add an -s at the end. For example, the simple present tense of ‘walk’ is ‘walks’. There are a few simple rules to remember when using the simple present tense:
- For regular verbs, simply add an -s to the base form of the verb. For example, ‘read’ becomes ‘reads’.
- For irregular verbs, the simple present tense form is often different from the base form. For example, ‘write’ becomes ‘writes’, but ‘read’ becomes ‘reads’.
- Some verbs are always irregular in the simple present tense. For example, ‘be’ becomes ‘am/is/are’.
- The simple present tense can also be used to describe plans or scheduled events. For example, ‘The plane leaves at 6 pm’.
Remembering these simple rules will help you use the simple present tense with confidence.
Structures of Simple Present Tense
The simple present tense is one of the most basic verb tenses in English. It is used to describe routine activities or habits, and it is formed by using the base form of the verb.
There are a few things to keep in mind when using the simple present tense.
First, the simple present tense formula is “I _____” + “you _____” + “he/she/it _____” + “we _____” + “they _____.”
This means that the subject of the sentence always comes before the verb. For example, if you want to say “I am studying for my test,” the correct verb form would be “study,” not “studies.”
For regular verbs, this is simply the verb without any endings, but for irregular verbs, it may be a slightly different form.
The simple present tense can also be used to describe scheduled events, such as trains arriving at a station or planes taking off on time.
To form a sentence in the simple present tense, you just need to use the appropriate subject pronoun and the base form of the verb. For example, “I eat breakfast every day” or “They arrive at 6 pm.”
As you can see, the simple present tense is straightforward to use.
Important Points When Using Simple Present Tense
The simple present tense is one of the most commonly used verb tenses in English. It is used to describe habits, unchanging situations, general truths, and feelings. The simple present tense is formed by using the base form of the verb (i.e. I walk, you swim, he runs). To make a sentence sound more polite or formal, the third person singular form can be used (i.e. He walks instead of I walk). These are a few important points to remember when using a simple present tense:
- To describe habits or repeated actions, use the base form of the verb (I walk to work every day).
- To describe unchanging situations, use the base form of the verb (The sun rises in the east).
- To describe general truths, use the base form of the verb (Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius).
- To describe feelings or emotions, use the base form of the verb (I feel happy).
When using the simple present tense, it is important to be aware of these four points to use the tense correctly.
What Do You Use it For?
Have you ever stopped to think about all of the different things that you use simple present tense for? You probably use it more often than you realize.
- For example, simple present tense is used to describe habitual or daily activities. This could be something as simple as saying “I brush my teeth every morning.”
- In addition, simple present tense is also used to describe factual information or general truths. For instance, you might say “The sun rises in the east.”
- Finally, simple present tense can be used to express plans or scheduled events. For example, you might say “My train arrives at 5:00 pm.”
As you can see, simple present tense is a versatile tool that can be used in a variety of different situations. So the next time you find yourself reaching for simple present tense, stop and think about what you’re trying to say.
9 Examples for Forming the Simple Present Tense
1. Positive Sentences
Formula: Subject + Base Form of Verb
This formula of simple present tense sentences indicates that something is happening or is allowed to happen. They are used to telling someone they are allowed to do something. For example:
- “You can brush your teeth every morning.”
- “You can use the Internet all over the world.”
- “You’re allowed to come.”
These present positive present tense sentences which enable someone to do something.
2. Negative Sentences
Formula: Subject + Base Form of Verb
These simple present-tense sentences indicate that something is not happening or is not allowed to happen. They are used to telling someone not to do something. For example:
- “Don’t go gently into that good night.”
- “Don’t come back.”
- “Don’t leave without saying goodbye.”
By using this negative present simple tense formula, you are indicating that something is forbidden or not allowed.
3. Negative-Interrogative Sentences
Formula: Subject + Auxiliary Verb + Base Form of Verb
Negative interrogatives are questions that are typically used to express disbelief or anger. They are often used when we want to confront someone about something. For example:
- “Don’t you ever sleep?”
- “Aren’t you going to eat that?”
- “Isn’t she ever going to call me back?”
There are all examples of negative-interrogative sentences in the simple present tense.
4. Interrogative Sentences
Formula: Subject + Base Form of Verb or Subject + Auxiliary Verb + Base Form of Verb
In grammar, an interrogative sentence is a type of question. Questions are typically marked by a rising intonation at the end of the sentence, although this is not always the case. There are three main types of interrogative sentences: simple present tense, complex present tense, and past tense.
Simple present tense questions are those that can be answered with a simple yes or no. For example:
- “Do you like chocolate?”
- “Are you happy?”
Complex present-tense questions are those that require more than a simple yes or no answer. For example:
- “What do you like to do for fun?”
- “How are you feeling today?”
Past tense questions are those that refer to something that happened in the past. For example:
- “Did you have a good day?”
- “What did you do yesterday?”
Using these tenses correctly will help you ask people questions more effectively.
5. Giving Directions/Instructions
Formula: Subject + Base Form of Verb
If you need to give someone directions or instructions, it’s important to be clear and concise. That way, there’s no confusion and everyone understands what needs to be done. Here are three examples of how to give directions or instructions using the simple present tense:
- “To make a PB&J sandwich, first spread peanut butter on one slice of bread, then add jelly on top.”
- “To change a tire, start by loosening the lug nuts with a wrench, then lift the car with a jack.”
- “To bake a cake, mix flour, sugar, eggs, and butter, then put it in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.”
By giving people directions in the simple present tense formula, you will achieve the results you’re looking for.
6. Fixed Arrangements
Formula: Subject + Base Form of Verb
While we often use the simple present tense to talk about fixed arrangements, other tenses can also be used, depending on the situation. For example, if you are talking about an arrangement that is going to start in the future, you would use the present simple. Alternatively, if you are talking about an arrangement that has already ended, you would use the past simple. As you can see, there is no one correct tense to use when talking about fixed arrangements – it just depends on the context of the situation.
- “I feed my cat at 7 pm every evening.”
- “We have band practice every Wednesday night.”
- “My little sister takes dance lessons on Saturdays.”
These are all examples of fixed arrangements or things that happen regularly at specific times.
7. Using Future Constructions
Formula: Subject + Base Form of Verb or Subject + Auxiliary Verb + NOT + Base Form of Verb
Future constructions with the simple present tense are used to describe actions that will take place at a specific time in the future. For example:
- “I will meet you at noon.”
- “The train leaves at 9:00 am.”
- “The sun rises in the east.”
In these sentences, the simple present tense is used to describe an action that is part of a plan or used to describe future actions that are certain to occur.
8. Repeated Actions
Formula: Subject + Base Form of Verb
The simple present tense is one of the most basic verb tenses in English and is used to indicate repeated or habitual actions. Repeated actions can also be described using the simple present tense when they happen daily. For example:
- “I brush my teeth every morning.”
- “She always forgets to take her keys with her.”
- “He always watches television before bed.”
All of these are examples of how the simple present tense is used to describe repeated actions.
9. Truths and Facts
Formula: Subject + Base Form of Verb or Subject + Auxiliary Verb + Base Form of Verb
There are many different ways to write a truth or fact sentence. However, the most important thing to remember is that a truth or fact sentence must always be 100% accurate. In other words, there can be no room for error. Here are three examples of truth and fact sentences written in the simple present tense:
- “The sun sets in the west.”
- “The Earth revolves around the sun.”
- “Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.”
These are facts that can be verified through experimentation, research, or study. They are well-known facts we have about the world.
Exercise Your Understanding of the Simple Present Tense
Exercise 1
Identify the simple present tense verbs in this sentence:
“I walk to the park every day.”
Answer:
The simple present tense verbs are ‘I’ and ‘walk’.
Exercise 2
Change this sentence from simple present tense to another verb tense:
“I am walking to the park today.”
Answer:
“I walked to the park yesterday.”
The sentence is now in the past tense.
Exercise 3
Finally, make up your sentence using the simple present tense. Try to use a different verb from the ones used in the previous two sentences.
Answer:
Here is an example: ‘She reads a book every night before bed.’
Common Simple Present Verbs
Some of the most common verbs in the simple present tense include:
- “be”
- “do”
- “have”
To conjugate, these verbs in the simple present tense, simply add an -s to the end of the verb for third-person singular subjects (he, she, it). For example, the simple present tense conjugation of “do” would be “does.”
In addition to these three verbs, there are many other verbs that are commonly used in the simple present tense. These include:
- “eat”
- “drink”
- “go”
- “see”
- “want”
By familiarizing yourself with these verbs, you will be well on your way to mastering the simple present tense.
Conclusion
This blog has taught you how to correctly use simple present tense in a formulaic way. You now understand that the simple present tense is used to describe habits, universal truths, and scheduled events. You also know that the simple present tense is typically formed by adding -s or -es to the base form of the verb, as in the sentence “She always brushes her teeth before bed.” As always, practice makes perfect, so be sure to get plenty of exposure to simple present tense before using it in your writing.
FAQ
There are 12 unique formulas for tenses, each specifying a different time frame for the action being described.
The six major tenses are present, past, future, present perfect, past perfect, and future perfect. Each of these can be further divided into simple, progressive, and perfect varieties.
In addition to these six major tenses, there are also six minor tenses: present conditional, past conditional, future conditional, present imaginary, past imaginary, and future imaginary. These tenses are used less frequently than the major tenses but can still be useful in certain situations.
By understanding the 12 formulas for tenses, speakers of English can effectively communicate actions and events in any time frame.
The simple present tense is one of the most versatile and commonly used tenses in English. It can be used to describe an action that is happening right now, an action that happens regularly, or a past action that has just been completed. Here are three of the most common uses for the simple present tense:
1. To describe an action that is happening right now: I am eating lunch.
2. To describe an action that happens regularly: She cleans her room every day.
3. To describe a past action that has just been completed: He finished his homework a few minutes ago.
As you can see, the simple present tense can be used in a variety of situations. By understanding how and when to use it, you can communicate more effectively in English.
A verb is a word that describes an action, state, or occurrence. There are twelve major kinds of verbs in English, divided into three groups: action verbs, linking verbs, and auxiliary verbs.
Action verbs describe physical or mental actions and include words like run, jump, think, and feel. Linking verbs connect the subject of a sentence to a noun or adjective that describes the subject and includes words like be, seem, look, and become. Auxiliary verbs help to express grammatical distinctions like tense, mood, and voice and include words like have, do, and will.
While there are many different kinds of verbs, all play an important role in constructing meaningful sentences.
There are a few different ways to teach simple present tense. One way is to have students create sentences using verbs in the present tense. This will help them to understand how the verb changes to indicate that the action is happening now. Another way is to have students read texts that are written in the present tense or use a simple present tense formula chart. This will provide them with examples of how the tense is used in context.
Finally, you can have students watch videos or listen to audio clips that feature people speaking in the present tense. This will help them to hear how the tense is used in conversation.
In English, the simple present tense is used to describe an action that is happening now or that happens regularly. To form a simple present sentence, you just need to use the base form of the verb.
For example, the base form of ‘walk’ is ‘walks’. So, a simple present sentence would be ‘I walk to school every day. To make a sentence negative, you just need to add the word ‘do not’ or ‘doesn’t’ before the verb. For example, ‘I do not walk to school every day.
To ask a question in the simple present tense, you just need to put the word ‘do’ or ‘does’ before the subject of the sentence. For example, ‘Do you walk to school every day?’. As you can see, forming a simple present sentence is easy!
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Bethany MacDonald
Bethany MacDonald has contributed articles LillyPad.ai since 2020. As their Blog Lead, she specialises in informative pieces on culture, education, and language learning
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