Present Simple introduction and form
The Present Simple is a verb tense which refers to general present time.
Tenses = a verb form which shows the time of an action or event:
Lives (present); are running (present); saw (past); will play (future)
Tenses are changes in verb form which give “signals” about time and duration of an action or event, and other information.
The simple present is simple in form, needing only one word in the affirmative, but not so simple in its meaning.
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First let’s look at its form
The Simple Present Tense: Form
The verb BE has one form in the Present Simple and other verbs have another.
BE (affirmative)
I am
you are
he is
she is
it is
we are
you are
Other Verbs (affirmative)
We use the base form (short infinitive) of a verb (without “to”)
To live to think to study
I + base form I live I think I study
you + base form You live You think You study
he + base form+s** He lives He thinks He studies
she+ base form+s** She lives She thinks She studies
it + base form+s** It lives It plays It rains
we + base form We live We think We study
they + base form They live They think They study
Negative form of Present Simple
In the Simple Present tense there are differences when we use be or other verbs in the negative:
BE (negative)
With the negative of BE we add the word “not” after am, are or is
I am not I am not American
you are not You are not tall
he is not He is not a footballer
she is not She is not 15 years old
it is not It is not expensive
we are not We are not happy
they are not They are not students
Note:
Contractions are often used for not:
am not, is not, and are not:
are not —> aren’t
is not —> isn’t
I am not —> I’m not*
you are not—> you’re not or you aren’t
he is not—> he’s not or he isn’t
she is not—> she’s not or she isn’t
it is not—> it’s not or it isn’t
we are not—> We’re not or we aren’t
they are not—> They’re not or they aren’t
Other Verbs (negative)
I do not+ base form I do not live in London
you do not + base form You do not live in Boston
he does not + base form He does not live in Los Angeles
she does not+ base form She does not live in Sydney
it does not + base form It does not live in a tree
we do not + base form We do not live in Shanghai
they do not+ base form They do not live in Bombay
Note:
Contractions are often used for do not and does not:
I do not—> I don’t
you do not—> you don’t
he does not—> he doesn’t
she does not—> she doesn’t
it does not—> it doesn’t
we do not—> we don’t
they do not—> they don’t
They are no contractions for do or does in standard written English.
Notes
*There is no acceptable contraction for am not in standard English. You will sometimes hear people say *ain’t—this is considered unacceptable and “uneducated.”
Some people also use *ain’t not only for I, but also for you, he, she, it, and they.
** The final “s” on the verbs with he, she, it etc is added in three different ways
– many verbs such as: like, run and see, become likes, runs and sees
– verbs such as: miss, mix, wash and watch become misses, mixes, washes and watches
– verbs such as: study, try and worry become studies, tries and worries
You can compare it with the Present Continuous here