Grammar · Verb tenses
Present Simple
Formula: base form (+ -s with he, she, it)
A1
Quick answer
-s after he, she and it. Example: I work / She works. For questions and negatives, use the auxiliary (helping verb) do/does: Do you work? / She doesn't work.Present Simple: how to build a sentence
Affirmative
subject + V (V+s with he, she, it)
I work.
She works.
Negative
don't / doesn't + V
I don't work.
She doesn't work.
Question
Do / Does + subject + V?
Do you work?
Does she work?
Full example: to work
| Pronoun | Full form |
|---|---|
| I | work |
| You | work |
| He / She / It | works |
| We | work |
| You (pl.) | work |
| They | work |
The 4 main uses
1. Habit, routine
An action you do again and again, regularly.
“I go to school every day.”
2. General truth
A fact that is always true, not only now.
“The sun rises in the east.”
3. Permanent state
A situation that is true now and lasts a long time.
“She lives in Paris.”
4. Timetable
A time fixed in a timetable or a schedule.
“The train leaves at 8.”
Signal words
Some words almost always go with this tense: if you see one in the sentence, it is a good clue.
every day / week
a regular habit: each day, each week
“I read every day.”
always / often / sometimes / never
how often something happens
“She always smiles.”
usually
most of the time
“I usually have coffee.”
on Mondays / at weekends
regular days: every Monday, every weekend
“I play tennis on Mondays.”
Common mistakes to avoid
The -s with he, she, it
Mistake number one: forgetting the -s with he, she and it. He works ✓ / He work ✗. Spelling rules: add -s to most verbs, add -es after o, s, sh, ch, x (goes, watches, washes), and change consonant + y to -ies (study → studies).
Present Simple or Present Continuous?
The Present Simple is for a habit or a state (I work in London). The Present Continuous is for an action happening right now (I am working now). In English, this difference is very important.
Practice quiz
Related pages: Present Simple
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Going further
Present Simple: often tested in the English contest
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Frequently asked questions
When do you use the Present Simple?+
Use it for a habit (I go to school every day), a general truth (The sun rises in the east), a long-term situation (She lives in Paris) or a fixed timetable (The train leaves at 8).
How do you form the Present Simple?+
Base form + -s with he, she and it: I work, she works. Negative: don't/doesn't + base form. Question: do/does + subject + base form.
Why do you add -s with he, she and it?+
It is a special rule of English: in the Present Simple, only he, she and it have their own ending. All the other persons use the base form. Because it is the only ending, learners often forget it. He works, she eats, it rains.
What is the difference between the Present Simple and the Present Continuous?+
Present Simple = a habit or a general state: I work in London (in general). Present Continuous = an action happening now: I am working now (at this moment).
When do you add -s, -es or -ies?+
Three rules: (1) most verbs just add -s: work → works. (2) After o, s, sh, ch, x, add -es: go → goes, watch → watches. (3) Consonant + y → -ies: study → studies. But: play → plays (vowel + y).
Updated on 27 October 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 27 October 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/grammar/present-simple
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.