The verb to foretell · Conjugation
Present Simple of foretell
The answer: foretell / foretells
A1
Habits, routines and facts that are always true.
Quick answer
The Present Simple of the verb to foretell is foretell / foretells.
Example: Prophets foretell the future.
Full conjugation in the Present Simple
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | foretell |
| You | foretell |
| He / She / It | foretells |
| We | foretell |
| You (pl.) | foretell |
| They | foretell |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. He foretell ❌
With he, she and it, the verb needs -s (or -es): he foretells, she foretells, it foretells. The same is true with one person or one thing: my friend foretells. This is one of the most common mistakes in English, so always check your verb.
2. Does she foretells? ❌
In a question or a negative, the -s is already on does. So the main verb goes back to the base form: Does she foretell…?, She doesn't foretell. Never put -s on both verbs.
3. I am foretell ❌
In the Present Simple, do not put am, is or are before the verb. Say I foretell, not I am foretell. A very common example is I am agree: say I agree. Use am, is or are with an -ing form (I am reading) or with an adjective (I am happy).
Practice quiz
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Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate foretell in the Present Simple?+
Use foretell with I, you, we and they. Use foretells with he, she and it: I foretell, she foretells. Only he, she and it change. All the other forms are the same.
When do you use the Present Simple of foretell?+
Use the Present Simple for habits, routines and facts that are always true. Common signal words are every day, usually, often, always, sometimes and never. For an action happening right now, use the Present Continuous: I am foretelling.
Is it he foretell or he foretells?+
It is he foretells. In the Present Simple, he, she and it add -s to the verb: foretell → foretells. This -s is easy to forget. Check the verb every time the subject is he, she, it or one person (my friend foretells).
How do you make the negative of foretell in the Present Simple?+
Use don't (do not) or doesn't (does not) + the base form. The base form is the verb with no to and no -s: I don't foretell, she doesn't foretell. English needs do or does to make the negative: I not foretell is wrong.
How do you make a question with foretell in the Present Simple?+
Use do or does + the subject + the base form: Do you foretell…?, Does she foretell…? After does, the main verb has no -s. In a short answer, repeat do or does: Yes, I do. / No, she doesn't.
Related pages: foretell Present Simple
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Updated on 12 November 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 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/foretell/present
© 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.
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