The verb to start · Conjugation
Present Simple of start
The answer: start / starts
A1
Habits, routines and facts that are always true.
Quick answer
The Present Simple of the verb to start is start / starts.
Example: School starts at 8.
Full conjugation in the Present Simple
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | start |
| You | start |
| He / She / It | starts |
| We | start |
| You (pl.) | start |
| They | start |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. He start ❌
With he, she and it, the verb needs -s (or -es): he starts, she starts, it starts. The same is true with one person or one thing: my friend starts. This is one of the most common mistakes in English, so always check your verb.
2. Does she starts? ❌
In a question or a negative, the -s is already on does. So the main verb goes back to the base form: Does she start…?, She doesn't start. Never put -s on both verbs.
3. I am start ❌
In the Present Simple, do not put am, is or are before the verb. Say I start, not I am start. 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
Going further
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Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate start in the Present Simple?+
Use start with I, you, we and they. Use starts with he, she and it: I start, she starts. Only he, she and it change. All the other forms are the same.
When do you use the Present Simple of start?+
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 starting.
Is it he start or he starts?+
It is he starts. In the Present Simple, he, she and it add -s to the verb: start → starts. This -s is easy to forget. Check the verb every time the subject is he, she, it or one person (my friend starts).
How do you make the negative of start 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 start, she doesn't start. English needs do or does to make the negative: I not start is wrong.
How do you make a question with start in the Present Simple?+
Use do or does + the subject + the base form: Do you start…?, Does she start…? 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: start Present Simple
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
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/start/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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More forms of the verb to start are coming soon.