The simple present tense

The simple present tense describes actions, events or conditions happening in the present,
at the moment of speaking or writing. The simple present is used when the precise
beginning or ending of the action, event or condition is unknown or unimportant to the
meaning of the sentence.

The highlighted verbs in the following sentences are in the simple present tense. Each
sentence describes an action taking place in the present:

 Joe waits patiently while Bridget books the tickets.

 The shelf holds three books and a vase of flowers.
 The crowd moves across the field in an attempt to see the rock star.
 The Stephens sisters are both very talented; Virginia writes and Vanessa paints.
 Bridget annoys Walter by turning corners too quickly.

The simple present expresses general truths such as scientific facts, as in the following
sentences:

 Rectangles have four sides.

 Canada Day takes place on July 1, to mark the anniversary of the signing of the British
North America Act.
 The moon circles the earth once every 28 days.
 Calcium is important to the formation of strong bones.

The simple present indicates a habitual action, event or condition, as in the following
sentences:

 Leonard goes to The Jumping Horse Pub every Thursday evening.

 My grandmother sends me jigsaw puzzles each spring.
 It seems that bad things happen in threes.
 We never finish jigsaw puzzles because the cat always eats some of the pieces.

The simple present is also used to write about works of art, as in the following sentences:

 One of Artemisia Gentileschi’s best known paintings represents Judith’s beheading of

Holofernes.
 The Lady of Shallot weaves a tapestry while watching the passers-by in her mirror.
 Lear rages against Cordelia and only belatedly realizes that she, not her sisters, loves him.
 The play ends with an epilogue spoken by the fool.

The simple present refers to a future event when used with an adverb or adverbial
phrase, as in the following sentences:

 The doors open in 10 minutes.

 The premier arrives on Tuesday.
 My French classes end next week.
 The publisher distributes the galley proofs next Wednesday.
 The lunar eclipse begins in exactly 43 minutes.