SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

We use Present Simple to talk about

1) Things that happen regularly or permanently, in other words, routines,

habits, schedules
2) Facts
3) Stative Verbs

1) TIME EXPRESSIONS for things that happen regularly are:

every ....
once a ....
twice a ....
on Tuesdays .....
in winters ....
OR
always, frequently, often, usually, regularly, generally, sometimes, seldom,
rarely, never.

 Time Expressions that have more than one word, we put at the end
of the sentence.
e.g. I go to school every day.
e.g. I play tennis three times a week.

 Time Expressions that are one word, we put before the main verb.
e.g. I always do my homework.
e.g. We don't usually spend so much money.

 If the main verb is BE (am, is, are), we put the Time Expression
after it.
e.g. I am never late.

2) When we have a sentence that is a general fact, we don't use any time
expression and we have to know that it refers to PRESENT SIMPLE.
e.g. The sun shines in the east.
My father works in a factory.
We live in Tel-Aviv.
3) Stative verbs are verbs that express a state rather than an action. They
usually relate to thoughts, emotions, relationships, senses, states of
being and measurements. These verbs are not usually used with ing in
progressive (continuous) tenses even though they may take on time
expressions such as now and at the moment. We use the simple tenses
for them.

a) senses: hear, sound, see, smell, taste, feel.

b) feelings: love, hate, like, dislike.
c) thoughts: think (opinion), know, want, wonder, forget, remember,
need, believe, hope, seem, mean, prefer, understand.
d) possession: have, has, own, belong to.
e) measurement: cost, weigh, equal, measure.

e.g. I want to eat now.

I have a headache now.

However, there are some verbs that look like they should be stative, but may
appear in the ing form. These verbs differ in meaning to the stative verbs.

see

1. I see Michael, but he can’t see me. I’m too far away. (I see him with my
eyes.)
2. James is seeing Marsha. They’ve been together for a month. (He’s dating
her.)

hear

1. I hear music coming from the Smith’s apartment. Someone must be home
now. (To experience sound)
2. I’m hearing voices. (I’m imagining it)

have

1. Jeremy has a Mercedes. (He owns it.)

2. Sara is having lunch with her editor. (She’s eating lunch)
English Grammar Rules
Normally in the present tense we add S to the end of the verb in the 3rd person (He, She, It).

Verb 3rd Person

Speak Speaks
Play Plays
Give Gives
Make Makes

 He speaks three languages.

 She drinks coffee every morning.
 My dog hates my cat.

1. If the verb ends in SS, X, CH, SH or the letter O, we add + ES in the third person.

Verb 3rd Person

Kiss Kisses
Fix Fixes
Watch Watches
Crash Crashes
Go Goes

 A mechanic fixes cars.

 She watches soap operas every afternoon.
 He kisses his wife before he goes to work.

2. If the verb ends in a Consonant + Y, we remove the Y and + IES in the third person.

Ver
3rd Person
b

Carry Carries
 Hurry Hurries
Study Studies
Deny Denies

 Isabel studies every night.

 The baby cries all the time.
 He denies all responsibility.

HABITS- ROUTINES

Affirmative

I live in Argentina
You live in Argentina
He lives in Argentina
She lives in Argentina
It lives in Argentina
We live in Argentina
You live in Argentina
They live in Argentina

Negative

I do not/don’t live in England

You do not/don’t live in England
He does not/doesn’t live in England
She does not/doesn’t live in England
It does not/doesn’t live in England
We do not/ don’t live in England
You do not/ don’t live in England
They do not/ don’t live in England

Interrogative

Do I live in Argentina?
Do you live in Argentina?
Does he live in Argentina? Yes, I /you/ we/ they do.
Does she live in Argentina? Yes, he/she/it does.
Does it live in Argentina?
Do We live in Argentina? No, I /you/ we/ they don’t.
Do you live in Argentina? No, he/ she/ it doesn’t.
Do they live in Argentina?
 ARE YOU A WORKAHOLIC?
St. A: Interviews a partner about her/his work habits. You want to know the
frequency he/she does the activities below.

St. B: You’ll answer using adverbs of frequency. Do you remember them?

Usually Often Sometimes Always Rarely Never Seldom

 TAKE NOTES ABOUT YOUR PARTNER/S’ ANSWERS!!

 Arrive at work before your colleagues

 Leave work after normal hours
 Take work home at weekends
 Think about work when you are at home
 Make tiring business trips
 Go on working when you are very tired

St. A: Now… Ask about your partner/s’ free time

St. B: You’ll answer using adverbs of frequency.

Watch the news on TV
Meet friends at weekends
Go jogging
Get up before 7 a.m.
Read a newspaper
Study English
Take work home
Go to bed after midnight
Drive to work
……………………………….
………………………………
……………………………..

Let’s have more practice!!!

1. Two students:
A: My teacher................................(give) too much homework.
B: Really? Mine..............................(give/not) any. What kind of homework
....................................................................(you/get)?

2. Two acquaintances meet on a very cold day:

A: My family......................................(live) in Florida. Every winter I......................
(think) about moving there too.
B: How often............................................(they/visit/you)?
A: Not very often. They....................................(refuse) to come in the winter
because it ................................(snow) too much here. Sometimes they...........
............................(come) during the summer.

3.Two office friends:

A: Why...........................................(Ellen/watch) me so much?
B: What...........................................(you/mean)?
A: She...................................................(watch) everything that I.............................
(do) and it ...........................................(make) me feel very uncomfortable.

4.-Two strangers at a bus stop:

A: When.................................................(the bus/come)?
B: It usually.......................................................(arrive) at ten minutes after the
hour, but not today.
A: ..................................................................(this/happen) often?
B: No, it usually.............................................on schedule, but the bus company
........................................................(have) a new driver on this route. He.........
.......................................(drive/not) very fast.

5. Person A is admiring the roses in Person B’s garden:

A: Roses...................................................(grow/not) in my garden. They don’t get

enough sun.
B: Why......................................(you/try/not) begonias instead?

DO YOU.....? or DOES HE/SHE...?

Mark with a tick () or a cross ()

QUESTIONS St. 1 Me

T St. 2 St. 3 St. 4

Smoke?

Drink wine?

Like Chinese food?

Like cooking?

Play cards?

Play tennis?

Read a lot?

Listen to music a lot?

Play any musical

instrument?

 Now, use the information in the questionnaire. Write about you and your
teacher, or you and another student.
Ex.:
“I don’t smoke, but St 1 smokes a lot. We both like Chinese food....”

 ........................................................................................................................................
 ........................................................................................................................................
 ........................................................................................................................................
 ........................................................................................................................................
 ........................................................................................................................................
 ........................................................................................................................................

Read Derek Stirling’s profile, then write it beginning with: “His name
is.....”

“My name is Derek Stirling and I’m Scottish. I live in Hadlow, a lovely English
village near London, and I work for The Swire Group. I work at our London
head office, I’m head of Corporate Finance, and I’m responsible for developing
the business of the Group.
I’m always very busy and I don’t have much free time, but when I do, I like
fishing and I grow my own vegetables, just for fun.
I start work at 9 and go back home at 6 a.m. I usually go by car. It takes me
20 ‘ to get home”.

________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________

 Now, Can you write a similar profile about you?

__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________

Let´s have some practice!!

 You ask somebody questions and he/ she answers them.-

I work hard. How about you?…………………………………………………………………………………………
Yes,……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

I play polo. How about you?…………………………………………………………………………………………….

No,……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

My secretary speaks good English. How about yours?…………………………………………….

No,……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

I exercise every morning. How about Peter?……………………………………………………………..

Yes,………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

I have lunch at home. How about your boss?………………………………………………………………

No,………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

I live in a big city. How about Mr. Allan?…………………………………………………………………….

Yes,…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

My company advertises on T.V. How about yours?……………………………………………………

No,………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

My boss travels to US once a year. How about yours?…………………………………………….

No,………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

My company provides us English training course. How about yours?…………………….

Yes,……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..