The Present Simple

A. Structure

Affirmative

I sing

you sing

he / she / it sings

we sing

you sing

they sing

Negative

I do not / don't sing

you do not / don't sing

he / she / it does not / doesn't sing

we do not / don't sing

you do not / don't sing

they do not / don't sing

Interrogative

Do I sing?

Do you sing?

Does he / she / it sing?

Do we sing?

Do you sing?

Do they sing?

B. Spelling Rules

In the affirmative - third person singular - we make the following changes before adding -s:

1. If a verb ends in -ch / - sh / -ss / -o / -x,  we add -es

I watch - he / she / it watches

I brush - he / she / it brushes

I kiss - he / she / it kisses

I fix - he / she / it fixes

I go - he / she / it goes

2. If a verb ends in consonant + -y, we drop -y and add -ies

I study - he / she / it studies

I carry - he / she / it carries

I cry - he / she / it cries

3. But if a verb ends in vowel + -y, we don't drop -y and add -s

I play - he / she / it plays

I say - he / she / it says

I buy - he / she / it buys

We only add -s / -es / -ies in the affirmative after he / she / it. Never add -s to the verb in the negative and interrogative.

Don't say: He doesn't studies hard. Say: He doesn't study hard.

C. Time Expressions

We often use the following time expressions with the present simple:

on Monday / Tuesday etc

in the morning / in the afternoon / in the evening

once / twice a week / month / year

every day / Monday / month / week etc

Examples

• Tom wakes up at six o'clock every day
• The boys play football in the afternoon.
• She doesn't work on Saturdays.