المضارع البسيط

We make the Simple Present with [auxiliary verb DO] + [MAIN VERB].

The main verb is the infinitive without 'to':

• to like > like

There are three important exceptions:

1. For positive sentences, we do not normally use the auxiliary.
2. For the 3rd person singular (he, she, it), we add s to the main verb or es to the auxiliary.
3. For the verb 'to be', we do not use the auxiliary, even for questions and negatives.

Look at these examples with the main verb 'to like':

	subject	auxiliary verb DO		main verb	object etc
+	I, you, we, they			like	coffee.
	He, she, it			likes	coffee.
-	I, you, we, they	do	not	like	coffee.
	He, she, it	does	not	like	coffee.
?	Do	I, you, we, they		like	coffee?
	Does	he, she, it		like	coffee?

Look at these examples with the main verb 'to be'. Notice that there is no auxiliary:

	subject	main verb	object etc
+	I	am	French.
	You, we, they	are	French.
	He, she, it	is	French.
-	I	am not	old.
	You, we, they	are not	old.
	He, she, it	is not	old.
?	Am	I	late?
	Are	you, we, they	late?
	Is	he, she, it	late?

 

When do we use the Simple Present?

We use the Simple Present when:

• the action is general
• the action happens all the time, or habitually
• the action is not only happening now
• the statement is always true

Past	Present	Future

Look at these examples:

• I live in New York.
• The Moon goes round the Earth.
• John drives a taxi.
• He does not drive a bus.
• We do not work at night.
• Do you play football?

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