The simple present

Use the simple present tense when you talk about:

- Daily routines (activities you usually do every day).

- With frequency adverbs or frequency expressions.
- General ideas (facts and information in general)

The following sentences about a daily routine show the different forms of the simple present:

- Affirmative form: I brush my teeth at 7:30 am.

- Negative form: They don’t brush their teeth at 7:30 a.m.
- Yes/No question form: Do you brush your teeth at 7:30 a.m.?
- Information question form: What time do you brush your teeth?

The following sentences with frequency adverbs or frequency expressions show the different
forms of the simple present:

- Affirmative form: I never brush my teeth at 7:30 am.

- Negative form: They always brush their teeth at 7:30 a.m.
- Yes/No question form: Do you brush your teeth twice a day?
- Information question form: How often do you brush your teeth?

The following sentences about general ideas show the different forms of the simple present:

- Affirmative form: Polar bears live in cold places.

- Negative form: Tigers don’t live in cold places.
- Yes/No question form: Do penguins live in cold places?
- Information question form: Where do penguins live?

Sentences in the affirmative form only have a main verb that can be a regular or irregular action
verb. The auxiliary verb do is not necessary.

- My parents walk in the morning.

Sentences in the negative form and in the question forms need the auxiliary verb do with the main
verb that can be a regular or irregular action verb. The auxiliary verb indicates the form of the
sentences, negative or question. The negative forms use do not or its contraction don’t:

- My parents don’t walk in the morning.

- Do my parents walk in the morning?

The following examples show how to answer Yes / No questions in short and long ways. Questions
and short answers use the auxiliary verb do:

- Do you work in an office?

Yes, I do. Short way: short answer
No, I don’t. Short way: short answer
Yes, I do. I work in an office in this building. Long way: short answer + specific answer
No, I don’t. I work in a factory. Long way: short answer + specific answer
 - Does Jose work in an office?
Yes, he does. Short way: short answer
No, he doesn’t. Short way: short answer
Yes, he does. He works in a big office. Long way: short answer + specific answer
No, he doesn’t. He works in a factory. Long way: short answer + specific answer

The following examples show information questions and answers for routines. Use the
information words What time and When:

- What time do you go to work?

I go to work at 7:30 a.m.

- When does she go to the gym?

She goes to the gym on Thursdays and Saturdays.

In the simple present the main verb or the auxiliary verb have a different form with the third
person singular (he/ she/ it). This change affects only one verb, the main verb in the affirmative
form and the auxiliary verb do in the negative and question forms:

- Maria listens to music.

- Maria doesn’t listen to music.
- Does Mary listen to music?

The following table shows how to change the verbs in the third person:

Verbs ending in -b, -c, -d, -e, - Verbs ending in -s, -sh, -ch, -z, Verbs ending in -y (letter -y
f, -g, -h, -j, -k, -l, -m, -n, -p, -q, -x, -o (letter -o after after consonant only) change -
-r, -t, -v, -w add s consonant only) add es y for -i and add es
I rub – She rubs I pass – She passes I cry – She cries
You love – He loves You wash – She washes They try – He tries
We work – It works They watch – It watches You play – It plays
My parents call – Michael calls My friends go – Susan goes The birds fly – The bird flies

The following table shows common frequency adverbs:

Frequency Adverbs
Always (100%)
Usually (90%)
Normally (80%)
Often (70%)
Sometimes (50%)
Occasionally (30%)
Rarely (5%)
Never (0%)

Frequency adverbs go before action verbs:

- They never say anything about it.

 - Jane sometimes goes to rock concerts.
- His parents usually play the piano.

Frequency adverbs go after the verb To Be:

- Laura is never late for her favorite TV show.

- We are always on time.

The adverb “sometimes” may also go at the beginning at the sentence:

- Mary sometimes plays the guitar.

- Sometimes Mary plays the guitar.

The following table shows common frequency adverbs and frequency expressions:

Frequency Expressions
Every: Every day, Every night, Every week, Every year, etc.
Once: Once a day, Once a week, Once a month, Once a year
Twice: Twice a day, Twice a week, Twice a month, Twice a year
Times: Three times a day, Four times a month, Ten times a year, etc.
All the time
At times

Frequency expressions usually go at the end of the sentences:

- Daniel brushes his teeth twice a day.

- My parents travel abroad every year.

The following examples show information questions and answers about frequency. Use the
information word How often:

- How often do you exercise?

I rarely exercise because I have no time.

- How often does she go dancing?

She goes dancing twice a month.

When information questions have no subject, the main verb goes without the auxiliary verb do.

- Who wants to play with me?

- What happens with her?
- Who say “yes”?