Present Simple
Use present simple for permanent facts, regular habits, and fixed schedules: add -s (or -es) to the verb for he/she/it, and use do/does — not the main verb — to build negatives and questions.
Formula
Examples
Common Time Markers
Usage
- •Things you do every day
- •Things that are always true
- •Situations that do not change
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Try 5 cards free — no signup →When do we use present simple?
Present simple is for things that are true in general, not just right now: permanent situations ("She works at a hospital"), regular habits ("I usually wake up at 7 AM"), and fixed schedules ("The train leaves at 9 PM"). None of these are happening at this exact second — they describe a pattern that holds across past, present, and future.
It also covers scientific facts and general truths that are always true: "Water freezes at 0°C." "The sun rises in the east." No time marker is needed for these — the fact itself is timeless.
Do or does?
Use do with I, you, we, they: "Do you like coffee?" "I don't eat meat." Use does with he, she, it: "Does he work here?" "She doesn't drink coffee."
The most common mistake is adding -s twice: "Does she works?" is wrong — does already carries the third-person marker, so the main verb goes back to its base form: "Does she work?" The -s only appears on the verb in positive sentences with he/she/it ("She works"), never after does or don't/doesn't.
Present simple vs present continuous
Present simple describes what is generally or always true; present continuous (be + verb-ing) describes what is happening right now or temporarily: "I work in London" (permanent job, present simple) vs "I'm working from a café this week" (temporary, present continuous).
Stative verbs (know, like, want, believe, own) almost never take the continuous form even when talking about the present moment — "I know the answer," not "I'm knowing the answer" — because they describe states, not actions in progress.
Conjugation Table
| Pronoun | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | work | don't work (do not) | Do I work? |
| He / She / It | works | doesn't work (does not) | Does he work? |
| We / You / They | work | don't work (do not) | Do we work? |
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When to Use Present Simple
Permanent situations
She works at a hospital.
Regular actions and habits
I usually wake up at 7 AM.
Schedules and timetables
The 9:15 train leaves every morning.
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More Examples
She works at a hospital.
Permanent job or situation
The sun rises in the east.
Scientific fact / general truth
I usually wake up at 7 AM.
Something you do every day
He doesn't drink coffee.
Negative habit
Do they live near here?
Yes/no question about a permanent situation
Water freezes at 0°C.
Something that is always true everywhere
Common Mistakes
- ✗Forgetting the -s ending for He/She/It: "She work" should be "She works".
- ✗Using "do" incorrectly in negatives: "She don't work" should be "She doesn't work".
- ✗Confusing Present Simple with Present Continuous for actions happening right now.
Tips
- ✓Remember the "s rule": He/She/It always gets an -s (or -es) in positive sentences.
- ✓Use frequency adverbs (always, usually, never) to signal things you do every day.
Advanced Notes
Native speakers use Present Simple far more than its "habitual" label suggests — it appears in sports commentary ("he passes to Kane"), instructions ("you take the second left"), and storytelling ("so I walk in and she says..."). The key distinction from Present Continuous is permanence vs temporariness. In academic writing it expresses universal truths; in journalism it creates immediacy.
FAQ
When do we use present simple?
For permanent situations (a job, where you live), regular habits (things you do every day or every week), fixed schedules and timetables, and general facts or truths that don't change. Time markers like always, usually, often, every day, and on Mondays are common signals.
Present simple vs present continuous — what's the difference?
Present simple is for permanent, habitual, or generally true things ("I live in Berlin"). Present continuous (am/is/are + verb-ing) is for temporary situations or actions happening right now ("I'm living with a friend until my flat is ready"). If a time marker like now or at the moment fits naturally, it's usually continuous; if always/usually/every day fits, it's simple.
Do or does — which one do I use?
Does goes with he, she, and it: "Does she like tea?" Do goes with I, you, we, and they: "Do they live here?" In positive statements there's no do/does at all — the -s moves onto the main verb instead: "She likes tea," not "She does like tea" (that form exists only for emphasis: "She DOES like tea!").
What is the third-person -s rule in present simple?
Add -s to the base verb for he/she/it in positive sentences: work → works, play → plays. Verbs ending in -sh, -ch, -ss, -x, or -o take -es instead: watch → watches, go → goes, fix → fixes. Verbs ending in a consonant + y change y to i and add -es: study → studies. This -s only appears in positive sentences — it disappears in negatives and questions because does already carries it.
How do you make present simple negative?
Add don't (do not) before the verb for I/you/we/they, or doesn't (does not) for he/she/it — then use the base form of the verb, with no -s: "I don't work on Sundays." "He doesn't work on Sundays." Never combine doesn't with a verb that still has -s ("doesn't works" is wrong).
How do you make present simple questions?
Start with Do (I/you/we/they) or Does (he/she/it), then the subject, then the base form of the verb: "Do you like coffee?" "Does she like coffee?" For questions about the subject itself (who/what), do/does is dropped: "Who works here?" not "Who does work here?"
Compare With
Other A1 Topics
Past Simple
Used for completed actions at a specific past time
Future with Will
Used for predictions, promises, and spontaneous decisions
Verb "To Be"
Forms identity, location, feeling, and description
Articles: A, An, The
Used for specific vs general reference with nouns
Have Got
Used for possession and characteristics in informal British English
Plural Nouns
Forms plurals for more than one countable noun
Possessive Adjectives
Used for showing ownership or relationship before a noun
Demonstratives: This, That, These, Those
Used for pointing to near or far people, things, or ideas
There Is / There Are
Used for stating existence or presence of something in a place
Imperative
Used for commands, instructions, requests, or advice
Question Words: What, Where, When, Why, How, Who
Used for asking specific information using what, where, when, why, how, who