By Juliana Moriones
TOTAL ENGLISH SITE
SIMPLE PRESENT
USAGE.
We use the simple present to talk about:
-
Routines, regular activities
-
Habits
-
Facts
-
Things that are generally true
Affirmative sentences
I
WE
YOU
THEY
Play
HE
SHE
IT
Plays
The spelling for the verb in the third person changes depending on the ending of that verb:
-
​In general, add "S" to the third person:
Work - Works Sleep - Sleeps
2. For verbs that end in -o, -x, -s, -ch, -ch, -z add "ES":
Go - Goes Fix - Fixes Watch - Watches
3. For verbs that end in -consonant plus -y, change "Y" for "i" and add "S":
Study - Studies Try - Tries Worry - Worries
4. For verbs that end in -vowel plus -y, only add "S":
Play - Plays Enjoy - Enjoys Say - Says
5. The verb "to have" and the "verb to be" are two exceptions:
Have - Has Be - Is
In general, we form the present tense using the base form. in the third person we add 'S' or "ES" in the third person
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I
WE
YOU
THEY
HE
SHE
IT
TO BE
AM NOT
ARE NOT
IS NOT
AREN'T
ISN'T
I
WE
YOU
THEY
HE
SHE
IT
OTHER VERBS
DO NOT
DOES NOT
DON'T
DOESN'T
To make negative sentences, we classify the verbs in two groups:
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TO BE
To make negative sentences with the verb to be, we only add "not":
My sister is NOT nice
OTHER VERBS
The rest of the verbs take the auxiliary "DO/DOES" in combination with the verb in base form to make a negative sentence:
The children DON'T play golf
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Auxiliary
Verb base form