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FORM
[VERB] + s/es in third person
Examples:
You speak English.
Do you speak English?
You do not speak English.
Present simple is used for:
- permanent situations: Shakkei manutactures couture.
- for habits or routines: They visit the opera ball in Vienna every year.
- for stating facts: Stainless steel contains chromium.
- repeated actions: The action can be a habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens. I.e. She always forgets her purse.
- scheduled events in the near future: The party starts at 8 o’clock.
- now: An action is happening or is not happening now. I am here now.
We should not forget to add an “s” at the end of the verb in the third person singular, if the sentence is built without “do”.
Example: She works in Italy. Where does she live?
with “be” – I’m thirsty.
with “have” – She has (got) a cat. (Negation: She has not got / she does not have; Question: Has he got? / Does he have?)
For the verbs “can, may, might, must” no “s” is appended. Yes, he can.
After o or sibilant (ch, sh) it is an “es” appended. He does, he washes, …
After a consonant, final “y” becomes “ie” in the annexes by “s”. worry – he worries
After a vowel (a, e, i, o, u), the final consonant is “y”. play – he plays
Shortforms:
I am = I’m
We are = we’re
He is = he’s
I have got = I’ve got
She has got = She’s got
Facts:
Water boils at 100° C. (at see level)
Water with plus 4 degrees has the highest density.
Regularity/habit:
On Fridays he goes to the cinema. (every Friday)
I usually watch TV in the evenings.
Subsequent actions:
Jane gets up at seven o’clock.
She goes to the bus stop and waits for the bus.
The following actions take place in the future, but the time is already set a timetable or a program:
The train leaves Vienna at 7 a.m.
Static verbs; for conditions and facts we use the Present Simple:
(be, believe, belong, hate, hear, like, love, mean, prefer, remain, realize, see, seem, smell, think, understand, want and wish)
We think that this is right.
He wants to get away from here.
Typical signal words for the Simple Present:
always, every, often, normally, usually, sometimes, seldom, never, occasionally
[mlw_quizmaster quiz=1]
Sources and weblinks:
Anki an ideal tool to learn the grammar and vocabulary.
Simple Present
Simple Present – online üben und lernen
Simple Present
The Quiz is from PASS Cambridge BEC Vantage
PRÄSENS (SIMPLE PRESENT)
Present Tense – Simple Present – Gegenwart
Bildquelle: “Glühwendel brennt durch” by Stefan Krause, Germany – Own work. Licensed under FAL via Wikimedia Commons – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gl%C3%BChwendel_brennt_durch.jpg#/media/File:Gl%C3%BChwendel_brennt_durch.jpg
