Lesson 1
present simple
1. What’s the structure of the
present simple?
2. When do we use the present
simple?
What’
What’s the structure of the present simple?
Affirmative Form
(to work)
(to play)
(to study)
(to watch)
I
work
you
“
we
“
you
“
they
“
play
“
“
“
“
study
“
“
“
“
watch
“
“
“
“
he works
she
“
it
“
plays
“
“
studies
“
“
watches
“
“
Present Simple: spelling variations for 3rd person singular (he/she/it)
•In general to the verb add “s”
to work = he works
to live = she lives
•To verbs which end in consonant + y
to study = he studies
eliminate “y”
NB: vowel + y
add “s”
to play = he plays
•To verbs which end in -ch, -sh, -ss, -x, -o
to watch = he watches
to finish = she finishes
to go = he goes
add “es”
add “ies”
Exceptions
1.To have (avere)
.......... He/she/it has
2. Modal verbs: can/must/should etc ............
He/she/it .........can/must/should
Negative Form
I
you
we
you
they
he
she
it
do not (don’t)
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
play / work / study / watch
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
does not (doesn’t) play / work / study / watch
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
Interrogative Form
do
“
“
“
“
I
you
we
you
they
play / work / study / watch?
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
“
does he play / work / study / watch?
“
she “
“
“
“
“
it
“
“
“
“
Do you like chocolate?
a) Yes I like chocolate. / No I don’t
like chocolate.
b) Yes I do. / No I don’t
Does he study Biotechnology?
a) Yes he studies Biotechnology. / No he doesn’t study
biotechnology.
b) Yes he does. / No he doesn’t.
Question words
Where?.................... Where do you live?
What? ...................... What do you like?
How? ....................... How do you come to university?
How often? .............. How often do you go to the cinema?
Why? ....................... Why do you want to study English?
When? ..................... When do you have lunch?
What time? .............. What time to you get up?
Which? .................... Which colour do you like, red or blue?
When do we use the present simple?
The present simple is used for:
• describing habitual actions
She goes to school at eight o’ clock every weekday.
He usually goes to the cinema at the weekend.
• describing events or states (permanent conditions in
time)
My parents live in London.
• expressing permanent facts
The moon rotates around the earth.
The present simple is often used with adverbs of frequency:
The most common adverbs of frequency are:
always
usually
generally
frequently
often
sometimes
rarely
seldom
hardly ever
ever / never
in a sentence they go before the verb, except the verb to be.
He always plays tennis on Mondays.
She is never at home at lunchtime.
The present simple is also with expressions of frequency.
Expressions of frequency, examples:
once a week / a month / a year
twice a week
three times a week
every day
every week
they go at the beginning or at the end of the sentence.
He goes to the gym twice a week. /Twice a week he goes to the gym.