The Rule in 30 Seconds
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Routine actions
Overview
I eat breakfast. Or, She goes to work.It's for your habits!
1. Positive Sentences (+)
| Subject | Verb | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
|
I
|
work
|
I work in an office.
|
|
You
|
work
|
You work very hard.
|
|
He
|
works
|
He works at a school.
|
|
She
|
works
|
She works in a hospital.
|
|
It
|
works
|
It works very well.
|
|
We
|
work
|
We work together.
|
|
They
|
work
|
They work at night.
|
2. Negative Sentences (-)
| Subject | Helper | Verb | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
|
I
|
don't
|
work
|
I don't work on Saturdays.
|
|
You
|
don't
|
work
|
You don't work here.
|
|
He
|
doesn't
|
work
|
He doesn't work today.
|
|
She
|
doesn't
|
work
|
She doesn't work in London.
|
|
It
|
doesn't
|
work
|
It doesn't work now.
|
|
We
|
don't
|
work
|
We don't work on Sundays.
|
|
They
|
don't
|
work
|
They don't work for that company.
|
3. Question Forms (?)
| Helper | Subject | Verb | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Do
|
I
|
work
|
Do I work with you?
|
|
Do
|
you
|
work
|
Do you work every day?
|
|
Does
|
he
|
work
|
Does he work at the bank?
|
|
Does
|
she
|
work
|
Does she work from home?
|
|
Does
|
it
|
work
|
Does it work with batteries?
|
|
Do
|
we
|
work
|
Do we work tomorrow?
|
|
Do
|
they
|
work
|
Do they work on Fridays?
|
Meanings
The Present Simple is the most basic tense in English. We use it to describe our daily routine, our habits, and general facts about the world. It tells people what 'usually' happens.
1. Daily Habits
Things you do again and again (every day, every morning, on Sundays).
“I drink coffee every morning.”
“He goes to the gym on Mondays.”
2. General Truths
Things that are always true or facts.
“The sun rises in the east.”
“Cats like milk.”
3. Permanent States
Things that don't change quickly.
“I live in London.”
“She works in a bank.”
⏰
Adverbs of Frequency
We use these special words to say HOW OFTEN we do something. For beginners, it is helpful to think of them as a scale from 100% (all the time) to 0% (none of the time).
We use "always" when we do something every time. There is no day or time when we don't do it.
I always brush my teeth in the morning.
We use "usually" for things we do almost every day. It is our normal habit.
I usually walk to work, but sometimes I take the bus.
We use "often" when we do something many times. It is common, but not every day.
We often watch movies on the weekend.
We use "sometimes" for things we do about half of the time. Not too much, not too little.
I sometimes drink tea instead of coffee.
We use "occasionally" for things we do once in a while. It doesn't happen very much.
We occasionally go to a fancy restaurant for dinner.
We use "rarely" when something almost never happens. It is very uncommon.
He rarely eats fast food because he likes healthy meals.
We use "hardly ever" when something happens only once in a long time. It is very close to "never".
I hardly ever see my cousins because they live far away.
We use "never" when something happens 0% of the time. We do not do it at any time.
I never smoke because it is bad for my health.
Where to put the adverb?
Subject + ADVERB + Main Verb
With the verb "To Be"
Subject + AM/IS/ARE + ADVERB
In Questions
Do/Does + Subject + ADVERB + Verb?
❓
Present Simple: WH-Questions
Use these words to ask for information. The pattern is: WH-word + do/does + person + verb?
What do you eat for breakfast?
Where does she live?
When do you go to bed?
Who do they play with?
Why does he cry?
How do you go to school?
Whose book do you have?
Which color do you like?
Important: The "Who" Rule
1. No "Do/Does" (Subject Question)
If "Who" is doing the action, just add -s to the verb.
2. With "Do/Does" (Object Question)
If you ask about the other person, use do/does as normal.
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative (I/You/We/They)
|
Subject + Base Verb
|
They study English.
|
|
Affirmative (He/She/It)
|
Subject + Verb + -s/-es
|
He studies English.
|
|
Negative (I/You/We/They)
|
Subject + don't + Base Verb
|
I don't study.
|
|
Negative (He/She/It)
|
Subject + doesn't + Base Verb
|
She doesn't study.
|
|
Question (I/You/We/They)
|
Do + Subject + Base Verb?
|
Do they study?
|
|
Question (He/She/It)
|
Does + Subject + Base Verb?
|
Does he study?
|
|
Short Answer (+)
|
Yes, Subject + do/does
|
Yes, she does.
|
|
Short Answer (-)
|
No, Subject + don't/doesn't
|
No, they don't.
|
When to use Present Simple
Habits
- Every day I run every day.
Facts
- Truths Ice is cold.
Schedules
- Timetables The bus leaves at 9.
Simple vs. Continuous
The -s Rule Decision
Is the subject He, She, or It?
Spelling Rules for -s
Most verbs
- • works
- • plays
- • sings
Ends in -ch, -sh, -s, -x
- • watches
- • washes
- • fixes
Ends in Consonant + y
- • studies
- • flies
- • tries
例文 1
I study English.
I study English.
The 'S' Rule
No 'ing' for Habits
Stative Verbs
Polite Questions
Test Yourself
She ___ (go) to the gym every morning.
They ___ like spicy food.
Find and fix the mistake:
Does he likes chocolate?
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
El tren sale a las ocho.
Answer starts with: The...
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
you / live / London / ?
A. I drink tea. B. Water is wet. C. She runs. D. The sun shines.
Score: /8
Practice Bank
1 exercisesScore: /1
Frequently Asked Questions
The bus leaves at 9 PM or The concert starts tomorrow.don't for I, You, We, They. Use doesn't only for He, She, It.I have a car. Never use am/is/are with another base verb.I am eating).know, love, and believe that describe states, not actions. They almost always use the Present Simple.study), change it to -ies (studies). If there is a vowel (like play), just add -s (plays).Does for He, She, It. Use Do for everyone else.Mastery Progress
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