A1 · Iniciante Capítulo 5

Describing Your World and Actions

4 Regras totais
47 exemplos
5 min
Regras neste capítulo Prática rápida

Chapter in 30 Seconds

Unlock the power to describe your daily life and everything happening around you right now.

  • Master the base form of verbs for most people.
  • Understand the special 's' ending for he, she, and it.
  • Distinguish between routine habits and actions happening this very second.
From simple facts to living descriptions.

O que você vai aprender

Let's learn to talk about what you and others are doing and what happens every day! We'll discover how to use action words correctly, like when to add -ing or «-s.» Get ready to describe your world clearly and easily!

Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  1. 1
    By the end you will be able to: State facts about yourself and groups of people using the present simple.
  2. 2
    By the end you will be able to: Correctly apply the third-person 's' to verbs when talking about another person.
  3. 3
    By the end you will be able to: Describe what is happening in a photo or in your current environment using the present continuous.

Guia do capítulo

Overview

Imagine yourself trying to share what you do every day, or tell someone what your friend is up to right now. This is where the magic of English grammar comes in! In this chapter, we're going to unlock the secrets of English describing your world and actions for beginners.
You’ll learn how to talk about your daily routines, facts about yourself and others, and even things that are happening right at this moment.
Mastering these basic structures is super important as you learn English A1 grammar. We'll look at how to use action words (verbs) when you talk about yourself (I eat), about groups (we play), and about single people or things (he works, she sings). We'll also dive into how to describe actions that are still in progress, like
I am reading
or
they are laughing.
By the end of this guide, you’ll feel much more confident describing your world clearly and easily, making your conversations much more vibrant!

How This Grammar Works

At its heart, talking about your world and actions means using verbs correctly. For actions that are habits, facts, or things that happen regularly, we often use the Present Simple. When you talk about yourself (I), or you, we, and they, it's super easy!
You just use the basic form of the verb. For example,
I eat breakfast every morning,
or
They play football on Saturdays.
This form describes regular occurrences that are true often or always.
Now, things change a little when you talk about he, she, it, or a single person/thing (like my sister or the cat). This is our special He/She/It Rule. For these, we add an -s or -es to the end of the verb.
So,
She drinks coffee,
and
He watches TV.
Knowing when to add -s or -es is key to sounding natural and correct.
But what if something is happening *right now*? That's where the Present Continuous comes in! We use a form of the verb 'be' (am/is/are) plus the -ing form of the main verb.
For example,
I am studying English,
or
They are listening to music.
This tells us the action is still in progress at the moment of speaking. Finally, we'll quickly look at the spelling rules for adding -ing to verbs, like changing dance to dancing or swim to swimming – it helps keep your writing and speaking accurate.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1Forgetting the -s with He/She/It
✗ He like coffee.
✓ He likes coffee.
Explanation: Always remember to add -s (or -es) to the verb when the subject is he, she, it, or a single person/thing. This is a very common A1 mistake, but easy to fix!
  1. 1Confusing Present Simple and Present Continuous
✗ I am eat breakfast every day.
✓ I eat breakfast every day. (This is a habit/routine)
✓ I am eating breakfast now. (This is an action happening at this exact moment)
Explanation: Use Present Simple for routines and facts, and Present Continuous for actions happening right now or temporarily.
  1. 1Incorrect -ing Spelling
✗ I am swiming.
✓ I am swimming.
Explanation: For many short verbs ending in a consonant-vowel-consonant pattern, you often double the last consonant before adding -ing (e.g., run -> running, sit -> sitting). Also, remember to drop the 'e' from verbs like make before adding -ing (making).

Real Conversations

A

A

What do you do on weekends?
B

B

I play tennis, and my brother reads books.
A

A

Look! What is he doing?
B

B

He is drawing a picture. He draws every day, it's his hobby.
A

A

Where are you going right now?
B

B

I am going to the shop. We need some milk for breakfast tomorrow.

Quick FAQ

Q

How do I use the Present Simple in English to talk about myself?

For yourself (I), you just use the base form of the verb. For example,

I work in an office,
I learn English online,
I eat fruit for lunch.

Q

When should I add -s or -es to a verb?

You add -s or -es to a verb when the subject is he, she, it, or a single person/thing. For example,

He works hard,
She learns fast,
It eats a lot of food.

Q

What is the difference between

I eat
and
I am eating
?

I eat
means it's a habit or a general fact (e.g.,
I eat breakfast every day at 7 AM
).
I am eating
means the action is happening right now, at this moment (e.g., "Shhh, I am eating lunch now, I can't talk").

Q

How do I spell verbs ending with -ing correctly?

Most times, you just add -ing (e.g., read -> reading). If a verb ends in 'e', you usually drop the 'e' then add -ing (e.g., make -> making). If it's a short verb ending in consonant-vowel-consonant, you often double the last consonant (e.g., run -> running).

Cultural Context

Native English speakers use these patterns constantly, making them absolutely essential for everyday communication. While formal settings might prefer complete sentences, in informal chats, you'll often hear shortened versions like "She's working instead of She is working." There are very few regional differences in how these basic grammar structures are formed; they are universally understood across English-speaking countries.

Exemplos-chave (8)

1

I work at a coffee shop.

Eu trabalho em uma cafeteria.

Ações em Inglês: Eu, Você, Nós, Eles (Presente Simples)
2

You speak English very well.

Você fala inglês muito bem.

Ações em Inglês: Eu, Você, Nós, Eles (Presente Simples)
3

He `drinks` coffee every morning.

Ele bebe café todas as manhãs.

A regra do He/She/It: Adicionando -s e -es aos verbos
4

She `watches` Netflix on weekends.

Ela assiste Netflix nos fins de semana.

A regra do He/She/It: Adicionando -s e -es aos verbos
5

I am studying English right now.

Estou estudando inglês agora mesmo.

Present Continuous: Ações Acontecendo Agora
6

She is drinking coffee.

Ela está bebendo café.

Present Continuous: Ações Acontecendo Agora
7

She is `reading` a new book right now.

Ela está lendo um livro novo agora mesmo.

Regras de ortografia para a forma -ing (Present Continuous)
8

My cat is `sleeping` on my keyboard again.

Meu gato está dormindo no meu teclado de novo.

Regras de ortografia para a forma -ing (Present Continuous)

Dicas e truques (4)

💡

Mantenha a Simplicidade

Pra 'I', 'you', 'we', 'they', é só usar o verbo do jeito que ele é. Nada de mudar o final, ele já está perfeito!
I believe in hard work and dedication.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Ações em Inglês: Eu, Você, Nós, Eles (Presente Simples)
🎯

A Regra do 'Does'

Se você vir 'does' ou 'doesn't' na frase, o verbo principal perde o 's'. O 's' já foi para o 'does'! "She doesn't like coffee."
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: A regra do He/She/It: Adicionando -s e -es aos verbos
💡

Lembre-se da Dupla Dinâmica

Sempre junte o 'to be' (am, is, are) com o seu verbo principal que termina em -ing. É como dirigir um carro que está faltando uma roda! I am driving.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Present Continuous: Ações Acontecendo Agora
💡

Preste Atenção no 'E'

Quando um verbo termina em 'e', como em 'make' ou 'write', e esse 'e' não tem som, ele desaparece! Tipo quando você está making a cake. Mas se o 'e' tem som, como em 'see' ou 'agree', ele continua lá! Tipo
I am seeing a movie
.
frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Regras de ortografia para a forma -ing (Present Continuous)

Vocabulário-chave (7)

eat to consume food work to do a job watch to look at something for a time run to move fast on feet write to mark paper with words now at this moment every day daily habit

Real-World Preview

phone

A Phone Call from the Park

Review Summary

  • Subject (I/You/We/They) + Verb (base)
  • Subject (He/She/It) + Verb + -s/-es
  • Subject + am/is/are + Verb-ing

Erros comuns

This is the most common mistake. Beginners often forget the 's' for the third person singular (he/she/it).

Wrong: He work in a bank.
Correto: He works in a bank.

You cannot have an '-ing' action without the 'am/is/are' helper verb to show when it is happening.

Wrong: I reading a book.
Correto: I am reading a book.

For short verbs with a 'consonant-vowel-consonant' pattern, you must double the final letter before adding -ing.

Wrong: He is runing.
Correto: He is running.

Next Steps

You've just unlocked the most active part of the English language. Keep practicing by narrating what you see around you today. You're doing amazing!

Photo Description

Daily Routine List

Continue to: Talking About Actions and Habits

Prática rápida (10)

Encontre e corrija o erro

Find and fix the mistake:

You likes pizza.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: You like pizza.
Para o sujeito 'you' no Present Simple, o verbo usa sua forma base ('like'), não com um final '-s'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Ações em Inglês: Eu, Você, Nós, Eles (Presente Simples)

Encontre e corrija o erro na frase.

Find and fix the mistake:

She wash her car every Sunday.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: She washes her car every Sunday.
Verbos que terminam em -sh precisam de -es na terceira pessoa do singular. Perfeito!

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: A regra do He/She/It: Adicionando -s e -es aos verbos

Qual frase usa corretamente o Present Continuous?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: I am eating pizza.
A forma correta para 'I' no Present Continuous é 'I am' + verb-ing.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Present Continuous: Ações Acontecendo Agora

Qual frase está correta?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: We watch movies.
Para o sujeito 'we' no Present Simple, use a forma base do verbo ('watch'). 'Watches' é para 'he/she/it', e 'are watch' está incorreto.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Ações em Inglês: Eu, Você, Nós, Eles (Presente Simples)

Escolha a forma correta com `-ing` para completar a frase.

My brother is ___ (study) for his big exam.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: studying
Para verbos que terminam em 'y', você simplesmente adiciona -ing sem nenhuma mudança.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Regras de ortografia para a forma -ing (Present Continuous)

Qual frase está correta?

Escolha a frase gramaticalmente correta sobre um gato:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: The cat sleeps all day.
Um gato é 'it' (isso), então adicionamos -s a 'sleep'. Mandou bem!

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: A regra do He/She/It: Adicionando -s e -es aos verbos

Qual frase usa a forma correta com `-ing`?

Choose the correct sentence:

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: They are swimming in the pool.
Para verbos de uma sílaba que terminam em consoante-vogal-consoante (CVC), você dobra a consoante final antes de adicionar -ing (swim -> swimming).

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Regras de ortografia para a forma -ing (Present Continuous)

Escolha a forma correta

I ___ (drink) coffee every morning.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: drink
Para o sujeito 'I' no Present Simple, usamos a forma base do verbo, que é 'drink'.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Ações em Inglês: Eu, Você, Nós, Eles (Presente Simples)

Encontre e corrija o erro na frase.

Find and fix the mistake:

They listening to music.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: They are listening to music.
O verbo 'to be' ('are' para 'they') está faltando. É essencial para o Present Continuous.

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: Present Continuous: Ações Acontecendo Agora

Complete a frase com a forma correta de 'work'.

My brother ___ at a bank.

✓ Correct! ✗ Not quite. Correct answer: works
Como 'my brother' é 'ele' ('he'), adicionamos -s ao verbo. Isso aí!

frontend.learn_grammar.from_rule: A regra do He/She/It: Adicionando -s e -es aos verbos

Score: /10

Perguntas comuns (6)

É a forma básica do verbo, que usamos para falar de hábitos, rotinas e fatos gerais para esses sujeitos, tipo I eat ou We study.
É o verbo do jeito mais simples, sem nenhum finalzinho tipo -s, -ing, ou -ed. Por exemplo: walk, eat, study.
Não. Mesmo que 'they' se refira a uma única pessoa (singular they), ele sempre pega a forma do verbo no plural. Por exemplo:
They look happy today.
'Have' é um verbo irregular, daqueles que mudam muito. É só lembrar:
He/She/It has
.
A ideia principal é descrever ações que estão acontecendo no momento em que você fala ou por volta do tempo presente. Pense nisso como uma ação 'ao vivo', como I am eating.
Você forma com 'Subject + am/is/are + verb-ing'. Por exemplo, She is studying ou They are playing.
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Quem é Quem e o que é Isso? Dominando Pessoas e Objetos
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Talking About Actions and Habits
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