Present Simple

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 1

The Present Simple

Present Simple

The Present Simple

What is the present simple?

The present simple is an English tense. A normal present simple sentence looks like this:

                   We eat French fries every Sunday.

                  she eats French fires 

The sentences contains one verb: infinitive ( eat) or a verb with -s ( eats) 

The Present Simple

What is the present simple?

Now you know what the present simple looks like. But when do you use it?

We use the present simple when we talk about:

- Facts

The leopard runs very fast.

- Routines

Harry plays football every Wednesday. 

The Present Simple

What is the present simple?

In a sentence, you know if it is a fact or routine by looking at signal words. 

Words like everyday, never, always, every Wednesday  tell you it is about a routine. It happens often.

If there are no signal words, the sentence tells you a fact.

1. I like scary movies.

2. He is walking the dog.

3. We danced all night long.

4. She plays the piano.

5. They are my parents.

Present Simple

Not Present Simple

1

2

3

4

5

Look at the words below. Which ones are signal words for the Present Simple and which ones are not?

Signal word

Not a signal word

Next Friday

Yesterday

Never

Wednesday

Often

Every week

The Present Simple

What is the present simple?

Now you know what a normal present simple sentence looks like.

Now, we are going to take a look at:

- The SHIT-Rule

- Questions

- Negations

The Present Simple

The SHIT Rule

The SHIT Rule has to do with She, He, and IT.

The rule is:

If the subject is a he, she or it, the verb gets +s.

So I dance becomes She dances.

The Present Simple

The SHIT Rule

For the next exercise, try to make logical sentences. 

Also think about the correct use of the SHIT Rule.

Timmy

every Saturday.

They never

with oil.

That tree

very fast.

I always

chocolate ice cream.

Those boys

in class very often.

cook

grows

dances

shout

choose

chooses

shouts

grow

The Present Simple

Questions

To make a present simple question, you have to put the verb do in front of the sentence:

 I like ice cream.     becomes      Do I like ice cream?

If the subject is a he, she or it, you have to use does. Also, look at what happens with the +s of the original verb.

Bob plays football.   becomes   Does Bob play football?

The Present Simple

Questions

For the next exercise, turn the normal present simple sentence into a question. Think about capital letters, questions marks and the SHIT Rule (do/does)!

                                    Use short forms!    

My dog likes meat.

I never go to parties.

The old man always sits in his chair.

the old man always

in his chair?

Turn the normal present simple sentence into a question

Do

Does

Is

sits

sit

sitting

Did

She is my best friend.

she 

my best friend?

Do

Does

Is

Be

Am

Are

Did

The Present Simple

Questions

The verb 'to be' is a special one. 

If the first verb in the sentence is am, is, or are, you switch it with the subject.

She is very beautiful.  becomes  Is she very beautiful?

'Is' switched places with the subject. In these cases, you don't use 'do' or 'doesn't'.

The Present Simple

Negations

Look at what happens to the verb in this sentence when we turn it into a negation:

                                 He plays video games every day.

                        He doesn't play video games every day.

The +s disappears after doesn't. The same happened with the questions!

The Present Simple

Negations

Negations tell you that something doess not happen. 

You can see the word not in negations, but almost always as a short form n't, as in don't or doesn't.

An example of a negation is:

                             She doesn't see very well. 

The Present Simple

Negations

In the next exercise, try to turn the normal present simple into a negation. Pay attention to capital letters, full stops and the SHIT Rule.

                                     Use short forms!

They give out flyers every morning.

The girls wear the same dresses.

The sun shines very brightly.

The Present Simple

Negations

Again, the verb 'to be' is special. 

If the first verb in the sentence is am, is or are, you can just add not. You don't need do or don't in that case.

I am an English teacher. 

Becomes 

I am not an English teacher.

The Present Simple

Present Simple

clear?