Simple Present Tense
Introduction
The simple present tense is your foundation in English! As its name suggests, it's quite simple to use. We rely on this tense every day to talk about habits, unchanging situations, general truths, and fixed arrangements.
How to form it:
- For most subjects, just use the base form of the verb: I take, you take, we take, they take
- For third person singular (he, she, it), add -s to the end: he takes, she takes, it takes
Let's explore how and when to use this essential tense!
When Do We Use It?
1. Habits, General Truths, and Unchanging Situations
Use the simple present to talk about things you do regularly, facts that are always true, or situations that don't change:
Examples
- I drink tea every morning. (habit)
- I work at a bank in Colombo. (unchanging situation)
- The sun rises in the east. (general truth)
- Sri Lanka is a beautiful island. (fact)
2. Instructions or Directions
When giving someone directions or explaining how to do something:
Examples
- You walk straight for 200 meters, then you turn left at the kovil.
- First, you add coconut milk to the curry, then you stir it well.
- You take the bus to Galle Road, then you get off at the third stop.
3. Fixed Arrangements and Schedules
For timetables, schedules, and fixed plans:
Examples
- Your exam starts at 09.00.
- The train to Kandy leaves at 6:30 AM.
- The shop opens at 9:00 and closes at 6:00.
4. Future Time with Time Conjunctions
After words like after, when, before, as soon as, and until, we use simple present even when talking about the future:
Examples
- I'll call you when I arrive at the airport.
- Let's eat after we finish our homework.
- Please wait here until the doctor comes.
More Examples to Practice
Examples
- For habits
- She drinks plain tea every morning.
- My father reads the newspaper after breakfast.
- They play cricket every Sunday.
- For repeated actions or events
- We catch the bus to school every morning.
- It rains heavily during the monsoon season.
- They visit Kandy every Sinhala New Year.
- For general truths
- Water freezes at zero degrees Celsius.
- The Earth revolves around the Sun.
- Coconut trees grow well in coastal areas.
- For instructions or directions
- You boil the rice, then you add the curry.
- First, you turn right at the main road, then you go straight.
- For fixed arrangements and schedules
- The train arrives at 3:00 PM.
- School starts on the 15th of January.
- The shop closes at 7:00 in the evening.
- With future time clauses
- I'll call you when I reach home.
- We'll start dinner after everyone arrives.
- She'll give you the book when she sees you.
How to Form Sentences
Affirmative (Positive) Sentences
- I drink...
- You drink...
- We drink...
- They drink...
- He drinks...
- She drinks...
- It drinks...
Interrogative (Questions)
- Do I drink...?
- Do you drink...?
- Do we drink...?
- Do they drink...?
- Does he drink...?
- Does she drink...?
- Does it drink...?
Negative Sentences
- I don't drink... (I do not drink...)
- You don't drink... (You do not drink...)
- We don't drink... (We do not drink...)
- They don't drink... (They do not drink...)
- He doesn't drink... (He does not drink...)
- She doesn't drink... (She does not drink...)
- It doesn't drink... (It does not drink...)
- We do not drink...
- They don't drink...
- They do not drink...
- He doesn't drink...
- He does not drink...
- She doesn't drink...
- She does not drink...
- It doesn't drink...
- It does not drink...
Important: Third Person Singular (He, She, It)
Here's something to remember carefully! When you're talking about he, she, or it, the verb gets an extra -s at the end:
Examples
- He wants hoppers for breakfast.
- She needs a new book.
- He gives money to charity.
- She thinks learning English is fun.
For questions and negatives, we use does (instead of do) with the base form of the main verb:
Examples
- He wants ice cream. (affirmative)
- Does he want chocolate ice cream? (question)
- He does not want vanilla. (negative)
- She likes kottu. (affirmative)
- Does she like spicy kottu? (question)
- She doesn't like mild food. (negative)