Beginner · Grammar
Present Simple: habits, routines and facts
Learn when to use the present simple, how to add -s or -es, and how to make negatives and questions.
What you will learn
The present simple helps you talk about routines, repeated actions, general facts and situations that are usually true. You will use it for everyday sentences such as “I study English”, “She works at a school” and “Water boils at a high temperature”.
The lesson
1. Use it for routines and general facts
Choose the present simple when an action happens regularly or when you describe something generally true. Time phrases such as every day, often, usually and on Mondays can help show a routine, but the tense can also be used without them.
Pattern: I / you / we / they + base verb
2. Add -s or -es with he, she and it
In an affirmative present-simple sentence, a third-person singular subject usually takes a verb ending in -s or -es: work becomes works, read becomes reads, and watch becomes watches. A few verbs change spelling, such as have becoming has.
Pattern: He / she / it + verb-s or verb-es
3. Make negatives and questions with do or does
Use do not (don't) or does not (doesn't) before the base verb to make a negative. Start a yes/no question with Do or Does. After does or doesn't, keep the main verb in its base form: “Does she work?” not “Does she works?”
Pattern: Negative: subject + don't/doesn't + base verb · Question: Do/Does + subject + base verb?
Examples with language support
Read the English sentence first, then compare its meaning in the language you know best. These translations aim to communicate the sentence naturally rather than repeat English word order.
Example 1
I study English every morning.
- Urdu
- میں ہر صبح انگریزی پڑھتا ہوں۔
- Hindi
- मैं हर सुबह अंग्रेज़ी पढ़ता हूँ।
- Arabic
- أدرس الإنجليزية كل صباح.
- Bengali
- আমি প্রতিদিন সকালে ইংরেজি পড়ি।
Why it works: Study is in its base form because the subject is I.
Example 2
She works at a school.
- Urdu
- وہ ایک اسکول میں کام کرتی ہے۔
- Hindi
- वह एक स्कूल में काम करती है।
- Arabic
- هي تعمل في مدرسة.
- Bengali
- সে একটি স্কুলে কাজ করে।
Why it works: Works takes -s because the subject is she.
Example 3
They do not eat meat.
- Urdu
- وہ گوشت نہیں کھاتے۔
- Hindi
- वे मांस नहीं खाते हैं।
- Arabic
- هم لا يأكلون اللحم.
- Bengali
- তারা মাংস খায় না।
Why it works: Do not comes before the base verb eat.
Example 4
Does he live nearby?
- Urdu
- کیا وہ قریب رہتا ہے؟
- Hindi
- क्या वह पास में रहता है?
- Arabic
- هل يسكن بالقرب من هنا؟
- Bengali
- সে কি কাছাকাছি থাকে?
Why it works: Does starts the question, and live stays in its base form.
Common mistakes to avoid
Avoid: She work in a shop.
Use: She works in a shop.
Use -s or -es with she in an affirmative present-simple sentence.
Avoid: He doesn't likes tea.
Use: He doesn't like tea.
Doesn't already carries the third-person marking, so the main verb stays in its base form.
Check your understanding
Answer first without looking at the choices twice. Open the answer panel to see the correct response and the reason.
1. Choose the correct sentence.
- Ali walk to class.
- Ali walks to class.
- Ali walking to class.
Reveal answer and explanation
Ali walks to class.
Ali is a singular third-person subject, so the affirmative verb takes -s.
2. Complete the question: ___ your sister speak English?
- Do
- Does
- Is
Reveal answer and explanation
Does
Use Does with your sister; the main verb remains speak.
Study tip
Write three sentences of your own using the pattern you learned. Say them aloud, check the verb form and read them again the next day. If you make a mistake, correct it and keep the corrected sentence as a revision note.