Present simple: talk about your routine

Describe habits and things that are generally true

The present simple describes habits, repeated actions and facts that are generally true. “I walk to work” describes a routine; it does not necessarily mean I am walking at this moment. A time phrase such as every morning, on Mondays or at weekends makes the routine clearer.

With I, you, we and they, use the base form: I walk, you work, we study, they cook. With he, she, it or one named person, add an ending: she walks, he works, Nino studies. Compare “My friends live nearby” with “My friend lives nearby”.

• I leave home at eight every morning.
• Nino takes the bus to work.
• We usually cook dinner together.

Choose the he, she or it form

Most verbs add -s: read becomes reads. Many verbs ending in -ch, -sh, -ss, -x or -z add -es: watch becomes watches, wash becomes washes. With a consonant before y, change y to -ies: study becomes studies. After a vowel, keep y and add -s: play becomes plays.

Some common forms need separate attention: have becomes has, go becomes goes and do becomes does. Practise them in complete sentences such as “She has two brothers” or “He goes home at six”, so the ending stays connected to the subject.

Use do and does for negatives and questions

For a negative, use do not or does not followed by the base form: “I don’t drive” and “She doesn’t drive”. Does already carries the third-person marking. Do not add another -s to the main verb: “She doesn’t drives” is incorrect.

For a yes/no question, put do or does before the subject: “Do they work here?” or “Does he work here?” A question word comes before that: “Where does he work?” Again, use work rather than works after does.

Short answers repeat do or does: “Do you walk to work?” “Yes, I do.” “Does Nino drive?” “No, she doesn’t.” The verb be uses a different pattern: “Is she ready?” rather than “Does she be ready?”

Put frequency words in a natural position

Words such as usually, often and sometimes help describe how frequently something happens. They often come before the main action verb: “I usually eat breakfast at home.” With be, they usually follow it: “I am usually hungry in the morning.”

Compare “I read before bed” with “I am reading now”. The first is a routine; the second describes an action in progress. When describing your day, decide whether you mean your usual pattern or what is happening right now.

Practise and check your reasoning

Say or write each answer before opening the explanation. If you make a mistake, identify which part of the rule changes your answer.

1. Complete with go: She ___ to school every weekday.

   Show answer and explanation

   goes

   She takes the third-person singular form. Go becomes goes.

2. Complete with study: My brother ___ English after dinner.

   Show answer and explanation

   studies

   Brother is singular, and study changes consonant + y to -ies.

3. Correct: He doesn’t watches television.

   Show answer and explanation

   He doesn’t watch television.

   After doesn’t, use the base form watch. Do not mark the main verb again.

4. Ask a yes/no question: Your parents work on Saturdays.

   Show answer and explanation

   Do your parents work on Saturdays?

   Parents is plural, so use do before the subject and keep work in its base form.

5. Put usually in a natural position: I am tired after work.

   Show answer and explanation

   I am usually tired after work.

   A frequency word normally follows be but precedes an ordinary action verb.

Use it in your own words

Write four sentences about a normal weekday: two about yourself and two about another person. Turn one into a negative and one into a question. Check that does or doesn’t is followed by the base form, and read the sentences aloud.

Continue with grammar practice in the classroom →