Grammar chart
When do we need to use Present Simple?
| To talk about actions that happen regularly. There can be some signal words at the end of the sentence: every day/week/month/year or once/twice a day/week/month etc. | Examples: I go to work every day. We travel every year. She has an English lesson twice a week. We get a salary once a month. |
| To talk about habits. There can be adverbs of frequency – before the main verb and after the verb be: always, usually, often, sometimes, seldom, rarely, never. | Examples: She usually cooks dinner. We sometimes meet in the park. He is always late. They are rarely busy. |
| To talk about general facts. | Examples: The water boils at 90 degrees. It snows in winter. |
| To talk about the timetable – when we say when something happens. | Examples: The lesson starts at 9.00. The train leaves tomorrow morning. |
Ending S/ES with he/she/it
1. A vowel + y
In these cases, you keep the “y” and add “-s” for the third-person singular form.
- Play → Plays
- Enjoy → Enjoys
- Say → Says
- Buy → Buys
- Lay → Lays
- Boy → Boys (noun)
- Stay → Stays
- Display → Displays
- Pay → Pays
- Employ → Employs
2. A consonant + y
Here are more examples of verbs where “y” changes to “i” in the third-person singular present tense (3rd person singular form):
- Carry → Carries
- Cry → Cries
- Fly → Flies
- Hurry → Hurries
- Marry → Marries
- Spy → Spies
- Try → Tries
- Study → Studies
- Worry → Worries
- Reply → Replies
3. For verbs that end in sibilant sounds (like s, sh, ch, x, or z), you add “-es”
It makes the pronunciation easier and more natural.
- Catch → Catches
- Fix → Fixes
- Watch → Watches
- Pass → Passes
- Miss → Misses
- Push → Pushes
- Brush → Brushes
- Box → Boxes
- Buzz → Buzzes
- Teach → Teaches
Possessions – verb HAVE
We need to use the same structure with the verb have as with other verbs in Present Simple. The exception is the form for HE/SHE/IT. Pay attention to the following:
- If you talk about what you own or possess, use the verb HAVE for I/YOU/WE/THEY.
- If you talk about what you DON’T own or possess, use the auxiliary verb DON’T (DO NOT) + the verb HAVE for I/YOU/WE/THEY.
- If you talk about what HE/SHE/IT owns or possesses, use the verb HAS.
- If you talk about what HE/SHE/IT doesn’t own or possess, use the auxiliary verb DOESN’T (DOES NOT) + the verb HAVE
Examples:
| I, you, we, they – have | He, she, it – has |
| I have a car. I don’t have a car. Do you have a car? | She has a family. She doesn’t have a family. Does she have a family? |
Yes/no & Wh-questions
| Yes/no – start your question with the auxiliary verb DO/DOES | Wh-questions – start with the question word (who, what, why, where, when, how) |
| Do you come to him every day? | Who do you help? BUT Who helps you? (because we have no subject) |
| Does she go there alone? | What do they do after work? |
| Do they know about it? | Where do you go? |
| Do we plan to do that? | How do you spend your holidays? |
Practice makes perfect
Exercise 1
Write negative sentences with have or have got (where possible). Some are present and some are past.
1 I can’t get into the house. (a key) …………………….
2 I can’t read the letter. (my glasses) …………………….
3 I can’t get onto the roof. (a ladder) I …………………….
4 We can’t visit the museum. (enough time) We …………………….
5 He can’t find his way to our house. (a map) …………………….
6 She can’t pay her bills. (any money) …………………….
7 I can’t go swimming today. (enough energy) …………………….
8 They can’t take any pictures. (a camera) …………………….
Exercise 2 (for higher-level students)
Are the sentences OK? Change them where necessary.
1 Is there anything you want to ask? Do you have any questions? …………………….
2 Lisa had got long hair when she was a child. …………………….
3 Tom couldn’t contact us because he hadn’t our number. …………………….
4 ‘Are you feeling OK?’ ‘No, I’m having a toothache.’ …………………….
5 Are you enjoying yourself? Are you having a good time? …………………….
6 It started to rain. I got wet because I hadn’t an umbrella. …………………….
7 Will can’t drive. He doesn’t have a driving licence. …………………….
8 Did your trip go OK? Had you any problems? …………………….
9 My friend called me when I was having breakfast. …………………….
FIND MISTAKES 1
Have you any time? No, I haven’t
Did he has a good time at the party?
Does she has money for this dress? Yes, she is.
Have you breakfast today?
What does we have for lunch?
He have got a new car.
They hadn’t got a house in Miami.
What has he with him?
FIND MISTAKES 2
Did she has a good time with hers friend?
Has she a cat? No, she hasn’t.
Did he had a good mark in the test?
He hasn’t enough time for this.
Do they having time for a walk?
Have you time to help me?
He hadn’t friends, so he be lonely.
They wasn’t at the party because they was having a meeting.
What did you has for breakfast?
Do you like have free time after work? Yes, I have.
Perfect English Exercises
https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/present-simple-exercise-7.html
https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/present-simple-exercise-8.html
https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/present-simple-exercise-9.html
Short questions – do, does
https://www.engblocks.com/grammar/exercises/tenses/present-simple-yes-no-question-with-short-answer-exercise-2/
Present Simple verbs + be
https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/present-simple-exercise-16.html
Do/does/am/is/are
https://www.engblocks.com/grammar/exercises/tenses/present-simple-questions-with-do-does-am-is-are-exercise-1
Adverbs of frequency
https://www.engblocks.com/grammar/exercises/tenses/present-simple-adverbs-of-frequency-exercise-2
https://www.engblocks.com/grammar/exercises/tenses/present-simple-adverbs-of-frequency-exercise-4
Practice adverbs of frequency (3 tasks)
https://test-english.com/grammar-points/a1/adverbs-frequency
All verbs + be
https://www.engblocks.com/grammar/exercises/tenses/present-simple-mixed-all-verbs-and-to-be/
Short answers BE
https://www.engblocks.com/grammar/exercises/tenses/present-simple-with-to-be-short-answers
Present Simple questions (explanation & practice)
https://test-english.com/grammar-points/a1/questions
More exercises: