The Present Simple
(I do)
Study this example:
Alex is a bus driver, but now he is in bed asleep. So:
• He is not driving a bus. (He is asleep)
But, he drives a bus. (He is a bus driver – that is his job)
We use the present simple to talk about things in general. We are not thinking specifically about what is happening right now. We use it to say that something happens all the time or repeatedly, or that something is true in general. It is not important whether or not the action is happening at the time of speaking.
• Nurses care for patients in hospital.
• I usually go away at the weekend.
• The earth goes around the sun.
Remember that we say he/she/it -s. Don't forget the “s”:
• I work, but he works.
• They teach, but my sister teaches.
Note that verbs in these groups take “es”
• when they end in o / s / ss / sh / ch / x
• match, matches
• wash, washes
• miss, misses
• do, does
• go, goes
• box, boxes
• search, searches
We use do to make questions and negative sentences. In old English, do was also used in the affirmative but it is only used in this way today to create an emphasis.
Do
Does
I/We/You/
They
He/She/It
I/we/you/
they
he/she/it
don't
doesn't
work?
come?
live?
drive?
work.
come.
live.
drive.
Note that if we use “do”, “do” changes to “does”. The main verb does not change.
• I come from Canada. Where do you come from?
• Would you like a cigarette? No thanks, I don't smoke.
• What does this word mean?
• Rice does not grow in a cold climate.
It can sometimes cause confusion when “do” is also the main verb.
• What do you do? (=what is your job?) I work in a shop.
• He's so lazy. He doesn't do anything to help me.
We use the present simple to describe how often we do things, or to talk about our daily routines:
• I get up at 8 o'clock every morning.
• How often do you go to the dentist.
• Ann doesn't drink tea very often.
• In summer, John plays tennis twice a week.