Present Simple Tense

Talk about habits, routines, and facts.

When to use it

Use the present simple for habits, routines, facts, and things that are generally true.

I drink coffee every morning.
Water boils at 100°C.
She works at a bank.

Forming the tense

For I/you/we/they, use the base verb. For he/she/it, add -s or -es to the verb.

I play tennis.
He plays tennis.
They watch movies.
She watches movies.

Negatives and questions

Use don't / doesn't for negatives, and Do / Does to ask questions.

I don't like spicy food.
He doesn't like spicy food.
Do you speak English?
Does she speak English?

Adverbs of frequency

Words like always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, and never are commonly used with the present simple to show how often something happens. They usually go before the main verb, but after the verb 'be'.

I always brush my teeth before bed.
She is often late for meetings.
We rarely eat fast food.
He never drinks coffee at night.

More examples in context

Seeing the tense used across different everyday situations helps it feel natural.

My father works at a bank.
The sun rises in the east every day.
We usually eat dinner at 8 PM.
Cats sleep a lot during the day.
Does your brother play chess?
It rains a lot in this city during winter.

Common mistakes to avoid

These are some of the most frequent present simple errors learners make, and how to fix them.

✗ He don't like coffee. → ✓ He doesn't like coffee.
✗ She go to school every day. → ✓ She goes to school every day.
✗ Do she speaks English? → ✓ Does she speak English?
✗ I am agree with you. → ✓ I agree with you.

Quick practice

Try completing these sentences yourself before checking the answer in parentheses.

My mother ___ (cook) dinner every evening. (answer: cooks)
They ___ (not like) horror movies. (answer: don't like)
___ you ___ (work) on weekends? (answer: Do ... work)
The store ___ (open) at 9 AM. (answer: opens)
I ___ (not drink) alcohol. (answer: don't drink)