The present simple

It is used to express what is actually taking place at the present moment.

Complete list of present simple structures.

 

Use of Present Simple tense

The present simple is always used to talk about habits, routines, fact, world truth, thoughts, feelings, future schedule events, jokes and to retell stories.

You should use the present simple in English for the following
purposes:

• Habits / Routine (Repeated action)
• Generalization/ Fact
• Universal truth (law of nature)
• With state verbs
• Future schedule events
• In joke and story telling

Repeated Action 

 A habit or routine which we do every day, once a week, twice a moth or once year is called repeated action. 

Example:-

• He goes to school every day. 
• She brushes her teeth twice a day.
•  Dam always takes a shower before he goes to school. 
• I go to visit my family once a year. He smokes a lot.
•  My bother takes a test once a month. 
• I never sleep late a night.
•  The electricity frequently goes out.
•  She often prefers tea to coffee.
•  Do you ever go there? 
• How often do you play tennis?

 Some adverb of frequency is used to make this type of sentence.

 

Fact and generalization

Present simple is also used to state a fact. It is not important if the fact is correct. The speaker believes that a fact was true in past, it is true in present, and it will be true in future. It is not important that the fact is untrue. It often uses to make generalization about people or things.

Example:-

• Birds fly. (Fact)
• Elephant doesn’t fly. (Fact)
• Islamabad is the capital city of Pakistan.(Fact)
• His friend tells lies. (Fact)
• My sister is fond of music. (Fact)
• Dogs and cats like milks (generalization)
• Hours don’t like milks (Generalization)
• Pakistani president meets Chinese president (generalization you always read in news papers)
• Does it rain a lot in Germany? (Asking about fact)
• Fans and air conditions works with electricity. (Fact)

Permanent situation/ world truth

Whenever we talk about law of nature or a permanent situation which always remain same, present simple tense is always used to make these types of sentences.

Examples:-

• The sun sets in the west,
• The sun rises in the east.
• Bones support human’s body.
• Water boils at 100 degree Celsius.
• The earth revolves around the sun.
• Is the world shaped like a huge ball?
• Trees lose their leaves in the fall.
•  Summer follows spring.
• Villagers use firewood to cook food
• Water freezes at 0 degree.

Use State verbs

State verbs are also called non action verbs which are used like verb “be”. These are always used to make present simple sentences. The most common words are:

Like, prefer, love, know, understand, hate, believe, need, want, see, belong to, test, smell and look.

Examples:-

• She likes eating pineapple cake.
• The book belong to my brother
• This box contains three balls.
• She always prefer mango to banana.
• I understand what you say.
• This coffee tastes good.
• She heats her father.
• I need some money
• She looks pretty.
• Mother loves her child.

Future Scheduled Events

We use present simple for future scheduled events though we talk about future.


Examples:-

1. Tomorrow, what time does the bus leave?
2. My airplane leaves at 4:00 pm next Tuesday.
3. Tomorrow, class starts at 8:30 pm.
4. The exhibition open at on June 1st, and close on June 30.
5. The meeting starts at 12 am.
6. Doctor comes at 1:30 am.
7. Click opens at 1:00 am.
8. The train leaves at the noon.
9. The bus does not arrive at 11 am. It arrives at 11 pm.
10. Summer starts on May 31.

 

In joke and to retell stories

The present simple is also very often used to retell what happen in a book or film. It is also use in joke. A story is told more immediate; therefore, this use of the present simple is sometime called the graphic present. Click here for jokes