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Grammatica
Verbs and tense A1 A2

Present simple

Talk about routines, facts, schedules, and permanent situations with the base verb or -s form.

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Visuele uitleg

Present simple: the normal pattern line

Present simple = the "normal pattern" line

past ───────── NOW ───────── future
      regular / true / scheduled
      not only happening this minute

Meaning → form

I/you/we/they + base verb
  I walk to work.

he/she/it + verb-s
  She lives in Leeds.

Question/negative helper carries the present:
  does/doesn't + base verb
  She doesn't work on Sundays.
  Does your brother drive?

Use the present simple for what is generally true or normally happens; add -s with he/she/it, but keep the main verb plain after does/doesn't.

Introduction

What the present simple does

Use the present simple when you present something as normal, repeated, scheduled, or generally true. It is not mainly about this exact second; it is about the usual picture. This tense is common for routines, jobs, habits, permanent situations, facts, and timetables. Examples: I walk to work. Water boils at 100°C. The train leaves at six. These sentences can describe the present, but they do it by showing a stable fact or regular pattern, not an action in progress.
Core Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

I walk to work.

A daily or regular routine uses the present simple.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

I
subject
The person with the routine.
walk to work
verb_phrase
The repeated action in the present simple.
Leer als één geheel
Core Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A2 Neutral

Water boils at 100°C.

General facts use the present simple.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

Water
subject
The thing the fact is about.
boils at 100°C
verb_phrase
A general scientific fact.
Leer als één geheel
Core Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

The train leaves at six.

Timetables and fixed schedules often use the present simple.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

The train
subject
The scheduled thing.
leaves at six
verb_phrase
A fixed timetable action.
Leer als één geheel
Core pattern

Affirmative form: base verb or -s

In affirmative sentences with ordinary verbs, use the base verb with I, you, we, and they. With he, she, and it, add the third-person singular ending, usually -s. Add -es after forms like watch, go, and miss; change consonant + y to -ies, so study becomes studies. Have is irregular: use has with he, she, and it. Examples: They go to school by bus. My sister studies medicine. He watches TV after dinner. She lives in Leeds. The -s ending belongs to the he/she/it affirmative form, not to all present-simple sentences.
Core Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

They go to school by bus.

I, you, we, and they use the base verb in affirmative present simple sentences.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

They
subject
A plural subject.
go to school by bus
verb_phrase
A regular way of travelling.
Leer als één geheel
Core Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A2 Neutral

My sister studies medicine.

With he, she, and it, consonant + y often changes to -ies.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

My sister
subject
A third-person singular subject.
studies medicine
verb_phrase
The verb study changes to studies with he, she, or it.
Leer als één geheel
Core Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

He watches TV after dinner.

Some verbs add -es in the he/she/it form.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

He
subject
A third-person singular subject.
watches TV after dinner
verb_phrase
The verb watch adds -es with he, she, or it.
Leer als één geheel
Core Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

She lives in Leeds.

Permanent or stable situations use the present simple.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

She
subject
A third-person singular subject.
lives in Leeds
verb_phrase
A stable present situation.
Leer als één geheel
Form variations

Negatives, questions, and be

Negatives and questions use do or does with ordinary verbs. Use do with I, you, we, and they; use does with he, she, and it. In negatives, put don't or doesn't before the base verb. In questions, put do or does before the subject, then use the base verb. Examples: They don't like coffee. She doesn't eat meat. Do you live here? Does your brother drive? Be is different: it makes its own negatives and questions without do. She isn't at home. Are you ready?
Negative Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

They don't like coffee.

Use don't plus the base verb with I, you, we, and they.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

They
subject
A plural subject, so use don't.
don't like coffee
negative_verb_phrase
A present-simple negative with do not.
Leer als één geheel
Negative Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

She doesn't eat meat.

After doesn't, the main verb stays in the base form.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

She
subject
A third-person singular subject, so use doesn't.
doesn't eat meat
negative_verb_phrase
A present-simple negative with does not and the base verb.
Leer als één geheel
Question Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

Do you live here?

Use do before the subject in questions with you, I, we, or they.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

Do you live here?
question_frame
A complete do-question frame for the present simple.
Leer als één geheel
Question Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

Does your brother drive?

Use does before he, she, it, or one person; then use the base verb.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

Does your brother
auxiliary_subject
Does comes before a third-person singular subject.
drive
base_verb
The main verb stays in the base form after does.
Leer als één geheel
Exception Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

She isn't at home.

Be makes its own negatives in the present simple.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

She
subject
The person described.
isn't at home
be_negative
A negative with be, without do or does.
Leer als één geheel
Exception Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

Are you ready?

Be also makes its own questions by moving before the subject.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

Are you ready?
question_frame
A complete be-question frame, without do.
Leer als één geheel
Sentence xray

Frequency words and schedule chunks

Frequency words make the routine meaning clear. Usually, often, sometimes, rarely, and never normally go before the main verb, but after be. Longer time phrases such as every day, on Mondays, at weekends, and in the morning often go at the end. X-ray useful chunks: in I usually cook at home, the core chunk is usually cook at home. In She is often late, often follows is because be is the main verb. Present simple can also describe official schedules, even for the future: The museum opens at ten tomorrow.
Core Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

I usually cook at home.

Frequency words usually go before the main verb.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

I
subject
The person with the routine.
usually cook at home
frequency_verb_phrase
A reusable routine chunk with a frequency word.
Leer als één geheel
Core Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

She is often late.

Frequency words normally go after be.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

She is
subject_be
Be is the main verb here.
often late
frequency_complement
A reusable be + frequency pattern.
Leer als één geheel
Core Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

The museum opens at ten tomorrow.

Official schedules can use the present simple for future events.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

The museum
subject
The place with the schedule.
opens at ten tomorrow
scheduled_verb_phrase
A fixed schedule, even with future time.
Leer als één geheel
Contrast

Present simple or present continuous?

The closest common confusion is present simple versus present continuous. Present simple gives the stable rule, habit, schedule, or fact; present continuous gives an action happening now or a temporary situation around now. Compare: I work from home means this is my normal arrangement. I am working from home today means it is temporary. Many state verbs, such as know, like, need, and understand, usually prefer present simple for a present state. A major danger is putting -s on both does and the main verb. Mistake: She doesn't works on Sundays. Corrected: She doesn't work on Sundays. After does, the main verb is always the base form.
Contrast Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

I work from home.

Present simple shows the normal arrangement.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

I
subject
The person with the normal arrangement.
work from home
stable_verb_phrase
A normal or permanent arrangement.
Leer als één geheel
Contrast Grammatica A2 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

I am working from home today.

Present continuous shows something happening now or temporarily.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

I
subject
The person in the temporary situation.
am working from home today
temporary_verb_phrase
A temporary situation around now.
Leer als één geheel
Mistake Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

She doesn't works on Sundays.

Do not put -s on the main verb after doesn't.

Corrected Grammatica A1 Woordenschat A1 Neutral

She doesn't work on Sundays.

After doesn't, use the base verb: work.

Bouwstenen

Lees de zin in woordgroepen, niet woord voor woord.

She
subject
A third-person singular subject.
doesn't work on Sundays
negative_verb_phrase
A reusable negative routine pattern with doesn't + base verb.
Leer als één geheel
Summary

Present simple in one view

Present simple is the tense for regular life and stable information. Choose it for routines, habits, jobs, facts, feelings, permanent situations, and official schedules. Build affirmatives with the base verb, or with -s/-es for he, she, and it. Build ordinary-verb negatives and questions with do or does plus the base verb. Remember the be exception: am, is, and are make their own negatives and questions. Use frequency words to make routines clear. Choose present continuous instead for right now or temporary situations.
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