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Present Simple
The Present Simple is a basic tense used to describe habits, routines, and general truths.
A1Tenses
What is the Present Simple?
The Present Simple is a basic tense used to describe habits, routines, and general truths.
- The formation pattern is subject + verb, for example, I go, where 'verb' is the base form of the verb, like 'go' or 'eat', and 'subject' is the person or thing that does the action.
- For the third person singular (he, she, it), we add -s or -es to the base form of the verb, for example, he goes or she eats.
When do we use the Present Simple?
- We use the Present Simple to describe habits and routines, like what we do every day.
- We use it to describe general truths and facts, like scientific facts or information about the world.
- We use it to describe things that are always true, like characteristics of people or places.
Examples of the Present Simple
- I go to school every day.
- She eats breakfast at 7 am.
- They live in a big city.
- He works as an engineer.
- It rains a lot in winter.
- We study English every day.
Common mistakes with the Present Simple
- Wrong: I go to school everydays. Correct: I go to school every day.
- Wrong: She eat breakfast at 7 am. Correct: She eats breakfast at 7 am.
- Wrong: They live in a big citys. Correct: They live in a big city.
Tip for learning the Present Simple
One way to remember the Present Simple is to think about your daily routines and habits, and try to describe them using the Present Simple tense.
Quick check
I _____ to school by bus.
Where this matters in your exam
In IELTS, the Present Simple is commonly used in Writing Task 2 to describe general statements and in Speaking Part 1 to talk about daily routines. It is also assessed in the grammar section of the Reading and Listening comprehension tests.
- Writing Task 2
Use the Present Simple to describe general statements and to support your arguments with examples.
- Speaking Part 1
Use the Present Simple to talk about your daily routines and habits.