What is Simple Present Tense?
Simple Present Tense is a verb tense with two key purposes. We use it to describe an action that is taking place right now. Alternatively, we also use it to describe something that always happens.
1. Describing an action taking place right now
Let’s look at an example to understand the first purpose of Simple Present Tense:
“Helen eats bread for breakfast.”
In this case, “eats” is used to describe what Helen is doing right now.
2. Describe something that always happens
As for the second purpose of using Simple Present Tense, we usually use it to describe something that is factually true. Here’s another example:
“The dog barks at the stranger.”
In this case, “barks” is used to describe how the dog usually expresses its voice.
First Person
For first person, we use “I” followed by a verb in the plural form. For example:
“I read a storybook.”
In this case, “read” is used when the singular form “I” is used for the first person.
Second Person
For second person, we use “He” or “She” followed by a verb in the singular form. For example:
“She walks to school.”
In this case, “walks” is used when the singular form “She” is used for the second person.
Third Person
For third person, we use “You” and “They” followed by a verb in the plural form. For example:
“You like singing.”
In this case, “like” is used when the plural form “They” is used for the third person.
How do we use Simple Present Tense when asking a question?
If you want to ask a question, you can use Simple Present Tense by using “do” or “does” followed by the subject and the root form of the verb. For example:
“How often does Nicholas read a storybook?”
In this case, “read” is used to describe the activity that Nicholas is involved in.
