Present Tenses - Present Simple

Form
Affirmative: (subject+base forms[+s/es])

I work; We work
You work; You work
Her/she/it works. They work

Negative: (subject + aux. verb 'do' + not + base form)
Note that don't and doesn't often appear as do not and does not in written text)

I don't work: We don't work.
You don't work; You don't work
He/she/it doesn't work They don't work


Question: (aux. verb 'do'+ subject + base form)

Do I work? Do we work?
Do you work? Do you work?
Does he/she/it work Do they work?

Now study these examples of third person singular (he/she/it) forms and think about the rules for forming them.

watches does bats preys
mixes tries looks goes
thinks takes tosses trespasses
lays thrashes means preaches
fakes pries drinks writes
site chops has amazes
fishes swims waits dresses

How to form the third person singular

*Most verbs

> Add s to the base form of the verb -sits

> Verbs ending in a consonant plus y, change y to i and add es - i.e. tries

> Verbs ending in o, s, z, x ch, and sh, add es - e.g. mashes ( + extra syllable when pronounced)

> Note in the negative form, the auxiliary verb doesn't have the s so the main verb doesn't need an s - e.g. She doesn't work. The same applies with does in questions.

Usages, with example sentences:

* Habitual or routine actions
> He goes fishing every week.
* Permanent situations and facts
> The sun sets in the west.
* Commentaries
> Beckham passes to Fowler who shoots and scores.
* Directions and instructions
> First you go left, then you go straight on.
* Newspaper headlines
> Stock market falls to all time law.
* Present stories
> So I open the door and what do I see but a policeman in a pink uniform.

Typical mistakes/errors

Here are some examples of the most common problems that students have with the present simple. Correct them and make note of the error or mistake.

* She walk to school everyday.
* He no like to watch TV.
* Where lives your father.
* She go often to Paris.
* She doesn't like football.
* I'm go to the post office tomorrow.

Sample Teaching Ideas:

* Find someone who...activities in which students have to interview one another in order to complete forms.

* Questionnaire whereby students ask each other questions about their habitual actions.

* A day in the life of...students are provided with visual prompts and must then construct the daily life of somebody.

* Guess my profession...a student chooses a profession. The other students have a limited number of questions to ask (twenty perhaps) in which to find out what the profession is. For example "Do you wear a uniform?"

* Information-gap activities in which two/students are provided with diagram or maps with different information. One student then gives the other directions to a particular location.