Present simple

The present simple is for habits, routines, facts and timetables: things that are generally true, not just now.

The he / she / it -s

• Most verbs add -s: she works, he plays.
• -s, -sh, -ch, -x, -o: -es: she watches, he goes, it fixes.
• Consonant + y: -ies: study → she studies.
• Irregular: have → has.

Time words

always, usually, often, sometimes, never, every day, on Mondays

Examples

• I work in a hospital.
• She lives near the station.
• The train leaves at 7:15.
• My son goes to school by bus.
• Water boils at 100 degrees.

Common mistakes

• ✗ She watchs TV every evening.✓ She watches TV every evening.Verbs ending in -ch add -es instead of -s in the he, she and it forms.
• ✗ He go to work by train.✓ He goes to work by train.With he, she and it every verb takes an ending, and go becomes goes.
• ✗ My brother studys law.✓ My brother studies law.When a verb ends in a consonant plus y, the y becomes -ies for he, she and it.
• ✗ The sun rise in the east.✓ The sun rises in the east.A general fact about one thing needs the third person -s ending.
• ✗ I works in a shop.✓ I work in a shop.Only he, she and it take -s in the present simple, so I uses the base form.