Simple Present
1. Formation
Affirmative Statements Negative Statements
I
You
(*)

We
They
Plural nouns
V
bare inf
I
You
(*)

We
They
Plural nouns
do not
(don’t)
V
bare inf
He
She
It
Proper name
Nouns

sing / unC
V

For pronunciation rules for the Present Simple, see appendix 11 on page
xxx.)
Yes/No Questions WH-Questions
Do
I
you
(*)
we
they
Plural nouns
V
bare inf
?
What
Where
When
What time
do
I
you
(*)
we
they
plural nouns
Does
he
she
it
Proper name
Nouns

87
29
Grammar Time Nguyen Tri Tuan – Nguyen Tuan Kiet
Who buys new cars? Anna’s brothers (do)
.

What costs a lot? Anna’s car (does)
.
Usage
We Use the Simple Present Example
1. to express a general truth.
•
The English are reserved
and cold
.
•
Vietnam doesn’t export
automobiles
.
•
The earth revolves around
the sun
.
2. to express a present habit or routine.
•
My father always goes to
work by bus
.
•
He doesn’t drink coffee

:
30 P
.
M
.
5. always with stative verbs.
• verbs of the senses
• verbs of opinion and
understanding
• verbs of emotions and
feelings
• in the first conditional
•
Do you hear anything?
•
He doesn't understand
Japanese
.

•
She hates classical music
.

•
He will come to the party if
you invite him
.
NOTES:
i) Adverbs of frequency are often used in the simple present:


4. How many cigarettes ______________ (
you
/
smoke
) a day?
5. "What ______________
(you/do)
?" "I'm an electrical engineer.”
6. "Where ______________
(your father / come)
from?" "He ______________
(
come
) from Mexico.”
7. It ______________
(take)
me an hour to get to work. How long
______________
(it / take)
you?
8. I ______________
(play)
the piano, but I ______________
(not / play)
very
well.
9. I don't understand the word "deceive". What ______________
("deceive" /
mean)?
 EXERCISE 2

study
)
Japanese at the library and _____________ (11.
do
) Japanese homework.
Al’s girlfriend is in Japan. Al _____________ (12.
miss
) her a lot. He _____________
(13.
worry
) about her, too. He _____________ (14.
hope
) to see her in the summer.
 EXERCISE 3
Use these sentences to make questions. Begin your questions with the
word(s) in parentheses.
Examples: Tom plays tennis. (How often?)
How often does Tom play tennis?
I jog in the morning. (What time / usually?)
What time do you usually jog?
1. Ann watches television.
89
Grammar Time Nguyen Tri Tuan – Nguyen Tuan Kiet
(How often?)
_____________________________________________________?
2. I write to my parents.
(How often?)
_____________________________________________________?
3. I have dinner in the evening.
(What time / usually?)

+ …
Affirmative
•
I am reading now
.
•
The bees are humming
.
Negative
•
My students aren’t taking the midterm test
.
•
He isn’t taking a shower
.
Interrogative
•
What are you doing? I am tying up my shoelaces
.
•
Is she leaving for Japan tomorrow? Yes
,
she is/ (No
,
she isn’t
.
)
(See appendix 6 on page xxvi.)
2. Usage
We use the Present Continuous to

3. a planned action in the near future.
•
She is flying to Japan tomorrow
.
•
Are you paying for dinner next
time?
4. a gradual change.
•
It is getting colder and colder
.
•
The test’s difficulty is increasing
.
5. a present and temporary activity.
•
She is smoking a lot
.

(She doesn’t normally smoke.)
6. a repeated action that irritates the
speaker (with always, constantly,
continually, repeatedly, forever).
•
The boy is always asking me for
candies
.
•
He is continually telling other
people what to do

(have = spend)
•
This soup tastes delicious
.

(taste = have a particular flavor)
•
My mother is tasting the sauce
she’s made
. (taste = eat)
•
This room smells a little damp
.
(smell = have a particular smell)
•
Sashay is smelling the sweet
aroma of warm chocolate
.

(smell =
notice)
•
He sees the scene clearing now
.
(see = catch sight of)
•
He is seeing the zoo
.

( see = visit)