Simple Present Tense

You already know that the simple present tense is for things that happen again and again, or things that are always true. Now you will learn how to make the verb match the subject, and how to spot time clue words that tell you to use the simple present tense.

What You'll Learn

How to match the verb to the subject (this is called subject-verb agreement)
How to change the verb for he, she, and it using the -s, -es, and -ies rules
How to use time clue words like "every day" and "always" to know when to use the simple present tense

When to Use

Habits and routines: "She brushes her teeth every morning."
Things that are always true: "The sun rises in the east."
Things that happen often: "My father reads the newspaper every day."
Likes and dislikes: "He likes chicken rice."

How to Form

First, find the subject of the sentence. Then, choose the correct verb form.

Verb Forms

Subject	Verb Form	Example
I	base form	I eat breakfast at seven.
You	base form	You play at the playground.
We	base form	We walk to school together.
They	base form	They like ice cream.
He / She / It	base form + s	He eats breakfast at seven.
A person's name	base form + s	Ahmad plays football after school.
A singular noun	base form + s	The bird sings every morning.

Spelling Rules for He / She / It

Rule	How to Change	Examples
Most verbs	add -s	run --> runs, eat --> eats
Verbs ending in -s, -sh, -ch, -x, -o	add -es	wash --> washes, go --> goes
Verbs ending in consonant + y	change y to -ies	study --> studies, carry --> carries
Verbs ending in vowel + y	just add -s	play --> plays, stay --> stays

Key Rules

I, you, we, they -- use the base verb: Do not add -s. "They eat lunch at noon." Not "They eats lunch."
He, she, it -- add -s or -es: The verb must change. "She watches TV after dinner." Not "She watch TV."
A name counts as he or she: "Mei Ling goes to the library." (Mei Ling = she, so add -es to "go")
Use "does not" for he/she/it, "do not" for I/you/we/they: "He does not like durian." "They do not like durian."

Common Mistakes

Wrong	Right	Why
She walk to school every day.	She walks to school every day.	"She" needs the verb with -s
The boys plays in the garden.	The boys play in the garden.	"The boys" is plural -- do not add -s to the verb
He studys every night.	He studies every night.	"Study" ends in consonant + y -- change y to -ies
My mother go to the market.	My mother goes to the market.	"My mother" = she, so add -es to "go"

Clue Words

These words are clues that tell you to use the simple present tense.

How often it happens:

always, usually, often, sometimes, seldom, rarely, never

When it happens:

every day, every week, every morning, every night, every Monday, every year

Other clue words:

daily, weekly, on weekdays, on Sundays, all the time

Tip: When you see "every ___" or "always" in a sentence, it is a big clue to use the simple present tense!

Practice Tips

Find the subject first: Read the sentence and ask, "Who or what is doing the action?" If the subject is he, she, it, or a singular noun, remember to add -s or -es.
Look for time clue words: Circle words like "every day", "always", or "never". These clues tell you to use the simple present tense.
Say it out loud: Read the sentence with "he" or "they" in place of the subject. "He walks" sounds right. "He walk" sounds wrong.
Check the verb ending: If the subject is singular (one person or thing), the verb should end with -s, -es, or -ies. If the subject is plural (more than one), the verb should NOT end with -s.

Quick Reference

Subject	Verb Example (eat)	Verb Example (wash)	Verb Example (study)
I	eat	wash	study
You	eat	wash	study
He / She / It	eats	washes	studies
We	eat	wash	study
They	eat	wash	study

Time Clue Word	Example Sentence
every day	She reads a book every day.
always	He always finishes his homework.
sometimes	They sometimes go to the hawker centre.
never	I never eat spicy food.

Simple Present Tense (P2) (Primary 2)