The present simple in English - TOEIC® preparation

1. Forming the present simple

1.1 Forming a verb in the present simple tense

Common mistakes often made by students

• Forgetting the -s at he / she / it in affirmative sentences : all verbs, except modals, take -s to the third person.
  • She read : She reads
• Putting -s at the verb at he / she / it in questions and negations :
  • Does she reads : Does she read
• In contrast to French, it is not necessary to put -s at they : this applies only to he / she / it.
  • They reads : They read

💡 The auxiliary do / does (to not confuse with the verb DO - to do - ) is a dummy auxiliary (“dummy auxiliary”). It is useful only to build sentences in English, but it does not mean anything itself.

🚧 Exception : The auxiliary do / does can be used to express persistence: I do appreciate your help. (I really appreciate your help.)

1.2 Forming the BE and HAVE auxiliaries in the present simple tense

1.2.1 BE auxiliary formation (verb to be)

💡 It is not necessary to use the auxiliary do / does with the verb / auxiliary be.

🇫🇷 Exception : The use of the verb have in French sometimes translates to the use of the verb "BE" in English : She has 43 years old : She is 43 years old (Elle a 43 ans)

• The beginning of the French sentence "il y a" (or "vous avez") becomes "there is / there are" in English :
  • There is a black cat on the sidewalk - Il y a un chat noir sur le trottoir
• In French, "c'est" or "ce sont" become "It is" or "They are" in English.
  • It is on your right - C’est sur ta droite

1.2.2 Formation of the HAVE auxiliary (verb to have)

💡 In contrast to "be", with the verb "have", we must use "do" to form a question or negative sentence.

2. Use of the present simple

2.1. General and constant situations

We can use the present simple tense to refer to general and/or constant situations and actions. Basically, this means that the action takes place either regularly, or at an indefinite time, and this action has no foreseen end.

• The sun rises in the east : permanent situation, because the sun rises in the east every day.
• I like swimming : permanent situation, because I like swimming and it may not change in the near future.

2.2. Actions régulières et routines

We can also use the present simple tense to refer to regular or routine actions. This tense is often completed with a frequency adverb to show the repetitiveness of the action.

For routines:

• She wakes up at 6am every day
• They always eat dinner together as a family at 7pm

For regular actions:

• The sun rises in the east and sets in the west every day.

Adverbs of frequency

Adverbs of frequency are almost always used with the present simple. Here is a non-exhaustive list of adverbs of frequency often used in TOEIC®:

• always
• occasionally
• rarelyseldom*
• usually
• hardly ever
• often
• sometimes
• never

💡 The adverb of frequency always can sometimes be used with the present continuous (we will discuss it later).

Where to place the frequency adverb in a sentence?

• before the main verb : She often visits her grandparents.
• after the auxiliary verb : We can usually meet during the afternoon.

2.3. Established facts and universal truths

We also use the present simple tense to refer to scientific or other established facts. It is generally perceived as a universal truth that does not change over time.

• The Earth revolves around the Sun
• Gravity pulls objects towards the center of the Earth

2.4. Schedules and events

The present simple can also be used to refer to schedules and programs, such as train or course schedules, or typical daily routines. We can also use it to refer to the future, especially for upcoming projects or events.

• The train leaves at 9 o'clock : this may mean that the train will leave (in the future) at 9 a.m.
• The movie starts at 8pm : that means the film will start at 8pm.

The present simple tense is used to express actions that are regular and fixed in time. For example, the sentence "The train leaves at 9 o'clock" can mean "in the future, the train will leave at 9 o'clock", but it can also mean "the train leaves every day at 9 o'clock".

Conclusion

If you would like to know more about the present, in order to master this time for your TOEIC® exam, we recommend these articles:

1. The present for the TOEIC® - general presentation
2. The present continuous for the TOEIC®
3. The present simple VS the present continuous for the TOEIC®