Present simple
Habits and facts with the present simple; the third-person -s and do/does negatives and questions
I can talk about routines and facts and ask about them with do/does.
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
My train leaves at seven, so I get up at five thirty.
My train leaves at seven, so I get up at five thirty.
Does your brother play hockey? — No, he doesn't. He plays chess.
Does your brother play hockey? — No, he doesn't. He plays chess.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
The present simple describes habits, routines and facts:
| Type | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| + | I/you/we/they work; he/she/it works | She works in Brno. |
| − | don't / doesn't + verb | He doesn't smoke. |
| ? | Do/Does + subject + verb | Does she work here? |
Signal words: every day, usually, often, never, on Mondays. In questions and negatives the main verb loses its -s: Does she work? (not *works).
- Third person -s dropped: *She work → She works
- Double marking: *Does she works? → Does she work?
- Question without do: *Work you here? → Do you work here?
Common Error Patterns
Missing -s in 3rd person singular
he/she/it + verb-s: she works
-s kept after does
does already carries the -s: Does she work?
My train leaves at seven, so I get up at five thirty.
My train leaves at seven, so I get up at five thirty.
Routines and timetables in the present simple.
Does your brother play hockey? — No, he doesn't. He plays chess.
Does your brother play hockey? — No, he doesn't. He plays chess.
does question, short answer, -s in the statement.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises