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Present Simple in English: Affirmative, Negative, and Questions (Full Guide)
The tense for habits, routines, and general facts, with the rule almost everyone forgets: the -s on he/she/it.
Written by Bryan López, Profesor de inglés · Updated
The Present Simple is used for habits, routines, and general facts: I work every day, Water boils at 100°C. The key rule is that he/she/it add an -s to the verb (she works), while I/you/we/they use the verb unchanged (I work).
Affirmative
Spelling rules for the third-person -s
Negative with don't / doesn't
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Practice the Present Simple with real audio
Interactive exercises, real pronunciation, and the full lesson taught in English.
Questions with do / does
What the Present Simple is used for
It's used for habits and routines (I go to the gym every day), general facts or truths (Water boils at 100°C), and fixed schedules (The train leaves at 6pm). It's not used for something happening right now, that's what the Present Continuous is for.
Common mistakes learners make
Forgetting the -s in the third person. It's the single most common mistake: saying "She work" instead of "She works." Many languages don't mark the third person as strictly across all verbs, so it's easy to forget in English. Adding -s to the verb after does. "Does she works?" is wrong, because "does" already carries the third-person marker; the main verb stays in its base form: "Does she work?" Using don't with he/she/it. "She don't work" is incorrect, with he/she/it it's always doesn't: "She doesn't work."
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Frequently asked questions
When is the Present Simple used?
For habits and routines (I study every day), general facts (The sun rises in the east), and fixed schedules (The store opens at 9am).
What is the rule for the third person (he/she/it)?
You add -s or -es to the verb: he works, she watches, it goes. It's the only subject that changes the verb form in the affirmative.
When do you use does instead of do?
Does is used with he, she, it (third-person singular). Do is used with I, you, we, they.
How do you make the Present Simple negative?
With don't + base verb for I/you/we/they, and doesn't + base verb for he/she/it: I don't like coffee, she doesn't like coffee.
How do you ask questions in the Present Simple?
By putting do or does at the front: Do you like coffee? Does she like coffee? The main verb always stays in its base form.
Why do you say "Does she work?" and not "Does she works?"
Because "does" already carries the third-person marker. The main verb never takes -s once there's already a do/does earlier in the question or negative.
Practice the Present Simple with real audio
Interactive exercises, real pronunciation, and the full lesson taught in English.