Education, Languages
Present Simple: table, rules
To speak English means to open a lot of doors for yourself. In the modern world, this skill is highly valued, and therefore the study of English should be given a lot of time. It is necessary to develop this ability from childhood, although an adult can master a new language even if there is no initial knowledge. The main thing is to know the grammar, and the rest will come with practice.
Everyone who is familiar with the basics of English, came across its times. It is on them that the whole grammar of English is based, and it is they who cause difficulties and problems in studying. The most used among times is a simple (undefined) present time (Present Simple). The table, as a rule, greatly simplifies the learning process.
When using Present Simple
English, like any language, is built on general principles and rules, which often do not allow an alternative in the application of certain grammatical constructions. Some cases oblige to use only Present Simple. Rules, a table of use of this time should be observed for literate speech.
Present Simple is used in the following cases:
- When it comes to general rules, the truths - that everyone knows: the description of laws, natural phenomena, the results of research and any other generally accepted facts (Mouses love cheese - Mouses love cheese).
- When we show emotions, feelings or a state (I believe in love - I believe in love).
- When describing everyday or permanent situations (His parents live in Russia - His parents live in Russia).
- In the future context, after the words if, when, before, until, unless (I'll stay here untill you get back - I'll stay here until you come back).
- When it comes to schedules or regular activities, phenomena (I get up at 8:30 - I get up at 8:30).
- When we talk about personal habits, a hobby (I like becon - I love bacon).
- When we talk about what is happening now (She is here now - She is here now).
Although Present Simple is considered to be one of the simplest grammatical times of the English language, but it has several nuances that can not be ignored, because otherwise the written and spoken language will be ridiculous.
Narrative in Present Simple
Narrative sentences constitute the greater part of our speech. In Present Simple they are constructed as follows: the subject + predicate (if the speech is from a third person, then with the ending -s, only for the singular).
- I read the newspaper every morning. - I read a newspaper every morning.
- He reads the newspaper every morning. - He reads a newspaper every morning.
This is important: you can not confuse the form that a third person takes in a single time, with a multiple! The ending -s should be added only to the pronouns "it", "he", "she".
Question in Present Simple
As a basis for constructing questions in the Present Simple are taken auxiliary and special modal verbs. Such proposals are constructed according to the following scheme: interrogative word + special auxiliary / modal verbs + subject + predicate.
If different forms of the verb to be are used, it should be taken as the basis for constructing the question. For example:
- He is a teacher. - He is a teacher.
- He is a teacher? - Is he a teacher?
In general questions, it is modal verbs, not auxiliary ones. For example:
- She can jump into the pool. - She can jump in the pool.
- Does she know how to jump into a swimming pool? - Can she jump in the pool?
The verb to do has a special meaning in Present Simple, the table of its main forms is given below. If the sentence has a semantic verb, but it does not have a modal verb, then the forms of the verb to do are used:
I | Do |
We | Do |
They | Do |
He | Does |
She | Does |
It | Does |
You | Do |
This is important: when using the form, the ending -s of the main predicate does not end.
Negation in the Present Simple
Auxiliary and special modal verbs in Present Simple, the table of to do forms in the present tense are also used to form negative sentences.
Does not - does not.
For example:
- He runs every evening. - He runs every evening.
- He does not run every evening. - He does not (doesnt) run every evening.
English Table: Present Simple
It is better to see and understand once, than to read a thousand times and remain perplexed. Visual memory and general perception helps to memorize the material better. Especially when it comes to the basic time in English, such as Present Simple. A table for children, as for adults, is an excellent option for a quick study of grammar.
Affirmative offer (+) | Noun + verb in the first form (if the speech is from the 3rd person in the singular, then the basic predicate with the ending -s or the ending "es" for the verbs that end with "x, o, ss, sh, ch, s") |
Negative sentence (-) | Noun + auxiliary verb + particle not + verb in the first form (when using does the particle -s is not used) |
Interrogative sentence (?) | Special question word + auxiliary verb + noun + verb in the first form |
Verbs in Present Simple
All verbs are important for constructing sentences: modal, auxiliary, and, of course, the basic semantic verbs. Together, they create a system that makes up the bulk of both this time and the entire English language.
In Present Simple, the first, undefined verb form is used. At the same time, there are nuances that must be taken into account when constructing a sentence of this time:
- In affirmative sentences from a third person singular the verb acquires a particle -s.
- In negations and questions from a third person singular with the use of the form does not use the -s particle.
- In the interrogative sentence, the auxiliary verb is used before the subject. If the question is of a special type, an interrogative pronoun is used before them.
- If the question is to the most flippant, then Who is used instead of the subject and applied before the predicate.
Verbs in Present Simple, the conjugation table of which is given below, is a framework, without which it would be impossible to express one's thoughts.
Number | Face | Narrative sentences | Negative sentences | Interrogative proposals |
One . | 1 | I draw. | I do not draw. | Do I draw? |
2 | You draw. | You do not draw. | Do you draw? | |
3 | He draws. | He does not draw. | Does he draw? Does she draw? Does it draw? | |
Multipl. | 1 | You draw. | You do not draw. | Do you draw? |
2 | We draw. | We do not draw. | Do we draw? | |
3 | They draw. | They do not draw. | Do they draw? |
Word-markers
It's one thing to learn how the Present Simple table looks, and the other is to apply the knowledge gained in practice. Sometimes, looking at the sentence, it is not immediately possible to determine to what grammatical time it belongs. It is for this that there are word-markers - peculiar indicators of this or that time. They are usually used after a modal / special auxiliary verb or at the end of a sentence. Word-markers for Present Simple:
- Sometimes - sometimes,
- Regularly - constantly,
- Rarely - rarely,
- Often - often,
- At the weekend - on the weekends,
- On Wednesday - on Wednesdays,
- Every day, every day,
- At weekends - on weekends,
- Always - always,
- At 9 o'clock - at 9 o'clock,
- Usually - usually.
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