English Grammar Index


Simple Present Tense :


The Simple Present Tense is the most important and useful tense form. It is called the tense of Science because all the scientific and universal truths are expressed in the Present tense.


General Form :


Subject + am / is / are / verb / verb + s / verb + es


I - am / verb

He / she / it / All Singular subjects - is / verb + s / verb +es

We / You / they / All plural subjects - are / verb


The verb BE will take one of the forms of AM / IS / ARE, depending upon the nature of the noun or pronoun.


All other verbs except BE will take form of the verb with S or ES depending upon the nature of noun of pronoun.


Examples :


Today is Monday.

I am a teacher.

Every day Devi goes to school on foot.

We go to Ooty every summer.

My father reads newspaper daily.


Points to remember :

1. In Simple Present Tense, the SUBJECT is Third person singular, we have to add S or ES to the verb.
   
   
   
   
   
2. HE, SHE, IT and THEY are third person SUBJECTS.
   
   
   
   
   
3. If the ROOT VERB ends in Y and the letter just before Y is a vowel, add only S after it.
   
   
   Examples :
   
   
   pray – prays
   
   say – says
   
   lay – lays
   
   play – plays
   
   
   
   
   
4. If the ROOT VERB ends in SS, CH, SH, X or O, we have to add ES after it.
   
   
   Examples :
   
   
   teach – teaches
   
   do – does
   
   miss – misses
   
   push – pushes
   
   search – searches
   
   go – goes
   
   press – presses
   
   punish - punishes
   
   
   
   
   
5. If the ROOT VERB ends in Y and the letter just before Y is NOT a vowel, add only ES after it.
   
   
   Examples :
   
   
   Marry – marries
   
   Carry – carries
   
   Cry – cries
   
   Fly – flies
   
   Try – tries
   
   Bury – buries
   
   
   
   
   
6. An uncountable is a singular noun. The uncountable generally do not have any plural form.
   
   
   Examples :
   
   
   Water
   
   milk
   
   oil
   
   tea
   
   coffee
   
   sand
   
   sugar
   
   honey
   
   rice
   
   bread
   
   money