Simple present tense

The simple present tense is used to talk about habitual actions and general truths. Watch this Youtube video in Malayalam to learn the correct use of simple present tense.

Study the examples given below.

• Plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. (General truth / fact)
• The sun rises in the east. (General truth)
• All parents love their children. (General truth)
• Birds live in nests. (General truth)
• I get up at 6 am. (Habit)
• I go for a walk in the morning. (Habit)

Form

In the simple present tense, the verb takes the marker ‘-s’ when the subject is a singular noun or pronoun. Note that the first person singular pronoun ‘I’ does not take the marker ‘-s’.

Study the examples given below.

• I like mushrooms. (NOT I likes mushrooms.)
• He likes mushrooms. (Here the verb ‘like’ becomes ‘likes’ because the subject is the singular pronoun ‘he’.)
• They like mushrooms. (Here the subject is the plural pronoun ‘they’ and hence the verb does not take ‘-s’.)
• Sania likes mushrooms.
• Sania and Rohan like mushrooms.

Two or more singular nouns connected with ‘and’ take plural verbs.
More examples are given below.

• I like ice cream.
• She likes ice cream.
• He likes ice cream.
• You like ice cream.
• We like ice cream.
• They like ice cream.
• Rahul likes ice cream.
• Sonia likes ice cream.
• Rahul and Sonia like ice cream.
• All children like ice cream.

Making simple present tense with be, do and have

Simple present tense forms can also be made with forms of be, do and have.

Simple present tense forms of the verb ‘be’.

The verb ‘be’ has three forms in the simple present tense: is, am and are.

The verb ‘am’ is used with I.

The verb ‘is’ is used with singular nouns and pronouns (he, she, it).

The verb ‘are’ is used with plural nouns and pronouns (you, they, we).

Study the examples given below.

• She is a doctor.
• They are doctors.
• Gautam is a scientist.
• Gauri and Gautam are cousins.
• I am a writer.
• You are a nice girl.

Simple present tense forms of the verb have

In the simple present tense, the verb ‘have’ has two forms: has and have

We use ‘has’ with singular nouns and pronouns (she, he and it).

We use ‘have’ with plural nouns and pronouns (they, we and you).

The first person singular pronoun ‘I’ also take the verb ‘have’.

• I have a dream.
• She has a daughter.
• It has colourful wings.
• They have a house in the city.
• You have no right to say this.
• Rohan has a little sister.

Simple present tense forms of the verb ‘do’

The verb ‘do’ has two forms in the simple present tense: do and does

The verb ‘do’ is used with plural nouns and pronouns (you, they and we). The first person singular ‘I’ also takes the verb ‘do’.

The verb ‘does’ is used with singular nouns and pronouns (he, she and it).

Note that in the simple present tense, do and does are used to make questions and negatives.

I do not know the answer.
She does not know the answer.
They do not have a car.
Susie does not have a brother.
We do not know him.
Do you know him?
Does she work here?