Simple present tense | Class 4 grammar
The simple present tense is used to talk about facts, habits, customs and general truths.
Study the example sentences given below.
- The sun rises in the east. (Here we use the simple present tense because we are talking about a general truth.)
- Plants need water and sunlight to survive. (Here we use the simple present tense because we are talking about a fact.)
More example sentences are given below. In all of them we are expressing a fact, a habit, a custom, a preference or a general truth.
- My son likes video games. (Preference)
- I get up at 6 am. (Habit)
- My parents go for a walk in the morning. (Habit)
- Birds live in trees. (General truth)
- Truth alone triumphs. (General fact)
We make the simple present tense by using the first form of the verb. Note that this form is also called the infinitive. Examples are: sing, write, play, dance, run, work, break, love etc.
In the simple present tense when the subject is a singular noun or pronoun, the verb takes the marker –s.
Read the following sentences.
- My brother serves in the army.
- My brothers serve in the army.
When the subject is the singular noun ‘brother’, the verb ‘serve’ becomes ‘serves’.
When the subject is the plural noun ‘brothers’, the verb ‘serve’ does not take the marker –s.
More examples are given below.
- My sister works at a bank. (NOT My sister work at a bank. The noun sister is singular and therefore, the verb should be ‘works’.)
- My parents come from Kerala. (NOT My parents comes from Kerala. The subject ‘parents’ is plural and hence the verb should be ‘come’.)
