The simple present tense tells about things that are happening now. To make a sentence in the simple present, we use:
subject + base verb
When the subject of the sentence is he, she, it or a name, we need to add -s or -es to the end of the base verb.
Subject | Base Form of Verb or Base Verb + 's' or 'es' | |
I, You, He, She, It | like, likes | monkeys. |
We, You, They | like | monkeys. |
We can also use the simple present to make negative sentences by using:
subject + do not + base verb
In a negative sentence, when the subject of the sentence is he, she, it or a name, the verb stays the same but do not becomes does not.
Subject | Do/Does not | Base Form of Verb | |
I, You | Do not | Like | monkeys. |
He, She, It | Does not | Like | monkeys. |
We, You, They | Do not | Like | monkeys. |
Remember, you can always use don't instead of do not or doesn't instead of does not.
Here are some examples of sentences that use the simple present.