The simple present

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The simple present
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When do we use the simple present?
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• We often use the simple present to talk about
• ? things that are always true
• or are true now but might change later.

A spider has eight legs.
has
There is a small tuck shop in our school. There
arent any tables in the tuck shop.
is
arent
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• ? how often we do things.

Alan plays basketball twice a week.
twice a week
plays
He usually has matches on Saturdays.
usually
has
Which word is an adverb of frequency?
Which time phrase tells us how often Alan plays?
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Note
We use adverbs of frequency with the simple
present to talk about how often we do things.
always
usually
sometimes
seldom
never
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Note
We can also use time phrases to talk about how
often we do things, e.g.
every day
once a week
twice a month
four times a year
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How do we form positive and negative statements
in the simple present?
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Verb to be
m m not
I
You We They
re arent
happy.
He She It
s isnt
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Other verbs
I You We They
like dont like
cats.
He She It
likes doesnt like
I dont I do not It doesnt It does
not
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How do we form the third person singular in the
simple present?
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We form the third person singular in the simple
present like this.
Verbs
We should
Examples
With most verbs
s
eat
? eats
play
? plays
Ending in a consonant y
y ies
carry
? carries
fly
? flies
Ending in ss, x, sh, ch
es
kiss
? kisses
fax
? faxes
wash
? washes
teach
? teaches
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Practice

Complete the article.
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Ron Weasley and Harry Potter
the best of friends from the moment they
first on the
train to their new school, Hogwarts. Ron
from a family of wizards. He
has a good sense of humour and hes usually
cheerful, but sometimes other students
him because his family
much money.
be
are
meet
meet
come
comes
tease
tease
have
doesnt have
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Ron his five older
brothers clothes. He
the fact that he has a second-hand wand which
very well and his pet,
Scabbers, is an old rat. Ron and Harry
well all the time, but whenever
Harry finds himself in trouble, Ron always
his best to help him. Ron
and Harry are also good friends with Hermione,
though Ron shes a bit
bossy and annoying.
wear
wears
like
doesnt like
work
doesnt work
get along
dont get along
try
tries
think
thinks
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The end