See it in action
Level A1Read or listen first. Don’t worry about the rules yet — just notice the verbs in bold.
Lina’s week
Lina lives in Lisbon and works in a bookshop.
She gets up at seven every day and walks to work.
She doesn’t drive — she doesn’t have a car.
Her friends love books too, so they meet every Friday.
Do they talk about books? Yes, they do — for hours!
Quick check
Why do we say “Lina works” but “they meet”?
With he, she, it — or one person or thing, like Lina — the verb takes -s. With I, you, we and they it doesn’t.
Quick check
Is Lina at work right now?
The present simple talks about routines and facts, not about this moment.
When to use it
Level A11. Habits and routines
I drink coffee every morning.
She plays tennis on Saturdays.
2. Facts and things that are always true
Water boils at 100 degrees.
The Earth goes around the Sun.
3. States: feelings, thoughts, possession
He likes jazz, but he doesn’t know much about it.
We own a small flat near the station.
4. Timetables and schedules (even in the future)
The train leaves at 6:45 tomorrow.
Signal words: always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never, every day, on Mondays, at the weekend, twice a week.
Quick check
“I play the guitar.” Am I playing it right now?
“I play the guitar” is a habit or ability. For right now, say “I’m playing the guitar”.
Positive, negative, questions
Level A1Use the base verb. With he, she, it (or one person or thing) add -s.
| I / you / we / they | he / she / it | |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | I work | she works |
| Negative | I don’t work | she doesn’t work |
| Question | Do you work? | Does she work? |
| Short answer | Yes, I do. / No, I don’t. | Yes, she does. / No, she doesn’t. |
The -s appears only once. When you use does or doesn’t, the main verb goes back to the base form: She doesn’t work (not doesn’t works).
Short answers
Answer with the auxiliary from the question — do / does, or am / is / are with be — not the main verb. Don’t contract a positive short answer.
Does she like jazz? — Yes, she does. / No, she doesn’t.
Wrong: Is he at home? — Yes, he’s.Is he at home? — Yes, he is.
Quick check
Which question is correct?
Does already shows he/she/it, so the main verb goes back to the base form: work.
-s and -es: spelling and sound
Level A1–A2Spelling
- Most verbs: add -s → play → plays, read → reads
- Verbs ending in -ch, -sh, -s, -x, -z, -o: add -es → watch → watches, fix → fixes, go → goes
- Consonant + y: change to -ies → study → studies, carry → carries
- Vowel + y: just add -s → play → plays, enjoy → enjoys
- Irregular: have → has, do → does, go → goes
Saying the -s
The ending has three sounds. Listen and repeat:
- /s/ after p, t, k, f: stops, works, laughs
- /z/ after most other sounds: plays, lives, goes
- /ɪz/ — an extra syllable — after s, z, sh, ch, x and ge: watches, fixes, uses, changes
She works. He plays. It watches.
Quick check
How many syllables are there in “watches”?
After -ch, -sh, -s, -x and -ge, the ending is an extra syllable: watch-es.
The verb “be”
Level A1Be is special: it doesn’t use do/does.
| Positive | Negative | Question | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | I am (I’m) | I’m not | Am I…? |
| he / she / it | is (’s) | isn’t | Is she…? |
| you / we / they | are (’re) | aren’t | Are they…? |
My parents are from Brazil.
Wrong: Do you be tired?Are you tired?
Quick check
My brother ___ a doctor.
My brother = he, so the verb is is.
How often: always, never…
Level A2- always100%
- usually
- often
- sometimes
- rarely · seldom · hardly ever
- never0%
They go before the main verb, but after “be”:
She always walks to work.
She is always late.
Wrong: He plays often tennis.He often plays tennis.
Never, rarely and hardly ever are already negative — don’t add don’t: I never eat meat (not I don’t never eat).
Quick check
Which sentence is correct?
Frequency adverbs go before the main verb: she often plays.
Wh- and subject questions
Level A2–B1Question word + do/does + subject + base verb:
Where does your sister work?
How often do you go to the gym?
Where are your keys?With be: question word + am / is / are + subject — no do.
When who or what is the subject, don’t use do/does — and the verb takes -s:
Who lives in that house?Answer: Tom lives there.
What happens at the end of the film?What is the subject of happen: no do/does, and happen takes -s.
Wrong: Who does live here?Who lives here?
Quick check
Which question asks about the person who loves?
In “Who loves Tom?”, who is the subject (Anna loves Tom), so there’s no does. “Who does Tom love?” asks about the other person.
Simple or continuous?
Level B1Use the present simple for habits and permanent things, and the present continuous for actions happening now.
I cook dinner every evening.A habit → present simple.
I’m cooking dinner right now.Happening now → present continuous.
State verbs — know, like, love, hate, want, need, own, believe, understand, remember — are normally used only in the simple form:
Wrong: I am knowing the answer.I know the answer.
Quick check
Your friend calls and asks “What are you doing?”. You answer:
It’s happening at this moment, so use the present continuous.
More on this in the present continuous lesson or the side-by-side comparison.
Passive: it is made
Level B1Use the passive when the thing and what happens to it matter more than who does it — often for facts, processes and rules. Form: am / is / are + past participle. Add by + the doer only when it’s important or new information.
| Active | Passive |
|---|---|
| They make these cars in Japan. | These cars are made in Japan. |
| People speak English in many countries. | English is spoken in many countries. |
| Solar panels power the building. | The building is powered by solar panels. |
The rubbish is collected every Tuesday.We don’t need to say who collects it.
Breakfast isn’t served after ten. Is service included?Negative: isn’t / aren’t. Question: Is / Are + subject + participle.
Wrong: Paper is make from wood.Paper is made from wood.
Quick check
“Rice is eaten all over Asia.” What does the sentence tell us about?
In the passive, rice is the subject: the sentence is about rice, not about the people who eat it.
Advanced uses
Level B2–C2Once the basics feel easy, these uses help you sound natural — and some are very formal.
Show the advanced uses
Future after time words (B2)
After when, as soon as, until, before, after we talk about the future with the present simple, not will. The other part of the sentence has will or an instruction.
Wrong: I’ll call you when she will arrive.I’ll call you when she arrives.
Don’t leave until he gets here. Text me before you leave.
Quick check
I’ll text you as soon as I ___ home.
After as soon as, when, until, before, after, talk about the future with the present simple.
Emphatic do (C1)
Put do / does before the base verb to insist that something is true — usually when someone doubts it or thinks the opposite. In speech, stress do. The main verb has no -s.
I know it’s hard to believe, but she does like him.
“You don’t care.” — “I do care!”
Wrong: He does knows the answer.He does know the answer.
Inversion after negative adverbs (C1, formal)
In formal writing and speeches, a negative adverb — never, rarely, seldom, hardly ever — can go at the start for emphasis. Then the word order is like a question: adverb + do / does + subject + base verb, or adverb + am / is / are + subject with be.
She rarely misses a deadline. → Rarely does she miss a deadline.
Seldom is he late for work.
Wrong: Rarely she misses a deadline.Rarely does she miss a deadline.
Not only works the same way: Not only does he…, but he also… Little does + subject + know / suspect / realise means the person has no idea.
Not only does he speak French, but he also teaches it.
Little does she know about the surprise party.She has no idea about it.
Present subjunctive (C2, formal)
After words that say something is necessary or wanted — insist, recommend, suggest, demand, require, request, propose, ask, and it is essential / vital / important — formal English uses the base form after that, for every subject: no -s, and be instead of is / are.
The doctor recommends that he rest for a few days.Not rests, is resting or to rest.
It is essential that she be on time.
The school requests that parents be informed immediately.Passive: be + past participle.
Should + base form means the same and is common in British English: …that he should rest. The negative is not + base form: …that he not be late.
Common mistakes
Level AllWrong: She work in a bank.She works in a bank.
Wrong: He don’t like fish.He doesn’t like fish.
Wrong: Does she speaks French?Does she speak French?
Wrong: My brother watchs TV.My brother watches TV.
Wrong: They is at home.They are at home.
Wrong: Do you like it? — Yes, I like.Do you like it? — Yes, I do.
Wrong: Does he cook? — Yes, he is.Does he cook? — Yes, he does.Answer with the auxiliary from the question.
Wrong: Is she ready? — Yes, she’s.Is she ready? — Yes, she is.Don’t contract positive short answers.
Wrong: Do she live here?Does she live here?
Wrong: I don’t never eat meat.I never eat meat. / I don’t ever eat meat.Never is already negative.
Remember
- Use it for habits, facts, states and timetables — not for what’s happening right now.
- With he, she, it add -s: works, watches, studies.
- Negatives and questions use do / does + base verb: She doesn’t work. Does she work?
- Be is different: am, is, are — never with do.
- Always, often, never… go before the main verb but after be.
- Passive: am / is / are + past participle when what happens matters more than who does it: English is spoken here.
Practise the present simple
Pick your level. Each one mixes gap-fills, word order, questions, “find the mistake” and more — new exercises every time.
- A1BeginnerFirst steps: simple sentences about you and your day.Start
- A2ElementaryEveryday routines, questions, negatives and short answers.Start
- B1IntermediateConfident questions, question tags and state verbs.Start
- B2Upper intermediateTimetables, time clauses and natural replies.Start
- C1AdvancedEmphasis and inversion for a more polished style.Start
- C2ProficientFormal structures and the subtle cases natives use.Start