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1.2 Grammar: Simple present, adverbs of frequency and prepositions of time

Simple Present

We use the Simple Present for habits or actions that happen regularly. 

For example: I watch TV every day. She plays tennis at the weekend.  

Spelling Rules  Examples 
  • most verbs take -s 
 I speak                 I like
he speaks             he likes    
  • verbs ending in -ss, -sh, -ch, -x, -o take -es  
 I watch                 I go
she watches          she goes 
  • verbs ending in a consonant +-y, drop the -y and take -ies
 I study                  I play
he studies     but   she  plays 

AFFIRMATIVE FORM 

I sleep

You sleep 

He sleeps

She sleeps

It sleeps

We sleep

You sleep

They sleep  

NEGATIVE FORM (Full Forms)

I  do not sleep

You do not sleep 

He does not sleep

She does not sleep

It does not sleep

We do not sleep

You do not sleep

They sleep  

 

NEGATIVE A FORM (Short Forms) 

I don't sleep

You don't sleep 

He doesn't sleep

She doesn't sleep

It doesn't sleep

We don't sleep

You don't sleep

They don't sleep  

 

INTERROGATIVE FORM 

Do I sleep?

Do you sleep?

Does he sleep?

Does she sleep?

Does it sleep?

Do we sleep?

Do you sleep? 

Do they sleep?

Short Answers 

Yes, I do. 

Yes, you do. 

Yes, he does. 

Yes, she does. 

Yes, it does. 

Yes, we do. 

Yes, you do. 

Yes, they do. 

 

No, I don't.

No, you don't.

No, he doesn't.

No, she doesn't.

No, it doesn't.

No, we don't.

No, you don't.

No, they don't.

NOTE:

No -s in the 3rd person singular after does/doesn't.

NOTE:

We use WHEN  to ask about time (when somethings happens).

Fo example: 

When do you sleep? Every day after my favourite programme. 



Adverbs of Frequency

10% 0%
always usually often sometimes hardly ever never

We use adverbs of frequency  to talk about how often we do something.

We place them: 

  • before the main verb. For example: She usually starts work at nine. I sometimes watch TV  in the evening. 
  • before the main verb in questions. Do you always feel happy in the morning? Does she sometimes eat bananas? 
  • after the verb to be.  For example: She is often very tired.     My parents are never angry with me. 

Note:

We can only use always, usually and often in negative sentences: 

I don't always take a shower at night.  

We don't usually have breakfast.

He doesn't often go to work by bus.

QUESTIONS WITH HOW 

  • We use how to ask about the way of doing something and about the way a person feels: 

How do you go to work? (by bus) 

How do you feel in the morning? (tired) 

  • We use How often to ask about the frequency of activities: 

How often do you go to the movies? (once a week) 

 

Prepositions of Time

we use at:

hours: at 8:00 

holidays: at Christmas 

at night, at noon, at the weekend
We use on:

days: on Monday

dates: on May 6th
We use in:

months: in August

seasons: in the winter

years: in 1992

in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening 
We use from...to and until:   duration of time:  from Monday to Friday, until 5:00 on Saturdays