Verb Tenses: Simple Present (#1) Verb tenses are changes made in the form of verbs.

These changes are important for meaning because they are "signals" about time, whether something is a continuing action, and other information. One important English verb tense is the simple present. This is actually not a very good name because its meaning is not exactly simple and the time for which it is used is not exactly present. In order to understand simple present tense better, we'll look first at its form.

The Simple Present Tense: Form There are different simple present tense forms for be and for other verbs.

BE (affirmative) I am you are he is she is it is we are you are

Other Verbs (affirmative) I base form you base form he / S / form she / S / form it / S / form we base form they base form

There are also differences when be and other verbs are negative in simple present tense:

BE (negative) I am not youare not he is not she is not it is not we are not they are not

Note: Contractions are often used for not, am not, is not, and are not: are not ---> aren't is not ---> isn't I am not ---> I'm not you are not---> you're not he is not---> he's not she is not---> she's not it is not---> it's not we are not---> we aren't they are not---> they aren't

Other Verbs (negative) I do not + base form you do not + base form he does not + base form she does not + base form it does not + base form we do not + base form they do not + base form

Note: Contractions are often used for do not and does not: I do not ---> I don't you do not ---> you don't he does not ---> he doesn't she does not ---> she doesn't it does not ---> it doesn't we do not ---> we don't they do not ---> they don't They are no contractions for do or does in standard written English.

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Special Notes:

1. There is no acceptable contraction for am not in standard English. However, you will sometimes hear people say *ain't--which is considered unacceptable and "uneducated." Some people also use *ain't for you, he, she, it, and they-not only for I. 2. Final / S / has three different spellings. Many

verbs simply add -s or -es. Verbs that end in a consonant + y change the y to i and then add -es.

Verb Tenses: Simple Present (#2) In simple present tense, there are special forms for verbs. The verb be uses am, are, and is. Verbs other than be use two forms: the base form and the "/ S / form." The "/ S /" form is used when the subject is (or means) he, she, or it. There are three ways to make the "/ S / form": 1. 2. 3. by changing final y to i, then adding - s. by adding - es; by adding - s.

Detail / Examples: 1. changing final y to i, then adding - s This happens when a verb ends in a consonant + y: cry deny fly pry spy try

I, you, we, they

he, she, it

cries denies flies pries spies tries

2.

adding - es This happens in two situations: a. when a verb ends in o: do echo go solo does echoes goes soloes bus gas confess fuss pass

I, you, we, they

he, she, it

b. when a verb ends in s, ss, sh, zz, (t)ch, and x:I, you, we, they

blush finish gnash rush wash buzz fizz catch itch reach search

touch coax fax vex wax

buses gases confesses fusses passes

he, she, it

blushes finishes gnashes rushes washes buzzes fizzes catches itches reaches searches touches

coaxes faxes vexes waxes

3.

adding - s This happens with most verbs. Notice what happens when a verb ends in a vowel + y, however: decoy employ flay pray spay decoys employs flays prays spays

I, you, we, they

he, she, it

Compare the above verbs with verbs that end in a consonant + y:

I, you, we, they

decry imply fly pry spy decries implies flies pries spies

he, she, it

Special Note: The common verb have doesn't follow the usual rules: I / you / we / they have he / she / it has

Verb Tenses: Simple Present (#1)

"Simple Present" is actually not a very good name for this verb tense because its uses are not really simple and its time is not exactly present. Instead, this tense has two common uses: 1. to show actions or situations that are accepted as facts or truths; to show habits (situations or actions that are repeated many, many times).

2.

Detail / Examples: 1. showing facts or truths Use of the simple present tense shows that an action or situation is generally believed to be true or is a generally accepted fact. Examples: Most of the U.S. is in North America. Spanish and Portuguese are Romance languages. The chemical symbol for iron is Fe. A nickel equals five cents. The bodies of insects have three parts. Bronze contains both copper and tin.

2.

showing habits Use of the simple present tense can also show that an action or situation is a habit-it's typical, usual, and predictable. Examples: Jim is very punctual. Mayumi's letters are interesting to read. He smokes. They eat in the company cafeteria.