Simple Present 1

The simple present is used to describe habits, unchanging situations, general truths, and scheduled actions.
We form the present tense using the base form (V1)of the infinitive (without the TO).
In general, in the third person we add 'S'(s form) in the third person.

Subject	Verb	The Rest of the sentence
I / you / we / they	speak /write	Malayalam at home
he / she / it	speaks / writes	Malayalam at home

• For habits
• I take the train to the office.
• The bus to Calcutta leaves every hour
• She only drinks coffee.
• They watch television regularly.

• For general truths
• Water boils at 100 degrees.
• The Earth revolves around the Sun.
• He is an Indian
• For instructions or directions
• Open the packet and pour the contents into hot water.
• You take the No.6 bus to Delhi and then the No.10 to Agra
• For scheduled actions
• Exam starts on Monday
• Prime minister visit Cochi on Monday

To make a negative sentence in English we normally use Don't or Doesn't with all verbs EXCEPT To Be and Modal verbs (can, might, should etc.).

Affirmative: You speak Malayalam
Negative: You don't speak Malayalam

You will see that we add don't between the subject and the verb. We use Don't when the subject is I, you, we or they.

Affirmative: He speaks Malayalam
Negative: He doesn't speak Malayalam

When the subject is he, she or it, we add doesn't between the subject and the verb to make a negative sentence. Notice that the letter S at the end of the verb in the affirmative sentence (because it is in third person) disappears in the negative sentence.

To make a question in English we normally use Do or Does. It is normally put at the beginning of the question.

Affirmative: You speak English.
Question: Do you speak English?

You will see that we add DO at the beginning of the affirmative sentence to make it a question. We use Do when the subject is I, you, we or they.

Affirmative: He speaks Malayalam
Question: Does he speak Malayalam?

When the subject is he, she or it, we add DOES at the beginning to make the affirmative sentence a question. Notice that the letter S at the end of the verb in the affirmative sentence (because it is in third person) disappears in the question. We will see the reason why below.

We DON'T use Do or Does in questions that have the verb To Be or Modal Verbs (can, must, might, should etc.)

Key words: always, usually, often, sometimes, seldom, rarely, never, every day, on Sundays, etc.