The Present Simple Tense
Talk about habits, routines, facts and things that are always true — the most common tense in everyday English.
Press a button. Watch the form change.
It stays in the present simple the whole time. Switch the subject and the form, and watch where the -s appears — and where do / does takes over the work.
Got the pattern? Jump to the practice →
The rules — with examples
How to build each form, when you actually use the present simple, and the words that signal it.
The three forms
he / she / it + verb-s
She works in Madrid.
He doesn’t work here.
Does she work? — No, she doesn’t.
Watch out: after does / doesn’t the main verb has no -s — “She doesn’t work”, never “doesn’t works”.
When to use it
Spelling: he / she / it
Signal words & word order
Good to know: state verbs — like, want, know, need, have (own), believe — describe states, not actions, so we keep them in the present simple, not the continuous: “I want a coffee”, not “I am wanting”.
Practise & score yourself
Ten quick questions with instant scoring and a short explanation for every answer — especially the ones you get wrong.
The one rule to remember
Use the present simple for habits, facts and routines. The base verb stays the same — but for he, she, it you add -s in positive sentences, and the helper do / does takes the work in negatives and questions instead.