Summary of Simple Present Tense: Negatives, Questions, and Adverbs

Simple Present Tense: Negatives, Questions & Adverbs Guide

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Introduction

The Present Simple is one of the most used English tenses. It describes regular actions, routines, facts, habits and general truths. This guide explains how to form negative and interrogative sentences, how to use adverbs of frequency, and where to place those adverbs in a sentence.

Definition: The Present Simple expresses habitual actions, facts and general statements using the base form of the verb (add -s for he/she/it in affirmative sentences).

1. Forming Negative Sentences (Simple Present)

Structure

  • Subject + do/does not + base verb + complement

Definition: Use do not (don't) for I/you/we/they and does not (doesn't) for he/she/it to make negatives in the Present Simple.

Rules

  • Use don't with: I, you, we, they.
  • Use doesn't with: he, she, it.
  • After doesn't, use the base form of the verb (no -s).

Examples

  • I do not like coffee. (I don't like coffee.)
  • She does not study at night. (She doesn't study at night.)
  • They don't play tennis on Sundays.
  • He doesn't speak Spanish. (Affirmative: He speaks Spanish.)

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Wrong: He doesn't speaks Spanish.
  • Correct: He doesn't speak Spanish.

2. Practice: Change to Negative

Convert these affirmative sentences into negatives:

  1. She likes pizza. -> She doesn't like pizza.
  2. They study English. -> They don't study English.
  3. He works in a hospital. -> He doesn't work in a hospital.
  4. We play soccer after school. -> We don't play soccer after school.
  5. My father drives to work. -> My father doesn't drive to work.

3. Forming Questions (Interrogative) in Present Simple

Structure

  • Do/Does + subject + base verb + complement?

Definition: Use do with I/you/we/they and does with he/she/it to make yes/no questions in the Present Simple.

Examples

  • Do you play soccer?
  • Does she study English?
  • Do they work on Saturdays?

Notes

  • In questions with does, the main verb stays in base form: Does he play? (not Does he plays?)

4. Practice: Change to Questions

Change these statements into questions:

  1. She likes pizza. -> Does she like pizza?
  2. They study English. -> Do they study English?
  3. He works in a hospital. -> Does he work in a hospital?
  4. We play soccer after school. -> Do we play soccer after school?
  5. My father drives to work. -> Does my father drive to work?

5. Affirmative Forms and the Third Person -s

Rule

  • For he/she/it in affirmative sentences, add -s or -es to the base verb.

Examples

  • I speak Spanish. / He speaks Italian.
  • I live in an apartment. / Mary lives in Paris.

Table: Affirmative vs Negative vs Question

FormExample (I/You/We/They)Example (He/She/It)
AffirmativeI need help.He needs help.
NegativeI don't need help.He doesn't need help.
QuestionDo you need help?Does he need help?

6. Adverbs of Frequency

Adverbs of frequency tell how often an action happens. Common adverbs and approximate percentages:

PercentageAdverbExample
100%alwaysYou are always late.
90%usuallyWe usually go to the cinema on Sunday.
70%oftenHe often cooks pasta.
50%sometimesWe sometimes order pizza for dinner.
10%hardly ever / rarelyShe hardly ever smiles.
0%neverThey are never at home when we call.

Definition: Frequency adverbs show how often something happens. Place them correctly to keep sentences natural.

Word order rules

  • In positive sentences with a main verb: Subject + frequency adverb + main verb.
    • He often cooks pasta.
  • With the verb to be: Subject + be + frequency adverb.
    • You are always late.
  • In questions: Auxiliary + subject + frequency adverb + main verb.
    • Are you always late? Does he often cook?

Use with negatives

  • Use NEVER and HARDLY EVER as positive adverbs (not in negative form).
    • Correct: He is never late. They hardly ever go t
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Present Simple Grammar

Klíčová slova: English Grammar, Listening

Klíčové pojmy: Use don't with I/you/we/they and doesn't with he/she/it for negatives, Negative structure: Subject + do/does not + base verb + complement, Question structure: Do/Does + subject + base verb + complement?, After does/doesn't use the base verb (no -s), Add -s/-es to verbs for he/she/it in affirmative sentences, Frequency adverbs show how often: always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never, Place frequency adverbs before the main verb and after the verb to be, Use never and hardly ever as positive adverbs (not with another negation)

## Introduction The Present Simple is one of the most used English tenses. It describes regular actions, routines, facts, habits and general truths. This guide explains how to form negative and interrogative sentences, how to use adverbs of frequency, and where to place those adverbs in a sentence. > Definition: The Present Simple expresses habitual actions, facts and general statements using the base form of the verb (add -s for he/she/it in affirmative sentences). ## 1. Forming Negative Sentences (Simple Present) ### Structure - Subject + **do/does not** + base verb + complement > Definition: Use **do not (don't)** for I/you/we/they and **does not (doesn't)** for he/she/it to make negatives in the Present Simple. ### Rules - Use **don't** with: I, you, we, they. - Use **doesn't** with: he, she, it. - After **doesn't**, use the base form of the verb (no -s). ### Examples - I do not like coffee. (I don't like coffee.) - She does not study at night. (She doesn't study at night.) - They don't play tennis on Sundays. - He doesn't speak Spanish. (Affirmative: He speaks Spanish.) ### Common mistakes to avoid - Wrong: *He doesn't speaks Spanish.* - Correct: *He doesn't speak Spanish.* ## 2. Practice: Change to Negative Convert these affirmative sentences into negatives: 1. She likes pizza. -> She doesn't like pizza. 2. They study English. -> They don't study English. 3. He works in a hospital. -> He doesn't work in a hospital. 4. We play soccer after school. -> We don't play soccer after school. 5. My father drives to work. -> My father doesn't drive to work. ## 3. Forming Questions (Interrogative) in Present Simple ### Structure - **Do/Does + subject + base verb + complement?** > Definition: Use **do** with I/you/we/they and **does** with he/she/it to make yes/no questions in the Present Simple. ### Examples - Do you play soccer? - Does she study English? - Do they work on Saturdays? ### Notes - In questions with **does**, the main verb stays in base form: *Does he play?* (not *Does he plays?*) ## 4. Practice: Change to Questions Change these statements into questions: 1. She likes pizza. -> Does she like pizza? 2. They study English. -> Do they study English? 3. He works in a hospital. -> Does he work in a hospital? 4. We play soccer after school. -> Do we play soccer after school? 5. My father drives to work. -> Does my father drive to work? ## 5. Affirmative Forms and the Third Person -s ### Rule - For he/she/it in affirmative sentences, add **-s** or **-es** to the base verb. ### Examples - I speak Spanish. / He speaks Italian. - I live in an apartment. / Mary lives in Paris. ### Table: Affirmative vs Negative vs Question | Form | Example (I/You/We/They) | Example (He/She/It) | | --- | --- | --- | | Affirmative | I need help. | He needs help. | | Negative | I don't need help. | He doesn't need help. | | Question | Do you need help? | Does he need help? | ## 6. Adverbs of Frequency Adverbs of frequency tell how often an action happens. Common adverbs and approximate percentages: | Percentage | Adverb | Example | | --- | --- | --- | | 100% | always | You are always late. | | 90% | usually | We usually go to the cinema on Sunday. | | 70% | often | He often cooks pasta. | | 50% | sometimes | We sometimes order pizza for dinner. | | 10% | hardly ever / rarely | She hardly ever smiles. | | 0% | never | They are never at home when we call. | > Definition: Frequency adverbs show how often something happens. Place them correctly to keep sentences natural. ### Word order rules - In positive sentences with a main verb: Subject + frequency adverb + main verb. - He often cooks pasta. - With the verb to be: Subject + be + frequency adverb. - You are always late. - In questions: Auxiliary + subject + frequency adverb + main verb. - Are you always late? Does he often cook? ### Use with negatives - Use NEVER and HARDLY EVER as positive adverbs (not in negative form). - Correct: He is never late. They hardly ever go t