THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

FORM

The SIMPLE PRESENT has the same form as the infinitive but adds -S or -ES for the third person singular.

[S + V1] --I walk in the park every morning.

[DO/ DOES + S + V1] --Does he come?

[TO BE + S] --Are you here?

[S + DO/ DOES + NOT + V1] --I don't know what to do.

[S + TO BE + NOT] --He isn't at home.

The SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE is used to express:

1. HABITUAL ACTIONS(+ adverbs such as: often, usually, never, always, every day, in the morning, on Sundays, etc.):

--My mother usually goes to market on Sunday mornings.

--I  never get up late (in the morning).

2. GENERAL TRUTHS or characteristics:

--The Earth moves round the sun.

--A tailor makes clothes.

MOMENTARY ACTIONS, completed almost at the same time they are performed (in context such as: cooking, demonstrations, ceremonial utterances, stage directions, radio or TV commentaries, announcements, headlines):

--Bill gets out of bed , comes downstage a bit, and stands attentively.

PLANNED FUTURE ACTIONS, when the future action is considered part of

an  already fixed programme (with verbs of motion: come, go, leave or verbs expressing planned activity: begin, start, end, finish. The adverbials indicating future time are obligatory.):

--Our winter holiday begins on December 22^nd.

--I leave Bucharest at 8 a.m. and arrive in Brasov at 11 a.m.

5. In TEMPORAL AND CONDITIONAL CLAUSES, when there is a future/

present/ imperative in the main clause:

--Have something to eat before you go.

--If you don't hurry we shall be late.