How to conjugate English verbs in the simple present

The simple present is one of the most common tenses in English. While it may at first seem pretty, well, simple, there’s still plenty to understand.

Here’s everything you need to know about the simple present tense!

In this post:

• When to use the English present tense
• How to conjugate the simple present
  • Spelling changes
  • Pronunciation
  • The verb to be
  • Negation
  • Questions
• Keywords for the simple present
• List of English verbs in the simple present

What is the English present tense and when do you use it?

The simple present tense is used for:

1. Actions that happen regularly or habitually
I do laundry on Wednesdays.
We watch a movie once a week.
Eddy goes to the gym every day.

2. General truths and stative verbs (for example want, think, have)
They never eat meat.
Junior loves ice cream.
I have a sister.

3. Scheduled events
My train arrives at 5 o'clock.
That new bookstore opens this weekend.
The wedding is at noon tomorrow.

How do you conjugate English verbs in the simple present?

Luckily, verbs in the simple present tense mostly stay the same no matter the subject of the sentence. In fact, for the subjects I, you, we, and they, you use the base form of the verb to form the simple present. 

However, there is one important exception:

For example:

Spelling changes for the third person singular 

There are special spelling rules that must be followed for certain verbs in the third person singular (he/she/it).

Pronunciation of the third person singular 

The pronunciation of the third person singular -s can be tricky because it changes depending on the sound that comes before it. (Remember to think about the last sound and not the last letter—they won’t always be the same in English!) 

If a verb ends in a voiced sound (one in which you vibrate your vocal folds, such as “b”), the -s at the end of the word is pronounced like the “z” in zoo.

If a verb ends in a voiceless sound (one in which you don’t vibrate your vocal folds, like “p”), the -s at the end of the word is pronounced like the “s” in sun.

Finally, if a verb ends in a sibilant sound (such as “s”), the third person singular ending is a whole syllable, pronounced “-iz”, like the word is.

The verb to be in the simple present tense

The verb to be is irregular in the simple present tense:

Negation of the simple present tense

Negative sentences in the simple present are formed as follows:

subject + do not/does not + base verb

Do not is used for the subjects I, you, we and they, and does not is used for the subjects he/she/it.

In addition, do not is often contracted to form the word don’t, and does not is often contracted to form the word doesn’t.

Questions in the simple present tense

English has different rules for forming different types of questions, and there are present tense versions of each question type!

When asking questions with the verb to be, use the present tense form of be that matches the subject.

Yes/no questions with to be
am/is/are + subject

Q: Are you hungry?
A: Yes, I’m hungry.

Wh-questions with to be
question word + am/is/are + subject

Q: When is the concert?
A: The concert is on Friday.

For questions with verbs other than to be, use the auxiliary verb do (for I, you, we, they) or does (for he/she/it) along with the base form of the main verb. 

Yes/no questions with other verbs
do/does + subject + base verb

Q: Does Junior like ice cream?
A: Yes, Junior likes ice cream.

Wh-questions with other verbs
question word + do/does + subject + base verb

Q: When does Vikram come home from work?
A: Vikram usually comes home from work at 6 pm.

Keywords that signal the simple present

There are certain words that are often used with the simple present. These signal words are great clues to help you know when to use this tense.

• always
• never
• usually
• often
• sometimes
• rarely
• normally
• on ___
  • on Mondays (on Tuesdays, on Wednesdays, etc.)
  • on weekends
• once a ___ (twice a ___, three times a ___, etc.)
  • once a day
  • twice a week
  • three times a month
  • once a year
• every ___
  • every day
  • every morning
  • every month
  • every year
  • every Monday (every Tuesday, every Wednesday, etc.)
  • every week

List of English verbs in the simple present tense

The table below will help you understand how verbs change in the simple present tense!

There's no time like the present

The simple present is a very useful tense in English, and with a little practice, you’ll be prepared to use it with confidence!

Bookmark these other posts about the most common verb forms:

• Regular vs. irregular verbs in English
• When to use “do” vs. “make”
• All the forms of the verb “to be”