Simple Present (Present Simple) - IntroductionSimple present is also called present simple.

The simple present expresses an action in the present taking place once, never or several times. It is also used for actions that take place one after another and for actions that are set by a timetable or schedule. The simple present

also expresses facts in the present.

Exercise on Form with 'be'

Write down the missing sentences.

  affirmative negative question

I I am hungry.

you You are Sam.

he He is not here.

she Is she loud?

it It is okay.

we Are we fine?

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you You are not friendly.

they Are they happy?

Exercises on Form

Write down the missing sentences.

  affirmative negative questions

I I play.

you You help.

he He does not answer.

she Does she sing?

it It rains.

we Do we dream?

you You do not read.

they Do they work?

haveUse:

have with the personal pronouns I, you, we und they (or with the plural form of nouns) has with the personal pronouns he, she, it (or with the singular form of nouns)

example: I have a dog. / I have got a dog.

'have got' is mainly used in British English. You can also use 'have' on its own (especially in American English). In this case, however, you must form negative sentences and questions with the auxiliary verb 'do' (see 'All other verbs').

  positiv negativ question

I/you/we/they I have got. / I have. I have not got. / I do not have. Have I got? / Do I have?

he/she/it He has got. / He has. He has not got. / He does not have. Has he got? / Does he have?

Exercise on Form with 'have got'

Write down the missing sentences. Use 'have got'.

  affirmative negative question

I I have got a dog.

you You have got a bike.

he He has not got a beard.

she Has she got a sister?

it It has got a window.

we Have we got a car?

you You have not got time.

they Have they got money?

Exercise on Form with 'have' + auxiliary 'do'

Write down the missing sentences. Use 'have' and the auxiliary 'do'.

  affirmative negative question

I I have a dog.

you You have a bike.

he He does not have a beard.

she Does she have a sister?

it It has a window.

we Do we have a car?

you You do not have time.

they Do they have money?

Simple Present - Exceptions in Spelling The 3rd person singular is usually formed by adding s. But there are a few exceptions to the rule:

Animation on exceptions in spelling when adding 's'

The verbs can, may, might, must remain the same in all forms. So don't add s.

example: he can, she may, it must

Verbs ending in o or a sibilant (ch, sh, s, x) add es instead of s.

example: do - he does, wash - she washes

A final y after a consonant becomes ie before s.

example: worry - he worries

But: A final y after a vowel (a, e, i, o, u) is not modified.

example: play - he plays

Write down the third person singular of the following verbs.

1. I can - he

2. I go - he

3. I wish - he

4. I must - he

5. I hurry - he

6. I do - he

7. I may - he

8. I kiss - he

9. I worry - he

10. I teach - he

Write down the verbs in the third person singular. Note the exceptions in spelling.

1. I can swim. - She swim.

2. I miss the bus. - She the bus.

3. I know you. - She you.

4. I sit down. - She down.

5. I often cry. - She often .

6. I play chess. - She chess.

7. I come home. - She home.

8. I must go now. - She go now.

9. I fly to Rome every year. - She to Rome every year.

can

can

10. I always do my best. - She always her best.

Present Progressive - Introduction The present progressive puts emphasis on the course or duration of an action.

The present progressive is used for actions going on in the moment of speaking and for actions taking place only

for a short period of time. It is also used to express development and actions that are arranged for the near future.

Present progressive is also known as present continuous.

Use:

am with the personal pronoun I

is with the personal pronouns he, she or it (or the singular form of nouns)

are with the personal pronouns you, we, they (or the plural form of nouns)

  affirmative negative question

I I am playing. I am not playing. Am I playing?

he, she, it He is playing. He is not playing. Is he playing?

you, we, they You are playing. You are not playing. Are you playing?

Tips on how to form negative sentences and questions

Animation: negative sentences and questions

In negative sentences, we put not between the form of be and the verb.

In questions, we simply swop the places of subject and the form of be.

Exercise on Form

Complete the table with the correct forms.

  affirmative negative question

I I am working.

you You are jumping.

he He is not dreaming.

she Is she sleeping?

it It is snowing.

we Are we singing?

you You are not fighting.

they Are they reading?

Exercise on questions with interrogative particles

Ask for the information in the bold part of the sentence.

1. Ashley is going to a restaurant. -

2. Gareth is reading the paper. -

3. Stacey is playing in the garden. -

4. She is wearing a red dress. -

5. Britney is doing her homework. -

6. Mandy is leaving at nine. -

7. Joe is repairing his bike. -

8. Amanda is going out with Dan. -

9. They are meeting at two o'clock. -

10. Sandy is looking for Phil. -

Present Progressive - Exceptions in Spelling

A single, silent e at the end of the word is dropped before ing.

Where is Ashley

example: come - comingI am coming home. You are coming home. He is coming home.

But: ee at the end of the word is not changed

example: agree - agreeing

The final consonant after a short, stressed vowel is doubled before ing.

example: sit - sitting

I am sitting on the sofa. You are sitting on the sofa. He is sitting on the sofa.

The letter l as final consonant after a vowel is always doubled before ing.

example: travel - travellingI am travelling around. You are travelling around. He is travelling around.

Mind: This applies only for British English; in American English there is usually only one l.

An ie at the end of a word becomes y before ing.

example: lie - lyingI am lying in bed. You are lying in bed. He is lying in bed.

Exercise on Exceptions 1

Write down the ing form of the following words. Mind the exceptions in spelling.

1. make -

2. have -

3. sit -

4. run -

5. lie -

6. stop -

7. model -

8. get -

9. travel -

10. tie -

Exercise on Exceptions 2

Use the words below to write sentences in present progressive. Note that sometimes there are exceptions in spelling

when adding 'ing'.

making

1. He / to get / pretty nervous -

2. She / to write / a letter -

3. We / not / to work -

4. They / to argue -

5. Look! / The dog / to pee / on the carpet -

6. I / to meet / my friends tonight -

7. He / to travel / a lot -

8. The kids / to play / in the garden -

9. She / to enter / the house -

10. They / to tie / still -

He is getting prett

Simple Past (Past Simple)The simple past expresses an action in the past taking place once, never, several times. It can also be used for

actions taking place one after another or in the middle of another action.

Form of Simple Past

  Positive Negative Question

no differences I spoke. I did not speak. Did I speak?

For irregular verbs, use the past form (see list of irregular verbs, 2nd column). For regular verbs, just add “ed”.

Exceptions in Spelling when Adding ‘ed’

Exceptions in spelling when adding ed Example

after a final e only add d love – loved

final consonant after a short, stressed vowelor l as final consonant after a vowel is doubled

admit – admittedtravel – travelled

final y after a consonant becomes i hurry – hurried

Use of Simple Past action in the past taking place once, never or several times

Example: He visited his parents every weekend.

actions in the past taking place one after the other

Example: He came in, took off his coat and sat down.

action in the past taking place in the middle of another action

Example: When I was having breakfast, the phone suddenly rang.

if sentences type II (If I talked, …)

Example: If I had a lot of money, I would share it with you.

Signal Words of Simple Past yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in 1990, the other day, last Friday

If-Satz Typ II (If I talked, …)

Exercise Was or Were?

Complete the sentences with was or were.

1. I happy.

2. You angry.

3. She in London last week.

4. He on holiday.

5. It cold.

6. We at school.

7. You at the cinema.

8. They at home.

9. The cat on the roof.

10. The children in the garden.

Exercise on positive sentences

Write positive sentences in simple past.

1. he / the question / answer

2. you / a question / ask

3. the dog / bark

4. they / us / call

5. we / a mountain / climb

6. John / stamps / collect

7. we / in London / live

8. I / hungry / be

9. they / a hamster / have

10. he / to school / go

Exercise on Simple PastHave a look at James's last week's diary and answer the questions in complete

sentences. Put the time expression at the end of the sentence.

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

football shopping meeting ring Jane buy flowers concert sailing

  cinema tennis English Italian restaurant    

1. When was his English course? →

2. When did he go shopping? →

3. When did he buy flowers? →

4. When was his meeting? →

5. When did he play football? →

6. When did he go to the Italian restaurant? →

7. When did he ring Jane? →

8. When did he go to the cinema? →

9. When did he play tennis? →

10. When was the concert? →

11. When did he go sailing? →

Exercise on negative sentences Rewrite the sentences in the negative.

1. They collected postcards. →

2. You jumped high. →

3. Albert played squash. →

4. The teacher tested our English. →

5. Fiona visited her grandma. →

6. He washed the car. →

7. You were thirsty. →

8. He had a computer. →

9. I bought bread. →

10. You saw the house. →

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They did not

Exercise on questions Write questions in simple past.

1. Anna / the window / open

2. she / home / walk

3. you / in the garden / work

4. you / a song / sing

5. she / on a chair / sit

6. you / the castle / visit

7. Jenny / the door / lock

8. she / happy / be

9. Greg / the ball / kick

10. the car / at the corner / stop

Exercise on questions with interrogative. Ask for the bold part of the sentence.

1. She pushed her bike. →

2. She carried a bag. →

3. We waited in the park. →

4. The policeman arrested the thief. →

5. We ate fish. →

6. She watched the match last night. →

7. She asked her friend because she did not know what to do. →

8. I opened the door. →

9. The teacher checked our homework. →

10. Cindy Cindy had a dog. →

Put the verbs into the correct form (simple past).

1. Last year I (spend) my holiday in Ireland.

2. It (be) great.

3. I (travel) around by car with two friends and we (visit) lots of interesting places.

Did Anna op

spent

4. In the evenings we usually (go) to a pub.

5. One night we even (learn) some Irish dances.

6. We (be) very lucky with the weather.

7. It (not / rain) a lot.

8. But we (see) some beautiful rainbows.

9. Where (spend / you) your last holiday?

Past Progressive (Past Continuous) The past progressive puts emphasis on the course of an action in the past.

Form

  Positive Negative Question

I / he / she / it I was speaking. I was not speaking. Was I speaking?

you / we / they You were speaking. You were not speaking. Were you speaking?

Exceptions in Spelling

Exceptions in spelling when adding ing Example

final e is dropped (but: ee is not changed) come – coming(but: agree – agreeing)

after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled sit – sitting

l as final consonant after a vowel is doubled (in British English) travel – travelling

final ie becomes y lie – lying

Use of Past Progressive puts emphasis on the course of an action in the past

Example: He was playing football.

two actions happening at the same time (in the past)

Example: While she was preparing dinner, he was washing the dishes.

action going on at a certain time in the past

Example: When I was having breakfast, the phone suddenly rang.

Signal Words of Past Progressive when, while, as long as

Was or Were Decide whether to use 'was' or 'were'.

1. Boris learning English.

2. They swimming in the lake.

3. Your father repairing the car.

4. I reading a magazine.

5. You packing your bag.

6. My friends watching the match on TV.

7. It raining.

8. The dog barking.

9. The children brushing their teeth.

10. Anne and Maureen singing a song.

Positive SentencesYesterday at 3 pm the following people were in the middle of an action.Write positive sentences in past progressive.

1. you / play / cards

2. Alice / walk / around the lake

3. Caron / listen / to the radio

4. we / read / a book about Australia

5. Linda / look for / her ring

6. Fiona and Sam / visit / the castle

7. Ben / wash / the car

8. Kim and I / wait / in the park

9. My sister / feed / the birds

10. Greg and Phil / count / their money

Negative Sentences

Somebody believes that yesterday at 3 pm the following people were in the middle of an action. That cannot be, however, as yesterday at 3 pm these people were not doing those things.Write negative sentences in past progressive.

1. Sarah and Luke / not / work

2. Mister Miller / not / teach / chemistry

3. Barry / not / drive / a lorry

4. Mandy / not / have / lunch

5. Albert / not / play / tennis

6. Taylor and Bob / not / cycle / home

7. Annie / not / clean / the table

8. Benjamin / not / write / an e-mail

9. Jane / not / exercise / in the gym

10. Robert / not / buy / flowers

Questions Write questions in past progressive.

1. Rachel / feed / the cat

2. the children / paint / a picture

3. Clark / repair / his computer

4. Hazel / swim / in the pool

5. Lucas / have / a shower

6. Jason and Aron / run / down the street

7. Betty / do / her homework

8. Cindy and James / make / dinner

9. Rebecca / watch / Star Trek

10. Anita and Linda / sit / in the kitchen

Questions with Interrogatives Ask for the information in the bold part of the sentence.

1. Henry was living in London last year.

2. Anita was working at a restaurant last week.

3. Ricky was waiting for Holly.

4. Sarah was singing a song.

5. Joe was reading a book.

6. At six o'clock, Myriam and her family were having dinner.

7. Bob was walking home because his car had a flat tire.

8. At half past seven, Mister Logan was driving home.

9. The children were playing in the sandbox.

10. Claire was visiting her best friend.

Put the verbs into the correct form (past progressive).

1. When I phoned my friends, they (play) monopoly.

2. Yesterday at six I (prepare) dinner.

3. The kids (play) in the garden when it suddenly began to rain.

4. I (practise) the guitar when he came home.

5. We (not / cycle) all day.

6. While Aaron (work) in his room, his friends (swim) in the pool.

7. I tried to tell them the truth but they (listen / not) .

8. What (you / do) yesterday?

9. Most of the time we (sit) in the park.

Simple Past – Past ProgressiveForm

Simple Past Past Progressive

irregular verbs: see 2nd column of irregular verbs

I spoke

regular verbs: verb + ed

I worked

past form of 'be' + ing form of verb

 

I was speaking

you were speaking

he / she / it was speaking

we were speaking

they were speaking

Exceptions

Exceptions when adding 'ed' :

when the final letter is e, only add d.

Example: love - loved

after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled

Exceptions when adding 'ing' :

silent e is dropped (but: does not apply for -ee)

Example: come - coming

but: agree - agreeing

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w ere playin

Example: admit - admitted

final l is always doubled in British English (not in American English)

Example: travel - travelled

after a consonant, final y becomes i. (but: not after a vowel)

Example: worry - he worried

but: play - he played

after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled

Example: sit - sitting

final l is always doubled in British English (not in American English)

Example: travel - travelling

final ie becomes y.

Example: lie - lying

Use

After another or at the same time?

Do you want to express that the actions in the past happened one after another or at the same time?

Simple Past Past Progressive

after another

She came home, switched on the computer and checked her e-

mails.

at the same time

Simon was playing on the computer while his brother was watching

TV.

New action or already in progress?

If you want to express that a new action happened in the middle of another action, you need both tenses: Simple

Past the new action and Past Progressive for the action already in progress.

Simple Past Past Progressive

new action

My mobile rang (when I was sitting in a meeting.)

action already in progress

While I was sitting in a meeting, (my mobile suddenly rang.)

Only mentioning or emphasising progress?

Do you just want to mention that an action took place in the past (also used for short actions)? Or do you want to

put emphasis on the progress, e.g. that an action was taking place at a certain time?

Simple Past Past Progressive

just mentioning emphasising progress

Colin played football yesterday. Yesterday at six o'clock, Colin was playing football.

Certain Verbs

The following verbs are usually only used in Simple Past (not in the progressive form).

state: be, cost, fit, mean, suit

Example: We were on holiday.

possession: belong, have

Example: Sam had a cat.

senses: feel, hear, see, smell, taste, touch

Example: He felt the cold.

feelings: hate, hope, like, love, prefer, regret, want, wish

Example: Jane loved pizza.

brain work: believe, know, think, understand

Example: I did not understand him.

introductory clauses for direct speech: answer, ask, reply, say

Example: “I am watching TV,“ he said.