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3: Simple Present

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    126115
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    Daily Habits & Routines

    Learning Goals

    At the end of this chapter you should be able to:

    • Add -s for the third person singular verb
    • Write yes/no questions and short answers
    • Write information questions using wh- question words
    • Add the plural marker -s ,-es, and -ies to verbs and nouns

    Recognize and use

    • the simple present in the affirmative and negative
    • adverbs of frequency

    Prepare

    Activity 3.1: Conversation

    Directions: Ask your partner or group the following questions about your morning routines. A “routine” is a habit you usually do or a series of actions you do regularly.

    • What do you do before school?
    • Do you ever wake up late? Do you usually wake up early?
    • Do you drink coffee or tea in the morning?
    • Do you do your homework in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, or at night?
    • How long does it take for you to get ready in the morning?
    • How long does it take you to get to campus? Do you live close or far from campus?
    • How do you get to campus? Drive? Bike? Bus? Walk? Carpool? Dropped-off?

    Read

    Directions: Read this story out loud with a partner. One person reads a paragraph, then the other person reads the next paragraph. When you are finished, read the story again. This time, read the paragraphs, you did not read.

    Yuri & Palani

    Hi! My name is Yuri. I am from Ukraine. I am a student at Clackamas Community College. I have a roommate. His name is Palani. He is from Laos. We live together, but we are very different.

    I wake up early at 6:00 am. Palani pushes the snooze button on his alarm clock many times, so he wakes up very late. He gets up at 7:30 am. I take a shower in the morning, but Palani takes a shower at night. I take a shower at 6:15 am. He takes a shower at 9:00 pm. I eat breakfast at home, but Palani doesn’t eat breakfast. I make coffee, and I eat cereal for breakfast. I bike to school, but Palani drives to school. I am never late. I leave at 7:30 am. Palani leaves at 7:50 am. I arrive at school early, but Palani arrives late. I arrive at school at 7:45 am. Palani arrives at 8:05 am. Palani sometimes arrives late because he can’t find parking. We are friends, so I always save him a seat next to me. We sit with Jacques and Ana. They arrive early too. Class begins at 8:00 am.

    How often do you arrive late to class? Are you similar to me, or are you more similar to Palani?

    Activity 3.2: Comprehension

    Directions: Please write the answers to the questions in complete sentences.

    1. What is the name of the man who is talking?

    ________

    2. What is the name of his roommate?

    ________

    3. What is Yuri comparing?

    ________

    4. Who wakes up early? Who wakes up late?

    ________

    5. What time does class begin?

    ________

    6. Who arrives late? Who arrives on time?

    ________

    7. How about you? Are you an early riser or a late riser?

    ________

    8. What time does Yuri wake up? What time does Palani wake up?

    ________


    Explore

    Activity 3.3: Noticing

    Part 1 Directions: Look at the story about Yuri and Palani. Choose (by underlining or otherwise marking) the verbs you find. Don’t choose the BE verb. We are not studying that verb in this chapter.

    Part 2 Directions: Complete the table with the verb forms that agree with each subject.

    Verb Subject Form
    1. wake up I
    He/Palani
    2. take I
    He/Palani
    3. leave I
    He/Palani
    4. arrive I
    He/Palani
    Activity 3.4: Try It Out!

    Directions: Write the correct simple present tense form of the verb (in parentheses) on the line.

    1. I (wake up)________ at 6:00 am.
    2. He (wake up)________ at 7:30 am.
    3. You (eat)________ breakfast on the bus.
    4. They (take)________ a shower before bed.
    5. He (take)________ a shower in the morning.
    6. We (go) ________ to a restaurant for lunch.
    7. She (have)________ cereal for breakfast.
    8. His class at Oregon City (begin)________ at 9:00 am.
    9. My classes at Harmony (begin)________ at 6:00 pm.
    10. She (wash) ________ the dishes in the morning.

    Discover

    Uses of the Simple Present

    The simple present is used for talking about routines, habits, and repeated activities in the present time. We use the simple present to talk about facts, which are always true. Time expressions (e.g., every day, in the summer) and adverbs of frequency (e.g., never, sometimes, always) signal the simple present tense.

    line graph showing a habit/routine happening consistently over time

    What is a routine? Something you do every morning, every week, every year.

    • I brush my teeth two times a day.
    • You go to the gym three times a week.
    • He makes breakfast for my children every morning.
    • She starts work at 7:00 am.
    • They do laundry every Saturday.

    What is a habit? Something you do regularly.

    • My husband reads in bed before he goes to sleep.
    • My cat wakes me up on Saturdays because he is hungry.

    What is a repeated action? Action that we do more than once.

    • I shop at Winco (not every week, but I like to go there).
    • She wears shorts in the summer.

    What is a fact? Something that is always true.

    • The moon revolves around the earth.
    • She has two children.
    • Vegetables are healthy.
    • Water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit.

    Forms of the Simple Present

    Affirmative Statements in the Simple Present

    You must add an -s to the verb with the subjects he, she, and it.

    subject + verb

    Subject Verb
    I
    You
    We
    They
    walk.
    He
    She
    It
    walks.
    Activity 3.5: Fill-in-the-Blank

    Directions: Write the correct form of the verbs in parentheses.

    1. Yuri (wake up)________ at 6:00 am.
    2. Palani (drive)________ to school.
    3. Yuri (bike)________ to school.
    4. Yuri (make)________ coffee.
    5. I (cook)________ breakfast.
    6. She (eat)________ cereal.
    7. Palani (take)________ a shower in the evening.
    8. They (carpool)________ together.
    9. She (ask)________ for a pencil.
    10. Yuri and Palani (attend) ________ Clackamas Community College.
    11. We (attend) ________ Clackamas Community College.
    12. I (take)________ a shower in the morning.
    13. He (make)________ and (drink)________ coffee every morning.
    14. She never (arrive)________ late.
    15. Class (begin)________ at 11:30 am.
    16. He usually (find)________ parking easily.
    17. Palani (live)________ with Yuri.
    18. They (brush) ________ their hair in the morning.
    19. We (brush)________ our teeth twice a day.
    20. My cats (sleep)________ all day.
    Activity 3.6: Listening

    Directions: Read the paragraph. Then, listen to your instructor read the paragraph. Listen for the verbs and write them on the line. Listen closely for the correct form of the verb.

    Ana and Pedro’s Morning Routine

    Ana and Pedro (1)________ at 6:00 am. Ana (2)________ coffee. Her brother, Pedro, (3)__________breakfast. She (4)__________a shower at 6:30 am. Her brother (5)________ a shower at 7:00 am. They (6)________ and (7)________ their teeth. Ana (8)________ the cat. Ana (9)________ her hair and (10)________ makeup. Pedro (11)________ his hair. Ana’s book bag (12)__________ready. Pedro (13)________ his books in his backpack. Ana (14)__________lunches. Class (15)________ at 9:00 am. Ana and Pedro (16)________ the house at 8:30 am. They (17)________ at school at 8:45 am. Ana (18)________ out books from the college library before class. She always (19)________ good books to read. Ana and Pedro (20)________ to class at 8:55 am. Their first class (21)________ at 10:50 am.

    Activity 3.7: Interview

    Part 1 Directions: Interview your partner.

    1. Where do you live?

    ________

    2. What time do you wake up?

    ________

    3. When do you eat breakfast?

    ________

    4. What do you eat for breakfast?

    ________

    5. How do you get to school (walk, bus, car, etc.)?

    ________

    6. What time do you go to school?

    ________

    7. What time do you get home?

    ________

    8. When do you go to bed?

    ________

    Part 2 Directions: Write 8 sentences about your own daily routine using the same questions.

    1. ________
    2. ________
    3. ________
    4. ________
    5. ________
    6. ________
    7. ________
    8. ________

    Part 3 Directions: Share and compare your daily activities. Read your sentences to your partner. Your partner reads to you. See if you have the same (or different) daily activities.

    Part 4 Directions: Your instructor will give you a Venn Diagram to complete. Write sentences about yourself where it says You. Write sentences about your partner where it says Partner. If you and your partner have any activities that are the same, write them where it says both.

    Example

    graphic organizer-venn diagram

    Adverbs of Frequency with the Simple Present

    Adverbs of frequency (AoF) let us talk about how often we do something.

    Example

    How often do you come to class? I always come to class!

    How often do you shop at Fred’s? I often shop at Fred’s.

    Study the chart below to learn the meanings of the following adverbs.

    Adverb Frequency
    always 100%
    usually 70-90%
    often 50-60%
    sometimes 30-40%
    seldom/rarely 10-20%
    never 0%

    Adverbs of Frequency (AoF) with the BE Verb

    With the BE verb, the AoFs are added between BE and the rest of the sentence. You will see in the next section that this is different with other verbs.

    subject + BE + AoF + rest of sentence

    Subject BE AoF Rest of Sentence
    I am never late.
    He
    She
    It
    is always on time.
    You
    We
    They
    are sometimes early.
    Activity 3.8: Fill-in-the-Blank

    Directions: Put the correct form of the BE verb followed by the AoF on the line.

    Example

    The teacher (be/never) is never late to class.

    1. I (be/always) ________ late.
    2. He (be/never) ________ on time.
    3. She (be/often) ________ busy on Saturday.
    4. It (be/never) ________ cold in August.
    5. You (be/usually) ________ cold in the morning.
    6. We (be/never) ________ hungry in the morning.
    7. They (be/seldom) ________ tired at 9:00 pm.
    8. You (be/rarely) ________ late for school.
    9. He (be/sometimes) ________ tired after work.
    10. It (be/usually) ________ sunny in Los Angeles.
    Activity 3.9: Fill-in-the-Blank

    Directions: Complete the sentences with the correct form of the BE verb and the AoF.

    Example

    She (always) is always late.

    1. Class (usually)________ interesting.
    2. They (often)________ busy.
    3. I (always)________ friendly.
    4. You (never)________ hungry after lunch.
    5. She (always)________ hungry at 3:00 pm.
    6. He (rarely)________ on time for class.
    7. They (sometimes)________ confused in class.
    8. You (often)________ sleepy.

    Adverbs of Frequency with Other Verbs

    When we look at the sentences in Activity 3.9, we see that we are saying how often something happens. An adjective follows the adverb of frequency (AoF). AoFs give more information about a person or a situation. For example, they show how often we are hungry, tired, late, busy, or on time.

    But, what if we want to say how often we do some activity? In that case, we don’t use the BE verb. We use another verb, like eat, sleep, cook, drive, or talk.

    Instead of adding the AoF after the verb, like we did with the BE verb, we add it before the verb. We do this because we are saying how often the activity of the verb happens.

    subject + AoF + verb + rest of sentence

    Subject AoF Verb Rest of Sentence
    I always eat breakfast.
    He
    She
    It
    usually does his own laundry.
    You
    We
    They
    never walk to school.

    We use the AoF to talk about how often or how frequently something happens.

    How often do you eat breakfast? I always eat breakfast.

    In the sentence above, we are saying how often we eat breakfast (always).

    How often does he cook dinner? He usually cooks dinner.

    In the sentence above, we are saying how often he cooks dinner. (usually).

    How often do they walk to school? They never walk to school.

    In the sentence above, we are saying how often they walk to school (never).

    Activity 3.10: Fill-in-the-Blank

    Directions: Write the Adverb of frequency (AoF) and the verb in the correct form on the line.

    Remember

    When we use any verb except the BE verb, the AoF goes before the verb.

    Example

    Miho (always/get up) always gets up at 7:00 am.

    1. I (never/eat) ________ breakfast.
    2. You (often/do) ________ laundry on Saturdays.
    3. He (usually/swim) ________ on weekends.
    4. She (never/sing) ________ karaoke.
    5. It (rarely/rain) ________ in July.
    6. They (seldom/watch) ________ movies.
    7. We (always/do) ________ our homework.
    8. She (sometimes/make)________ the bed.
    Activity 3.11: Fill-in-the-Blank

    Directions: Put the AoF and the verb in the correct order.

    Example

    often Juanita (exercise) often exercises in the evening.

    1. usually

    Ana and Pedro (wake up) ________ at 6:00 am.

    2. always

    Our class (start) ________ at 6:00 pm.

    3. rarely

    The college (cancel) ________ classes because of snow.

    4. usually

    The teacher (give) ________ us homework.

    5. often

    Vegetarians (eat) ________ vegetables.

    6. never

    The students (sleep) ________ during class.

    7. sometimes

    Ana (make) ________ lunch for Pedro.

    8. always

    Students (speak) ________ English in class.

    Activity 3.12: Classmate Interview

    Part 1 Directions: Ask your classmate the questions listed in the first column of the table. Your partner should use an AoF in their answer. Check (✔) the AoF they use.

    How often do you… always usually often sometimes seldom / rarely never
    wake up before 7:00 am?
    eat breakfast?
    fall asleep before 11:00 pm?
    drive to work?
    do laundry
    on the weekend?
    eat dinner before
    6:00 pm?
    sleep in on Sundays?
    go grocery shopping
    on the weekdays?
    come to class on time?
    do your homework
    before class?

    Part 2 Directions: Choose 5 of the questions (and answers) from Part 1. On your own lined paper, use the answers to write sentences about your classmate’s activities. Remember to use adverbs of frequency. Turn this in to your teacher. Write your name, the date, and Activity 3.12 on the top of your paper.

    Example

    Maria always does her homework before class.

    Activity 3.13: Game

    Directions:The purpose of this game is to practice using adverbs of frequency. Your teacher will give you some AoF game cards (often, sometimes, never).

    • Stand up and find a partner.
    • Ask your partner a question. Begin the sentence “How often…”
    • The partner answers the question using an AoF.
    • If your partner answers your question using the AoF that you have in your hand, give your partner the card.
    • If your partner answers using an AoF that you don’t have, then change to another student and try again.
    • You can only ask two questions before you need to change partners.
    • You can only talk to the same person after you have talked with all your other classmates.
    • Talk to as many partners as you can. When you have no more cards, sit down.

    The goal of the game is to give away all of your cards.

    Examples

    Student 1: How often do you eat french fries for breakfast?

    Student 2: I never eat french fries for breakfast.

    (Student 1 gives the card saying “never” to Student 2)

    Student 1: How often do you do your homework?

    Student 2: I usually do my homework.

    (Student 1 doesn’t have a ”usually” card. Student 1 changes partners and tries again.)

    Ideas for Questions: How often do you…

    wash your hair?

    buy a car?

    eat at a restaurant?

    call your brother?

    walk to school?


    Pronunciation and Spelling: Adding -s and -es

    We add -s and -es for two reasons:

    1. The word is a noun, and we are making it plural.

    Examples

    table → tables

    chair → chairs

    2. The word is a verb, and it agrees with the subject (he, she, or it–3rd person singular)

    Examples

    I wait → she waits

    they cook → he cooks


    Pronunciation

    In English the same letters can have different sounds. For example, the letter “c” can sound like /k/ in cat, but it can also sound like /s/ in ice.

    For words that end in -s or -es, there are three different sounds: /s/, /z/, and /ɪz/. We can predict how the -s or -es ending will sound by the last sound of the word before we add the -s or -es ending.

    Remember

    When you see the two slashes / / it means that we are talking about sound. For example, the word laugh is shown as /læf/. This symbol / / shows the sounds of the word and not the spelling.

    If the word ends with these sounds: This is the sound made by adding -s or -es: Examples
    /f/ /k/ /p/ /θ/ or /t/ → /s/ laughs, drinks, sleeps, births, writes, gets
    /b/ /d/ /g/ /l/ /m/ /n/ /ŋ/ /r/ /v/ /ð/
    and all vowel sounds
    → /z/ grabs, rides, hugs, comes, runs, sings, lives, sees, goes, plays, buys, studies
    /ʤ/ /z/ /ks/ /s/ /tʃ/ or /ʃ/ → /ɪz/ changes, quizzes, fixes, kisses, uses, teaches, pushes

    /θ/=th as in bath /ð/=th as in that /ʤ/=j as in judge /tʃ/=ch as in church /ʃ/=sh as in wash

    Activity 3.14: Pronunciation

    Directions: Look at the words and sentences below. Follow the rules above and choose the final sound of the word.

    Target Word Ending Sound
    (Circle your choice)
    1. teaches /s/
    /z/
    /ɪz/
    2. teachers /s/
    /z/
    /ɪz/
    3. asks /s/
    /z/
    /ɪz/
    4. kicks /s/
    /z/
    /ɪz/
    5. does /s/
    /z/
    /ɪz/
    6. reads /s/
    /z/
    /ɪz/
    7. watches /s/
    /z/
    /ɪz/
    8. begins /s/
    /z/
    /ɪz/
    9. pushes /s/
    /z/
    /ɪz/
    10. listens /s/
    /z/
    /ɪz/
    11. She works at a hospital. /s/
    /z/
    /ɪz/
    12. He lives with his sister. /s/
    /z/
    /ɪz/
    13. He puts the book on the table. /s/
    /z/
    /ɪz/
    14. She goes to school four nights a week. /s/
    /z/
    /ɪz/
    15. He cooks for her in the evening. /s/
    /z/
    /ɪz/
    16. We need boxes to move house. /s/
    /z/
    /ɪz/
    17. The mom buys groceries after class. /s/
    /z/
    /ɪz/
    18. The mom buys groceries after class. /s/
    /z/
    /ɪz/
    19. I sweep up the leaves on the sidewalk. /s/
    /z/
    /ɪz/
    20. The boys play soccer in the park. /s/
    /z/
    /ɪz/
    Activity 3.15: Listening

    Directions: Listen to the teacher say a list of words and then sentences. You will hear each word or sentence two times. Decide if the ending sound is /s/, /z/, or /ɪz/ and choose (by circling or otherwise marking) your choice.

    1. /s/ /z/ /ɪz/
    2. /s/ /z/ /ɪz/
    3. /s/ /z/ /ɪz/
    4. /s/ /z/ /ɪz/
    5. /s/ /z/ /ɪz/
    6. /s/ /z/ /ɪz/
    7. /s/ /z/ /ɪz/
    8. /s/ /z/ /ɪz/
    9. /s/ /z/ /ɪz/
    10. /s/ /z/ /ɪz/
    11. /s/ /z/ /ɪz/
    12. /s/ /z/ /ɪz/
    13. /s/ /z/ /ɪz/
    14. /s/ /z/ /ɪz/
    15. /s/ /z/ /ɪz/
    Activity 3.16: Listening & Speaking

    Part 1 Directions: Identify which of the three ending sounds (/s/, /z/, or /ɪz/) is at the end of each of the target words. Write the sound symbol on the line.

    Remember

    Two slashes // mean sound. Use the two lines // in your answer.

    /s/ /z/ /ɪz/

    1. changes ________
    2. crabs ________
    3. dishes ________
    4. touches ________
    5. helps ________
    6. books ________
    7. pencils ________
    8. sleeps ________
    9. mixes ________
    10. kisses ________
    11. The students eat breakfast. ________
    12. My sister walks her dog. ________
    13. The dogs eat peanut butter. ________
    14. The student catches the bus. ________
    15. I have three cats. ________
    16. Most teachers have pets. ________
    17. She writes a book. ________
    18. Natasha buys food. ________
    19. Yuri wakes up on time. ________
    20. She sees her daughter. ________

    Part 2 Directions: With a partner, say the word or sentence. Your partner will point to the sound they hear.


    Spelling

    Rule 1:

    If a word ends in /s/, /z/, /ch/, /sh/ or /x/ sound → add -es

    Only add -es for the he/she/it form of the verb (third person singular).

    Examples

    watch → watches

    wash → washes

    kiss → kisses

    I pass out papers. → She passes out papers.

    I wash the dishes. → He washes the dishes.

    Activity 3.17: Fill-in-the-Blank

    Directions: Write the correct form of the verb in parentheses on the lines.

    Remember

    Add -es if the verb ends in /s/, /z/, /ch/, /sh/ or /x/ sounds.

    1. (watch) I ________ TV in the morning, but she ________ TV at night.
    2. (wash) They ________ dishes together after dinner. He ________ dishes on weekends.
    3. (fix) My father and I ________ cars together. My husband ________ the bicycle.
    4. (teach) They ________ their daughter Ukrainian. Eva ________ her son Amharic.
    5. (brush) I ________ my teeth twice a day. He ________ three times a day.
    6. (kiss) She ________ her husband in the morning. I ________ my children before bed.
    7. (stretch) I always ________ before exercise. Viktor ________ after exercise.
    8. (guess) I never ________ the answer, but Tatiana often ________ the answer.
    9. (mix) She ________ Spanish and English. They ________ English and Ukranian.
    10. (splash) The kids ________ in the bathtub. My daughter always ________, too.
    11. (cash) I ________ my check at the bank. He ________ his check too.
    12. (latch) I ________ my screen door. She ________ her screen door.
    13. (notice) I always ________ mistakes. She never ________ mistakes when she writes.
    14. (touch) He ________ the door. We ________ the window.
    15. (brush) They ________ their hair once a day. He ________ his hair three times a day.
    16. (pass) She ________ all her classes. They ________ their ESL classes.
    17. (ask) I ________ for vegetarian food. Natasha ________ for Ukrainian food.
    18. (ask) He ________ a question. We ________ to play a game.
    19. (watch) She ________ Jackie Chan movies. They ________ Jet Li movies.
    20. (dance) I ________ twice a week. He ________ once a week.
    Activity 3.18: Listening

    Directions: Read the story. Then listen to your teacher read the story. Listen for the missing words and write them on the line. Remember that the subject and the verb of a sentence have to agree. If they don’t agree, you should listen again. Some verbs end in -s and some verbs end in -es.

    Viktor and Tatiana

    Viktor and Tatiana (1)________ married. They (2)________ English at Clackamas Community College. They (3)________ from Ukraine. Tatiana sometimes (4)________ angry with Viktor because he doesn’t help around the house. Tatiana (5)________ dinner and Viktor (6)________ TV. Tatiana (7)________ the house, and Viktor (8)________ English.

    Then Tatiana remembers that Viktor (9)________ the car while she (10)________ books. In the grocery store, he always (11)________ the shopping cart. He (12)________ for her when she is sick. He also (13)________ the socks when they (14)________ movies at home. On school nights, Viktor (15)________ the dishes after Tatiana cooks. He (16)________ her every day when they leave the house, and he (17)________ her every night before they (18)________ asleep. Then Tatiana isn’t angry anymore.

    Rule 2:

    If a word ends in a consonant plus -y, change -y to i and add -es. If the word ends in a vowel plus -y, just add -s.

    Examples

    Consonant + -y

    Change -y to i and add -es

    cry → cries

    study → studies

    Vowel + -y

    Add -s

    pay → pays

    buy → buys

    Activity 3.19: Fill-in-the-Blanks

    Directions: Write the correct form of the verb on the line in the sentences below.

    1. (study) I ________ in the morning, but he ________ at night.
    2. (worry) He ________ about money. I ________ about him.
    3. (cry) The cat ________ when I leave. The babies ________ all the time.
    4. (play) She ________ piano. We ________ violin.
    5. (pay) I ________ for groceries with a credit card. Tatiana ________ with cash.
    6. (stay) He ________ after class for help. They ________ after class to talk.
    7. (stay) She ________ at a hotel. I ___________with my mom.
    8. (worry) My husband ________ about school. I ________ about our health.
    9. (enjoy) We ________ playing board games. He ________ online games.
    10. (say) They ________ they are busy Friday, but she ________ Friday is ok.
    11. (fly) A bird ________ south in winter. Birds ________ north for the summer.
    12. (buy) They ________ paper online. She ________ supplies at the store..
    13. (fly) He ________ to Paris today. I ________ to Denver tomorrow.
    14. (study) We ________ before vocabulary tests. She ________ for grammar.
    15. (pay) He ________ for 2 classes. I ________ for 3 classes.
    16. (try) I ________ to study 3 times a week. She ________ to study every day.
    Activity 3.20: Listening

    Directions: Your instructor will give one paragraph to you and another paragraph to your partner. Listen to your partner read their paragraph and write the word you hear on the line. Then read your paragraph and your partner will write. This will help you practice adding -s and -es to verbs in the he/she/it form. Make sure one partner has a paper that says Student A at the top and the other partner has a paper that says Student B.


    Using Infinitives with Like, Want, & Need

    Some verbs can be combined with an infinitive (to + verb) to express a different meaning or opinion about the activity.

    Verb Meaning
    like + to ski (Infinitive) This shows an activity that is pleasurable or fun.
    Example: I like to ski.
    want + to go (Infinitive) This shows an activity that I have a desire to do.
    Example: I want to go to a movie.
    need + to finish (Infinitive) This shows an activity that I have to do.
    Example: I need to finish my homework.

    Activity 3.21: Fill-in-the-Blank

    Part 1 Directions: Complete the sentences by writing like, want, or need on the line.

    1. I ________ to pay my rent.
    2. She ________ to study for the test.
    3. They ________ to buy a diamond necklace.
    4. You ________ to have an expensive new car.
    5. I ________ to read a book before bed to help me sleep.
    6. You ________ to do your homework.
    7. We ________ to eat dessert first.
    8. I ________ to sleep until 10:00 am, but I ________ to get up because work starts at 7:00 am.

    Part 2 Directions: On lined paper, write one (1) sentence for each verb (like, want, need) using “I” as the subject. Then write one (1) sentence for each verb using “he” or “she” as the subject. Turn this in to your teacher. Don’t forget to write your name, the date and Activity 3.21 at the top of your paper.


    Negative Statements in the Simple Present

    Negatives with the BE Verb

    Remember

    When we make negative sentences using the BE verb, all we need to do is add not after the form of the BE verb.

    Examples

    She is not the teacher.

    He is not the cashier.

    They are not busy.

    Activity 3.22: Writing

    Directions: Make these sentences negative by adding not after the verb.

    Example

    He is the teacher. → He is not the teacher.

    1. She is a hairdresser.

    ________

    2. He is busy today.

    ________

    3. They are from Colombia.

    ________

    4. He is a contractor.

    ________

    5. It is sunny.

    ________

    6. They are students.

    ________

    7. He is a teacher.

    ________

    8. The dog is in the garden.

    ________

    Negatives with All Other Verbs

    Using Auxiliary Verbs

    There are three auxiliary verbs in English: BE, DO, and HAVE. We will learn about BE and DO in this class. We will learn about using HAVE as an auxiliary in the next level. You have already seen the first of our three auxiliary verbs, BE, in Chapter 2. We combine the BE verb with the -ing form of the verb to create the present progressive (an action happening now).

    When we make negative sentences with other verbs, we use the auxiliary verb, DO. It has two forms: do and does. The negative not comes after do or does and is followed by the base form of the main verb.

    Note

    Now that we know what an infinitive form is (e.g., to walk, to sing, to eat), we can learn about the base form. The base form is the form of the verb when we remove the to from the infinitive (e.g., walk, sing, eat, etc).

    The base form is the infinitive without the to. Instead of “to sing” (infinitive), the base form is sing. Do not add -s to the base verb. Let’s look at an example sentence.

    subj do/does neg. base verb rest of sentence

    He does not sing in the shower.

    • He is the subject
    • Does is the auxiliary verb. Do/Does agrees with the subject (3rd person singular: add -es).
    • Sing is the main verb in the base form. Do not add -s to the main verb.

    subject + auxiliary DO + not + base form + rest of sentence

    Subject Auxiliary DO Negative Base Form of Main Verb Rest of Sentence
    I
    You
    We
    They
    do not drink coffee after 5:00 pm.
    He
    She
    It
    does

    Negative Contractions

    To make negative contractions, we contract the auxiliary verb and the negative.

    Subject Auxiliary DO + not
    I
    You
    We
    They
    do not = don’t
    He
    She
    It
    does not = doesn’t
    Activity 3.23: Choose the Correct Form

    Directions: Choose the correct form, and then write the contraction on the line. Remember that the auxiliary DO (do/does) has to agree with the subject.

    1. The teacher do not / does not eat meat.

    ________

    2. I am a homemaker. I do not / does not work outside my home.

    ________

    3. She is a driver. She do not / does not work in an office.

    ________

    4. He is a vegetarian. He do not / does not eat meat.

    ________

    5. They do not / does not drink coffee in the evening.

    ________

    6. Palani do not / does not like to wake up early.

    ________

    7. Yuri do not / does not want to come to school late.

    ________

    8. Yuri do not / does not press snooze on his alarm clock.

    ________

    9. They do not / does not have the same habits.

    ________

    10. It do not / does not look like a good book.

    ________

    11. The students do not / does not do their homework.

    ________

    12. He do not / does not get good grades on tests.

    ________

    Activity 3.24: Fill-in-the-Blank

    Directions: Write the correct form of do or does on the line.

    Remember

    The negative has two parts: the auxiliary DO (do/does) + the main verb.

    Example

    (do/walk) I do not walk to school.

    1. (do/sing) She ________ not ________ in public.
    2. (do/write) They ________ not ________ on the wall.
    3. (do/drive) He ________ not ________ for a job.
    4. (do/ask) You ________ not ________ for a diamond ring.
    5. (do/play) We ________ not ________ guitar.
    6. (do/like) The dog ________ not ________ my cat.
    7. (do/type) She ________ not ________ fast.
    8. (do/read) He ________ not ________ online.
    Activity 3.25: Writing

    Directions: Make these sentences negative. Use full forms for numbers 1-5 and contractions for numbers 6-10.

    1. I go to work at 3:00 pm.

    ________

    2. She wants to eat Chinese food.

    ________

    3. They have two children.

    ________

    4. He has a dog and two cats.

    ________

    5. You need to stand in line.

    ________

    6. She finishes her homework.

    ________

    7. I eat breakfast.

    ________

    8. You drink coffee.

    ________

    9. He drinks diet soda.

    ________

    10. My car has red seats.

    ________

    Activity 3.26: Interview

    Part 1 Directions: Use the sentences below to interview your partner. Take notes on your own lined paper.

    Example

    Student A: Tell me a food you don’t like.

    Student B: I don’t like eggs.

    1. Tell me a food you don’t like.
    2. Tell me a movie you don’t like.
    3. Tell me a place you don’t like.
    4. Tell me a sport you don’t like.
    5. Tell me a color you don’t like.
    6. Tell me a singer or band you don’t like.
    7. Tell me a type of music you don’t like.
    8. Tell me a book you don’t like.

    Part 2 Directions: Now, write 5 sentences about your partner. Use your notes to help you. Write your partner’s answers in FULL sentences.

    Example

    She doesn’t like eggs.

    1. ________
    2. ________
    3. ________
    4. ________
    5. ________

    Yes/No Questions & Short Answers

    Yes/No questions mean that the answer to the question is either yes or no. These questions don’t use wh- question words. Remember, when we use an auxiliary verb, the main verb is in the base form. The auxiliary verb goes before the subject and the main verb goes after the subject.

    auxiliary DO + subject + base verb + rest of sentence

    Auxiliary DO Subject Base Form of Main Verb Rest of Sentence
    Do I
    you
    we
    they
    eat breakfast?
    Does he
    she
    it

    Short Answers

    Short answers are quick answers to yes/no questions. Remember that if the question uses the BE verb, use the BE verb in your answer. If the auxiliary DO is used in the question, then use DO in the answer.

    Examples

    Do you have cats? Yes, I do.

    Are you a teacher? Yes, I am.

    Affirmative Negative
    Yes, I
    you
    we
    they
    do. No, I
    you
    we
    they
    do not.
    OR
    don’t.
    he
    she
    it
    does. he
    she
    it
    does not.
    OR
    doesn’t.
    Examples

    Do you drink coffee in the morning? Yes, I do.

    Does he drink coffee in the morning? No, he doesn’t

    Activity 3.27: Fill-in-the-Blank

    Directions: Complete the questions with the missing auxiliary verb and subject.

    Example

    A: Does she wake up early?

    B: No, she doesn’t.

    1. A:________ do her homework every day?

    B: Yes, she does.

    2. A:________ wash the dishes after dinner?

    B: Yes, he does.

    3. A:________ eat dinner together?

    B: Yes, they do.

    4. A:________ work late every day?

    B: No, she doesn’t.

    5. A:________ drive to school?

    B: Yes, he does.

    6. A:________ study vocabulary?

    B: Yes, I do.

    7. A:________ eat lunch at home?

    B: No, we don’t.

    8. A:________ ask questions?

    B: Yes, she does.

    9. A:________ practice English at the grocery store?

    B: Yes, I do.

    10. A:________ do laundry on Saturdays?

    B: Yes, he does.

    Activity 3.28: Game

    Directions: The goal of this game is to get rid of all your cards. Your instructor will give you a set of “yes” cards and “no” cards. You will ask your classmate a yes/no question. If your classmate says no to the question, give them a card that says no. If your classmate says yes, give them a card that says yes. After you ask a question, your partner asks you a question. Then change partners and ask more questions. The first person to give away all of their cards is the winner.


    Information Questions in the Simple Present

    We have seen several lists of wh-question words in previous chapters. Here is a bigger list. You can practice making questions with the new words and review the ones you have seen in Chapters 1 and 2.

    Wh- Question Word Asks about... Example Question
    Who a person Who is your teacher?
    What information What is your name?
    Where location Where are you from?
    When
    What time
    Time
    *(specific and general)
    When is your birthday?
    What time is your class?
    Why a reason Why are you late?
    How directions, process,
    or means
    How do you get home?
    How many a number How many children
    do you have?
    How often frequency How often do you drink coffee?
    How much an amount or money How much is our textbook?
    What kind one from a group What kind of fruit
    do you like?

    *What time asks about specific time. When asks about general time.

    Examples

    What time does class start? Class starts at 9:00 am.

    When is your birthday? My birthday is in August.

    We form information questions (sometimes called wh- questions) the same as yes/no questions. Add the question word (who, what, where, when, what time, etcetera) to the beginning of the question.

    wh- + auxiliary DO + subject + main verb

    Wh- Question Word Auxiliary
    DO
    Subject Base Form
    Main Verb
    Who
    What
    Where
    When
    What time
    Why
    How
    How many
    How often
    How much
    do I
    you
    we
    they
    see?

    eat?

    drive?

    write?

    does he
    she
    it
    Activity 3.29: Choose the Correct Form

    Directions: Choose the correct question word.

    1. Who/What is your teacher? My teacher is Susan.
    2. Where/What is your address? My address is 19 Molalla Ave, Oregon City.
    3. Where/When do you wake up? I wake up at 7:30 am.
    4. Why/Who do you have an umbrella? Because it’s raining.
    5. How/Where do you take ESL? I take ESL classes at CCC.
    6. When/What do you work? I work at 5:00 pm.
    7. Why/How do you get to school? I take the bus.
    8. What/How do you cook hotdogs? I boil them, but some people grill them.
    9. How much/How often milk do you want? I want 1 cup.
    10. How many/Why cookies do you want? I want 2 dozen.
    Activity 3.30: Fill-in-the-Blank

    Directions: Fill in the blank with the correct question word.

    1. A:________ do you go to work?

    B: I go to work at 5:00 am.

    2. A:________ is he wearing a sweater?

    B: He’s cold.

    3. A:________ do you study vocabulary?

    B: I use vocabulary cards.

    4. A:________ are they from?

    B: They’re from Italy.

    5. A:________ are you doing?

    B: I’m doing my homework.

    6. A:________ often do you sleep in?

    B: I sleep in on Saturdays.

    7. A:________ time does class start?

    B: Class starts at 6:00 pm.

    8. A:________ do you study?

    B: I study at the library.

    9. A:________ is your favorite actor?

    B: My favorite actor is Brad Pitt.

    10. A:________ many classes do you take?

    B: I take three classes each term.

    Activity 3.31: Interview

    Directions: Your instructor will give you a worksheet that you can use to interview a classmate.

    • Match the wh-question word with the question. You can only use a word one time.
    • When you finish matching you will have 10 questions and 10 answers. Choose 5 questions to ask your classmate.
    • Write the answers to the 5 questions below.
    1. ________
    2. ________
    3. ________
    4. ________
    5. ________

    Review

    Activity 3.32: Error Correction

    Directions: There are 10 mistakes in the paragraph below. Find the mistakes with the simple present, adverbs of frequency, negative sentences, or -s / -es endings and correct them.

    My name is Jacques. I lives next to Yuri and Palani. I am a student at CCC also. I arrive always early to class. My brother drive me to school. I do not drives. I eat lunch with my friends. We eat often at Ana and Pedro’s house. I doesn’t cook. After class, always I study in the library. I finishes my homework in the afternoon. I study with my friend. My friend Palani finish his homework at night. I live with my family. My mother cook dinner for the family. She wash the dishes after dinner. I dry them.

    Activity 3.33: Writing

    Directions: Rewrite these sentences to include the adverb of frequency (AoF) in parentheses.

    1. (usually) We eat dinner outside in summer.

    ________

    2. (always) I wear slippers in the house.

    ________

    3. (never) My family wakes up early.

    ________

    4. (sometimes) My friends and I watch movies on Fridays.

    ________

    5. (rarely) We eat uncooked food.

    ________

    6. (often) They are late to class.

    ________

    7. (never) I finish my homework on the computer.

    ________

    8. (seldom) She takes her dog to the dog park.

    ________

    9. (usually) You are on time.

    ________

    10. (rarely) She eats fast food.

    ________

    11. (never) It snows in August.

    ________

    12. (always) It rains in October.

    ________

    13. (often) We have homework.

    ________

    14. (never) They forget books at home.

    ________

    Activity 3.34: Writing

    Directions: Write the question on the line below. Use the answer for extra information. Some questions are wh-questions, and some are yes/no questions.

    1. A: ________

    B: I wake up at 8:00 am.

    2. A: ________

    B: Yes, I do (I have a dog.)

    3. A:________

    B: My birthday is in August.

    4. A: ________

    B: No, I don’t. (I don’t do my homework in the morning.)

    5. A: ________

    B: I take a shower in the morning.

    6. A: ________

    B: I arrive early for class.

    7. A: ________

    B: He drives to school.

    8. A: ________

    B: He washes the dishes every day.

    9. A: ________

    B: Yes, I do. (I exercise 3 times a week.)

    10. A: ________

    B: I eat fast food once a month.


    Write

    Directions: Write a paragraph comparing your daily schedule with a partner’s daily schedule. Use the simple present tense, adverbs of frequency, and time expressions.

    Pre-writing:

    • Write 6 questions to ask your partner. Use 6 different wh-question words. There is a place to write each question in the chart that follows.
    • Answer the 6 questions for yourself.
    • Choose a partner, ask your questions, and then write down your partner’s answers.
    Examples

    What time do you eat breakfast?

    When do you go grocery shopping?

    Question My Answer Partner’s Answer
    1.
    2.
    3.
    4.
    5.
    6.

    Format:

    • Use your own 8.5″ x 11″ lined paper. Do not use other paper sizes, please.
    • Heading: Put your full name, the due date, and Ch. 3 Writing Assignment at the top of your paper. Your instructor will tell you where the heading goes (left or right side).
    • Indent the first sentence, skip lines (double space), and leave a 1-inch margin on the sides and bottom.

    Writing and Grammar:

    • First sentence: begin writing by using this topic sentence: [Partner’s name] and I are classmates, but we are very different.
    • In your sentences, write your answer and your partner’s answer.
    Example

    I always wake up at 6:00 am. My partner wakes up at 8:00 am.

    • Use 3 adverbs of frequency.
    • Write 2 negative sentences.
    • Use full forms; do not use contractions.
    • Use capital letters and punctuation correctly.
    • Use the rubric below to check your work.

    Model Paragraph:

    My partner and I are classmates, but we are very different. I get up very early at 5:00am. My partner doesn’t get up early. She often gets up at 9:00am. I usually drink coffee in the morning, but my partner doesn’t like coffee. She likes tea instead. I have two children, so I am busy with them. My partner is married, but she doesn’t have any children. I leave for school at 8:30am. My partners never goes straight to school. She goes to her parents house first. She always helps them because they are very old. My parents are still young at age 50 and 55.

    Assignment Rubric:

    Heading: Full Name, Due Date, Ch. 3 Writing Assignment 1 point
    Format: Indent, double space, margins 1 point
    Your paragraph has at least 10 sentences 1 point
    Every sentence has a subject and verb, & they agree 1 point
    There are 3 adverbs of frequency 3 points
    There are 2 negative sentences 4 points
    Correct use of spelling 1 point
    Correct use of capital letters 1 point
    Correct end punctuation 1 point
    Total 14 points

    Self-Assessment

    These were our goals at the beginning of Chapter 3:

    At the end of this chapter you will be able to:

    • Add -s for the third person singular verb
    • Write yes/no questions and short answers
    • Write information questions using wh- question words
    • Add -s , -es, and -ies to verbs and nouns

    Recognize and use

    • the simple present in the affirmative and negative
    • adverbs of frequency

    Directions: Choose yes if you think you achieved the goals or no in the table below if you think you did not achieve the goals. Then, write an example of the goal in the last column.

    I can… I achieved this goal: My example:
    add -s for 3rd person singular yes

    no

    He walks.
    write an affirmative sentence
    in the simple present
    yes

    no

    write a negative sentence in the simple present yes

    no

    write yes/no questions using the simple present yes

    no

    answer yes/no questions using short answers yes

    no

    make information questions using wh- question words yes

    no

    use AoF with the simple present yes

    no


    This page titled 3: Simple Present is shared under a not declared license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Susan Caisse, Kristee Emens-Hesslink, & Jennifer Rueda (OpenOregon) via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform; a detailed edit history is available upon request.