Elementary Grammar – Present Simple

The simple present or present simple is one of the verb forms associated with the present tense in modern English. 

It is called "simple" because its basic form consists of a single word (like jog or jogs)

Present Simple is a sentence structure that is commonly used to talk about the following things:

A routine or habit:

·         “I get up at 6 o’clock”

·         “she walks to work”.

How often we do something:

·         “I often meet friends for coffee”

·         “she always walks to work”

·          “I go fishing all the time”.

Permanent states:

·         “I am English”.

·         “My family live in Spain”

·         “It rains in winter”

We often assume that Present Simple refers to ‘the present’. 

Sometimes in English it is used more than that. I could say right now I am writing on my computer but if someone asked how I got to work I could say, I ride my bike.

I rode my bike this morning, which is in the past, and I will ride my bike tomorrow and the day after that, both of which are in the future. Likewise, I have always been and always will be English.

Present Simple doesn’t describe any single action or event as occurring right now, rather it describes a regular or permanent routine, habit or state that is generally true now.

Further to this, there are uses of Present Simple to talk about actions that are clearly in the past or the future:

When telling friends about something unbelievable or surprising that happened to us in the past, “So, anyway, she walks right up to our table and throws a glass of water over Peter!”

With actions or events that are scheduled to happen at a specific time in the future, “The meeting starts at 8.00am and concludes at 11am”; “Our flight leaves at nine”.