1. Present tenses

1. Present simple (indefinite)

1.1.1. Form

Affirmative: I / you / we / they + V You sign contracts.

he / she / it + V_s/es He signs contracts.

Negative: I / you / we / they +do + not + V You do not sign contracts.

he / she / it +does +not + V_s/es He does not sign contracts.

Interrogative: Do I / you / we / they + V Do you sign contracts?

Does he / she / it + V_s/es Does he sign contracts?

Short answers: Yes, I do. No, I do not. (=don’t)

Yes, he does. No, he does not. (=doesn’t)

KEEP IN MIND: Do, does are used not only in negative and interrogative sentences but also in affirmative ones to emphasize the verb.

e.g. He does know how to cut the costs.

1.1.2. Spelling rules of the verb in the third person singular

• after -s, -sh, - ch-, -x, -o, -z + ES

e.g. I mix – he mixes, I rush – he rushes, I go – he goes

• when a verb ends in a consonant + Y, the Y is changed into I+ES

e.g. I copy – he copies BUT: I stay – he stays, NOT: staies (after a vowel -Y is unchanged)

1.1.3.We use the Present Simple

• to denote routine activities, habits or repeated actions:

e.g. I commute to work.

• to state things that are generally true:

e.g. The human resources director heads up the personnel department.

• to describe permanent situations:

e.g. He owns a software company.

• to give instructions and directions:

e.g. To start the meeting, first you greet everyone.

• to talk about thought and feelings, in phrases ‘I promise’, ‘I agree’, ‘I refuse’:

e.g. I think they won’t argue about the merger.

I promise I’ll check the details.

• to talk about fixed events in the future, and timetable:

e.g. Our plane takes off at noon tomorrow.

• to describe the future action in adverbial clauses of time and condition after the conjunctions as soon as, as long as, after, before, by the time, if, in case, on condition that, once, provided, when, unless, until, etc.

e.g. When you deliver the finished goods, we’ll make payment.

BUT: I wonder when you will deliver the finished goods. (In object and attributive clauses the Future Simple can be used after when)

1.1.4. Time expressions in the present simple

• expressions of frequency (adverb phrases): once a week, twice a week, in the morning / afternoon / evening, on Thursdays, every day, most of the time, from time to time, now and then, just about, most days, mainly, traditionally, etc.

KEEP IN MIND: Expressions of frequency are used at the beginning or at the end of the sentence.

e.g. They have the meeting of the Advisory Board twice a month.

OR Twice a month, they have the meeting of the Advisory Board.

NOT: They have twice a month the meeting of the Advisory Board.

• frequency adverbs: always, almost always, generally, frequently, often, usually, as usual, normally, sometimes, occasionally, seldom, rarely, hardly ever, never, etc.

e.g. He frequently takes the train to get to work.

Does he frequently take the train to get to work?

He is frequently late.