Present Simple
BasicAdd -s for he/she/it.
- Habits and facts use the present simple.
- Add s for he / she / it: gets, goes, watches, has.
- Negatives: don't / doesn't + base verb.
文體小知識：Habits and facts.
§Text Passage
1My grandfather is seventy years old, but he is very healthy because of his good habits. He always gets up at six o'clock every day. He never uses an alarm clock because his body knows the time. Then he usually does tai chi in the park for an hour. He says the morning air is the best medicine.
2After breakfast, he often walks to the market and buys fresh vegetables. He knows every shopkeeper there by name. He sometimes drinks tea with his old friends in the afternoon, and they talk about everything under the sun. Grandpa never eats junk food and never goes to bed late. He also reads newspapers to keep his mind active.
3Words like 'always' and 'never' tell us how often we do things, so we call them adverbs of frequency. They usually go before the main verb, as in 'He often walks to the market.' Grandpa says, 'A good habit is your best friend.' I want to be like him when I am old. So now I make my bed every day and drink water instead of soft drinks. Good habits start small.
§Sentence-by-sentence translation Sentence-by-sentence translation
My grandfather is seventy years old, but he is very healthy because of his good habits.
我爺爺七十歲，但因為有好習慣，身體很健康。
He always gets up at six o'clock every day.
他每天都六點起床。
He never uses an alarm clock because his body knows the time.
他從來不用鬧鐘，因為他身體自己知道時間。
Then he usually does tai chi in the park for an hour.
接著他通常會在公園打一小時太極。
He says the morning air is the best medicine.
他說早晨的空氣就是最好的藥。
After breakfast, he often walks to the market and buys fresh vegetables.
吃完早餐，他常常步行去街市買新鮮蔬菜。
He knows every shopkeeper there by name.
街市每個檔主的名字他都叫得出。
He sometimes drinks tea with his old friends in the afternoon, and they talk about everything under the sun.
有時下午他會同老朋友喝茶，什麼都聊一聊。
Grandpa never eats junk food and never goes to bed late.
爺爺從來不吃垃圾食物，晚上又不會很晚才睡。
He also reads newspapers to keep his mind active.
他還會看報紙，令自己頭腦保持活躍。
Words like 'always' and 'never' tell us how often we do things, so we call them adverbs of frequency.
像 'always' 同 'never' 這些詞，告訴我們事情發生的頻率，所以叫做頻率副詞。
They usually go before the main verb, as in 'He often walks to the market.'
它們通常放在動詞前面，例如 'He often walks to the market.'。
Grandpa says, 'A good habit is your best friend.'
爺爺說：'A good habit is your best friend.'（好習慣就是你最好的朋友。）
I want to be like him when I am old.
我年老時也想成為他那樣的人。
So now I make my bed every day and drink water instead of soft drinks.
所以我現在每天都整理牀鋪，還用清水代替汽水。
Good habits start small.
好習慣從小處開始。
1Summary 重點摘要
Add -s for he/she/it.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
Usual action.
How often.
Every time.
Most times.
Many times.
Occasionally.
Not at all.
Daily.
3Step by step Steps
- StructureThe pattern is subject plus the base verb; add s or es when the subject is he, she or it. Example: I play football. He plays football. Checking the subject before writing is the key habit.
- UseUse the present simple for habits, facts and timetables. Example: The sun rises in the east. The train leaves at seven. Whenever something happens regularly or is always true, this is the tense to choose.
- AdverbsFrequency adverbs run from always, usually and often to sometimes and never. Example: She usually walks to school. They pair naturally with the present simple; pick the one that fits and avoid piling them up.
- TimeCommon time words: every day, on Mondays, in the morning, at weekends. Example: I go to the library on Saturdays. Every takes a singular noun, on goes with days and at with weekends and clock times.
- NegativesNegatives use do not (don't) or does not (doesn't) plus the base verb. Example: I do not like coffee. He does not like coffee. After does not the verb returns to its base form; doesn't likes is the classic mistake.
- Where frequency adverbs goPlace the adverb before the main verb but after be. Example: He always gets up at six. He is always happy. Remember: before the action verb, after be; a wrong position sounds very odd.
4Diagrams Diagrams
5Worked example Example
Question: How do we describe Grandfather's healthy habits with the present simple? Use frequency adverbs, the third-person s and one negative.
- Step 1: Habits take the present simple with the third-person s — He always gets up at six o'clock. The subject is he, so get becomes gets.
- Step 2: Add a strong adverb of frequency — He never uses an alarm clock. Never sits before the verb uses.
- Step 3: Watch the spelling of s and es — go becomes goes, watch becomes watches, have becomes has. Verbs ending in s, ch or sh take es.
- Step 4: Give the reason with because of — He is healthy because of his good habits. Because of takes a noun, while because takes a clause.
- Step 5: Use a negative for the bad habit — He does not eat junk food. The base form eat follows does not, never does not eats.
- Answer: Sample answer: My grandfather always gets up at six o'clock. He never uses an alarm clock, and he does not eat junk food. He is very healthy because of his good habits. Every verb agrees with the third-person subject, and the adverbs and the negative complete the picture.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1Use?
Q2Verb after he/she/it?
Q3Negative?
Q4Correct?
Q5Adverb position?
Q6Correct?
8Recap Recap
- Habits and facts use the present simple.
- Add s for he / she / it: gets, goes, watches, has.
- Negatives: don't / doesn't + base verb.
- Questions: Do you...? / Does he...?
- Frequency adverbs: always > usually > often > sometimes > never, before the main verb.