A.TENSES
A.1 Present Simple Tense
I sing
|
A.1.1 How do we make
the Present Simple Tense?
subject
|
+
|
auxiliary verb
|
+
|
main verb
|
|
|
do
|
|
base
|
There are three important exceptions:
- For positive sentences, we do not normally use the auxiliary.
- For the 3rd person singular (he, she, it), we add s to the main
verb or es to the auxiliary.
- For the verb to be, we do not use an auxiliary, even for
questions and negatives.
Look at these examples with the main verb like:
|
subject
|
auxiliary verb
|
|
main verb
|
|
+
|
I, you, we, they
|
|
Like
|
coffee.
|
|
He, she, it
|
|
Likes
|
coffee.
|
||
-
|
I, you, we, they
|
do
|
not
|
Like
|
coffee.
|
He, she, it
|
does
|
not
|
Like
|
coffee.
|
|
?
|
Do
|
I, you, we, they
|
|
Like
|
coffee?
|
Does
|
he, she, it
|
|
Like
|
coffee?
|
Look at these examples with the main verb be. Notice that there is
no auxiliary:
|
subject
|
main verb
|
|
|
+
|
I
|
am
|
|
French.
|
You, we, they
|
are
|
|
French.
|
|
He, she, it
|
is
|
|
French.
|
|
-
|
I
|
am
|
not
|
old.
|
You, we, they
|
are
|
not
|
old.
|
|
He, she, it
|
is
|
not
|
old.
|
|
?
|
Am
|
I
|
|
late?
|
Are
|
you, we, they
|
|
late?
|
|
Is
|
he, she, it
|
|
late?
|