The Present Simple expresses facts, routines, and states that are generally true. Use it for repeated actions and habits, schedules and timetables, and permanent or long-term situations. It also describes opinions, preferences, and other stative meanings like possession or belief. In instructions, commentary, and headings, it can make actions feel immediate and clear.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Use for habits and routines	✅ 用于习惯和日常	I walk to work every day.	🧾 我每天步行去上班。
Use for general truths and facts	✅ 用于一般真理和事实	Water boils at 100°C.	🌍 水在100°C沸腾。
Use for schedules and timetables	✅ 用于日程和时间表	The train leaves at 6:10.	🕒 火车在6:10离开。
Use for states and opinions	✅ 用于状态和观点	I think this is a good idea.	💭 我认为这是一个好主意。
Use for instructions and directions	✅ 用于指令和方向	First you open the file, then you click Save.	📌 首先你打开文件，然后点击保存。

The basic form is the subject plus the base verb, but in the third person singular you add -s or -es. With the verb be, the Present Simple uses am, is, or are instead of the base verb. Word order is stable: Subject + verb + object or complement, and time expressions often go at the end.

With he, she, it, and singular names, most verbs add -s: work → works. Add -es after -s, -sh, -ch, -x, and -o: watch → watches, go → goes. If a verb ends in consonant + y, change y to i and add -es: study → studies; if it ends in vowel + y, just add -s: play → plays. These spelling rules apply only in affirmative Present Simple for third person singular.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Add -s for most verbs	🚫 使用 do not + 基本动词	She works here.	🧾 我不同意。
Add -es after -s, -sh, -ch, -x, -o	🚫 使用 does not + 基本动词针对 he she it	He watches TV.	🧾 她不同意。
Consonant + y → -ies	🚫 do not 在 does not 之后加 -s	It studies every night.	🛠️ 他周五不工作。
Vowel + y → -s	🚫 对 be，使用 am not、is not、are not	He plays online.	🏠 他们不在家。

To make negatives in the Present Simple, use do not or does not plus the base verb. Use does not only with third person singular, and the main verb stays in the base form: he doesn’t work, not he doesn’t works. With be, form negatives without do: am not, is not, are not. Contractions are common in neutral speech and writing.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Use do not + base verb	❓ Do + subject + base verb	I do not agree.	🧾 你喜欢咖啡吗？
Use does not + base verb for he she it	❓ Does + he she it + base verb	She does not agree.	🧾 她住在附近吗？
Do not add -s after does not	❓ Wh-word + do or does	He doesn’t work on Fridays.	🧾 他们在哪里工作？
With be, use am not is not are not	❓ 与 be 结合时，颠倒 be 与主语	They aren’t at home.	🧾 你准备好了吗？

Most Present Simple questions use do or does before the subject, followed by the base verb. Yes-no questions start with Do or Does, while wh-questions place a question word before do or does. With be, invert be and the subject without do. Short answers repeat do, does, or be to match the question.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 主语	Example	🇨🇳 中文 形式
Do + subject + base verb	🙋 我	Do you like coffee?	🧩 是
Does + he she it + base verb	👉 你	Does she live nearby?	🧩 是
Wh-word + do or does	👤 他	Where do they work?	🧩 是
With be, invert be and subject	👤 她	Are you ready?	🧩 是
Short answers use do does or be	👤 它	Yes, I do. No, she doesn’t.	🧩 是

The verb be is irregular in the Present Simple and uses three forms: am, is, and are. Use be to describe identity, roles, age, condition, and location. Questions and negatives with be do not use do or does. This makes be a key exception you should treat as its own pattern.

Subject	🇨🇳 中文 主语	Form	🇨🇳 中文 形式	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
I	🙋 我	am	🧩 有	I am in London.	📱 我有一部新手机。
you	👉 你	are	🧩 有	You are right.	🗓️ 你有时间。
he	👤 他	is	🧩 有	He is a teacher.	🚗 他有一辆车。
she	👤 她	is	🧩 有	She is creative.	🎫 她有一张票。
it	👤 它	is	🧩 有	It is cold today.	🔋 它有满电。
we	👥 我们	are	🧩 有	We are on time.	📍 我们有一个会议。
they	👥 他们	are	🧩 有	They are at home.	🎒 他们有背包。

In the Present Simple, have becomes has in the third person singular. For questions and negatives, modern standard English typically uses do and does: Do you have, She doesn’t have. In some fixed expressions, have can keep older patterns like Have you got, but the core grammar is do and does with have.

Subject	🇨🇳 中文 单词/短语	Form	🇨🇳 中文 定义	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
I	🧠 think	have	💡 观点或信念	I have a new phone.	🧾 我认为没问题。
you	❤️ love	have	💡 强烈的喜爱	You have time.	🧾 她喜欢爵士乐。
he	🧳 own	has	💡 合法拥有	He has a car.	🧾 他们拥有这所房子。
she	👀 seem	has	💡 似乎是	She has a ticket.	🧾 看起来很困难。
it	🤝 belong to	has	💡 属于/为...的一部分或被拥有	It has a full battery.	🧾 这个包属于我。
we		have		We have a meeting.
they		have		They have backpacks.

Many verbs describe states rather than actions, and the Present Simple is the default choice for them. Common stative meanings include thoughts, emotions, possession, senses, and relationships. These verbs often sound unnatural in continuous forms when the meaning is a stable state. Learning this helps you choose Present Simple naturally in real speech.

Word/Phrase	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Definition	🇨🇳 中文 示例	Example	🇨🇳 中文
think	🕰️ 表示频率的副词放在主谓之前	opinion or belief	🧾 我通常乘坐公交。	I think it’s fine.
love	🕰️ 与 be 搭配时，将频率放在 be 之后	strong liking	🧾 她经常很忙。	She loves jazz.
own	🕰️ 每天/每周/每年通常放在句末	possess legally	🧾 我们每晚学习。	They own this house.
seem	🕰️ 在周一7点常放句末	appear to be	🧾 他周日打电话。	It seems difficult.
belong to		be part of or owned by		This bag belongs to me.

Present Simple often appears with time expressions that show frequency or regularity. Some expressions usually go at the end, like every day and on Mondays. Adverbs of frequency like always and often typically go before the main verb, but after be. Correct placement makes your sentences sound natural and clear.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 描述
Adverbs of frequency go before the main verb	🔊 无声的末尾音	I usually take the bus.	🗣️ 在 p t k f θ 之后，-s 发音像 s
With be, put frequency after be	🔊 有声的末尾音	She is often busy.	🗣️ 在元音和有声音辅音之后，-s 听起来像 z
Every day week year usually goes at the end	🔊 盯音结尾	We study every evening.	🗣️ 在 s z ʃ ʒ tʃ dʒ 之后，-s 增加一个音节
On Mondays at 7 often goes at the end		He calls on Sundays.

The third person singular ending -s has three common pronunciations depending on the final sound of the verb. This affects clarity in speaking, especially in fast conversation. Learn the sound rule by the last sound, not the last letter. Practicing with a few verbs in each group helps you hear and produce the difference.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文	Description	🇨🇳 中文	Notation	🇨🇳 中文	Example	🇨🇳 中文
Voiceless final sound		After p t k f θ, -s sounds like s		/s/		works
Voiced final sound		After vowels and voiced consonants, -s sounds like z		/z/		plays
Sibilant final sound		After s z ʃ ʒ tʃ dʒ, -s adds an extra syllable		/ɪz/		watches