Present simple (I do)
A. Study
this example situation:
Alex is a bus driver, but now he
is in bed asleep. So: He is not driving a bus. (He is asleep.) but He drives a
bus. (He is a bus driver.)
Drive(s)/work(s)/do(es) etc. is
the present simple:
I/we/you/they drive/work/do etc.
he/she/it
drives/works/does etc.
B. We
use the present simple to talk about things in general. We are not thinking
only about now. We use it to say that something happens all the time or
repeatedly, or that something is true in general. It is not important whether
the action is happening at the time of speaking:
* Nurses took after patients in
hospitals.
* I usually go away at weekends.
* The earth goes round the sun.
Remember that we say: he/she/it
-s. Don't forget the s:
I work ... but He works ... They
teach ... but My sister teaches ...
For spelling (-s or -es), see
Appendix 6.
C. We
use do/does to make questions and negative sentences:
do I/we/you/they work?/come?/do?
does he/she/it work?/come?/do?
I/we/you/they don't work/come/do
he/she/it doesn't work/come/do
* I come from Canada. Where do
you come from?
* 'Would you like a cigarette?'
'No, thanks. I don't smoke.'
* What does this word mean? (not
'What means this word?')
* Rice doesn't grow in cold
climates.
In the following examples do is
also the main verb:
* 'What do you do?' (= What's
your job?) 'I work in a shop.'
* He's so lazy. He doesn't do
anything to help me. (not 'He doesn't anything')
D. We use the present simple
when we say how often we do things:
* I get up at 8 o'clock every
morning. (not 'I'm getting')
* How often do you go to the
dentist? (not 'How often are you going?')
* Ann doesn't drink tea very
often.
* In summer John usually plays
tennis once or twice a week.
E. I
promise/I apologise etc.
Sometimes we do things by saying
something. For example, when you promise to do something, you can say 'I
promise ...'; when you suggest something, you can say J suggest ...'. We use
the present simple (promise/suggest etc.) in sentences like this:
* I promise I won't be late.
(not 'I'm promising')
* 'What do you suggest I do?' 'I
suggest that you ...'
In the same way we say: I
apologise .../I advise .../I insist .../I agree ... /I refuse ... etc.
EXERCISES
2.1
Complete the sentences using one of the following:
cause(s) close(s)
drink(s) live(s) open(s)
speak(s) take(s) place
1. Ann speaks German very well.
2. I never --- coffee. drink
3. The swimming pool --- at 9
o'clock and --- at 18.30 every day. Opens, closes
4. Bad driving --- many accidents.
causes
5. My parents --- in a very at
small flat. live
6. The Olympic Games --- every
four years. Take place
2.2 Put
the verb into the correct form.
1. Jane doesn't drink
(not/drink) tea very often.
2. What time --- (the
banks/close) in Britain? Do the banks close
3. 'Where --- (Martin/come)
from?' 'He's Scottish.' Does Martin come
4. 'What --- (you/do)?' 'I'm an
electrical engineer.' – do you do
5. It --- (take) me an hour to
get to work. How long --- (it/take) you? – take, does it take
6. I --- (play) the piano but I
--- (not/play) very well. Play , don’t play
7. I don't understand this
sentence. What --- (this word/mean)? Does this word mean
2.3 Use
one of the following verbs to complete these sentences. Sometimes you need the
negative:
believe
eat flow go
grow make rise
tell translate
1. The earth goes round the sun.
2. Rice doesn't grow in Britain.
3. The sun --- in the east.
rises
4. Bees --- honey. - make
5. Vegetarians --- meat. – don’t
eat
6. An atheist --- in God.
doesn’t believe
7. An interpreter --- from one
language into another. translates
8. A liar is someone who --- the
truth. Does not tell
9. The River Amazon --- into the
Atlantic Ocean. flows
2.4 Ask
Liz questions about herself and her family.
1. You know that Liz plays
tennis. You want to know how often. Ask her.
How often do you play tennis?
2. Perhaps Liz's sister plays
tennis too. You want to know. Ask Liz.
--- your sister --- - does your
sister play tennis?
3. You know that Liz reads a
newspaper every day. You want to know which one. Ask her.
--- Which newspaper do you read
everyday?
4. You know that Liz's brother
works. You want to know what he does. Ask Liz.
--- - what does your brother do?
5. You know that Liz goes to the
cinema a lot. You want to know how often. Ask her.
--- How often do you go to the
cinema?
6. You don't know where Liz's
mother lives. Ask Liz.
--- Where does your mother live
?
2.5
Complete using one of the following.
I apologise I insist
I promise I recommend I suggest
1. It's a nice day. I suggest we
go out for a walk.
2. I won't tell anybody what you
said. ---. I promise
3. (in a restaurant) You must
let me pay for the meal. ---. – I insist
4. --- for what I said about
you. It wasn't true and I shouldn't have said it. – I apologize
5. The new restaurant in Hill
Street is very good --- it. I recommend
