ESLGold Simple Present Tense Lyrics

1A. Explanation
The simple present tense takes one of two forms depending on the subject.
Subject
I, you
They, We
Plural nouns

He, She, It
Singular nouns
Non count-nouns
base form
eat
go
work
-s form

eats
goes
works

1B. Examples
Subjects followed by verb in base form:
I like rice.

You look nice.

They think twice.

We throw dice.

Chefs use spice.

The boys ring the doorbell.

Children sing on special occasions.

Some people bring gifts to parties.

Bees sting when they are disturbed.
Subjects with verb in ?s form:
She makes toys.

He rakes leaves.

It takes time.

Mom bakes pies.

Water slakes thirst.

Jill loves dates.

Mr. Smith fills crates.

Grandpa washes plates.

The dog jumps gates.

1C. Exercises
1. Jerry (come/comes) to school on time.
2. Jerry and Linda (come/comes) to school on time.

3. Ms. Jones (teach/teaches) geography.

4. The cat (sleep/sleeps) on the sofa every day.

5. Milk (cost/costs) two dollars a quart.

2A. Explanation

Use the simple present tense to indicate:
1. Routine actions

2. Facts

2B. Examples
Routine actions
John brushes his teeth every morning.

Carol usually drives to work.

The teacher grades homework on Fridays.
Facts
Hawaii is in the Pacific Ocean.

Some birds fly south for the winter.

Water consists of hydrogen and oxygen.

Note how the present tense is used in the following paragraph.

Mr. Lee is a bus driver. Every day he gets up at 7:00 a.m. and prepares for his day. He showers, eats his breakfast, and puts on his uniform. His wife drives him to the station where he checks in with his supervisor. Then, he gets on Bus #405 and starts the engine. He pulls out of the parking lot and begins his route. At his first stop, he picks up Mrs. Miller, who lives in a red house on the corner of Main Street and Seventh Avenue. She works at the post office and has to be to work by 9:00. At the next stop, the Bartlett twins get on the bus. They attend class at Bayside Elementary. More children get on at the next three stops, and they ride until the bus reaches their school. Mr. Lee enjoys seeing the kids every day and is happy to see them again in the afternoon when he drives them safely back home.

Common Mistakes with the simple present tense
1. Not using the -s form with singular subjects:

Jack likes Chinese food.
Jack like Chinese food.
(Correct)
(Incorrect)

2. Using the simple present tense when another tense is required.

Last night I watched television for two hours.
Last night I watch television for two hours.Wrong

. Practice telling your partner or classmates about your daily activities.

For example,

Every day I get up at _____o'clock.
Then, I eat my breakfast.
I go to work/class at _____ o'clock.
I usally finish work/class at _____o'clock.
In the evenings, I like to watch television.
I always go to bed at 10:30 p.m.

2. Ask your partner about his/her daily activities.

Example

Where do you work?
I work at Penny's.
When do you (usually) start work?
At 9:00 (a.m.)
I finish at 5:00 (p.m.)

What do you do after school?
I play soccer with my friends.
Or sometimes I go shopping with my mom.

3. Talk about someone else's daily activities.
Remember to use the -s form of the verb for third person (singular).

Example

Tyra usually gets up at 7:30.
Then she takes a shower and brushes her teeth. . .

Cory and Lori are twins.
They live in Omaha.
They ride the bus to school every day.

The Linking Verb
Recognize a linking verb when you see one.
Linking verbs do not express action. Instead, they connect the subject of the verb to additional information about the subject. Look at the examples below:

Keila is a shopaholic.

Ising isn't something that Keila can do. Is connects the subject, Keila, to additional information about her, that she will soon have a huge credit card bill to pay.

During the afternoon, my cats are content to nap on the couch.

Areing isn't something that cats can do. Are is connecting the subject, cats, to something said about them, that they enjoy sleeping on the furniture.

After drinking the old milk, Bladimiro turned green.

Turned connects the subject, Bladimiro, to something said about him, that he was needing Pepto Bismol.

A ten-item quiz seems impossibly long after a night of no studying.

Seems connects the subject, a ten-item quiz, with something said about it, that its difficulty depends on preparation, not length.

Irene always feels sleepy after pigging out on pizza from Antonio's.

Feels connects the subject, Irene, to her state of being, sleepiness.

The following verbs are true linking verbs: any form of the verb be [am, is, are, was, were, has been, are being, might have been, etc.], become, and seem. These true linking verbs are always linking verbs.

Then you have a list of verbs with multiple personalities: appear, feel, grow, look, prove, remain, smell, sound, taste, and turn. Sometimes these verbs are linking verbs; sometimes they are action verbs.

How do you tell when they are action verbs and when they are linking verbs?

If you can substitute am, is, or are and the sentence still sounds logical, you have a linking verb on your hands.

If, after the substitution, the sentence makes no sense, you are dealing with an action verb instead. Here are some examples:

Sylvia tasted the spicy squid eyeball stew.

Sylvia is the stew? I don't think so! Tasted, therefore, is an action verb in this sentence, something Sylvia is doing.

The squid eyeball stew tasted good.

The stew is good? You bet. Make your own!

I smell the delicious aroma of a mushroom and papaya pizza baking in the oven.

I am the aroma? No way! Smell, in this sentence, is an action verb, something I am doing.

The mushroom and papaya pizza smells heavenly.

The pizza is heavenly? Definitely! Try a slice!

When my dog Oreo felt the wet grass beneath her paws, she bolted up the stairs and curled up on the couch.

Oreo is the wet grass? Of course not! Here, then, felt is an action verb, something Oreo is doing.

My dog Oreo feels depressed after seven straight days of rain.

Oreo is depressed? Without a doubt! Oreo hates the wet.

This substitution will not work for appear. With appear, you have to a___yze the function of the verb.

Swooping out of the clear blue sky, the blue jay appeared on the branch.

Appear is something a blue jay can do-especially when food is near.

The blue jay appeared happy to see the bird feeder.

Here, appeared is connecting the subject, the blue jay, to its state of mind, happiness.