Present Simple Tense

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In this story you will find many examples of how the Present Simple Tense can be used. As you know we use the present simple for things that are true in general, or for things that happen sometimes or all the time:


She likes black tea.
I start work at 9 o'clock and finish at 5:30.
Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
We usually visit our friends on the weekend.

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You probably remember that after he/she/it an "s" is added to the verb as in these examples:


She speaks excellent French.
He sometimes calls her "my darling".
It makes perfect sense to me.

When we want to make a negative sentence we use the following structure:

subject (I/you/we/they) + auxiliary verb (don't) + main verb (infinitive)
subject (he/she/it) + auxiliary verb (doesn't) + main verb (infinitive)

Examples:


I don't speak Chinese.
You don't work very hard.
She doesn't call me every day.

When we want to make a question we also use do after I/you/we/they and does after he/she/it:


Do you speak Chinese?
Does she work here?
What do you do for a living?
How do you usually get to work?

Now enjoy the following story and find the present simple in italics.
"It never gets you anywhere"
Andrew Smodley is a natural worrier. It is something he has inherited from his father — the king of all worriers. But then there are those who are never happy unless they have a problem to solve. Andrew worried about the weather, the state of the pound, his health, the cost of living and once he even worried because he thought he wasn't worrying enough. But that was in the past. Things have changed because something happened to him exactly two years ago.

It was in the spring when leaves appear on trees and nature prepares herself for renewal. Other things happen too — people often fall in love. Now Andrew doesn't have a romantic disposition. He never looks up at the leaves starting to grow, sighs and says: "Ah here comes the spring!" He simply thinks to himself: "I live in a small village by a little stream and around this time of year lots of creatures start to wake up and make a lot of noise." In London, which stands on the River Thames, people make a lot of noise all the time."

I apologize for the simplicity of these statements but I want to illustrate the unimaginative nature which Andrew possesses. Towards the end of this story I give examples to show the extent of the change that he underwent.

The other character in this anecdote is a young woman called Sally Fairweather. She too lives in this tiny and remote village where Andrew has his cottage. Now Sally is an entirely different kettle of fish. Her philosophy runs as follows: "Worrying never gets you anywhere and life is too short to waste time imagining the worst."

In a word she is the complete opposite in temperament of Andrew. Here comes another cliche: Opposites attract. But you must remember that two years ago the two main characters hadn't met, which was surprising when you consider the proximity of Andrew's cottage and Sally's flat. If you take the first left after the post office, you come to Sally's place and if you take the second turning to the right after that you come to the cottage where Andrew lives.

The next participant in this village drama is the weather, which plays a very significant part in English life. It was late April and the sun had disappeared behind dark heavy rain clouds but Andrew had already set off for the local pub. Naturally he had his umbrella with him and a heavy coat following that aphorism his mother always used: "Never cast a clout (remove an article of clothing) before May is out."

Fortunately he made it to the pub before the storm broke. The moment he crossed the doorstep an old schoolfriend comes up to Andrew, offers to buy him a drink and tells him not to look so worried. Andrew showed him the newspaper headlines: "Petrol prices rise again." — "But you haven't got a car" said his friend. — "I know", retorted Andrew, "still it means everything else will go up in price, too."

Everyone in the pub looks suitably depressed at this remark and begins to think of all the price increases that will follow. The gloom is palpable. Then suddenly the door bursts open and in walks our heroine, Sally looking like a drowned rat. Most people in the pub think to themselves: "What a pretty girl!" Andrew sees her as someone who is drenched and needs help. He walks over to her and asks if she is all right. For probably the first time in his life Andrew actually transferred his worry from himself to someone else and he mixes her a special drink to protect her from a possible cold. The conversation went as follows: "I hear you live in this village, too" — "How do you know?" asked Andrew.

But Sally changed the subject. "This drink tastes delicious. How did you make it?" — "I put a drop of ginger ale and a piece of lemon in the alcohol and then stir thoroughly. I always keep those two ingredients with me when I go out at night." Suddenly Sally looked at her watch: "I must fly. My train leaves in ten minutes." — "Don't forget to take those tablets I suggested and let me know how you are." — "I'll let you know as soon as I come back from London." And then she went.

Immediately Andrew started to worry. He didn't know her name, he didn't know her address and he felt strange. He checks his pulse. He tests his mental faculties: "Two and two make four." It was a different sort of worry that was almost a concern. He wants to see her again. Within seconds he rushed out of the pub leaving his coat behind, ran into the pouring rain with no umbrella. What was happening to him? He saw Sally standing on the platform getting into the train and the train leaving the station. He jumps down from the platform onto the track and waves at the train driver to stop. The train stops and Andrew gets onto it.

Six weeks after this extraordinary episode Sally got married. Andrew doesn't worry any more now. He stays calm. The obvious time when people expected him to start worrying was during the wedding ceremony in the village church just over two years ago. As he says, "I know what everyone was thinking. They thought I would go to pieces. But I was perfectly relaxed and I owe it all to Sally. She is certainly a wonderful wife. She smiled at me when we were standing at the altar and I stopped worrying from that moment on. You can see me looking relaxed in the newspaper pictures especially that one with the caption:

ANDREW SMODLEY HANDS THE RING TO SALLY FAIRWEATHER'S FUTURE HUSBAND."

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Now, you should be able to take these tests:

Simple Present
Simple Present (2)
Simple Present (3)
Simple Present (4)
Simple Present (5)

The Walrus and the Carpenter

Lewis Carroll

The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with all his might:
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright -
And this was odd, because it was
The middle of the night.

The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Had got no business to be there
After the day was done -
"It's very rude of him," she said,
"To come and spoil the fun."

The sea was wet as wet could be,
The sands were dry as dry.
You could not see a cloud, because
No cloud was in the sky:
No birds were flying overhead -
There were no birds to fly.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Were walking close at hand;
They wept like anything to see
Such quantities of sand:
"If this were only cleared away,"
They said, "it would be grand."

"If seven maids with seven mops
Swept it for half a year,
Do you suppose", the Walrus said,
"That they could get it clear?"
"I doubt it," said the Carpenter,
And shed a bitter tear.

"O Oysters, come and walk with us!"
The Walrus did beseech.
"A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,
Along the briny beach:
We cannot do with more than four,
To give a hand to each."

The eldest Oyster looked at him,
But never a word he said:
The eldest Oyster winked his eye,
And shook his heavy head -
Meaning to say he did not choose
To leave the oyster-bed.

But four young Oysters hurried up,
All eager for the treat:
Their coats were brushed, their faces washed,
Their shoes were clean and neat -
And this was odd, because, you know,
They hadn't any feet.

Four other Oysters followed them,
And yet another four;
And thick and fast they came at last,
And more, and more, and more -
All hopping through the frothy waves,
And scrambling to the shore.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Walked on a mile or so,
And then they rested on a rock
Conveniently low:
And all the little Oysters stood
And waited in a row.

"The time has come", the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes -and ships -and sealing wax -
Of cabbages -and kings -
And why the sea is boiling hot -
And whether pigs have wings."

"But wait a bit," the Oysters cried,
"Before we have our chat;
For some of us are out of breath,
And all of us are fat!"
"No hurry!" said the Carpenter.
They thanked him much for that.

"A loaf of bread", the Walrus said,
"Is what we chiefly need:
Pepper and vinegar, besides,
Are very good indeed -
Now, if you're ready, Oysters dear,
We can begin to feed."

"But not on us!" the Oysters cried,
Turning a little blue.
"After such kindness, that would be
A dismal thing to do!"
"The night is fine," the Walrus said,
"Do you admire the view?

"It was so kind of you to come!
And you are very nice!"
The Carpenter said nothing but
"Cut us another slice.
I wish you were not quite so deaf -
I've had to ask you twice!"

"It seems a shame", the Walrus said,
"To play them such a trick.
After we've brought them out so far,
And made them trot so quick!"
The Carpenter said nothing but
"The butter's spread too thick!"

"I weep for you," the Walrus said:
"I deeply sympathize."
With sobs and tears he sorted out
Those of the largest size,
Holding his pocket-handkerchief
Before his streaming eyes.

"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?"
But answer came there none -
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.