Guide to the Simple Present – TOEIC® Preparation

1. Construction of the Simple Present

1.1 How to conjugate a verb in the simple present

Common pitfalls to absolutely avoid

• Omitting the -s in the third person singular (he / she / it) in affirmative sentences: all verbs, except modals, add an -s to this person.
  • She read ❌ → She reads ✅
• Adding an -s to the main verb in the third person singular in questions and negations:
  • Does she reads? ❌ → Does she read? ✅
• Unlike in French, you must never add an -s to they: this plural marker only applies to he / she / it.
  • They reads ❌ → They read ✅

💡 The auxiliary do / does (to be distinguished from the verb DO - faire) is an empty auxiliary ("dummy auxiliary"). It is only used to construct interrogative and negative structures in English, but carries no meaning in itself.

🚧 Exception: The auxiliary do / does can be used to mark emphasis or insistence: I do appreciate your help. (J'apprécie VRAIMENT votre aide.)

1.2 Construction of the auxiliaries BE and HAVE in the simple present

1.2.1 Conjugation of the auxiliary BE (verb to be)

With the verb / auxiliary be, it is not necessary to use the auxiliary do / does to form questions and negations.

Exception: Some French expressions with the verb avoir (to have) are translated using the verb BE in English: She has 43 years old ❌ → She is 43 years old ✅ (Elle a 43 ans)

• The French expression "il y a" (there is/are, or "you have" in some contexts) translates to "there is" / "there are" in English:
  • There is a black cat on the sidewalk - Il y a un chat noir sur le trottoir
• The French phrases "c'est" or "ce sont" become "It is" or "They are" in English.
  • It is on your right - C'est sur ta droite

1.2.2 Conjugation of the auxiliary HAVE (verb to have)

💡 Unlike "be," the verb "have" requires the use of the auxiliary "do" to construct interrogative and negative sentences.

2. Uses of the Simple Present

2.1. General states and permanent situations

The simple present is used to describe general states and permanent situations. Concretely, this means that the action occurs either habitually or at an unspecified time, and that this action has no set time limit.

• The sun rises in the east: permanent state, because the sun rises in the east every day.
• I like swimming: permanent state, because I enjoy swimming and this is unlikely to change soon.

2.2. Habits and repetitive actions

The simple present is also used to express habitual actions or daily routines. This tense is frequently accompanied by an adverb of frequency to emphasize the repetitive nature of the action.

For daily habits:

• She wakes up at 6am every day
• They always eat dinner together as a family at 7pm

To describe repetitive actions:

• The sun rises in the east and sets in the west every day.

Frequency markers

Adverbs of frequency systematically accompany the simple present. Here is a selection of the most common adverbs in the TOEIC®:

• always (toujours)
• occasionally (occasionnellement)
• rarely / seldom (rarement)
• usually (habituellement)
• hardly ever (presque jamais)
• often (souvent)
• sometimes (parfois)
• never (jamais)

💡 The adverb always can sometimes be used with the present continuous (we will address this point later)

How to position the adverb of frequency in the sentence?

• before the main verb: She often visits her grandparents.
• after the auxiliary: We can usually meet during the afternoon.

2.3. Universal truths and scientific facts

The simple present is also used to state scientific facts or general truths. It expresses a universal and immutable reality that does not change over time.

• The Earth revolves around the Sun
• Gravity pulls objects towards the center of the Earth

2.4. Schedules and planned events

The simple present can also express fixed timetables and established programs, such as transport or class schedules, or a typical day. It can also be used to refer to the future, especially for events planned in advance.

• The train leaves at 9 o'clock: this can mean that the train will leave (in the future) at 9 o'clock
• The movie starts at 8pm: this means the film will begin at 8 pm.

The simple present expresses recurring and scheduled actions. For example, the sentence "The train leaves at 9 o'clock" can mean "in the future, the train will leave at 9 o'clock," but it can also mean "the train leaves every day at 9 o'clock."

Conclusion

If you wish to deepen your knowledge of the present tense to perfectly master this verb tense for your TOEIC® exam, we suggest you consult these resources:

1. 🔗 The Present Continuous for the TOEIC®
2. 🔗 Simple Present VS Present Continuous for the TOEIC®