Grammar | The Simple Present | Definition and Examples

grammar

Simple present tense

The simple present tense:

THE ARE 3 DIFFERENT ASPECTS / FORMS OF ENGLISH VERBS:

-Simple 

-Progressive

-Perfect

Broadly speaking verbs may refer either:

    _to AN EVENT ( i.e. a happening though of  as a simple occurrence with a definite beginning & definite end)

    _to A STATE ( i.e. a state of affairs which continues over a period and need not to have a well defined beg & end)

    _or HABIT (i.e. a set of repeated event)

A. PRESENT STATE ( situation or state of affairs which is regarded as permanent):

 1) He WORKS  in a bank.

 2) She LIVES in Paris.

----------------> In these 2 sentences the Simple Present refers to  a constant and unchanging feature of the current situation, a situation that is regarded as permanent.

+The state may stretch indefinitely into the past & future. PAST-----------Present state-----------FUTURE.

1) Water BOILS at 100 degree.

2) Computers WORK at great speed.

3) Oil FLOATS on water.

------------------> The Simple Present refers to a situation which is permanent the verbs are completely timeless. The what is true for all time ( universal truth).

B. PRESENT EVENT / ACTUAL PRESENT:

Generally the progressive form is used to refer to the actual present but also the Simple Present can be used.

+ Ex : 1) I KNOW what you MEAN.

a- It is also used in descriptions accompanying demonstrations or experiments.

+ Ex : 1) We make sure that the current IS  switched off, and then REMOVE the cover plate.

b- And in commentaries on radio or television.

+ Ex : The player hits that one off the back foot, and the ball goes straight to the boundary.

( in the case of the action or on the speaker may also use the P.PROG. The choice will depend either on the duration of the action or on the speaker's point of view.

C. PRESENT HABIT / HABITUAL ACTION (The main use of the  simple present):

 1) I  NORMALLY WAKE UP about seven.

 2) My office IS about a mile away and i USUALLY WALK. It IS  about the only exercises I GET in the city.

 3) I  ALWAYS GET UP at seven.

---------------->The verbs here refer to one of my habits which presumably existed before now and which may be assumed to continue to exist in the future.

NOTE: 

The Simple Present is regularly used in subordinate clauses that are conditional introduced by :

IF, UNLESS , PROVIDED THAT, GIVEN THAT, IN CASE, AS, WHATEVER, or temporal introduced by : AFTER, AS, BEFORE, ONCE, TILL, UNTIL, WHEREVER, AS SOON AS.

1) What will you  say if i SING?

2) He will come IN CASE you INVITE him?

3) AFTER i FINISH my homework I will go for a work.

4) Next time I will do AS my parents SAY.