Present Indefinite Tense – Rules Exercises

In this lesson, we’ll learn the present indefinite tense with its definition, rules, formulas, exercises, and sentence types like interrogative, negative, and interro-negative sentences.

You use the present indefinite tense (or simple present tense) in the following situations:

1. To describe habitual actions or routines:
   Actions that occur regularly, usually every day, week, or month.
   • I go to the gym every morning.
   • She drinks coffee at 7 AM.
2. To state general truths or facts:
   Facts that are always true or universally accepted.
   • Water boils at 100°C.
   • The Earth orbits the Sun.
3. To express unchanging situations or conditions:
   Things that are constant or permanent.
   • He works in a hospital.
   • They live in London.
4. To talk about scheduled events (often for public transportation, timetables, or events that are planned):
   • The train leaves at 10 AM.
   • The meeting starts at 3 PM.
5. To give instructions or directions:
   • First, mix the ingredients together.
   • Turn left at the traffic lights.
6. For future events in fixed or scheduled contexts (like timetables or programs):
   • The concert begins at 8 PM.
   • The flight departs tomorrow.

In all of these cases, the present indefinite tense is used because the action is either a regular occurrence, a fact, or something that’s not expected to change.

Present Indefinite Tense Formula

The Present Indefinite Tense (also called Simple Present Tense) is used to describe habitual actions, general truths, and facts. Here are the formulas for different types of sentences:

1. Affirmative Sentences

Formula:
🔹 Subject + V1 (base form) + s/es (if subject is he/she/it) + Object

✅ Examples:

• She writes a letter.
• They play football.

2. Negative Sentences

Formula:
🔹 Subject + do/does + not + V1 + Object

✅ Examples:

• He does not like tea.
• We do not watch TV.

3. Interrogative Sentences

Formula:
🔹 Do/Does + Subject + V1 + Object + ?

✅ Examples:

• Does she write a letter?
• Do they play football?

4. Negative Interrogative Sentences

Formula:
🔹 Do/Does + Subject + not + V1 + Object + ?
(Or)
🔹 Don’t/Doesn’t + Subject + V1 + Object + ?

✅ Examples:

• Does she not write a letter? (formal)
• Doesn’t she write a letter? (informal)

Would you like more examples or explanations? 😊

Present indefinite tense rules

Rules of Present Indefinite Tense (Simple Present Tense)

The Present Indefinite Tense follows specific rules related to subject-verb agreement, negation, and question formation. Here are the key rules:

1. Subject-Verb Agreement

✅ Use the base verb (V1) with “I,” “You,” “We,” and “They.”
✅ Add “s” or “es” to the verb if the subject is “He,” “She,” or “It.”

Examples:

• I write a letter.
• He writes a letter.
• She goes to school.

📝 When to add “es” instead of “s”

• If the verb ends in -o, -s, -sh, -ch, -x, -z, add “es” instead of “s.”
  ✅ Examples:
  • He goes to school.
  • She watches TV.
  • It passes through the tunnel.

2. Negative Sentences

✅ Use “do not (don’t)” with I, You, We, They.
✅ Use “does not (doesn’t)” with He, She, It.
✅ Do not add “s/es” to the verb in negative sentences.

Examples:

• I do not like tea.
• She does not play football. (❌ She does not plays)

Interrogative Sentences

✅ Start with “Do” for I, You, We, They.
✅ Start with “Does” for He, She, It.
✅ Use the base form of the verb (V1) after “do/does.”

Examples:

• Do you read books?
• Does he watch TV?
• Does she go to school?

Negative Interrogative Sentences

✅ Use “Do/Does + Subject + not + Verb + Object?”
✅ Use contractions (“Don’t/Doesn’t”) in informal speech.

Examples:

• Does she not like coffee?
• Doesn’t he play football?

Uses of Present Indefinite Tense

✅ For habitual actions or daily routines

• She wakes up early.
• We go to school every day.

✅ For general truths and facts

• The sun rises in the east.
• Water boils at 100°C.

✅ For future timetables and fixed schedules

• The train leaves at 9 AM.
• The shop opens at 10 AM.

✅ For instructions and directions

• You take the first left.
• Press the button and wait.

Rule of S and ES

Rules for Adding “S” and “ES” to Verbs in the Present Indefinite Tense

In the Present Indefinite Tense, we add “s” or “es” to the verb when the subject is He, She, or It (third-person singular).

✅ Rule 1: Add “S” to Most Verbs

🔹 If a verb is a regular verb, simply add “s” when the subject is He, She, or It.

✅ Examples:

• He reads a book.
• She writes a letter.
• It rains in July.

✅ Rule 2: Add “ES” to Verbs Ending in -o, -s, -sh, -ch, -x, -z

🔹 If a verb ends in o, s, sh, ch, x, or z, add “es” instead of just “s.”

✅ Examples:

• He goes to school. (go → goes)
• She watches TV. (watch → watches)
• He misses the bus. (miss → misses)
• She fixes the car. (fix → fixes)

✅ Rule 3: If a Verb Ends in “Y”

🔹 If a verb ends in a consonant + “y,” change “y” to “i” and add “es.”

✅ Examples:

• He studies every day. (study → studies)
• She carries a bag. (carry → carries)
• The baby cries at night. (cry → cries)

❌ Exception: If the verb ends in a vowel + “y,” just add “s.”
✅ Examples:

• He plays cricket. (play → plays)
• She buys fruits. (buy → buys)

Interrogative Sentences

In the Present Indefinite Tense, interrogative sentences (questions) are formed using “Do” or “Does” at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the subject and the base verb (V1).

✅ Formula for Interrogative Sentences:

🔹 Do/Does + Subject + V1 (Base Form) + Object + ?

✅ Rules for Interrogative Sentences:

1️⃣ Use “Do” with I, You, We, They.
2️⃣ Use “Does” with He, She, It.
3️⃣ The main verb always remains in base form (V1) (No “s” or “es” after “Does”).

✅ Examples of Interrogative Sentences:

A) Yes/No Questions:

✅ Do you like coffee?
✅ Do they play football?
✅ Does he watch TV?
✅ Does she read books?
✅ Does it rain in summer?

B) WH-Questions (Using What, Where, When, Why, Who, How, etc.)

🔹 WH-word + Do/Does + Subject + V1 + Object + ?

✅ Where do you live?
✅ What does he eat for breakfast?
✅ Why do they study English?
✅ When does the train arrive?
✅ How do birds fly?

Negative Sentences

In Present Indefinite Tense, we form negative sentences using “do not” (don’t) or “does not” (doesn’t) before the base verb (V1).

🔹 Formula for Negative Sentences

✅ For I, You, We, They:
👉 Subject + do not (don’t) + V1 + object

✅ For He, She, It:
👉 Subject + does not (doesn’t) + V1 + object

📝 Note:

• The main verb remains in its base form (V1) after “do not” or “does not.”
• We do not add “s” or “es” to the verb in negative sentences.

🔹 Examples of Negative Sentences

✅ With “do not” (don’t) (for I, You, We, They)

• I do not like coffee.
• You do not play football.
• We do not watch TV.
• They do not go to school on Sundays.

✅ With “does not” (doesn’t) (for He, She, It)

• He does not eat meat. (❌ He does not eats)
• She does not read novels.
• It does not rain in summer.

Interrogative-Negative Sentences

Interrogative-negative sentences in the Present Indefinite Tense are questions that also express negation (not).

🔹 Formula for Interrogative-Negative Sentences

1️⃣ Do/Does + Subject + not + V1 + Object + ?
2️⃣ Don’t/Doesn’t + Subject + V1 + Object + ? (Informal)

📝 Note:

• Use “Do” with I, You, We, They
• Use “Does” with He, She, It
• The main verb remains in its base form (V1)
• “Don’t” and “Doesn’t” are used in informal speech

🔹 Examples of Interrogative-Negative Sentences

✅ Formal (Do/Does + Subject + not + V1 + Object?)

• Do you not like tea?
• Does she not play football?
• Does he not study regularly?
• Do they not go to school on Sundays?

✅ Informal (Don’t/Doesn’t + Subject + V1 + Object?)

• Don’t you like tea?
• Doesn’t she play football?
• Doesn’t he study regularly?
• Don’t they go to school on Sundays?