The present tense is one of the most common tenses in English grammar. It is used to describe actions that are happening now, actions that are always true, and general truths.

Forms of the Present Tense

  • Affirmative: The base form of the verb is used. For example, "I walk" or "She reads."
  • Negative: Add "do not" or "don't" before the base form of the verb. For example, "I do not walk" or "She doesn't read."
  • Question: Move "do" or "does" to the beginning of the sentence before the subject. For example, "Does she read?" or "Do you walk?"

Regular Verbs

Regular verbs follow a predictable pattern when forming the present tense. For example:

  • Base Form: walk
  • Present Tense: walk
  • Negative: do not walk
  • Question: Do you walk?

Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs do not follow the regular pattern. Some common irregular verbs in the present tense include:

  • Base Form: be, go, have, see
  • Present Tense: am, go, have, see
  • Negative: am not, do not go, do not have, do not see
  • Question: Are you am? Do you go?

Examples

  • I am reading a book.
  • She has a cat.
  • They do not go to school on weekends.

Learn More

To deepen your understanding of the present tense, you might want to explore our Grammar Basics section. It covers a variety of grammar topics and can help you become a confident English speaker.

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