Present tense

The Present Tense

The present tense is one of the most common verb forms in English. ESL learners often learn that it describes actions happening now, but it has several important uses.

We use the present tense to talk about:

• actions happening now

  • I hear a plane.

  • I smell smoke.

• facts and general truths

  • Water boils at 100°C.

  • The Earth goes around the Sun.

• habits and routines

  • I walk to work every day.

  • He drinks coffee in the morning.

• future events that are scheduled or planned

  • I arrive tomorrow.

  • The train leaves at 8:00.

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How to Form the Present Tense

For most English verbs, the present tense is the same as the infinitive without to:

Infinitive	Present
to like	I like
to work	we work
to study	they study

The main exception is the third person singular (he, she, it).

Add -s

Most verbs add -s:

• He works.

• She likes.

• It rains.

Add -es

Verbs ending in -o, -ch, -sh, -ss, -x, or -z add -es:

• He goes.

• She watches.

• It passes.

• The bee buzzes.

Change -y to -ies

If a verb ends in a consonant + y, change y to ies:

• She tries.

• He studies.

• It carries.

Compare:

• He plays. (vowel + y → just add -s)

• She tries. (consonant + y → -ies)

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Common ESL Errors

❌ She work every day.
✅ She works every day.

❌ He go to school.
✅ He goes to school.

❌ She study English.
✅ She studies English.

Remember:

Only he, she, and it usually take -s or -es in the present tense.

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Irregular Present Tense Forms

Most English verbs are regular in the present tense. The most important irregular verb is be.

Pronoun	Form of be
I	am
you	are
he/she/it	is
we	are
they	are

Examples:

• I am tired.

• You are late.

• She is happy.

• They are ready.

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The Verb Have

The verb have is mostly regular, except in the third person singular:

Pronoun	Form of have
I	have
you	have
he/she/it	has
we	have
they	have

Examples:

• I have a car.

• They have two children.

• She has a new job.

Common ESL Error

❌ She have a car.
✅ She has a car.

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Quick Rule

For most verbs in the present tense:

• I, you, we, they → use the base form

  • I work.

  • They study.

• he, she, it → add -s or -es

  • He works.

  • She studies.

  • It goes.