Estructura del Presente Simple

The present simple tense in English is a fundamental grammatical structure that we use to express facts, habitual actions and scheduled future events. Mastering this verb tense will allow you to communicate fluently in everyday situations and lay the groundwork for more complex constructions. Let's see how it works and how you can incorporate it into your linguistic repertoire.

When do we use the present simple tense in English?

The present simple in English is mainly used for three specific reasons:

1. To express facts or general truths: when we talk about situations that are true or permanent.

   • I work at Platzi (Trabajo en Platzi)
   • I live in Colombia (Vivo en Colombia)

2. For repeated or habitual actions: When we describe routines or actions that we perform frequently.

   • I go to the gym on Sundays.

3. For scheduled future actions: When we refer to events that are planned for the future.

   • The concert starts at 9PM (El concierto comienza a las 9 PM)

This time, we will focus mainly on the first two uses: facts and repeated actions.

How are present simple affirmative sentences formed?

Affirmative sentences in the present simple follow a clear and simple structure. Let's look at some examples:

• I speak Spanish (Yo hablo español)
• You speak Spanish (Tú hablas español)
• We speak Spanish (We speak Spanish)
• They speak Spanish

As you can notice, the verb "speak" remains the same for all the personal pronouns: I, you, we and they. There is no change in the form of the verb.

Another example:

• I go to school (Yo voy a la escuela).
• You go to school (Tú vas a la escuela)
• We go to school (Nosotros vamosa escuela)
• They go to school

Basic structure of affirmative sentences

The structure of an affirmative sentence in the present simple consists of three main elements:

1. Subject: The person who performs the action
2. Verb: The action being performed
3. Complement: The rest of the information in the sentence.

For example, in the sentence"We play soccer":

• "We" is the subject (who performs the action).
• "Play" is the verb (the action)
• "Soccer" is the complement (additional information).

What common verbs can we use in the present simple tense?

Let's look at some frequently used verbs in the present simple and how they are used with different pronouns:

Watch TV

• I watch TV
• You watch TV
• We watch TV
• They watch TV

Eat breakfast

• I eat breakfast
• You eat breakfast
• We eat breakfast
• They eat breakfast

Study English

• I study English
• You study English
• We study English
• They study English

Take a shower

• I take a shower
• You take a shower
• We take a shower
• They take a shower

Work

• I work
• You work
• We work
• They work

It is important to note that some verbs like "work" can function without a complement in English. You can simply say"I work" as a complete sentence, or add a complement such as"I work at Platzi". This will depend on the information you want to communicate.

The present simple is one of the most commonly used verb tenses in English and mastering its structure will help you communicate effectively in everyday situations. Remember to practice with different verbs such as "drive", "read" and "sleep" forming complete sentences with the pronouns I, you, we and they. Share your examples in the comments section and keep practicing to improve your English day by day!