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English Grammar: Speak the Verb Tenses
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 Review the verb tenses and practice speaking with everyday questions.
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Simple Present


Main Rules

1) Use the simple present to express general ideas. These are ideas that do not depend on a specific time or event.

I like Chinese food. I am a nice person. I love my family.

2) Use the simple present to express a regular or commonplace action.
Words like every week, every day, every weekend, often, usually, always and sometimes can be used with the simple present.

Every week, I play soccer. Every day, I make my bed. Every weekend, I call my family.
Often, I stop for lunch at the cafe by my house. Usually, I cook dinner at 7:00. I always see that man at the bus stop.
Sometimes I order pizza, but I usually get Chinese takeout.  

Directions

Answer the following questions using the simple present. If needed, use the example sentences as models.

Question
 Example
1. Do you like your town/city? Why?
 Yes, I like Seattle. I like the scenery here, though I don't like the rainy winters.
2. Describe your week. Do you have different activities that you do every day? On Mondays, I ____________. On the weekends, I ______________.
3. Are you a serious person or are you a fun-loving person? Describe some regular activities that show how you are serious or fun-loving. Or describe yourself in another way.
 I am a fun-loving person. I watch comedies, and I often joke with my friends.
4. Who is one person (or pet) that you love very much? What is one thing that this person (or pet) does that makes you happy? I love my mother very much. She calls me every day.
5. What kind of music do you like? When do you usually listen to music? I like hip hop. I usually listen to music when I walk around town.
6. Do you clean your home regularly or not? Explain how you clean and how often you do each task. I vacuum once a week. I wash the dishes and wipe off the kitchen counters after I cook.
7. How do you commute to school or work? I take the bus to 5th Ave. Then I walk for four blocks to my workplace.
8. When you go to a cafe or fast food restaurant, what do you usually order? I usually order a latte and a piece of bread.
9. When you go grocery shopping, what do you usually buy? I usually buy vegetables for salad, bread, crackers and coffee.
10. Which do you like most: TV shows, movies, news programs or videos on the internet? Describe something you usually watch and something you watch sometimes.
 Usually, I watch news programs. Sometimes, I download videos from YouTube.

Note: Use usually or sometimes for the simple present. Use always for simple present or present continuous.
I usually order a latte. Sometimes, I order an iced coffee drink.
I always order teriyaki chicken. I'm always ordering teriyaki chicken.


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