Simple Present and frequency adverbs.
Intro: similarities between Simple Past Tense and Simple Present tense.
1. What is similar?
Both Simple Present and Simple Past use auxiliaries in negative sentences and questions. They
DO NOT use auxiliaries in affirmative sentences, we DIRECTLY use the verb instead. See the
table below.
Tense
Simple past
Simple
Present
Affirmative
I worked / She
worked.
I work. / She works.
Negative
I didn’t work / She didn’t
work.
I don’t work. / She doesn’t
work.
Question
Did you work?
Do you work? / Does she
work?
In questions and negatives, important pattern:
After do / does / did, the main verb returns to base form.
Correct:
She doesn’t work on Sundays. (Simple Present)
Did he go to school yesterday? (Simple Past)
Incorrect:
She doesn’t works. (Simple Present)
Did he went? (Simple Past)
2. What is different?
In the Simple Present, the third person singular changes:
I / you / we / they work
he / she / it works
In the Simple Past, the verb is the same for all subjects:
I worked.
She worked.
They worked.
Simple Present vs Simple Past: Structure Comparison
1. Affirmative sentences
Tense
Structure
Example
Simple Present Subject + verb / verb-s + complement I work every day. / She works every day.
I worked yesterday. / She worked
Subject + past verb + complement
Simple Past
yesterday.
Important difference
In Simple Present, the verb changes with he / she / it:
I work.
You work.
He works.
She works.
It works.
We work.
They work.
In Simple Past, the verb does not change depending on the subject:
I worked.
You worked.
He worked.
She worked.
It worked.
We worked.
They worked.
For irregular verbs:
I went.
She went.
They went.
2. Negative sentences
Tense
Simple
Present
Structure
Example
Subject + don’t / doesn’t + base form + I don’t work on Sundays. / She doesn’t
complement
work on Sundays.
Subject + didn’t + base form +
I didn’t work yesterday. / She didn’t work
Simple Past
complement
yesterday.
Important similarity
After don’t / doesn’t / didn’t, the main verb is always in base form.
Correct:
She doesn’t work on Sundays.
She didn’t work yesterday.
Incorrect:
She doesn’t works.
She didn’t worked.
3. Interrogative sentences
Tense
Simple
Present
Structure
Do / Does + subject + base form +
complement?
Did + subject + base form +
Simple Past
complement?
Important similarity
Example
Do you work every day? / Does she work
every day?
Did you work yesterday? / Did she work
yesterday?
After do / does / did, the main verb is always in the base form.
Correct:
Does she study English?
Did she study English?
Incorrect:
Does she studies English?
Did she studied English?
Simple Past vs Simple Present: Structure Comparison
1. Main idea
We use Simple Past for finished actions in the past.
Examples:
I studied yesterday.
She played football last weekend.
They watched a movie last night.
We use Simple Present for habits, customs, routines, general facts, and repeated actions.
Examples:
I study every day.
She plays football every weekend.
They watch movies on Fridays.
2. Affirmative sentences
Tense
Structure
Subject + past verb + complement
Simple Past
S. Present (He /
Subject + verb-s + complement
She / It)
S. Present (All
Subject + verb + complement
other subjects)
Example
I worked yesterday.
She works every day.
I work every day. / We work every day.
Simple Past
The verb is the same for all subjects.
Subject
Verb
Example
I
worked I worked yesterday.
you
worked You worked yesterday.
he / she / it worked She worked yesterday.
we
worked We worked yesterday.
they
worked They worked yesterday.
With irregular verbs:
I went.
She went.
They went.
Simple Present
The verb changes with he / she / it. We use the “s” form, not the base form.
Subject
Verb
Example
I
work I work every day.
he / she / it works She works every day.
you
work You work every day.
we
work We work every day.
they
work They work every day.
The only difference is:
Simple Past:
She worked yesterday.
Simple Present:
She works every day.
3. Negative sentences
Tense
Structure
Subject + didn’t + base form + complement
Simple Past
S. Present (He /
Subject + doesn’t + base form + complement
She / It)
Simple Present
Subject + don’t + base form + complement
(All other
subjects)
Simple Past
Subject + didn’t + base form
Examples:
I didn’t work yesterday.
She didn’t study last night.
They didn’t go to school on Monday.
Important:
After didn’t, the verb goes back to base form.
Correct:
She didn’t study.
Incorrect:
She didn’t studied.
Simple Present
Subject + don’t / doesn’t + base verb
Use don’t with:
I / you / we / they
Use doesn’t with:
he / she / it
Examples:
I don’t work on Sundays.
They don’t study at night.
She doesn’t work on Sundays.
He doesn’t study at night.
Important:
After doesn’t, the verb goes back to base form.
Correct:
Example
She didn’t work yesterday.
She doesn’t work every day.
She doesn’t work every day.
She doesn’t study.
Incorrect:
She doesn’t studies.
4. Interrogative sentences
Tense
Structure
Did + subject + base verb + complement?
Simple Past
S. Present (He /
Does + subject + base verb + complement?
She / It)
S. Present (All
Do + subject + base verb + complement?
other subjects)
Simple Past
Did + subject + base form?
Examples:
Did you work yesterday?
Did she study last night?
Did they go to school on Monday?
Important:
After did, the verb goes back to base form.
Correct:
Did she study?
Incorrect:
Did she studied?
Simple Present
Do / Does + subject + base form?
Use do with:
I / you / we / they
Use does with:
he / she / it
Examples:
Do you work every day?
Do they study at night?
Does she work every day?
Does he study at night?
Example
Did she work yesterday?
Does she work every day?
Do we work every day?
Important:
After does, the verb goes back to base form.
Correct:
Does she study?
Incorrect:
Does she studies?
5. Final comparison with normal verbs
Sentence type
Affirmative
Simple Past
Simple Present
She studied yesterday. She studies every day.
She didn’t study
Negative
She doesn’t study every day.
yesterday.
Did she study
Question (Yes/No)
Does she study every day?
yesterday?
What did she study
WH question
What do you study everyday?
yesterday?
Important rule:
When we use an auxiliary, the main verb is in the base form.
Simple Past:
Did she study?
She didn’t study.
Simple Present:
Does she study?
She doesn’t study.
6. Special case: Verb “To Be”
The verb to be does not use do / does / did.
Conjugation of verb to be
Simple Present
Simple past
I am
You are
He is
She is
It is
I was
You were
He was
She was
It was
We were
You were
They were
We are
They are
Affirmative
Tense
Structure
Subject + was / were + complement She was tired.
Simple Past
Simple Present Subject + am / is / are + complement She is tired.
Example
Examples:
I was tired yesterday.
She was happy last night.
They were busy last weekend.
I am tired today.
She is happy every day.
They are usually busy.
Negative
Tense
Structure
Example
Subject + was / were + not + complement She was not / wasn’t tired.
Simple Past
Simple Present Subject + am / is / are + not + complement She is not / isn’t tired.
Examples:
I wasn’t late yesterday.
He wasn’t nervous.
They weren’t ready.
I am not usually late.
He isn’t usually nervous.
They aren’t usually ready.
Interrogative
Tense
Structure
Example
Was / Were + subject + complement? Was she tired?
Simple Past
Simple Present Am / Is / Are + subject + complement? Is she tired?
Examples:
Were you tired yesterday?
Was he at home last night?
Were they ready?
Are you usually tired?
Is he often at home?
Are they usually ready?
7. Frequency adverbs with Simple Present
Now we use the Simple Present because frequency adverbs describe routines and habits.
Common frequency adverbs:
always
usually
often
sometimes
rarely
never
Affirmative
Subject + frequency adverb + main verb + complement
Examples:
I always study English.
She usually plays tennis.
They sometimes watch movies.
With he / she / it, remember the -s:
She usually plays tennis.
He often watches TV.
Negative
Subject + don’t / doesn’t + frequency adverb + base verb + complement
Examples:
I don’t usually drink coffee.
They don’t often go to the cinema.
She doesn’t usually wear jeans.
He doesn’t often cook dinner.
Interrogative
Do / Does + subject + frequency adverb + base verb + complement?
Examples:
Do you usually study at night?
Do they often play football?
Does she usually wear jeans?
Does he often cook dinner?
8. Frequency adverbs with “to be”
With to be, the frequency adverb goes after the verb.
Structure
Subject + am / is / are + frequency adverb + complement
Examples:
I am usually tired in the morning.
She is always happy.
He is never late.
They are often busy.
Questions:
Are you usually tired?
Is she always happy?
Is he often late?
Are they usually busy?
9. Time expressions
Usually, they go at the end of the phrase.
Simple Past Simple Present
yesterday
every day
last night
every night
last weekend every weekend
two days ago twice a week
in 2020
on Mondays
last Monday every Monday
Examples:
Simple Past:
I studied yesterday.
She played tennis last Saturday.
They went to the cinema last weekend.
Simple Present:
I study every day.
She plays tennis every Saturday.
They go to the cinema every weekend.
Frequency Adverbs
Common frequency adverbs:
always = 100%
usually = very often
often = many times
sometimes = not always
rarely / seldom = almost never
never = 0%
Position
With normal verbs:
Subject + frequency adverb + main verb
Examples:
I always drink coffee in the morning.
She usually studies at night.
They never eat meat.
With to be:
Subject + be + frequency adverb
Examples:
He is always late.
They are usually tired after school.
I am never bored in History class.
Frequency expressions like every day, once a week, twice a month, on Sundays usually go at the
end.
Examples:
I study English every day.
She goes to the gym twice a week.
We visit our grandparents on Sundays.
Exercise 1 — Simple Past vs Simple Present
Complete the table.
Simple Past
Simple Present
I studied English yesterday.
I ______ English every day.
She played tennis last Saturday. She ______ tennis every Saturday.
They didn’t watch TV yesterday. They ______ watch TV on weekdays.
Simple Past
Did he go to school yesterday?
We were tired yesterday.
He wasn’t late yesterday.
Simple Present
______ he ______ to school every day?
We ______ usually tired after class.
He ______ never late.
Exercise 2 — Put the adverb in the correct
place
Rewrite the sentences with the adverb.
1. I drink tea in the morning. / usually
2. She is happy on Fridays. / always
3. They go to the cinema. / sometimes
4. My brother doesn’t eat vegetables. / often
5. We are late for class. / never
6. Do you play football? / often
7. He watches TV after school. / always
8. The children are tired after lunch. / usually
Exercise 3 — Choose the correct option
1. She always eat / always eats breakfast at 8:00.
2. They don’t usually go / doesn’t usually go to school by bus.
3. Do / Does your father often cook dinner?
4. He is never / never is late.
5. We sometimes watch / watch sometimes movies at home.
6. My sister doesn’t usually wear / doesn’t usually wears jeans.
7. Are / Do you usually tired after school?
8. Peter plays football twice a week / twice week.
Exercise 4 — Make questions with “How
often”
Use the words to make questions.
1. you / go / to the cinema
2. your mother / cook / dinner
3. your friends / play / video games
4. your teacher / give / homework
5. your family / eat / together
6. your best friend / be / late
Example:
you / exercise → How often do you exercise?
Exercise 5 — Answer the questions
Answer using a frequency adverb or expression.
Example:
How often do you drink coffee?
→ I usually drink coffee in the morning. / I drink coffee every day.
1. How often do you study English?
2. How often do you watch movies?
3. How often do you eat pizza?
4. How often do you use your phone?
5. How often are you tired in the morning?
6. How often do you go out with friends?
Exercise 6 — Correct the mistakes
Find and correct the mistake.
1. She never is late.
2. He doesn’t usually wears jeans.
3. Do she often play tennis?
4. I go always to school by bus.
5. They are go to the cinema every Friday.
6. My brother don’t eat breakfast.
7. We play football twice week.
8. Is your father often cook dinner?
Exercise 7 — Short writing
Write 6 sentences about your weekly routine.
Use at least:
2 frequency adverbs: always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never
2 frequency expressions: every day, once a week, twice a month, on Sundays
Example:
I usually wake up at 7:00.
I study English three times a week.
I never drink coffee at night.
I play football on Saturdays.
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