Present simple — everyday habits

Present simple: routines and facts

• The present simple can describe habits, routines and states: I walk on Sundays. I like tea. A habit need not happen every day.
• I get up at seven. The sun rises in the east.
• Outcome: describe a routine and make a question or negative. Start with be. Starting check: does Who lives here? need do? No — who asks about the person doing the action.

I drink tea every day. The tea does not get a day off.

Base form, and -s for he / she / it

• I / you / we / they → the base verb: I play, we work.
• In simple positive sentences here, use the third-person form with he / she / it or one name/thing: He plays. Mina works. The bus stops here. Some forms change differently: have → has.
• go → goes, watch → watches, study → studies.

Negatives: don't / doesn't

• I / you / we / they → don't + base verb: I don't eat meat.
• he / she / it → doesn't + base verb: He doesn't like tea.
• After don't / doesn't, no -s.

Questions: Do / Does …?

• Do you …? · Does he …?
• Do you speak English? Does she live here?
• Short answers: Yes, I do. / No, he doesn't. These are full yes/no questions with verbs such as like and live. Is she tired?, Can she swim? and the subject question Who lives here? use other patterns.

Common mistakes

• To strengthen like here, use I like English very much or I very much like English, not I very like English. Use very much in these examples, not very alone before like.
• ❌ He go to school. → ✓ He goes to school. — remember the -s!
• Do you like tea? is a useful full question. You like tea? is common in conversation, for example when you are surprised or checking what you heard. Here we practise the full do/does question.

Usage guidance checked 2026-10-20: British Council, present simple.