1. Routines and habits.

Use the Simple Present to express the idea that an action is repeated or usual. The action can be a habit, a hobby, a routine,  or something that often happens. It can also be something a person often forgets or usually does not do.

Examples:                                                                                     

    What does he usually do every Monday?

                                                                                  The turtle's routine

 2.  Facts or Generalizations (Hechos o generalizaciones)

The Simple Present can also indicate the speaker believes that a fact was true before, is true now, and will be true in the future. It is not important if the speaker is correct about the fact. It is also used to make generalizations about people or things.

Examples:

• Cats like milk.

• Birds do not like milk.

• Do pigs like milk?

• California is in America.

• California is not in the United Kingdom.

• Windows are made of glass.

• Windows are not made of wood.

• New York is a small city. It is not important that this fact is untrue.

 3.Scheduled Events in the Near Future (Acontecimientos programados en un futuro cercano)

Speakers occasionally use Simple Present to talk about scheduled events in the near future. This is most commonly done when talking about public transportation, but it can be used with other scheduled events as well.

Examples:

• The train leaves tonight at 6 PM.

• The bus does not arrive at 11 AM, it arrives at 11 PM.

• When do we board the plane?

• The party starts at 8 o'clock.

• When does class begin tomorrow?

ADVERBS/EXPRESSIONS OF FREQUENCY

How often do you...?   (Con qué frecuencia...?)

    How often do you go to the cinema?

Key words of the present simple:

•  Adverbs of frequency:

    always, usually, regularly, normally, often, sometimes, occasionally, rarely, hardly ever, seldom, never

• Expressions of frequency:

    once a (week, day, month, year) twice a (day, week month, year), three times a ( day, week, month, year),   everyday                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Position                                                                           

The position of these adverbs is:

• before the main verb

• after a form of to be am, are, is (was, were)

    The adverbs often, usually, sometimes and occasionally can go at the beginning of a sentence.

                    Sometimes I go swimming.

                    Often we surf the internet.

    Sometimes these adverbs are put at the end of the sentence.

                     We read books occasionally.

The position of the expressions of frequency is:

• at the end of the sentence.

                    We go to the cinema twice a week.

FORM

Examples:

• You speak English.

• Do you speak English?

• You do not speak English.

Complete List of Simple Present Forms (Click here to see affirmative, negative and question forms)

                             ACTIVITIES