Present Indefinite Tense Examples

Present Indefinite Tense

First of all, I would like to describe the situations or cases in which we use present indefinite tense.

Facts and Truths:

We use present indefinite tense to show worldly or eternally truths and facts.

For example:

❶Water boils at 100 Celcius.

      ❷The Earth revolves round the Sun.

      ❸The Sun sets in the West.

Facts and truths do not change. They can’t be undone. There is always an element of universality in them. In the above examples, there are universal facts or truths which can’t be challenged or changed.

Habits and Repeated actions:

Present indefinite tense is used to demonstrate daily habits and repeated actions.

For example:

❶I always eat lunch at noon.

❷They study English every Monday.

In the above examples, there are habits or actions which are being done in a habitual or repetitive manner.

It is important to mention here that we usually use time phrases or adverbs of time to show habits or repeated actions. It is not always that we use adverbs of time to show habits, routines or repeated actions.

For example:

❶Anusha goes to school.

This example clearly depicts the daily routine of Anusha but here we have not used any adverb of time or time phrase.

Near Future or Scheduled Events:

Present Indefinite Tense is also used to show scheduled events or actions to be done in near future.

For Example:

❶We start work soon.

❷My students come tomorrow.

❸Lunch is at 6’o clock. Don’t be late.

In the above examples, there are some events or actions which are subjected to be done in near future.

Sentence Rules/Structure in Present Indefinite Tense:

Now, I am proceeding to discuss the sentence structure in Present Indefinite Tense.

Positive/Affirmative Sentence Rule in Present Simple Tense:

Sub + 1^st form of verb (s/es) + Object

Present Indefinite Tense Examples:

❶Anusha goes to school.

In the above example, Anusha is subject and we have added –es with verb 1^st form ‘’go’’.

⇒ It is necessary to mention here that we add –s and –es with third person singular subjects (He, She and It) only in positive sentences.

⇒ We don’t use suffixes –s and –es with third person singular subjects in negative and interrogative sentences because of being used “does” or “doesn’t” as an auxiliary verb.

Use of suffix –S:

When last letter of verb is “y” and second last letter is a vowel, then we add suffix –s after “y”.

Examples:

Obey ⇒ Obeys

Play ⇒ Plays

Use of suffix –es:

We add suffix –es with verbs which end in words –CH, -SH,-O and –X.

Examples:

Watch ⇒ Watches

Wish   ⇒ Wishes

Go      ⇒ Goes

Box   ⇒ Boxes

Negative Sentence Rule in Present Indefinite Tense:

Sub + Auxiliary Verbs (Do/Does) + not + 1^st form of verb + Object

Examples:

❶Anusha does not go to school.

❷They do not work hard.

Interrogative Sentence Rule in Present Indefinite Tense:

Auxiliary Verbs (Do/Does) + Sub + 1^st form of verb + Object

❶Does Anusha go to school?

❷Do they work hard?