Tenses demonstrate the time of action in sentences usually performed by or centered around the subject of the sentence. The actions are called verbs. Verbs change according to tenses and other issues. As verbs are the most important elements of English sentences, tenses also carry paramount importance in English grammar.

Present Indefinite Tense

The present indefinite tense, also known as simple present tense, denotes a stative or habitual or eternally true action.

Generally, simple present tense is used to indicate an action which happens – always, regularly, every day, daily, normally, generally, usually, occasionally, sometimes, often, rarely, frequently, nowadays, naturally, seldom, constantly, never, every week, every year, once a year, on a week, at times, at present, now and then, or all the time.

Structure:


Subject (third person singular number) + verb in simple present form + s/es + . . . . .


Subject (all other kinds) + verb in simple present form + . . . . .


Note: When ‘be’ verbs work as the main verb in a sentence, they are different from the above structures.

Person/Number

Singular

Plural

First

I am a good cricket player.

We are good cricket players.

Second

You are an irresponsible person.

You all are always irresponsible.

Third

The earth is smaller than Jupiter.

Junk food is not good for health.

There are some stative verbs that are usually used in simple tenses whether present or past or future.

The stative verbs are:

Have

Understand

Know

Believe

Hate

Need

Hear

Love

Appear

See

Like

Seem

Smell

Want

Taste

Wish

Sound

Own

 

Examples:

o    I know Billy Bob.

o    He understands it.

o    They love swinging in the park.

o    Some people do not believe in God.

o    I usually wake up at 6:00 AM.

o    He plays cricket, but his brother plays football.

o    Earth is bigger than Mercury.

o    The heat of the sun reaches the least to the polar.

 

How the Forms of Verbs Change in Different Types of Sentences

Affirmative

Interrogative

Negative

I sing on stage.

Do I sing on stage?

I don’t sing on stage.

We run behind the train.

Do we run behind the train?

We don’t run behind the train.

You are on the roof.

Are you on the roof?

You aren’t on the roof.

Allan writes well.

Does Allan write well?

Allan does not write well.

She hands out leaflets.

Does she hand out leaflets?

She doesn’t hand out leaflets.

They love dancing in the rain.

Do they love dancing in the rain?

They don’t love dancing in the rain.

 

Examples of Present Indefinite Tense:

  • I write articles on different topics.
  • He reads various kinds of books.
  • They love to play football.
  • She prefers coffee to tea.
  • He goes to the library every day.
  • We come for shopping in this market.
  • We watch movies in this Cineplex.
  • You always shop in that market.
  • I sing different kinds of songs, especially modern.
  • I love to listen to melodious songs.
  • He loves to travel around the world.
  • They always play cricket in that field.
  • The poet writes romantic poems.
  • The lyricist writes realistic songs.
  • Do you love to listen to realistic songs?
  • I do not like to quarrel.
  • I am a peace-loving person.
  • I know how to protest against injustice.
  • Do you like to watch cricket?
  • I love my parents and my elder brother.