Page 14 - HIP@SESMA E-bulletin Vol 1

‘Simple’ tenses are formed by using the base form of the principal verb. In the present tense the auxiliary
verb ‘do/does’ is used. In the affirmative the third person singular always finishes in ‘s’.
The ‘simple’ verb construction is used to express habits, general truths, facts, repeated actions,
unchanging situations, emotions, the senses
Adverbs of frequency are often used with ‘simple’ verbs: always – frequently - occasionally - often,
sometimes - usually - every

‘Regular verbs’ construction in the present tense

rd
AFFIRMATIVE: subject + base form verb + (s/es/ies in the 3 person singular only) + remaining part of
sentence.
• I play tennis every Friday. They produce wine in Italy. He lives with his parents.
Mr Brown teaches English. John studies French at university. Mary has breakfast at 7.30.

NEGATIVE: Subject + don’t/doesn’t + base form verb + remaining part of sentence.
• We don’t come from Spain. I don’t live in Rimini. They don’t often go to the cinema.
It doesn’t work. Alberto doesn’t eat fish. She doesn’t have lunch at 12.00

QUESTION: Do/Does + subject + base form of verb + remaining part of sentence
• Do you live in Italy? Does John live in Birmingham? Do they work in a factory?
Does it work? Do you like chocolate? Yes, I do. No, I don’t.

COMBINED WITH A QUESTION WORD: (Interrogative adverbs)
• What do you do? I’m a teacher. Where do you live? How does he get to work?
• Who takes private English lessons? (Who is subject – affirmative verb construction) – Mary takes
private lessons.
• Who meets you every Sunday? (Who is subject – affirmative verb construction) – John meets
me every Sunday.
• Who do you meet every Sunday? (who is object – interrogative verb construction) – I meet John
every Sunday.
• Whose bicycle needs repairing? (whose is subject – affirmative verb construction)
• Whose (umbrella) can I borrow? (whose is object – interrogative verb construction)

Imperative mood
We use the imperative: to give a direct order, to give instructions, to make an invitation, on signs and
noticeboards, to give friendly advice.
Construction of the second person imperative:
AFFIRMATIVE: The base form of the verb is used. The subject is not expressed.
• Sit Down! Shut up! Be quiet! (commands)
Construction of the first and third person imperative:
• Let me sit down! Let him/her sit down! Let us sit down! (speaking to someone who is not part of
the ‘us’ group) - requests
• Let’s sit down. (speaking to the members of the ‘us’ group of people) - Suggestion
NEGATIVE: Don’t + base form of verb + remaining part of sentence.
• Don’t behave so badly! Don’t go there! Don’t touch that dog! Don’t drive so fast!
• But we usually say – Let’s not go to the cinema rather than Don’t let’s go to the cinema.

• Come to our party with John! – invitation
• Beware of the dog! – warning sign
• Do be careful. – friendly advice
• Turn left at the traffic lights then go past the supermarket. (giving instructions)
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