Grammar in focus
Form
| Affirmative | Negative | Question | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I / you / we / they | I work | I don't work | Do you work? |
| he / she / it | She works | She doesn't work | Does she work? |
Spelling of the -s form: most verbs add -s (works). Verbs ending in -s, -sh, -ch, -x, -o add -es (watches, goes, does). Consonant + y changes to -ies (studies); vowel + y just adds -s (plays). Have → has.
Use
- Habits and routines: I get up at 7 every day.
- General truths and facts: Water boils at 100°C.
- Permanent situations: She lives in Mexico City.
- Schedules and timetables: The train leaves at 8:15.
Adverbs of frequency
always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never. They go before the main verb (He always eats) but after the verb be (She is never late).
Watch out
- After does / doesn't the verb goes in the base form: She doesn't like… / Does he work…? (no -s).
- Short answers repeat do/does: Yes, I do. / No, she doesn't.
En español
El present simple se usa para rutinas, hechos, situaciones permanentes y horarios. Con he/she/it el verbo lleva -s/-es. Para negar y preguntar se usa do/does y el verbo va en forma base (sin -s). Los adverbios de frecuencia van antes del verbo principal y después de be.
US vs UK
This book teaches American English. These are the differences you will notice with British English on this topic.
Americans ask with do + have. Have got is more common in British English.
En EE. UU. se pregunta con do + have. Have got es más británico.
Same idea: American do/don't have vs British have got.
Misma idea: do/don't have (EE. UU.) vs have got (Reino Unido).
With collective nouns, the US uses the -s form.
Con colectivos, EE. UU. usa la forma con -s.
Exam practice
- Five parts, like a certification exam: multiple choice, open cloze, error identification, sentence transformation and US vs UK.
- Typed answers accept American spelling and contractions (don't = do not).
- Every item has feedback in English and Spanish. Items and options change order on every attempt.
- Only Exam mode saves your score to your progress. You pass with 70%.
Practice mode
No timer. Check each part as you go and read the feedback.
Exam mode
25 minutes. Feedback at the end. Your best score is saved.