Uses of the simple present tense

The simple present tense is used to talk about our habits and routine activities. This tense form has several other uses as well.

Jobs, hobbies, habits, interests etc.

You can use the simple present tense to talk about people’s jobs, hobbies, likes, dislikes etc.

Read the sentences given below.

Jobs

Annie writes plays for television.

Does Annie write poems?

No, Annie does not write poems.

What does Annie write?

Annie writes plays for television.

My brother works at a multinational company.

Where does my brother work? Does he work at a school?

No, he does not work at a school. He works at a multinational company.

Habits

The simple present tense is also used to talk about habits.

I drink tea in the morning.

What do I drink in the morning?

Do I drink coffee in the morning?

No, I don’t drink coffee in the morning. I drink tea.

My father reads the newspaper every morning.

What does my father do every morning?

Does he watch television in the morning?

No, he doesn’t watch television in the morning. He reads the newspaper instead.

Likes and dislikes

My daughter likes to play with her dolls.

What does my daughter like to do? Does she like to play hide and seek?

No, she does not like to play hide and seek. She likes to play with her dolls.

My son does not eat vegetables, but he likes fruits.

Does my son eat vegetables? No, he doesn’t.

Does he eat fruits? Yes, he eats fruits.