Present simple tense   

                                                            

Warm Up (Face-to-Face)          (15 minutes).

Spin the Bottle.

Sit students in a circle with a bottle in the middle. Teacher spins the bottle. When it stops spinning, the Student that was pointed has to answer a question. If the answer is correct then that student can spin the bottle.  

Questions:

• What do you know about simple present?
• Do you think this tense is important in writing? Why?
• Do you know when can we use it?

Introduction (Online)                (30 minutes).

The simple present expresses an action in the present taking place regularly, never or several times. It is also used for actions that take place one after another and for actions that are set by a timetable or schedule. The simple present also expresses facts in the present.

Presentation (Online)               (30 minutes). PowerPoint slideshow.

Present Uses

1: We use the present simple when something is generally or always true.

-People need food.

-It snows in winter here.

-Two and two make four.

2: Similarly, we need to use this tense for a situation that we think is more or less permanent.

(See the present continuous for temporary situations.)

-Where do you live?

-She works in a bank.

-I do not like mushrooms.

3: The next use is for habits or things that we do regularly. We often use adverbs of frequency (such as 'often', 'always' and 'sometimes') in this case, as well as expressions like 'every Sunday' or 'twice a month'. (See the present continuous for new, temporary or annoying habits).

-Do you smoke?

-I play tennis every Tuesday.

-I don't travel very often.

4: We can also use the present simple for short actions that are happening now. The actions are so short that they are finished almost as soon as you've said the sentence. This is often used with sports commentary, or in demonstrations.

-He takes the ball, he runs down the wing, and he scores!

-First I put some butter in the pan and turn on the cooker.

Future Uses

5: We use the present simple to talk about the future when we are discussing a timetable or a fixed plan. Usually, the timetable is fixed by an organization, not by us.

-School begins at nine tomorrow.

-What time does the film start?

-The plane doesn't arrive at seven. It arrives at seven thirty.

6: We also use the present simple to talk about the future after words like ' 'when', 'until', 'after', 'before' and 'as soon as'. These are sometimes called subordinate clauses of time.

-I will call you when I have time. (Not 'will have'.)

-I won't go out until it stops raining.

-I'm going to make dinner after I watch the news.

Conditional Uses

7: We use the present simple in the first and the zero conditionals. (See the conditionals section for more information.)

-If it rains, we won't come.

-If you heat water to 100 degrees, it boils.

Notes

*There is no acceptable contraction for am not in standard English. You will sometimes hear people say *ain’t—this is considered unacceptable and “uneducated.”

Some people also use *ain’t not only for I, but also for you, he, she, it, and they.

** The final “s” on the verbs with he, she, it etc is added in three different ways

–      Many verbs such as: like, run and see,   become likes, runs and sees

–      verbs such as: miss, mix, wash and watch become misses, mixes, washes and watches

–      verbs such as: study, try and worry become studies, tries and worries

Comprehension                      (Face-to-Face)              (15 minutes).

Discuss with a partner what you understood about the simple present rules and share with your classmates.

Guided practice                     (Face-to- Face)              (30 minutes).

Read in pairs the text below. Identify the simple present clauses and underline them.

Communicative practice             (Face-to-face)           (15 minutes).

Choose a partner to work together creating a short dialogue using the rules of simple present tense.

Assessment/ Evaluation                     (Online)                (35 minutes)

Wrap up                        (Face-to-face)                            (10 minutes).

This has been a review about the usage and formation of the Present Simple tense in English grammar.

It is highly used to refer to general facts, states and habits that are constantly true in the present. Reviewing the rules is not enough to make you use it properly.

The more you pick it up in your reading, and more importantly, use it in your writing, the better you will use it.

Erick Chávez

Kimberly Fuentes

Jesús Rivera