DON'T GO AWAY! 2

ENGLISH UNDER HOOD:

many students in English feel that one of the most challenging tenses in English

is the present tense, perhaps this is simply because it's the first tense students learn, or that it has so many different uses, but whatever the reasons, there are three areas that often need to be reviewed:

the -s ending of the third person singular

how to form negatives

how to form questions

TOPIC 1: -s endings in the third person singular:

only the third person singular, or the he/she/it form, of a verb in the simple present tense has an ending,-s, all other forms are the same as the basic form of the verb: /speak, you speak, we speak, they speak, but he speaks, she speaks, it speaks,

the -s ending becomes -ies if the verb ends in a -y-, i fly, you fly, we fly, they fly, he flies, she flies, it flies,

the -s ending becomes -es if the verb ends in one of these letters or letter combinations: -s (you dress, she dresses), -sh (i wish, he wishes), -ch (they touch, it touches), or -x (you fix, she fixes), and don't forget that the ending is pronounced -iz

Notice that some verbs end end in a silent -e in spelling, but have as their last sound a -f (manage, judge), -z (lose, cruse), or -zh (massage), these verbs will only add an -s in spelling, but the ending will be pronounced as an -iz she manages, he manages, she massages, it loses,

TOPIC 2/ the negative simple present tense

as you know, the basic negative simple present tense is formed with not, but you also need to use an auxiliary, or "helping", verb with not, either do or does, the pattern is:

subject + auxiliary verb do or does +not + main verb (without -s!)here are some pairs or examples, first affirmative, and then negative:

i drive a car i do not drive the car,

she takes the bus to work she does not take the bus to work,

Mr, Nasser likes this hotel, Mr, Nasser does not like this hotel,

Sabrina has a new car, Sabrina does not have a new car,

the not comes between do or does and the main verb, it's often attached to do or does in a contraction:

i don't drive a car,

she doesn't take the bus to work,

Mr, Nasser doesn't like this hotel,

Sabrina doesn't have a new car,

remember that you shouldn't put the-s ending on the main verb in negatives, also remember that you should use only one negative in English:

i don't speak Spanish, (not" i didn't speak no Spanish")

she doesn't have any money, (not: "i she doesn't have no money")

i never walk to work in the rain, (not: "i don't never walk to work in the rain")

and finally, remember that you need do or does in front of not with every verb except be:

i am on vacation i am not on vacation

they are spending a week at the new resort they aren't spending a week at the new resort

TOPIC 3: questions in the present tense:

questions in the present tense are a lot like negatives, because you always need to use the auxiliary do or does, except with be:

Sandro studies English at the community center,

does Sandro study English at the community center?

They are in new york this week,

are they in new york this week?

Remember top begin questions in the simple present tense with do or does, then the subject, and then the main verb (again, always without an -s ending!)

does tom know Mary?

Do the children enjoy enjoy reading?

Does Mary have many friends?

The exception is questions with a main verb is, am, or are:

am i wrong?

Are you happy with the meal?

Is gray at work right now?