Introduction to Verbs: Simple Present

Relevance of the Theme

Verbs, as essential components of language, play a crucial role in expressing time and action. The Simple Present, or Present Simple, is one of the most fundamental verb tenses in the English language, used to express habitual actions, universal facts, general truths, and emotions.

Understanding the Simple Present is a significant milestone in learning the English language, as it forms the basis for more complex verb tenses. Deepening knowledge in this topic will allow students to express daily actions and universal concepts more clearly and accurately.

Contextualization

Emerging from the concepts of nouns, pronouns, and adjectives, which are units of discourse, the study of verbs arises as a natural progression. After mastering the basic structure of verbs, being able to use them correctly in the Simple Present implies a deeper understanding of the structure of the English language.

In the English language curriculum of the 6th grade of Elementary School, the Simple Present is often the first verb tense to be fully introduced, after an introductory study of the verb 'to be'. This verb tense has a unique structure, being essential for forming complete sentences. Success in this topic is crucial to progress to more complex verbs.

Therefore, understanding and properly using the Simple Present are critical parts of developing students' writing and oral communication skills. Furthermore, this topic facilitates the understanding of other verb tenses and paves the way for the study of more advanced aspects of the English language.

Theoretical Development

Components

• Basic Structure of the Simple Present: The structure of the Simple Present is formed by the subject + verb in the infinitive + complement. There are some exceptions such as modal verbs, which do not follow this rule.

  • Example: I (Subject) like (Verb) pizza (Complement).

• Conjugation Rules in the Simple Present:

  • For most verbs, conjugation in the Simple Present follows the pattern of adding 's' or 'es' in the third person singular (he, she, it).
  • Verbs ending in 's', 'x', 'sh', 'ch', or 'o' receive 'es' in the third person singular.
  • Verbs ending in consonant + 'y' change 'y' to 'ies' in the third person singular.

• Use of the Simple Present:

  • Describing habitual actions: I always drink coffee in the morning.
  • Expressing universal truths: The sun rises in the east.
  • Scientific facts: Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
  • Feelings and opinions: I love chocolate.

Key Terms

• Subject: It is the person, place, thing, or idea that performs or is affected by the verb action.
• Verb in the Infinitive: It is the basic form of the verb before any conjugation.
• Third Person Singular: Refers to he, she, it, or any proper noun. In verb conjugations, it is important to pay attention to the specific use of each pronoun.
• Universal Facts: Are truths that apply in all situations and do not vary depending on when they are expressed.

Examples and Cases

• Example 1: 'She reads a book every day.'

  • Here, 'she' is the third person singular, so the verb 'read' receives the ending 's'.

• Example 2: 'I love ice cream.'

  • Here, 'love' is used to express a feeling, which is one of the functions of the Simple Present.

• Example 3: 'They play soccer on weekends.'

  • In this case, 'play' is in the basic form, since the subject 'they' does not require any changes in conjugation.

These examples illustrate the application of the Simple Present in different contexts and with different verb conjugations.

Detailed Summary

Key Points

• Basic Structure of the Simple Present: The Simple Present consists of the subject, verb in the infinitive, and complement. Familiarity with this structure is essential to construct correct sentences in English.
• Conjugation in the Simple Present: Most verbs follow the rule of adding 's' or 'es' in the third person singular. However, it is necessary to be aware of verbs that have exceptions to this rule.
• Uses of the Simple Present: It is important to understand that the Simple Present is not only used to indicate actions in the present. It can also express universal truths, emotions, among others.

Conclusions

• Applicability of the Simple Present: We learn that the Simple Present is a versatile verb tense, capable of expressing different ideas and concepts. Applying this knowledge in practice is essential for effective mastery of this topic.
• Importance of Practice: Mastering the Simple Present requires constant practice in correctly manipulating verbs. Practice contributes to memorizing conjugation rules and identifying contexts of use properly.

Exercises

1. Verb Conjugation: Conjugate the following verbs in the Simple Present, paying attention to the conjugation rules: (a) watch, (b) do, (c) go.

   • Example: I watch TV every evening. He watches TV every evening.

2. Identification of Uses: Identify the use of the Simple Present in the following sentences: (a) Deonte sings beautifully. (b) I want to eat sushi. (c) The Earth revolves around the sun.

   • Example: Sentence (c) expresses a universal fact.

3. Creating Sentences: Write five sentences about your daily routine using the Simple Present.

   • Example: I wake up at 7 am.