How to Teach the Present Simple Tense in English

---

What Is the Present Simple Tense? (And Why It Matters)

Let’s start with the basics:

The Present Simple Tense describes habits, routines, general truths, and facts that are always true.

Examples:

• I drink coffee every morning. ☕

• The sun rises in the east. ☀️

• She works at a bank. 🏦

Why is it important?

Because it’s the foundation. It’s the tense learners will use the most—especially in conversation. If they don’t get it right early, confusion builds. Plus, the Present Simple pops up in everything from job interviews (“What do you do?”) to classroom instructions (“He doesn’t understand”).

---

Common Struggles Students Face (And How to Fix Them)

Before we jump into teaching methods, let’s identify where learners usually trip up:

1. Third Person -s/-es Confusion

Probably the most infamous issue. Students forget the ‘s’ in “He plays” or add it where it doesn’t belong (“They plays”).

Why it happens:

• The rule seems random to them.

• In their native language, there might be no equivalent.

Fix it with:

• Repetition + Rhythm – Use chants or clapping to reinforce:

  I play. You play. He plays.
  We play. You play. They play.

• Color-coded charts – I often color 3rd person singular in red. It’s a visual cue that this form is different.

• Peer correction – Students catch mistakes better when they listen for them in others. Try group drills and error spotting games.

---

2. Using ‘Do/Does’ Incorrectly

Students might say:
❌ “Does she plays tennis?”
❌ “He don’t like pizza.”

Fix it with:

• Drilling Q&A patterns

  “Does he like football?” – “Yes, he does.”
  “Do they live in London?” – “No, they don’t.”

• Mini whiteboard races
  Write sentences like:
  “He ___ like chocolate.”
  Teams race to write “doesn’t” correctly.

• Real-life examples
  Personalize it:

  “Does Maria in our class speak French?”
  “Do you like spicy food?”

Let students answer about real classmates or themselves. It makes grammar relevant.

---

3. When to Use It (vs. Present Continuous or Past Tense)

Many learners use the Present Simple when they should use other tenses:
❌ “Yesterday I go to the market.”
❌ “I am go to school every day.”

Clarify usage with:

• Time markers
  Teach keywords that trigger Present Simple:

  • Always, never, sometimes

  • Every day/week/month

  • On Mondays, in winter

• Timeline visuals
  Draw timelines to contrast tenses. Use stick figures and clocks. Keep it simple and funny!

• Tense sorting games
  Write 10 sentences and ask students to sort them into Present Simple, Present Continuous, or Past. Make it a race!

---

Step-by-Step: How to Teach the Present Simple

Now that we’ve identified the challenges, let’s dive into a classroom-tested sequence for teaching this tense.

---

Step 1: Set the Context

Don’t start with grammar. Start with life.

Use a warm-up discussion:

“What do you do every morning?”
“What time do you go to bed?”
“What’s your daily routine?”

You can also show a short video clip of someone’s day (like a vlog) and ask students to identify the actions. This primes them to notice patterns.

Why it works:
Students hear the tense used naturally before learning rules. It’s more intuitive this way.

---

Step 2: Highlight the Form

Once the context is clear, break down the structure using a chart:

Tip: Have students complete the table with verbs they know.

---

Step 3: Practice Affirmatives First

Use substitution drills:

“I cook dinner.”
“She cooks dinner.”
“They cook dinner.”

Add fun:

• Roll a dice to decide subject (1 = I, 2 = you, etc.)

• Pick random verbs from a jar.

Focus on:

• Pronunciation of “-s” endings (especially /s/, /z/, and /ɪz/)

• Regular vs. irregular verb quirks (e.g., “go → goes”)

---

Step 4: Move to Negatives

Introduce do/does + not + base verb:

“He doesn’t like cheese.”
“I don’t watch TV.”

Activities:

• Write 5 truths and 2 lies about yourself. Students guess which are false using questions:

  “Do you really eat pizza every day?”

• Use picture prompts: Show a photo of a cat. Ask:

  “Does the cat drive a car?” → “No, it doesn’t.”

Silly questions lighten the mood and reinforce the structure.

---

Step 5: Teach Questions

Use question-answer pairs:

“Do you play the guitar?”
“Yes, I do.” / “No, I don’t.”

Group task: Give students info cards about imaginary characters:

• Name: Lucy

• Job: Nurse

• Hobby: Cooking

They walk around asking each other:

“Does Lucy cook?”
“Does she work in a hospital?”

Gamifying grammar makes it feel less like work.

---

Step 6: Mix and Review

Now’s the time to mix everything up:

• Affirmatives

• Negatives

• Yes/No Questions

• Wh- Questions

Board game idea:
Each square has a prompt:

• “Say something you do every day.”

• “Ask your partner a ‘Does…?’ question.”

• “Make a sentence with ‘never.’”

---

Real-Life Classroom Tips (From the Trenches)

I’ve taught this tense to kids, teens, and adults in different settings—schools, corporate training, even online. Here’s what I’ve learned:

✅ Personalize everything.

If you ask a student, “Do dogs eat vegetables?” they may answer.
But if you ask, “Does your dog eat vegetables?”—now they’re engaged.

✅ Don’t be afraid to repeat.

Students need to hear and say the same sentence types many times.
That’s not bad teaching—it’s good pedagogy.

✅ Celebrate small wins.

If someone finally says, “She doesn’t go to school on Sundays,” correctly, cheer like they won a marathon.

---

Limitations and Alternatives

Let’s be real—this won’t be smooth 100% of the time.

• Some students tune out with too much repetition. Spice it up with humor, stories, or pop culture.

• Students with very low levels may struggle. Start with vocabulary first—verbs like eat, go, play—before teaching full Present Simple structures.

• In multilingual classrooms, examples might not click the same way for everyone. Be flexible—ask what’s relatable to them.

And of course, don’t isolate grammar from the rest of language. Always tie it back to communication.

---

Wrap-Up: Make It Stick

So how do you get students to really learn the Present Simple?

Let’s summarize:

• Start with real-life routines.

• Teach form clearly—but with color, movement, and sound.

• Use games, group work, and personal info.

• Practice all four forms: positive, negative, questions, short answers.

• Review often—with fun!

Above all, create a space where mistakes are welcome. Learning grammar isn’t about perfection. It’s about building confidence.

---

Your Turn

Want to try it out? Here’s a simple lesson starter for your next class:

Ask students to draw a comic strip of their daily routine (4–6 frames). Then, have them describe it using the Present Simple:
“I wake up at 7. I brush my teeth. I eat cereal…”

You’ll be surprised how a creative activity can bring grammar to life.

---

Teaching the Present Simple Tense doesn’t have to feel like Groundhog Day.

With the right approach, it becomes one of the most rewarding parts of the job—watching students go from “He don’t like apples” to confidently saying, “No, he doesn’t like apples.”

And that? That’s the kind of progress that keeps us doing what we do.

More topics:

• Listening Activities for ELT Classrooms
• How to Teach Reading Comprehension to English Learners
• How CELTA Helps You Become a Better English Teacher
• Teaching English Idioms and Phrasal Verbs: Techniques and Tools