MODUL 1 SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

Simple Present Tense

1. Definition of Simple Present Tense

According to Evi Fitria, the Simple Present Tense refers to action or

situation that to do not change frequently. It is used to describe habits or routines,

to express opinions, or to make general statements of fact, the simple present can

also to refer to the future.4

From the definition, the researcher can concludes that Simple Present

Tense is the tense that can be used to express the things that we do everyday or

habitual and fact which are formed with base of verbs, except for the third

singular subject such as he, she, and it by adding –s or –es in the end.

2. The Pattern of Simple Present Tense

The patterns of simple present tense:

a. Non-Action Sentence (Nominal sentence)

Non-action sentence is the sentence that used to describe an event that is going on

or describe about something. It is called non-action sentence because there is no

‘verb’ in the pattern.

(Positive):

S + To Be (am, is, are) + Complement (Adjective/Adverb/Noun)

Example: He is a teacher.

(Negative):

S + To Be (am, is, are) + Not + Complement (Adjective/Adverb/Noun)

 Example: He is not a teacher.

(Interrogative)

To Be (am, is, are) + S + Complement (Adjective/Adverb/Noun)

Example: Is he a teacher?
b. Action Sentence (Verbal sentence)

Action sentence is a sentence that has an action (verb). It used to describe an

action or habit that we do continuesly.

(Positive):

S + (V1(s/es) + Object/Adverb

Example: I play football.

He plays football. She studies English.

(Negative):

S + do/does + not + V1 + Object/Adverb

Example: I do not study English.

He does not play football.

(Interrogative)

Do/does + S + Object/Adverb?

Example: Do you study English?

Does he play football?

3. The Function of Simple Present Tense

According to I. Didimus Manulang, S,S. The function of simple present tense are:

a. To describe an action or event that we do continuesly. Also, the habibual

things. There are many adverb of time that can be used in simple present

tense such as everyday, everyweek/month/a year/, sometimes, always, often,

seldom, usually, habitually, generally, rarely, etc.

Example: I visit my grandmother every week.

b. To describe the general truth.

Example: The sun rises on the east.

The taste of sugar is sweet.

The sky is blue.

c. To describe about characteristic of people or things.

Example: Thomas is friendly.

d. To describe an action or planning that will be done soon.

Example: The train leaves at 4:30 p.m

The meeting begins at 9 o’clock.

e. To be used by commentator of football, and etc.5

The statement above is similar with the statement of Hornby. He states that the

usage of simple present tense divided into five kinds:6

a. To describe an activity that is actually in progress at the moment of speaking,

e.g. in demonstration, explanation, step by step the way to cook something.

Example: I sift the flour, salt, and baking powder into a bowl. I mix them.

b. To used in commentaries, e.g. as broadcast during a sporting event such as a

football match. Example: Green passes the ball to Brown. Brown passes it to

Black who heads it past the goalkeeper and scores!

c. To used in exlamatory sentences beginning with here and there. Example:

Here he comes!

d. In the general statement of what was true in the past time, is true now, is

likely to be true in future time. Example: The sun shines during the day.

e. To used for references to what was communicated in the past. Example: The

newspapers say it’s going to be cold today.

There are some spelling rules in simple present tense:

a. The verb ending –ch, -o, -sh, -ss, -x, or –y that begin with consonant, so that

the verb will be added –es.

Examples: catch-catches, search-searches, touch-touches, watch-watches, do-

does, go-goes, dry-dries, and etc.

b. The other verbs which not ending with consonant will be added –s.

Examples: agree-agrees, arrive-arrives, build-builds, cut-cuts, dream-dreams,

play-plays, talk-talks, walk-walks, and etc.7

c. If the simple form of a verb ends in –y after consonant, change the –y to –i

and add –es.

 Example: -Study – Studies

We study in the classroom.

He studies in the classroom.

-Try – Tries

I try to sing. Ani tries to sing.

But verbs that have a vowel before the –y do not change from –y to –i and not add

–es.8

Example: Buy – buys

-I buy a handphone.

-My mother buys a handphone.

Play – plays

d. If the simple form of a verb ends in –s, -z, -sh, -ch, -x, or –o (after

consonant), add –es.

Example: -Teach: I teach English in school.

-Teaches: Mr. Brown teaches English in school.

-Go: They go to the market.

-Goes: He goes to the market.

-Wash : I wash my clothes.

-Washes: My mother washes the clothes.

-Fix: Richard fixes breakfast in hurry.

 The Instrument of Pre-test

A. Choose the right answer A, B, C, or D! (Pilihlah jawaban yang tepat

A, B, C, atau D!)

1. Charles ... a smart student.

a. am b. it c.is d. are
2. Father ... to the office everyday.
a. go b. is going c. goes d. are going
3. Toni, Ana, Dinda, and Aji ... my classmates.
a. is b. are c. am d. it
4. Aura Kasih ... an artist.
a. was b. is c. are d. were
5. How many books does he ... a day?
a. read b. reads c. reading d. is read
6. Sugar ... sweet.
a. be b. are c. is d. was
7. Sheila always ... to her school on time.
a. goes b. went c. gone d. go
8. The sun ... in the east.
a. rise b. set c. sets d. rises
9. I ... a beautiful girl.
a. is b. am c. are d. was
10. Baby usually ... at the night.
a. cries b. crying c. cry d. cried
11. I ... a student of Junior High School.
a. is b. am c. are d. be
12. The boys ... my friends.
a. is b. am c. are d. be
13. Peter ... television every night.
a. watching b. watched c. watches d. watch
14. Mrs. Sinta is a teacher. She ... English every Thursday and Monday.
a. teach b. teaches c. teaching d. taught
15. School ... at 07.00 a.m and finishes at 04.00 p.m everyday.
a. starts b. starting c. start d. started
16. You ... Indonesian.
a. am b. is c. are d. be
17. The post office ... at 08.00 a.m everyday.
a. opens b. open c. opening d. opened
18. Kitty ... the name of my cat.
a. is b. am c. are d. be
19. I usually ... at 09.00 p.m.
a. sleeps b. sleep c. sleeping d. slept
20. Doni ... a clever student.
a. is b. are c. am d. be
 The Instrument of Post-test I

A. Choose the right answer A, B, C, or D! (Pilihlah jawaban yang tepat

A, B, C, atau D!)

1. I can play the guitar, but I ... very well.

a. not play b. don’t play c. doesn’t play d. didn’t play
2. Where does your mother come from? She ... from Jakarta.
a. come b. came c. coming d. comes
3. She ... milk every morning.
a. drinks b. drank c. drunk d. drinking
4. Lulu and Salsa ... students at SMPN 6 Depok.
a. is b. are c. am d. be
5. I usually ... English on Monday and Thrusday every week.
a. study b. studies c. studied d. studying
6. Farida ... not go to school on Tuesday.
a. do b. does c. did d. is
7. We ... clean our classroom on Sunday.
a. didn’t b. don’t c. doesn’t d. aren’t
8. My father ... his car every week.
a. wash b. washes c. washed d. washing
9. Are you a new teacher in this school? No, I ... not.
a. is b. are c. am d. be
10. Our teachers ... us patiently.
a. teaches b. teach c. taught d. teaching
11. The boy ... not my brother.
a. am b. are c. is d. do
12. The girls ... my friends.
a. am not b. aren’t c. isn’t d. don’t
13. Mrs. Prawiro ... my grandma.
a. am b. are c. is d. be
14. Are they Senior High School students? No, they ... .
a. isn’t b. aren’t c. am not d. doesn’t
15. We ... a happy family.
a. is b. are c. am d. be
16. Are you student? Yes, I ... .
a. be b. is c. are d. am
17. I ... a soldier.
a. isn’t b. aren’t c. am not d. don’t
18. She ... novel everyday.
a. don’t read b. doesn’t read c. didn’t read d. not read
19. Dhani ... at the swimming pool every Sunday.
a. swim b. swam c. swimming d. swims
20. The sun ... shine brightly now.
a. didn’t b. don’t c. doesn’t d. not
 The Instrument of Post-test II

A. Choose the right answer A, B, C, or D! (Pilihlah jawaban yang tepat

A, B, C, atau D!)

1. ... you a doctor? Yes, I am.

a. is b. are c. am d. be
2. ... she like to eat meat ball for her lunch everyday?
a. does b. do c. was d. were
3. You ... wrong!
a. are b. is c. am d. be
4. The earth ... round.
a. is b. are c. am d. be
5. How old ... you? I am sixteen years old.
a. is b. are c. am d. be
6. ... a teacher teach us? Yes, she does.
a. are b. is c. do d. does
7. The boys ... at the mosque every Friday.
a. pray b. prays c. prayed d. praying
8. You ... a teacher.
a. are not b. is not c. am not d. does not
9. ... you have a book?
a. are b. do c. does d. is
10. He ... have a book.
a. doesn’t b. don’t c. isn’t d. are not
11. ... he a policeman?
a. am b. are c. is d. be
12. ... the tiger drink?
a. are b. am c. do d. does
13. The students ... football every Sunday.
a. plays b. playing c. played d. play
14. My father ... coffee every afternoon.
a. drinks b. drink c. drank d. drunk
15. You ... write.
a. aren’t b. don’t c. doesn’t d. isn’t
16. They ... my teachers.
a. am not b. isn’t c. aren’t d. don’t
17. We ... cook rice everyday.
a. aren’t b. doesn’t c. don’t d. isn’t
18. ... they eat bread everyday?
a. do b. does c. is d. are
19. He ... a tailor.
a. am not b. isn’t c. aren’t d. don’t
20. Susan ... friedrice every morning.
a. eat b. eats c. ate d. eaten
 The Answer Key of Pre-test, Post-test I and Post-test II

A. Pre-test

1. c 6. c 11. b 16. c
2. c 7. a 12. c 17. a
3. b 8. d 13. c 18. a
4. b 9. b 14. b 19. a
5. a 10. a 15. a 20. a

B. Post-test I

1. b 6. b 11. c 16. d
2. d 7.b 12. b 17. c
3. a 8. b 13. c 18. b
4. b 9. c 14. b 19. d
5. a 10. b 15. b 20. c

C. Post-test II

1. b 6. d 11. c 16. c
2. a 7. a 12. d 17. c
3. a 8. a 13. d 18. a
4. a 9. b 14. a 19. b
5. b 10. a 15. b 20. b