For all main verbs (everything except to be), Present Simple uses the auxiliary do/does to form negatives and questions. The key rule: does carries the third-person -s, so the main verb always stays in its bare infinitive (base) form.
| Form | I / You / We / They | He / She / It |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | I work here. | She works here. |
| Negative | I don't work here. | She doesn't work here. |
| Yes/No Question | Do you work here? | Does she work here? |
| Short Answer (+) | Yes, I do. | Yes, she does. |
| Short Answer (−) | No, I don't. | No, she doesn't. |
| Wh- Question | Where do they work? | What does he do? |
To be is unique: it does not use do/does. The verb itself changes form to make negatives and questions. "He isn't be a doctor" and "Does she be late?" are both impossible in English.
| Form | I | He / She / It | You / We / They |
|---|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | I am (I'm) | She is (she's) | They are (they're) |
| Negative | I am not (I'm not) | She isn't | They aren't |
| Question | Am I right? | Is she punctual? | Are they fluent? |
| Short Answer (+) | Yes, I am. | Yes, she is. | Yes, they are. |
| Short Answer (−) | No, I'm not. | No, she isn't. | No, they aren't. |
Adding -s to the third-person singular is not always straightforward. There are spelling rules depending on the verb's final letters. B1/B2 exams mark spelling — these need to be automatic.
| Rule | Verb ending | Change | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | most verbs | add -s | work→works, read→reads, run→runs |
| -es group | -ch, -sh, -s, -ss, -x, -z, -o | add -es | watch→watches, wash→washes, miss→misses, fix→fixes, go→goes |
| -ies group | consonant + -y | y → -ies | study→studies, fly→flies, carry→carries, deny→denies |
| vowel + y | vowel + -y | add -s only | play→plays, say→says, enjoy→enjoys |
| Irregulars | have / do | irregular | have→has, do→does |
The Present Simple covers far more ground than habits and routines. At B1/B2 you need to recognise all its uses — including some that feel counterintuitive, like using it to talk about the future in conditional and time clauses.
Adverbs of frequency tell us how often something happens. Their position in the sentence is fixed — and it differs depending on whether the verb is to be or any other verb. Misplacing them is a very common B1 exam error.
My name is Marco. I am twenty-eight years old, and my hometown is a quiet coastal village in southern Italy. However, my current occupation as a data analyst keeps me anchored in the rainy heart of London. Adapting to the UK has been an intriguing journey. While my nationality is Italian, my daily life feels incredibly international — my colleagues come from twelve different countries, and the acquaintances I have made here represent almost every continent. I spend most of my day staring at screens, so I rarely stay indoors on weekends. Many foreigners constantly complain about the British weather, but I honestly don't mind the drizzle. It provides the perfect excuse to sit in a pub, sip a dark ale, and read. The hardest part of living here isn't the climate — it's the fact that London never stops moving, whereas my village back home practically sleeps for half the year.
1. 🔍 Inference: What does Marco's attitude suggest about his personality?
2. Why does Marco go outdoors at weekends?
3. 🔍 Inference: What does the phrase "London never stops moving" tell us about Marco's life there?
4. What is Marco's genuine attitude towards rain?
Elena is a thirty-two-year-old paediatric nurse. Her marital status is single, but her schedule leaves her absolutely no time to worry about it. She was born in Madrid, but she hasn't lived there for over a decade — London is very much her home now. Her occupation demands an immense amount of patience and physical stamina, and she takes both seriously. A typical Tuesday begins at 5:00 AM. Elena doesn't rely on an alarm clock; her internal clock wakes her up reliably. Before leaving her flat, she always has a strong coffee — a habit she cannot break. She catches the early train to the hospital, arriving well ahead of the rush-hour crowds. Elena loves her job, but she admits that managing the anxiety of worried parents is often more exhausting than treating the sick children themselves. Despite the stress, she never considers changing her career path.
1. 🔍 Inference: What does Elena's morning routine reveal about her character?
2. What does Elena find to be the most tiring part of her job?
3. 🔍 Inference: Why does Elena find managing parents' anxiety more exhausting than treating the children?
4. What can we infer about Elena's long-term career plans?
Hello! Let me introduce myself. I (1) twenty-six years old and my (2) is Bulgarian. I currently (3) in a small flat in the city centre. My surname (4) Petrov, and my (5) is accountant.
My brother (6) live with me — he stays with our parents in our (7). Every morning, I wake up early because I (8) the bus to work. My employer (9) me to be at the office by 8 AM. I am (10) punctual — I rarely arrive late.
The most common error at B1: forgetting the -s in affirmatives, or adding it wrongly in negatives and questions. Every sentence below contains exactly this type of error — or is already correct.
Adverbs of frequency must go in mid-position: before the main verb, but after the verb to be. Bulgarian speakers often place them at the end of the sentence, which sounds unnatural.
Two high-frequency B1/B2 error types: using do/does with the verb to be (impossible in English), and using will instead of Present Simple in time and conditional clauses (after when, if, as soon as, until, unless…).