As you know, in classical English there are sixteen times that are used depending on the specific situation. With its American version it’s easier, all the times are not used here, half at best. But now we will focus on the rules of the present, which includes Present Indefinite, Present Continuous and Present Perfect, namely - Present Indefinite Tense.
Description of application
In general, if we talk about the description of the use of the present tense of this type, that is, Present Indefinite Tense, you need to understand that it describes situations and actions that are immutable.
In other words, Present Indefinite time can be used in relation to descriptions of actions that occur, say, every day, monthly, annually, etc., that is, some kind of constant events.
Frequent Use Issues Present Indefinite Tense
Speaking about the use of this time, we can give several basic examples. Say, no one doubts that I go to school. This fact is permanent and does not require confirmation. This is for granted a concept. In the example, it looks like this: I go to school.
An equally important aspect of the application of Present Indefinite time is the description of some truth that does not require confirmation. For example, it may be the concept of “I am a woman” (I am a woman). It is clear that this is something permanent and unchanging.
The third aspect when using Present Indefinite time is situations and events that describe something belonging to someone. For example, I have a dog (I have a dog). In this case, again, the descriptive process affects exactly what the dog is at all, and it will not go anywhere.
Further, when using the present definitive tense Present Indefinite, you will have to deal with the rules for constructing sentences and conjugation of the main verbs. It is not so simple, since there are certain rules for changing endings depending on the person and number.
Verb conjugation to be
The verb to be, as the main one in the sentence, has its own conjugation peculiarities in Present Indefinite. As with other verbs, there is a change of endings depending on the number and person. If you give the basic rules, it looks like the one shown in the table below.
By the way, that in affirmative sentences, that in answers to interrogative sentences, the verb does not change. If either or the same answer is denied, not is added.
For example, to the question "Are you an actor?" (Are you an actor?) The negative answer looks like No, I am not an actor (No, I'm not abbreviated).
Verb conjugation to do
The verb to do is somewhat simpler. The ending changes only if used in the singular of a third party (does). Most interestingly, the verb itself is used only in interrogative sentences and answers to them.
For example, the question "Do you have a dog?" in the English version using the construction of interrogative sentences in Present Indefinite it looks like “Do you have a dog?” It may be answered “Yes, I do.” In this case, the situation with another verb that needs clarification is affected. In its simplest form, the question will look like “Do you walk every day?” (Do you walk every day?), And the answer is “Yes” or “No”, depending on the situation (Yes, I do or No, I do not or in the abbreviation No, I don't).
Verb conjugation to have
Now a few words about the use of the Present Indefinite verb to have. It causes a lot of controversy to this day. The rules of classic English and modified American are slightly different. This applies for the most part to interrogative sentences and answers to them.
So, for example, the same question "Do you have a dog?" in the American version it looks like “Do you have a dog?”, although according to the rules of the English language the question should be built as “Have you a dog?”
As you can see from this example, there can only be one answer to the second version of the question: Yes, I have. For the first answer there can be two: either Yes, I do (the correct answer from the point of view of constructing the question, since the verb to do is the main one), or again Yes, I have.
If we talk about the use of these verbs in relation to the third person singular, then only the main verb changes. The phrase "Does she have a dog?" in two variations can be built as "Does she have a dog?" (the end of the main verb changes to “-es”) or “Has she a dog?”. As you can see, the change in the ending occurs only in the main verb.
Incidentally, the Americans are not particularly worried about this. They generally tend to rearrange sentences so that it goes against the classical rules. Returning to the question of a dog, an American can easily say: Oh, you have a dog? ("Oh, do you have a dog?"). In principle, such a formulation of the question can be interpreted as an affirmative-interrogative sentence, although the present indefinite verbs themselves do not change.
Rules for changing endings in main verbs indicating action
So far, we have examined three main verbs. In principle, the same rules apply to other verbs that define the main action (adding the endings “-s” or “-es”, as well as changing “-y” to “-ies”). Consider how to use them correctly.
To correctly understand how the endings of verbs in the same Present Indefinite Passive change, consider the basic rules. If the verb ends with "o", “S”, “x”, “ch” and “sh”, the modified ending “-es” is used. In other cases, the ending “-s” applies. The pronunciation is also subject to change, and the construction of interrogative or affirmative sentences in the third person singular implies the use of the main verb with a modified ending (Who helps you? - “Who helps you?”, She helps her brother - “She helps her brother”).
For example, if the ending is after a deaf consonant, it is pronounced “es” ([s], lets, drops). If it is used after a voiced consonant or vowel, the pronunciation will be like “z” ([z], plays). In the case of sounds in transcription [ks, ʃ, s, z, dʒ, ʒ, tʃ], the ending is already pronounced as “zis” ([iz], looses).
The change in the ending “-y” occurs provided that he has a consonant. For example, Study - Studies. However, “-s” is used with vowels: Pay - Pays, Stay - Stays.
Commonly used related words and concepts
As already understood, the use of Present Indefinite time describes persistent events. Not surprisingly, sentences often come up with related words that emphasize the situation itself. As a rule, these are words of the type usually (usually), always (always), constantly (constantly), ever and ever (always), often (often), etc.
Conclusion
As can be seen from all of the above, there is nothing difficult to use tense or the verbs associated with it. The main thing in this case is to clearly understand the situation, which will be described using definitive time. Well, as you learn English, you can quickly get used to the rules for changing endings or conjugating verbs.