Grammar Focus. The Present Simple, the Past Simple, the Future Simple.

I. The Present Simple.

1. The Present Simple expresses a fact which is always true, or true for a long time:

He comes from Switzerland.

She works in a bank.

2. It also expresses a habit.

She goes swimming in winter.

Positive	Negative	Question
I/you/we/they live in Russia. He/she/it lives in Russia. We use adverbs of frequency: never, sometimes, often, usually, always.	I/you/we/they do not (= don’t) live in Russia. He/she/it does not (=doesn’t) live in Russia.	Do I/you/we/they live in Russia? Yes, I do. No, I don’t. Does he/she/it live in Russia? Yes, he does. No, he doesn’t. Where do I/you/we/they live? Where does he/she/it live?

1. Most verbs add –s in the third person singular: wear → wears, speak → speaks, live → lives, but go and do are different, they add –es: go → goes, do → does.

2. If the verb ends in –s, -sh, or –ch, add –es: finish → finishes, watch → watches.

3. If a verb is a consonant + -y, the –y changes to –ies: fly → flies, study → studies.

But if a verb ends in a vowel + -y, the –y does not change: play → plays.

Have is irregular: have → has.

Read the text about differences between boys and girls and complete the text with the correct form of the verbs in the box.

Are Girls Better Students Than Boys?

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Most people think that girls are better students than boys. In England, girls ……higher marks in tests in most subjects and at most ages. At the age of seven, 88% of girls ….

the expected level for their age, but only 80% of boys do. By the age of 12, the difference is 80% to 69%, and the gap is wider at 16years old. A similar situation ….

in the USA and many other countries.

However, two American teachers, William Draves and Julie Coates, …..that it is not the boys who are the problem, but the school. Their book, “Nine shift: Work, life, and education in the 21 st century…… that in fact boys are better prepared for the future. Boys are more interested in computers and the internet. They…… taking risks, and thinking about ways of making money and teamwork – things that are important for success at work.

The problem is that schools……boys for this behaviour because they are bad at listening and following instructions.

Ex.1 Make the sentences negative.

1. Boys study more than girls at school.

2. The average boy scores higher marks in tests.

3. At 7, 12% of girls reach the expected level.

4. The researchers say that boys do badly at school because they are less intelligent.

5. Most schools give prizes to boys for their behaviour.

6. Some boys always listen well to their teachers.

7. William Draves thinks boys are the problems.

Ex.2 Write some questions on the text and ask your partner to answer them.