be, do, have and modal verbs in the Present Simple
How to use special verbs in the Simple Present
1. be as a main verb
| Pronouns | Affirmative sentence | Negative sentence | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | I am married. | I am not married. | Am I married? |
| you | You are married. | You are not married. | Are you married? |
| he, she, it | He is married. | He is not married. | Is he married? |
| we, you, they | They are married. | They are not married. | Are they married? |
We often use the short/contracted forms with this verb.
2. do as a main verb
| Pronouns | Affirmative sentence | Negative sentence | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | I do housework. | I do not do housework. | Do I do housework? |
| you | You do housework. | You do not do housework. | Do you do housework? |
| he, she, it | He does housework. | He does not do housework. | Does he do housework? |
| we, you, they | They do housework. | They do not do housework. | Do they do housework? |
3. have as a main verb
| Pronouns | Affirmative sentence | Negative sentence | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | I have time. | I do not have time. | Do I have time? |
| you | You have time. | You do not have time. | Do you have time? |
| he, she, it | He has time. | He does not have time. | Does he have time? |
| we, you, they | They have time. | They do not have time. | Do they have time? |
4. Modals can, could, may, must, need, will etc.
| Pronouns | Affirmative sentence | Negative sentence | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| I, he, she, it, we, you, they | I can play football. | I cannot play football. | Can I play football? |
► We can substitute don’t (can‘t) for do not (cannot).
Modals have the same form every time regardless the subject. We do not add an -s to the infinitive.