In English, time is not organized only by verb form. It is organized by how we see actions, facts, and moments. Before comparing present and past, we need to understand how English builds meaning step by step.

This text starts with the present, because it is the base. Then it moves to the past, and finally explains how English separates time clearly.

This explanation supports the main reference found in:📘 Present Perfect Explained: When English Connects the Past to the Present

The Present Tense: The Base Form in English

In English, the present simple is the base form of the verb.

We use it to talk about:

• routines
• habits
• things that are always true
• facts about the present

Example:

I work in London.
I read books every day.
I live near the city centre.

Here, the verb stays in its base form.

The Third Person: He, She, It

In English, something changes with the third person singular: he, she, it.

We add -s to the verb.

Examples:

She works in London.
He reads books every night.
She lives near the city centre.

This -s is one of the most important details in the present simple.

Present Simple Questions: Do and Does

In English, we use do and does to make questions in the present simple.

Examples:

Do you work in London?
Do they live nearby?

With he, she, it, we use does:

Does she work in London?
Does he read every day?

Notice something important:
When we use does, the verb goes back to the base form.

Does she work?
Not: Does she works?

Questions with Question Words

We often use do and does with question words.

Examples:

Where do you work?
What do you read?
When do they arrive?

With he, she, it:

Where does she work?
What does he do?
When does it start?

Questions with Who (No Do or Does)

In English, questions with who often do not use do or does, because who is the subject.

Examples:

Who lives here?
Who works in this office?
Who teaches English?

In these questions, who already replaces he or she.

Useful Everyday Present Simple Questions

These questions are very common in real conversations.

Present Simple Negatives

To make negative sentences in the present simple, we use do not or does not.

Examples:

I do not work on Sundays.
They do not live far from here.

With he, she, it:

She does not work on Sundays.
He does not live far from here.

Again, the verb stays in the base form.

Present Simple and Present Time

We use the present simple to talk about things that are true now.

Examples:

I am 19 years old.
My name is Daniel.
I live in Manchester.
She is a teacher.

These sentences describe facts, not actions in progress.

The Verb To Be in the Present

The verb to be is different. It does not use do or does.

Forms:

• I am
• you are
• he is / she is / it is

Examples:

I am tired.
She is at home.
They are students.

Questions:

Are you tired?
Is she at home?

Negatives:

I am not tired.
She is not at home.

Adverbs of Frequency and the Present Simple

We often use the present simple with adverbs of frequency.

Examples:

I usually wake up at 7.
She always drinks coffee in the morning.
We sometimes eat out.

These words show how often something happens.

Present Simple and Future Time

In English, we also use the present simple to talk about the future, especially with schedules and timetables.

Examples:

The train leaves at 6 a.m.
The class starts tomorrow.
The shop opens at 9.

Even though the time is future, English uses the present simple because the event is fixed.

Past Time: How English Talks About Finished Moments

Now we move to the past.

In English, the past simple is used when:

• the action is finished
• the time is finished
• the moment is clear

Examples:

I worked in London last year.
She read that book yesterday.
We met in 2022.

Words like yesterday, last week, in 2022 clearly place the action in the past.

The Key Difference Between Present and Past Time

The difference is not the verb form alone. It is the time perspective.

• Present time → habits, facts, routines, things true now
• Past time → finished actions at finished moments

English separates these two very clearly.

Understanding this organization helps everything else make sense, including the present perfect.

How This Connects to the Present Perfect

Once we understand how English separates present time and past time, it becomes easier to understand why English sometimes uses a tense that connects both.

That connection is explained in detail in📘 Present Perfect Explained: When English Connects the Past to the Present

Conclusion: English Time Is Organized, Not Random

In English, time follows a clear structure.

We start with:

• the present simple for facts and routines
• the past simple for finished moments

Only after that does English introduce tenses that connect time, such as the present perfect.

Once this foundation is clear, tense choice becomes logical, not confusing.

All content on Wilford Fluency is written and maintained by Márcio Wilford, an English teacher with over 10 years of experience. This article is provided for educational purposes only

Source: britishcouncil,

cambridge.