Grammar: A1 - ⚙️ Verbs in Depth: ⏳ Present Simple Tense (Action Verbs) - Lesson 1: Present Simple for Habits & Routines (I eat breakfast at 7 am.)

✨ Lesson 1: Present Simple for Habits & Routines

Welcome to a new series where we will study verbs in more detail. We will start with the Present Simple Tense¹.

The most important use of the Present Simple is to talk about habits² (things we do regularly) and routines³ (things that are part of our normal schedule). It describes actions that are generally true.

Review: The Two Verb Forms

Remember from our lesson on Action Verbs, there are two forms in the present simple:

• Base Form (e.g., go, eat, work): Used with I, you, we, they.
• '-s' Form (e.g., goes, eats, works): Used with he, she, it.

Signal Words for Habits and Routines

Certain words often signal that we should use the Present Simple. These words describe frequency⁴ (how often we do something).

Signal Word	Meaning (How Often)	Example Sentence
always	100% of the time	I always drink coffee in the morning.
usually	~80% of the time	She usually goes to the market.
sometimes	~50% of the time	We sometimes eat at the riverside.
never	0% of the time	He never swims in the sea.
every day/week...	A regular schedule	They visit their family every Sunday.

Notice the verb form never changes, even with the signal word. For "She", we still use "goes". For "I", we still use "drink".

🧠 Practice Quiz: Choose the Correct Verb

Choose the correct verb form to complete the sentences.

1. He usually (rides / ride) a moto to work.
2. We never (eats / eat) durian for breakfast.
3. I always (start / starts) school at 8:00 AM.
4. She sometimes (helps / help) her mother at the shop.
5. They visit their grandparents every (week / weeks).

📝 Homework: Describe Your Routine

Write three true sentences about your weekly routine. Use a different signal word (always, usually, sometimes, never, every) in each sentence.

Example: I always eat rice for lunch. I sometimes go to the market on Saturday.

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1: ___________________________________

2: ___________________________________

3: ___________________________________

Vocabulary Glossary

1. Present Simple Tense: (Noun) - បច្ចុប្បន្នកាលធម្មតា (păch'chŭb'bân'nâ'kal thoam'mada) - A verb tense used to talk about habits, routines, and general facts. ↩
2. Habit: (Noun) - ទម្លាប់ (tŭmlŏəp) - Something that you do often and regularly, sometimes without knowing that you are doing it. ↩
3. Routine / Schedule: (Noun) - កាលវិភាគ (kal'vĭphĭək) - The usual order and time in which you do things. ↩
4. Frequency: (Noun) - ភាពញឹកញាប់ (phĭəp nhœ̆k'nhoăp) - How often something happens. ↩