INTRODUCTION
Present Simple is the most basic structure in English grammar and it is useful to express our ideas.
Look at this gallery and see how Present Simple is used to describe common activities (routines) in an ordinary day.

Each expression can be complemented by adding extra information.

1.-  A time:

  • I get up at 7:00 o´clock in the morning.

2.- A frequency Adverb:

  • I sometimes have breakfast.

3.-  A day of the week:

  • I go to school from Mondays to Fridays.

4.- A mean of transportation:

a) by bus

b) on foot

c) by taxi

d) on my own car

  • I rarely get home on foot .
  • I always go to school at 9:00 o´clock  by bus .

ACTIVITY 1. Publish a comment with your daily routine, you  have to use from 8 to 12 Simple Present ideas to describe it.

ACTIVITY 2. Listen to this song and complete the lyrics with the correct verb in present tense.

Day after day alone on the hill
The man with the foolish grin is keeping perfectly still
But nobody (1) WANTS to know him
They can see that he (2)IS just a fool
And he never (3) GIVES an answer
But the fool on the hill  (4)
SEES the sun going down
And the eyes in his head
(5)SEE the world spinning around .

Well on the way his head in a cloud
The man of a thousand voices talking percetly loud
But nobody ever (6)HEARS him
Or the sound he (7) APPEARS to make
And he never (8) SEEMS to notice
But the fool on the hill
(9)SEES the sun going down
And the eyes in his head
(10)SEE the world spinning around.

And nobody (11)SEEMS to like him
They can tell what he (12) WANTS to do
And he never (13) SHOWS his feelings
But the fool on the hill
(14)SEES the sun going down
And the eyes in his head
(15)SEE the world spinning around.

Round and round and round
He never (16) LISTENS to them
He knows that they’re the fools
The don’t (17) LIKE him
But the fool on the hill
(18)SEES the sun going down
And the eyes in his head
(19)SEE the world spinning around.

ACTIVITY 3. Publish a comment giving your opinion to your partners about these questions:

1.- Is the man of the song crazy?

IN MY OPINION HE IS, LOOK AT THIS PIECES OF INFORMATION:

– his head in a cloud

– The man of a thousand voices talking percetly loud

– But nobody ever hears him or the sound he appears to make

– And he never seems to notice

2.- What attitudes do others show to him?

INDIFFERENCE AND  APATHY

3.-  Do you believe that man is waiting for something to happen?

NOT EXACTLY TO OCCUR; THERE IS SOMETHING  IN THE HILL  THAT MAKES HIM HAPPY

4.- Do the man worry about what others think about him?

DEFINITELY NO

ACTIVITY 4. Discuss with your partners in which parts from the song  simple present expresses habits or routines.

In this song we can find habits not routines; here are some examples:

he never gives an answer

the fool on the hill  sees the sun going down

the eyes in his head see the world spinning around .

he never seems to notice

And he never shows his feelings

He never listens to them.

As you can see, Present Simple is used to describe present habits, and routines. But it is also used to talk abou facts. (True pieces of information).

Examples:

* Water boils when is heated.

* During the night, the sky remains dark.

*  Before raining the sky gets cloudy.