Present Simple Tense. Use #2: Facts or Generalisations
The present simple can
also indicate that the speaker believes that a fact was true in the past, in
the present, and will be true in the future. We must remember that it is not
important if the speaker is correct about the fact. The present simple is also
used to make generalisations about people or things.
Example: Cats like milk. –
Кошки любят молоко.
Here we talk about
general facts about cats. (It may not be true for specific cats or dogs, of
course.)
Example: London is in
the United Kingdom.– Лондон
находится в Великобритании.
Here we talk of a
geographical fact. Note that with the verb “to be” we do not use the
auxiliary verb “to do” in questions and negative statements. Also
note that “is not” is contracted to “isn’t” and “are
not” is contracted to “aren’t”.
Example: London is a
small city. – Лондон-
небольшой город.
That London is a small
city is presented here as a fact. It does not matter that this is untrue.
