1. Действие (даже, скорее, констатация), выполняемое:

– ментально (мысли, ощущения): I think, he believes, she likes, I suppose, they regret, we understand
I think it’s a good idea.
These theatergoers love Shakespeare.
I suppose he’ll be there.
They regret having let you down.
I understand you are gong to retire.
ИЛИ
– словесно: I agree, I promise, I propose, I refuse, I apologize
I repeat, the girl has been impertinent.
I swear it to you.
I accept their decision.
I promise to be careful.
The notice warns passengers to take care.
You leave me no choice.
I apologize for what I told you at the party.

2. Состояние ИЛИ факт

These things belong to Jimmy.
Silicon is a chemical element.
Food gives you energy.
Paint dries quicker in summer.
Books burn easily.

3. Действие, происходящее в настоящее время, НО не в данный момент:

– постоянно
These children go to school.
Her parents work at this university.
– с определенной периодичностью
They come here daily.
We swim three times a week.
She comes to see us every Sunday.

Часто используется:
– в восклицательных И вопросительных предложениях:

“Now you insult me!”, Maurice shouted in his turn.
My dear, how you throw away your money!
Why do you talk like that to me?
What do you mean by ‘all of us’?
But I thought… ~ I don’t care about what you thought!

– в комментариях, инструкциях:

Hacker passes the ball to Short. Short moves inside, but Burley wins it back for United. He passes to Cook who shoots!
You go to the end and turn left.

– в газетных заголовках при описании событий, которые только что произошли:

Rents go up (в обычной ситуации использовался бы Present Perfect: Rents have gone up)
Quake hits Central Iran.
Foreign minister resigns.

– при описании содержания книги, фильма, газетной статьи:

The book gives the list of the largest European companies in Chapter 6.
At the beginning of the book, three men find $3 million in a crashed plane.
In the film, Jim Smith takes the role of a private detective.

– в выражениях It says here, I hear, I gather, I see, I understand, They say, (Someone) says, (Someone) tells me для сообщения чего-либо, прочитанного, увиденного или услышанного:

It says in the paper the strike is over.
I gather you’re worried about Ken.
Jane tells me you are thinking of emigrating.
Professor Otto is at the conference and I hear she’s an excellent speaker.
I understand you are not going to give up.
They say our bank was robbed last night.

– в живой речи вместо прошедшего времени (для большей выразительности). Основные действия – Present Simple, а обстоятельства (на фоне которых это происходит) – Present Continuous:

I‘m sitting in the park, reading a newspaper, when all of a sudden a dog jumps at me (действие в прошлом: Я сижу в парке и читаю газету, как вдруг на меня прыгает собака)
She goes up to this man and looks straight into his eyes. He’s not wearing his glasses and he doesn’t recognize her… (действие в прошлом: Она подходит к этому человеку и смотрит ему прямо в глаза. Он без очков и не узнаёт её…)