Present Simple Tense: A1 Exercises

Every answer with the reason behind it. Read the explanation for the ones you got right as well — that is where you find out whether you were right for the right reason.

Multiple choice questions — answers

1. She ___ in a hospital in Cardiff. → works

A third-person singular subject adds -s to the verb in the present simple.

2. They ___ to work by bus every morning. → go

They is plural, so the verb takes no -s.

3. He ___ television every evening. → watches

A verb ending in -ch takes -es in the third person so the ending can be pronounced.

4. My sister ___ medicine at university. → studies

A consonant plus -y becomes -ies: study, studies.

5. The film ___ at half past eight. → starts

The film is a singular third-person subject, so the verb takes -s.

6. Which sentence is correct? → She doesn't like coffee.

Doesn't already carries the -s, so the main verb goes back to its base form.

7. ___ your brother speak French? → Does

Your brother is third person singular, so the auxiliary is does.

8. We ___ dinner at about seven o'clock. → have

We is plural, so have takes no ending.

9. He ___ his homework before dinner. → does

Do is irregular in the third person: he does.

10. Water ___ at one hundred degrees. → boils

The present simple states general truths and scientific facts.

11. Which is the correct third-person form of "fly"? → flies

A consonant plus -y becomes -ies in the third person.

12. I ___ understand this exercise. → don't

I takes don't, and the main verb keeps its base form.

13. Which is the correct third-person form of "go"? → goes

Verbs ending in -o take -es: goes, does.

14. My parents ___ in the countryside. → live

Parents is plural, so the verb takes no -s.

15. The bank ___ at four on Fridays. → closes

The bank is a singular third-person subject, so the verb takes -s.

16. Which sentence is correct? → Does she play tennis?

The -s moves onto does, so the main verb is bare.

17. He ___ up at six every day. → gets

A third-person singular subject takes -s, and every day signals the present simple.

18. Which is the correct third-person form of "pass"? → passes

A verb ending in -s takes -es so the ending forms a separate syllable.

19. She ___ to the gym three times a week. → goes

Go is irregular in the third person: goes.

20. My colleagues ___ work at five. → finish

Colleagues is plural, so no -s is added.

Fill-in-the-blank questions — answers

1. My father ___ in a bank in the city. (work) → works

A third-person singular subject adds -s in the present simple.

2. My neighbour ___ in the flat above us. (live) → lives

A third-person singular subject adds -s to the verb in the present simple.

3. She ___ the news every morning. (watch) → watches

A verb ending in -ch takes -es in the third person.

4. He ___ history at Manchester. (study) → studies

A consonant plus -y becomes -ies.

5. The shop ___ at eight on weekdays. (open) → opens

The shop is a singular third-person subject, so the verb adds -s.

6. We ___ eat meat during the week. (negative) → don't

We is plural, so the negative auxiliary is don't.

7. My sister ___ drink coffee at all. (negative) → doesn't

A third-person singular subject takes doesn't, and the main verb goes bare.

8. ___ your parents speak any English? → Do

Parents is plural, so the question takes do.

9. ___ the museum open on Mondays? → Does

The museum is singular, so the question takes does.

10. He ___ his homework straight after school. (do) → does

Do is irregular in the third person and becomes does.

11. The train ___ from platform six. (leave) → leaves

The train is a singular subject, so the verb adds -s.

12. A swallow ___ south when the weather turns cold. (fly) → flies

A consonant plus -y becomes -ies in the third person singular.

13. My grandmother ___ letters by hand. (write) → writes

A third-person singular subject adds a simple -s.

14. I ___ think that's the right address. (negative) → don't

I takes don't, and the main verb keeps its base form.

15. She ___ the piano beautifully. (play) → plays

A vowel plus -y just adds -s: plays, buys, says.

16. Our neighbour ___ two large dogs. (have) → has

Have is irregular in the third person singular and becomes has.

17. The bus ___ every twenty minutes. (pass) → passes

A verb ending in -s takes -es in the third person.

18. ___ he live near the station? → Does

He is third person singular, so the question takes does and live stays bare.

19. Water ___ at zero degrees. (freeze) → freezes

The present simple states scientific facts, and water is a singular subject.

20. My colleague ___ lunch at her desk every day. (have) → has

A third-person singular subject takes has, the irregular form of have.

Sentence structure: word ordering — answers

1. Describe your workplace, using the base form. → I work in a small office.

Describe your workplace, using the base form.

2. Describe a woman's job, remembering the third-person ending. → She works at the local hospital.

Describe a woman's job, remembering the third-person ending.

3. Say where several people have their home. → They live near the old bridge.

Say where several people have their home.

4. Describe a man's nightly habit, using a -ch verb. → He watches the news every evening.

Describe a man's nightly habit, using a -ch verb.

5. Describe a female relative's course and city. → My sister studies law in Dublin.

Describe a female relative's course and city.

6. Describe a household rule in the negative. → We don't eat meat during the week.

Describe a household rule in the negative.

7. Ask about a male relative's sport. → Does your brother play football?

Ask about a male relative's sport.

8. State a business's opening time. → The shop opens at nine o'clock.

State a business's opening time.

9. Describe a woman's habit in the negative. → She doesn't drink coffee in the evening.

Describe a woman's habit in the negative.

10. Say what time your morning starts. → I get up at half past six.

Say what time your morning starts.

11. Describe a man's exercise routine, using an irregular third-person verb. → He goes to the gym twice a week.

Describe a man's exercise routine, using an irregular third-person verb.

12. Ask somebody about their linguistic skills. → Do you speak any other languages?

Ask somebody about their linguistic skills.

13. Describe your family's morning routine. → My parents have breakfast together.

Describe your family's morning routine.

14. Give departure information at a station. → The train leaves from platform four.

Give departure information at a station.

15. Describe a woman's punctual habit. → She always arrives ten minutes early.

Describe a woman's punctual habit.

16. Describe a weekly household routine. → We usually cook at home on Sundays.

Describe a weekly household routine.

17. Ask about a building's schedule. → Does the museum open on Mondays?

Ask about a building's schedule.

18. Describe a boy's evening routine, using an irregular verb. → He does his homework after dinner.

Describe a boy's evening routine, using an irregular verb.

19. Admit a gap in your vocabulary. → I don't understand this word.

Admit a gap in your vocabulary.

20. Describe the family next door. → My neighbours have three young children.

Describe the family next door.