Present simple PDF

Present simple exercises for beginners + elementary students of English - PDF worksheets to download for free.

Pdf exercises on questions

Do, does in yes | no questions 1 Complete the dialogue between Sue and Ann, teenage friends.

Do, does in yes | no questions 2 Find mistakes and correct them.

• Key - yes | no questions 1 + 2

Do | does in wh questions 3 Liz is taking an exam. Complete the examiner's wh questions.

Do | does in wh questions 4 Put jumbled words in the correct order.

• Key - wh questions 3 + 4

Pdf exercises on negative forms

Don't, doesn't in negative sentences 5 Correct the wrong information in the general knowledge quiz.

Don't, doesn't in negative sentences 6 Fill the gaps in negative sentences.

• Key - negatives 5 + 6

Pdf exercises on the third person

The 3rd person -s, -es, -ies endings 7 Complete the story about little Samuel in the 3rd person singular.

The 3rd person -s, -es, -ies endings 8 Choose and write correct verbs in the third person singular to fill the gaps.

• Key - third person 7 + 8

Our tip

Present simple + continuous exercises PDF Practise differences between these two forms in multiple choice and gap-filling exercises.

Present tenses rules PDF Printable grammar rules with examples from everyday English.

Present tenses online Interactive exercises and online grammar rules.

Positive statement: I play, He plays
Negative statement: I do not play (I don't play), He does not play (He doesn't play)
Questions: Do you play? Does he play?
Negative questions: Do you not play? (Don't you play?) Does he not play? (Doesn't he play?)

We only use -s ending (plays) and -es ending (does) in the third person singular.
The auxiliary verb do is not used to make questions and negative statements with modal verbs and the verb to be.
Are you a student? Is he in London? I am not at home. He is not happy. Can you sing? Must I come? I cannot swim. He mustn't stay.

We do not use the auxiliary do to make indirect questions and reported questions.

Wh- questions:

If the wh- pronoun introducing the question (who, which) is the subject of the question, we do not use the auxiliary verb do. Compare the following sentences.
Who knows you? (who is the subject)
Which cars belong to you? (which cars is the subject)
But: Who do you know? (who is the object)

The negative questions normally express a surprise.
Doesn't he work?

Spelling:

We add -es to the verb that ends in ss, sh, ch, x and o: miss - misses, fix - fixes, go - goes.
If the verb ends in a consonant and -y we change -y into -i and add -es: carry - carries, try - tries.
But: play - plays, because it ends in a vowel and -y.

Use

1. We use the present simple tense for activities that happen again and again (everyday, sometimes, ever, never).
Examples: I sometimes go to school by bike. You don't speak Greek. Do they get up early?
He often travels. She doesn't work. Does she ever help you?

2. We use it for facts that are always true.
Our planet moves round the sun. Lions eat meat.

3. With a future time expression (tomorrow, next week) it is used for planned future actions (timetables).
The train leaves at 8.15. They return tonight.