AUXILIARY VERBS EXERCISE 3 (BE, DO, HAVE) (ESL)
level: Beginner/Intermediate (A2/B1)
A third auxiliary verbs exercise focusing on two areas where getting the auxiliary right really matters: question formation and short answers. Both require not only the correct auxiliary but the correct form of it.
Grammar review
Auxiliary verbs — forming questions and short answers
This exercise focuses on questions — choosing the right auxiliary to start each one and matching it in short answers.
Question formation:
Auxiliary + subject + main verb:
Does Thomas drink a lot of coffee? (simple present, 3rd person)
Are you going to take a bath? (present continuous / going to)
Have you spoken to him today? (present perfect)
Has your cousin sold his bike yet? (present perfect, 3rd person)
Short answers mirror the auxiliary:
“Do you enjoy reading?” → “Yes, I do.”
“Is she Scottish?” → “Yes, she is.”
How to identify which auxiliary to use:
• Action in simple present/past → do/does/did
• Continuous action or state with be → am/is/are
• Perfect tense → have/has/had
• Future with going to → am/is/are (it’s present continuous in structure)
This exercise focuses on questions — choosing the right auxiliary to start each one and matching it in short answers.
Question formation:
Auxiliary + subject + main verb:
Does Thomas drink a lot of coffee? (simple present, 3rd person)
Are you going to take a bath? (present continuous / going to)
Have you spoken to him today? (present perfect)
Has your cousin sold his bike yet? (present perfect, 3rd person)
Short answers mirror the auxiliary:
“Do you enjoy reading?” → “Yes, I do.”
“Is she Scottish?” → “Yes, she is.”
How to identify which auxiliary to use:
• Action in simple present/past → do/does/did
• Continuous action or state with be → am/is/are
• Perfect tense → have/has/had
• Future with going to → am/is/are (it’s present continuous in structure)
Choose the correct auxiliary verb to start each question or complete each short answer.
1.________ your brother ever been to Manchester?
Correct answer: Has — Has forms the present perfect — has been = at any point up to now.
2.________ she Scottish?
Correct answer: Is — Is is the correct auxiliary for present simple be — describing nationality or a state.
3.________ Thomas drink a lot of coffee?
Correct answer: Does — Does forms the present simple question for third-person singular — does he like.
4.________ your neighbor have a dog?
Correct answer: Does — Does not Has — have a dog in the sense of ownership uses do/does, not the perfect.
5.________ you going to take a bath?
Correct answer: Are — Are forms the present continuous question — are you going.
6.________ you spoken to the mailman today?
Correct answer: Have — Have forms the present perfect question — have you spoken.
7.Q: Do you enjoy reading? A: Yes, I ________!
Correct answer: do — question with do gets a short answer with do — Yes, I do.
8.________ your cousin sold his bicycle yet?
Correct answer: Has — Has + past participle = present perfect — the action happened at some unspecified point before now.
9.________ your friends coming over to watch the game?
Correct answer: Are — Are forms the present continuous — are they coming.
10.________ your parents live far from here?
Correct answer: Do — Do forms the present simple question for plural subjects — do they want.
CHECK OUT OUR OTHER AUXILIARY VERB EXERCISES:
Auxiliary verbs (be, do, have) 1 (A2/B1)
Auxiliary verbs (be, do, have) 2 (A2/B1)
Auxiliary verbs (be, do, have) 3 (A2/B1)
More grammar exercises
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Auxiliary verbs (be, do, have) 1 (A2/B1)
Auxiliary verbs (be, do, have) 2 (A2/B1)
Auxiliary verbs (be, do, have) 3 (A2/B1)
More grammar exercises
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