PRESENT SIMPLE EXERCISE 1: AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCES (ESL)
level: Beginner (A1/A2)
✓ Useful for IELTS
✓ Useful for TOEFL
This is the foundation of the present simple tense: positive (affirmative) sentences. Before tackling negatives or questions, get comfortable with the basic pattern, and the spelling rules for adding -s or -es to the verb with he, she, and it.
GRAMMAR REVIEW
The present simple tense is used to talk about:
• Habits or routines (actions that happen regularly)
Example: "She goes to the gym every morning."
• General truths or facts (things that are always true).
Example: "Water boils at 100°C."
• States (things that are true in the present, often with verbs like "be," "like," "know," "believe").
Example: "I know him."
• Instructions or directions.
Example: "You turn left at the corner."
Forming the affirmative (positive) present simple:
For I, you, we, they: use the base form (e.g., "I work," "They play").
For he, she, or it: add -s or -es to the verb (e.g., "He works," "The bee buzzes").
Spelling rules for the he/she/it form:
• Most verbs: just add -s → work → works, eat → eats
• Verbs ending in -ch, -sh, -x, -o, -ss: add -es → watch → watches, go → goes
• Verbs ending in a consonant + y: change y → ies → study → studies, try → tries
• Verbs ending in a vowel + y: just add -s → play → plays, buy → buys
Irregular he/she/it forms to memorize: have → has, go → goes, do → does.
This exercise only covers affirmative sentences. Once you're confident with these, move on to negative sentences and wh-questions.
• Habits or routines (actions that happen regularly)
Example: "She goes to the gym every morning."
• General truths or facts (things that are always true).
Example: "Water boils at 100°C."
• States (things that are true in the present, often with verbs like "be," "like," "know," "believe").
Example: "I know him."
• Instructions or directions.
Example: "You turn left at the corner."
Forming the affirmative (positive) present simple:
For I, you, we, they: use the base form (e.g., "I work," "They play").
For he, she, or it: add -s or -es to the verb (e.g., "He works," "The bee buzzes").
Spelling rules for the he/she/it form:
• Most verbs: just add -s → work → works, eat → eats
• Verbs ending in -ch, -sh, -x, -o, -ss: add -es → watch → watches, go → goes
• Verbs ending in a consonant + y: change y → ies → study → studies, try → tries
• Verbs ending in a vowel + y: just add -s → play → plays, buy → buys
Irregular he/she/it forms to memorize: have → has, go → goes, do → does.
This exercise only covers affirmative sentences. Once you're confident with these, move on to negative sentences and wh-questions.
Fill in each blank with the correct present simple form of the verb in brackets.
Example: My father likes this song. (like)
1. My sister(talk) very fast.
Correct: talks
2. My brother and I(speak) Japanese.
Correct: speak
3. They(live) in Portland.
Correct: live
4. Peter(work) a lot.
Correct: works
5. Our neighbors(be) very quiet.
Correct: are
6. We(go) to the movies every Friday.
Correct: go
7. My cousin(be) thin.
Correct: is
8. My mother(clean) the house every Sunday.
Correct: cleans
9. Robert's cat(like) to chase birds.
Correct: likes
10. I(love) my boyfriend.
Correct: love
11. I(be) a good student.
Correct: am
12. He(know) a lot of people.
Correct: knows
13. My neighbors(laugh) very loudly.
Correct: laugh
14. The professor(answer) the students' questions.
Correct: answers
15. He(walk) to work.
Correct: walks
16. Robert(study) English every day.
Correct: studies
17. My brother always(do) his homework.
Correct: does
18. Your sister(ask) a lot of questions.
Correct: asks
19. We(feel) tired.
Correct: feel
20. I(listen) to this podcast.
Correct: listen
More English grammar exercises
Present Simple 1: Affirmative (B)
Present Simple 2: Negative (B)
Present Simple 3: Wh-Questions (B/I)
TO BE (Present) 1 (B)
TO BE (Present) 2 (negative sentences) (B)
TO HAVE (Present) 1 (B)
TO BE or TO HAVE? 1 (B)
Present Simple 2: Negative (B)
Present Simple 3: Wh-Questions (B/I)
TO BE (Present) 1 (B)
TO BE (Present) 2 (negative sentences) (B)
TO HAVE (Present) 1 (B)
TO BE or TO HAVE? 1 (B)
Did you know?
Is grammar important for TOEFL iBT? Of course!
There is no separate "grammar" section on the test, but grammar is assessed in:
• Writing
• Speaking
• Reading & Listening (indirectly)
How it's checked:
• In Writing/Speaking: accuracy, complexity, and control of structures
• In Reading/Listening: understanding grammatical relationships (e.g., reference words, sentence meaning)
This is why practicing grammar is still important for the TOEFL iBT, despite there being no direct multiple-choice grammar questions.
There is no separate "grammar" section on the test, but grammar is assessed in:
• Writing
• Speaking
• Reading & Listening (indirectly)
How it's checked:
• In Writing/Speaking: accuracy, complexity, and control of structures
• In Reading/Listening: understanding grammatical relationships (e.g., reference words, sentence meaning)
This is why practicing grammar is still important for the TOEFL iBT, despite there being no direct multiple-choice grammar questions.
