Simple Present Tense Exercise For Classes 4 And 5

The simple present tense is used to talk about our habits, routines and general truths.

Form: Subject + first form of the verb + object / adverb

Examples

• She sings well.
• My brother serves in the army.
• I work at a bank.

Students often find it difficult to use the simple present tense correctly. Remember that in the simple present tense the verb takes the marker –s when the subject is a singular noun (e.g. Rahul, Maya, boy, bird, book) or a singular pronoun (e.g. he, she and it).

Notes

The pronoun I is singular but it does not take the marker –s.

• I like piping hot coffee. (NOT I likes piping hot coffee.)

The pronoun you can be singular or plural, but it doesn’t take the marker –s.

• You work really hard. (NOT You works really hard.)

Formation of questions

The simple present tense does not use an auxiliary verb. Therefore, we use the auxiliaries do and does to form questions and negatives.

Form of questions in the simple present tense: Do / does + subject + first form of the verb

Use do when the subject is a plural noun (e.g. students, people, books, songs etc.) or a plural pronoun (e.g. we, they and you.)

• Do you work hard?
• Do they play tennis on Sundays?
• Do parents really love their children?

Use does when the subject is a singular noun (e.g. boy, girl, bird, tree etc.) or a singular pronoun (e.g. he, she, it). The pronoun I is an exception to this rule. It is singular in number but takes the verb do.

• Does she sing well? (NOT Does she sings well?)
• Does his mother work? (NOT Does his mother works?)
• Does he know the answer? (NOT Does he knows the answer?)
• Does it work? (NOT Does it works?)
• Does she love him?
• Does Peter work with you?

Formation of negatives

In the simple present tense, we make negatives by putting do not or does not before the verb. As you have already learned, do is used with plural nouns and pronouns. Does is used with singular nouns and pronouns.

• I do not know the answer.
• She does not want to come.
• He does not work hard.
• They do not know me well.
• You do not sing well.

Notes

In informal English, do not is written as don’t and does not is written as doesn’t.

Important note

When the main verb is a form of be (e.g. is, am and are), questions and negatives are made without do and does.

• I am a teacher.
• I am not a teacher.
• Am I a teacher?
• She is my friend.
• She is not my friend.
• Is she my friend?
• You are a stupid boy.
• You are not a stupid boy.
• Are you a stupid boy?

Use is with singular nouns and pronouns. Use are with plural nouns and pronouns. Use am with the first person pronoun I.

Simple present tense worksheet

Complete the following sentences using the present simple form of the verb. In the case of questions, use the indicated subject as well.

1. My mother usually ……………………….. (get) up at six o’clock.

2. My dad usually ………………………. (drink) coffee in the morning.

3. My sister ……………………….. (sing) really well.

4. I ……………………. (be) a medical student.

5. My grandmother ……………………….. (live) in Kerala.

6. My little daughter ………………………. (adore) her dolls.

7. My son …………………… (draw) beautiful pictures.

8. Supriya ………………………… (help) her mother in the kitchen.

9. Rohan ………………………… (work) at a supermarket.

10. Rahul ……………………….. (earn) a six figure salary.

11. You …………………… (be) the most wonderful person I have ever met.

12. ………………….. (you) know the answer?

13. ………………………… (you) happy?

14. …………………………. (I) getting the best support?

15. My sister …………………….. (not eat) fish or meat.

16. …………………….. (your mother) like your buddies?

17. ……………………….. (you) know how to swim?

18. How often ……………………. (you) workout?

19. …………………. (you) have many friends?

20. They …………………… (be) from Switzerland.

21. Where …………………. (he live)?

21. Peter ………………………. (visit) his grandparents once a month.

22. Jack ……………………….. (not live) with his parents.

23. Emily ………………………… (make) delicious cakes.

24. …………………… (you play) cricket?

25. I ………………………. (take) a shower before I go to bed.

26. …………………… (you understand) Hindi?

27. …………………… (he speak) Spanish?

28. She ……………………. (not know) English.

Answers

1. My mother usually gets up at six o’clock.

2. My dad usually drinks coffee in the morning.

3. My sister sings really well.

4. I am a medical student.

5. My grandmother lives in Kerala.

6. My little daughter adores her dolls.

7. My son draws beautiful pictures.

8. Supriya helps her mother in the kitchen.

9. Rohan works at a supermarket.

10. Rahul earns a six figure salary.

11. You are the most wonderful person I have ever met.

12. Do you know the answer?

13. Are you happy?

14. Am I getting the best support?

15. My sister does not eat fish or meat.

16. Does your mother like your buddies?

17. Do you know how to swim?

18. How often do you workout?

19. Do you have many friends?

20. They are from Switzerland.

21. Peter visits his grandparents once a month.

22. Jack does not live with his parents.

23. Emily makes delicious cakes.

24. Do you play cricket?

25. I take a shower before I go to bed.

26. Do you understand Hindi?

27. Does he speak Spanish?

28. She does not know English