ESL CONNECT | Present Simple A1/A2 Interactive Practice

Explanation: Present Simple

The present simple is used to talk about things that happen regularly, routines, habits, facts and things that are generally true.

Examples:
I study English every day.
She works in an office.
We live in Italy.
Water boils at 100°C.

1. Affirmative sentences

For I, you, we, they, use the base verb.

Subject	Verb	Example
I / You / We / They	work	I work in a shop. / They work in a shop.
He / She / It	works	She works in a shop.

Important: With he, she, it, add -s to the verb.
I like coffee. → She likes coffee.
They play tennis. → He plays tennis.

2. Spelling with he, she, it

Verb	Rule	Example
work, like, eat	add -s	works, likes, eats
go, do, watch, finish	add -es	goes, does, watches, finishes
study, try	y → ies	studies, tries

3. Negative sentences

Use don’t or doesn’t before the verb.

Subject	Negative form	Example
I / You / We / They	don’t + verb	I don’t work on Sundays.
He / She / It	doesn’t + verb	She doesn’t work on Sundays.

Remember: After doesn’t, use the base verb.
Correct: She doesn’t like tea.
Incorrect: She doesn’t likes tea.

4. Questions

Use Do or Does at the beginning of yes/no questions.

Subject	Question form	Example
I / you / we / they	Do + subject + verb?	Do you live here?
he / she / it	Does + subject + verb?	Does he live here?

5. Short answers

Question	Positive answer	Negative answer
Do you like English?	Yes, I do.	No, I don’t.
Does she work here?	Yes, she does.	No, she doesn’t.

6. Wh-questions

Put the question word before do or does.

Question word	Example
Where	Where do you live?
What	What does he do?
When	When do they study?
How often	How often does she exercise?

Basic sentence patterns:
Affirmative: She works.
Negative: She doesn’t work.
Question: Does she work?

Present simple rules

Use the present simple for:
habits, routines, facts, repeated actions, timetables and general situations.

Form	Structure	Example
Affirmative	I / you / we / they + verb he / she / it + verb + s	I work in London. She works in London.
Negative	I / you / we / they + don’t + verb he / she / it + doesn’t + verb	They don’t drive to work. He doesn’t drive to work.
Yes/no question	Do + I / you / we / they + verb? Does + he / she / it + verb?	Do you work here? Does she work here?
Wh-question	Question word + do/does + subject + verb?	Where do you live? What does he do?

Third person spelling

Verb type	Rule	Examples
Most verbs	add -s	work → works · like → likes
Verbs ending -ch, -sh, -ss, -x, -o	add -es	watch → watches · go → goes
consonant + y	change y to ies	study → studies · try → tries

Affirmative sentences

Choose the correct present simple form.

1. Maria __________ in a bank.

work works working

2. We __________ English on Mondays.

studies study studying

3. My brother __________ to the gym after work.

goes go going

4. They __________ films at the weekend.

watches watch watching

Write your own

Rewrite with “she”: I work from home.

Answer: She works from home.

Negative sentences

Important: After don’t and doesn’t, use the base verb. Say She doesn’t work, not She doesn’t works.

1. I __________ near the office.

doesn’t live don’t live don’t lives

2. He __________ French.

doesn’t speaks don’t speak doesn’t speak

3. They __________ lunch at home.

don’t have doesn’t have don’t has

4. My sister __________ coffee.

doesn’t likes doesn’t like don’t like

Correct the mistake

Correct: She doesn’t works on Sundays.

Answer: She doesn’t work on Sundays.

Questions

Choose the correct question form.

1. Choose the correct yes/no question.

You work here? Do you work here? Does you work here?

2. Choose the correct question.

Does she live near here? Does she lives near here? Do she live near here?

3. Choose the correct wh-question.

Where they work? Where do they work? Where does they work?

4. Choose the correct question.

What your manager does? What does your manager do? What do your manager does?

Build the question

Put the words in order: often / do / check / your email / how / you?

Answer: How often do you check your email?

Mixed practice

Choose the best answer.

1. The meeting __________ at 9. It starts at 10.

doesn’t starts doesn’t start don’t start

2. __________ by train?

Do your colleagues travel Does your colleagues travel Do your colleagues travels

3. The course __________ at 5 p.m.

usually finish usually finishes usually finishing

4. Choose the correct question.

Why he studies English? Why does he study English? Why does he studies English?

Transform the sentences

1. Make this negative: “She works in marketing.”

2. Make this a yes/no question: “They live in Milan.”

3. Make this a wh-question: “He starts work at 8.” Ask about the time.