TEACHER'S NOTES

ESL / EFL RESOURCES Present Simple Practice

Activity Type Introduction

Reading and writing In this productive lesson, students learn to identify the rules and
activity verb forms associated with the present simple tense.

Procedure
Language Focus
Give each student a copy of the three worksheets.
Present simple subject-
verb agreement Students start by writing third-person singular verb forms, adding
–s, -es, or –ies to the end of verbs.
Present simple
affirmative and negative When the students have finished, go through the answers and
then have them complete the spelling rules for third-person
Third-person singular
singular verb forms by going through their list of verbs.
verb forms
Students then underline or circle the correct verb form in a set of
Adverbs of frequency and
present simple sentences and write what they understand about
frequency expressions
subject-verb agreement in the present simple.

After that, the students fill in the correct verb forms in affirmative
Aim and negative sentences and write the rules for negative verb
To identify the rules and forms in the present simple.
verb forms associated
Finally, students rewrite sentences, adding adverbs of frequency
with the present simple
and frequency expressions in the correct position.
tense.
After which, they complete sentences, explaining the correct
position of frequency adverbs and expressions in a sentence.
Preparation
"Answer key on the next page"
Make one copy of the
three worksheets for
each student.

Level
Pre-intermediate

Time
45 minutes

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 TEACHER'S NOTES

ESL / EFL RESOURCES Present Simple Practice

Activity Type Answer Key

Reading and writing Exercise A
activity
1. teaches   9. buzzes
2. flies 10. watches
Language Focus 3. runs 11. sits
Present simple subject- 4. pushes 12. guesses
verb agreement 5. fixes 13. stops
6. does 14. worries
Present simple 7. dances 15. finishes
affirmative and negative 8. goes 16. has
sentences
Exercise B
Third-person singular
verb forms 1. goes 9. barks
2. eat 10. listen
Adverbs of frequency and
3. does 11. go
frequency expressions
4. play 12. feed
5. listens 13. live
6. watches 14. eat
Aim
7. finishes 15. takes
To identify the rules and 8. sweeps
verb forms associated  
with the present simple Exercise C
tense.
1. doesn't play, play 6. brushes, goes
2. don't fly, swim  7. don't catch, catch
Preparation 3. wash, don't put  8. doesn't rise, rises
4. don't clean, eat  9. doesn't sit, goes
Make one copy of the
5. tries, doesn't behave 10. doesn't have, has
three worksheets for
each student.
Exercise D

Level Possible answers are underlined

Pre-intermediate 1. We are often at home on Sunday.

2. I’m usually not busy on Monday.
3. The cleaner works here five days a week.
Time 4. My parents visit me once a month.
45 minutes 5. They are always happy to have guests.
6. We sometimes have bacon for breakfast.
7. Birds build their nests on this roof every summer.
8. They generally sing very loudly.
9. Sally is rarely late for school.
10. Mike seldom has lunch before one o’clock.
11. We never laugh at people in pain.
12. My parents hardly ever help me with my homework.

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 PRESENT SIMPLE SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

ESL / EFL RESOURCES Present Simple Practice

For third-person singular verb forms in the present simple, we add -s, -es or -ies at
the end of the verb.

A. Add -s, -es or -ies to the following verbs.

1. teach ____________   9. buzz ____________

2. fly ____________ 10. watch ____________
3. run ____________ 11. sit ____________
4. push ____________ 12. guess ____________
5. fix ____________ 13. stop ____________
6. do ____________ 14. worry ____________
7. dance ____________ 15. finish ____________
8. go ____________ 16. have ____________

What are the spelling rules for present simple third-person singular verb forms?

For most verbs, we add ______________________________________________________

For verbs ending with a consonant and -y, we _____________________________________

For verbs ending in -s, -z, -ch, -sh, -o, or -x, we add _______________________________

For the verb 'have', we _______________________________________________________

B. Underline or circle the correct present simple verb form in each sentence.

1. My family go / goes on holiday in the summer. What do you

2. I often eat / eats dinner at my friend’s house. understand about
subject-verb
3. Emma do / does her homework in the evening. agreement in the
4. They play / plays badminton every afternoon. present simple?
5. Harry seldom listen / listens to me.
6. My brother never watch / watches television.
7. He never finish / finishes his homework on time.
8. Mrs. White sweep / sweeps the floor twice a week.
9. My dog bark / barks at night.
10. You listen / listens to the radio every morning.
11. Becky and Liz go / goes to the swimming pool every week.
12. I never feed / feeds my cat.
13. My parents live / lives in Paris.
14. We eat / eats eggs for breakfast.
15. She take / takes a shower every morning.

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 PRESENT SIMPLE SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

ESL / EFL RESOURCES Present Simple Practice

C. Complete the present simple affirmative and negative sentences with the verbs in
brackets.

1. T
 om _______________ (not play) football. He likes to _______________ (play) computer
games.

2. Fish _______________ (not fly). They _______________ (swim).

3. I _______________ (wash) the dishes, but I _______________ (not put) them away.

4. T
 hey _______________ (not clean) the kitchen, before they _______________ (eat)
dinner.

5. N
 eil _______________ (try) to be a good boy, but he ______________ (not behave) well.

6. S
 arah ______________ (brush) her hair every morning, before she ______________ (go)
to school.

7. I _______________ (not catch) a cold in the summer, but I often ______________

(catch) a cold in the winter.

8. The sun _______________ (not rise) in the west. It _______________ (rise) in the east.

9. N
 atalie _______________ (not sit) in the sun. She rarely _______________ (go) to the
beach.

10. A spider _______________ (not have) wings. A bird _______________ (have) wings.

What are the rules for negative verb forms in the present simple?

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 PRESENT SIMPLE SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT

ESL / EFL RESOURCES Present Simple Practice

Adverbs of frequency are often used with the present simple, because they indicate
repeated or routine actions and activities.

D. Rewrite the following present simple sentences, adding the adverb of frequency or
frequency expression in the correct position.

1. We are at home on Sunday. (often)

_______________________________________________________________________
2. I’m not busy on Monday. (usually)

_______________________________________________________________________
3. The cleaner works here. (five days a week)

_______________________________________________________________________
4. My parents visit me. (once a month)

_______________________________________________________________________
5. They are happy to have guests. (always)

_______________________________________________________________________
6. We have bacon for breakfast. (sometimes)

_______________________________________________________________________
7. Birds build their nests on this roof. (every summer)

_______________________________________________________________________
8. They sing very loudly. (generally)

_______________________________________________________________________
9. Sally is late for school. (rarely)

_______________________________________________________________________
10. Mike has lunch before one o’clock. (seldom)

_______________________________________________________________________
11. We laugh at people in pain. (never)

_______________________________________________________________________
12. My parents help me with my homework. (hardly ever)

_______________________________________________________________________

Where do we place adverbs of frequency in a sentence?

Sentence with the verb to be:__________________________________________________

Sentences with one main verb:_________________________________________________
Negative sentences:_________________________________________________________
Frequency expressions:_______________________________________________________

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