Present Indefinite Exercises

These drills are designed to practise the Present Simple (also known as 'the Present Indefinite'): 3rd person, positive and negative sentences, general and special questions.

Exercise I
Fill in the blanks. Pay attention to the third person singular.

What do I see? – What does Ann see?

1. I see birches. – Ann … oaks.
2. I see lindens. – Ann … fields.
3. I see maples. – Ann … meadows.
4. I see roses. – Ann … daises.
5. I see insects. – Ann … birds.

What do you do usually on Sunday? - What does Nick do usually on Sunday?

1. I usually read or play basketball with my friends. - Nick usually ... or ... basketball with his friends.
2. I usually go to the skating-rink. - Nick usually ... to the skating-rink. 

What do you do in the morning? - What does Ann do in the morning?

1. We get up at 7 o'clock. We dress and wash. Then we have breakfast and go to the University. - Ann ... at 7 o'clock. She ... and ... . Then she ... and ... to the University.

Exercise II
Fill in the words from the brackets.

1. Ann … old and young birches. (to see)
2. Ann … soft green grass. (to touch)
3. Ann … humming insects and twittering birds.(to hear)
4. Ann … wild roses and daises. (to pick)
5. She ... misic music lessons twice a week. (to take)
6. I usually ... at 8 o'clock. (to get up)
7. The sun ... in the East. (to rise)
8. My brother ... French. (to speak)
9. He ... in Paris, (to live)
10. They ... for the exam. (to prepare) 
11. My parents ... in London. (to live)

Exercise III
Say the following senteces in negative forms:

1. Nick lives in Paris.
2. My friend swim well.
3. Her eyes are blue.
4. The brain is the centre of the nervous system.
5. That noise gets on my nerves.
6. I know all the Beatles' songs by heart.

 Key: (1. Nick doesn't live in Paris. 2. My friend doesn't swim well. 3. Her eyes aren't blue. 4. The brain isn't the centre of the nervous system. 5. That noise doesn't get on my nerves. 6. I don't know all the Beatles' songs by heart.)

Exercise IV
Answer the questions using the words in brackets.

1. What do you do in your spare time?
2. What does Ann do in the morning, evening and afternoon?

(to walk, to read, to see friends, to lay the table, to go to the theatre, to watch TV, to take shower)

Exercise V
Answer the following questions according to the models.

Model A:
Does Ann like to listen to the singing birds? -
Yes, she does. She likes to listen to the singing birds.

1. Does Ann like to watch green meadows?
2. Does Ann like to smell flowers?
3. Does Ann like to bathe in a pond?
4. Does Ann like to lie in the sun?
5. Does Ann like to get sunburn?

Model B:
Do tulips grow in August? -
No, they do not (don’t). Tulips do not (don’t) grow in August.

1. Do daffodils grow in autumn?
2. Do roses grow in winter?
3. Do asters grow in the field?
4. Do weeds grow in the garden?
5. Do forget-me-nots grow on dry soil?

Model C:
Who plays basketball well? – Tom does.
What students write good compositions? – Pete and Nick do.

1. Who speaks English well?
2. Who knows German?
3. Who wants to go to London?
4. What grows in your orchard?
5. What colour suits you?
6. What students draws well?
7. Which of you sings well?
8. Whose book lies on the table?

Exercise VI
Answer the following questions using an adverbial modifier.

1. How do you skate? (slowly, regularly, quickly, well, badly)
2. When do you skate? (every day, in the evening, on Sunday, in the morning)
3. Where do you play snowballs? (in the yard, in the garden, in the forest)

Exercise VII
Answer the question using the words in brackets.

1. What does Ann do in spring?
2. What does Ann do in summer?
3. What does Ann do in autumn?
4. What does Ann do in winter?

(to skate, to make snowman, to lie in the sun, to bathe, to pick flowers, to carry umbrella)

Exercise VIII
Answer the following questions.

1. Does Ann play the piano?
2. When does Ann play the piano? (in the evening)
3. Who does Ann play the piano with? (her brother)
4. How often does Ann play the piano? (regularly, often, seldom, never)
5. Who plays the piano? (Ann; Ann and her brother)

Exercise IX
Make up all kinds of questions about the following sentences.
Model:
Trees blossom in spring.
Do trees blossom on spring?
What blossoms in spring?
When do trees blossom?

1. The wind blows hard from the sea.
2. In autumn the weather is changeable.
3. The sun shines brightly in summer. 
4. London lies in the River Thames.

Exercise X
Make the following sentences in interrogative and negative forms.

1. Ann has three lectures every day.
2. Ann is at home now. 
3. Ann and her brother are at home now.
4. Ann comes home early.
5. Ann gets up early on Sundays.
6. Ann plays the piano well.  
7. I know German.
8. I am a good swimmer.
9. We like to play chess.
10. We speak English well.

Exersice XI
Answer the questions using a map of Europe (or see the key).
Model:
Where does London lie?
London lies on the River Thames.

1. Where does Liverpool lie?
2. Where does Glasgow lie?
3. Where does Stratford lie?
4. Where does Paris lie?
5. Where does Rome lie?
6. Where does Budapest lie?
7. Where do Vienna, Budapest and Belgrade lie?

Key: (1. Liverpool lies on the River Mersey. 2. Glasgow lies on the River Clyde. 3. Stratford lies on the River Avon. 4. Paris lies on the Seine River.
 5. Rome lies on the Tiber River. 6. Budapest lies on the Danube River. 7. Vienna, Budapest and Belgrade lie on the Danube.)

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