Simple Present 1: Positive and Negative

I work; I dont work

FORM
Look at these sentences.
I live in Barcelona.
My brother works for Coca Cola.
He doesnt drink coffee.
These verbs are in the simple present.
POSITIVE
I / You / We / They
eat
He / She / It
eats
1.To make the third person singular (the he, she and it form), add s
to most verbs.
He plays the guitar.
She likes football.
This computer makes a lot of noise.
2.We normally add es to verbs that end in ss, -o, -sh, -ch or x.
She misses the bus every day!
He goes to the movies three times a week.
Jenny washes her hair with French shampoo.
My dog watches me when I eat breakfast.
Tony fixes our washing machine.
NEGATIVE
When we make negative sentences in simple present, we put do not or
does not before the base verb. We do not add s to the base verb.
I / You / We / They
do not (dont)
eat
He / She / It
does not (doesnt)
eat
Notes:
1.We normally use the short form of the negative in conversation.
I dont understand.
He doesnt speak Italian.
2.We always use an infinitive after do, do not (dont) and does not
(doesnt).
USE
1.We use the simple present
A.to talk about the present
They live in a small house near the sea.
B.for things that are always true
Cats like milk.
C.for things that happen every day or things that happen regularly
I drink tea every afternoon.

She plays tennis five times a week.

D.to talk about the jobs we do
Im a shop assistant. I work in a bookshop.
2.We often use the simple present with words like never, sometimes
and always to talk about our lives.
I never eat meat. Im a vegetarian.
I sometimes eat meat. But meat is very expensive these days.
He always eats meat. Hes a butcher!
1. Complete the sentences
Complete the sentences. Add s or es.
Example:
He loves sugar.
She watches too much television!
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

She play .. golf on weekends.

He drink .. eight glasses of water every day!
She drive .. a Korean car.
He finish .. work at about 5 oclock.
It get .. very cold here in the winter.
My cat like .. to sleep in front of the fire.
The shop open .. at 9 and close .. at 6.
Sally go .. to the mountains three or four times a year.
He wash .. his car every Saturday.
She walk .. to school if she miss .. the bus.
My brother live .. in Canada.
When she make .. a mistake, she smile .. When I make a
mistake, she get .. angry!

2. Match the sentences

Add s or es to the verb in B. Then match the sentences in A and B.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

A
Tims a fisherman.
Paulas a teacher.
Jackies an artist.
Kellys a secretary.
My uncle is a farmer.
Karens a doctor.
Antonios a chef.
Jacks a mechanic.

B
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)

She type .. letters all day.

He look .. after 123 cows!
She work .. in a hospital.
He go .. to the sea.
She teach .. at my school.
She paint .. in a studio.
He work .. in a garage.
He cook .. food in a restaurant.

3. Fill in the gaps

Mr. Thompson works in an office in Glasgow. Here he talks about what
he does every day. Fill in the gaps with verbs from the box. The first
one has been done for you.

are
drink
leave
put
talk

arrive
eat
lives
read
telephone

brush
feed
look
shines
watch

dream
have
make
sleep
write

My day
At 7:21 my alarm clock rings and I wake up. I hate my alarm clock! It
makes too much noise. I get up at 7:30 and (1) make my bed.
Then I (2) .. a shower and brush my teeth. I get dressed and
have breakfast. I always (3) .. three eggs and five pieces of
toast. I (4) .. two cups of tea and then I (5) .. my
teeth again. I (6) .. some milk in a bowl for my dog, and at
8:30 I (7) .. the house and catch the bus to work. I (8)
.. at the office at about 9 and drink a cup of tea. I eat some
biscuits and (9) .. out of the window. Then I have a rest.
At lunchtime I eat a sandwich and (10) .. the newspaper. At
around 3:30 I take off my shoes and (11) .. for twenty
minutes, sometimes twenty-five minutes, sometimes half an hour. I
(12) .. two or three letters and (13) .. my sister
who (14) .. in Australia. We (15) .. for fifteen
minutes. She always tells me about the weather. There (16)
.. three kinds of weather in Australia hot, very hot and
very, very hot!
I leave the office at about 4:30. When I get home I (17) ..
the dog and (18) .. TV. At 11:00, I make a hot water bottle
and go to bed. The moon (19) .. in the sky and I sleep. I
(20) .. about my vacation. Then at 7:21 my alarm clock
rings.
Now write 10 sentences about your day.

4. Make negative sentences

Make negative sentences with doesnt.
Example:
Jims a postman. He / not / like dogs
Jims a postman. He doesnt like dogs.
1. Jennys a vegetarian. She / not / eat meat.
2. Were moving to Tunisia. My husband / not / like cold weather.
3. He cant understand the film. He / not / speak Arabic.
4. Marks looking for a new job. He / not / like his boss.
5. She cant mail the letter. She / not / have a stamp.
6. She cant buy new shoes. She / not / have any money.
7. Please use the stairs. The life / not / work.
8. Its an electric car. It / not use gas.
9. You talk to him. He / not / listen to me.
10. Shall we walk to the station? The bus / not / stop here.
5. Make negative sentences
Make negative sentences with dont.
Example:
Please speak slowly. I / not / understand English very well.
Please speak slowly. I dont understand English very well.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Can you tell me the time please? I / not / have a watch.

I cant drive you to the party. I / not / have a car.
Why are you eating a pizza? You / not / like cheese.
Im tired. I / not / want to go out tonight.
Thats a difficult question. I / not / know the answer.
Its a very small house. We / not / have a garden.
I cant marry you. I / not / love you.
I cant buy you a present. I / not / have any money.
Im a doorman. I / not / like the rain.
Im a snowman. I / not / like the sun.

Simple Present 2: Questions

Do you like French food?
FORM
1. Look at these sentences.
Do I need a visa for America?
Do you like French food?
Does it rain a lot in Scotland?
Do they have any children?
These are question forms of the simple present.
2. do + subject + base verb or
does + subject + base verb
We always use the base verb after do and does.
Does this bus go to the station? Not Does this bus goes to the
station?
Do
I / you / we / they
want
an ice cream?
Does he / she / it
want
an ice cream?
USE
1. We often put do or does in a short answer to questions.
Do you play the guitar? Yes, I do. / No, I dont.
Does your brother play the guitar? Yes, he does. / No, he doesnt.
2. We often put words like when, where, why and what before do and
does.
When does the film start?
Where do you live?
Why do birds fly north in the winter?
What does this word mean?
1. Make questions with do or does
Example:
you / play / the guitar
Do you play the guitar?
your brother / play the guitar Does your brother play the guitar?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

you / like eggs

you / watch a lot of TV
he / come to work by bus
you / take sugar in your tea
she / want a dog
you / have any brothers or sisters
you / have any money
this train / go to Tokyo

..?
..?
..?
..?
..?
..?
..?
..?

9.
10.
11.
12.

you / live near the sea

you / know / her telephone number
you / own a car
he / know the answers

..?
..?
..?
..?

2. Make questions and answers

Make questions and give short answers.
Examples:
You / need the car tonight
Do you need the car tonight?
Yes, I do.
He / understand / the question
Does he understand the question?
No, he doesnt.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

you / like my dress

you / like Indian food
you / eat a lot of fruit
Sally / play tennis
you / want to hear a joke
you / have a computer at home
you / make your own bread
your sister / like her job
we / have any stamps
you / love me
you / want a cup of tea
they / like chocolate

3.

Write questions and match

No, I .
Yes, I .
No, I .
No, she .
No, I .
Yes, I .
No, I .
Yes, she .
No, we .
Yes, I .
No, I .
Yes, they .

Write questions with do and does in A. Then match the questions with
the answers in B.
Example question:
what / you / do
What do you do?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

A
where / you / work
when / you / start work
where / you / live
what / you / have for breakfast
what / your dog / have for breakfast
what / your brother / do

a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)

B
I dont have a car.
We live near the station.
Just before nine.
Dog food!
Toast and tea.
Lets go to the movies.

7. what / you / want to do tonight

8. why / you / walk to work

g) Hes a teacher.
h) I work in a shoe shop.

4. Make questions
a) Put the words for each sentence in the right order and b) make
them into questions.
Example:
way Santa Fe know you the
ANSWER: a) You know the way to Santa Fe.
b) Do you know the way to Santa Fe.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

moves sun the the round earth

you I love
Venice train stops this at
vacation golf play on you
does the always exercises she all
color that they of house the like
late always arrives she
today you ill feel
that on they books course read interesting
$300 cost chairs those
sells bread shop that
true tells film war that the of the story
car fast your goes
work enjoys he company at that the
nice she very got friends has
angry it you makes
Rome you in live
pop she listens to music
moon go they to want to the
East in rises sun the the

5. Complete the story

Complete the story with do, dont, does or doesnt. The first one has
been done for you.
An elephant goes into an Italian restaurant and sits down at a table. A
waiter arrives and says. Can I help you sir?
Yes, says the elephant. (1) Do you have any coffee?
We (2) . have coffee, the waiter replies. We only have
tea. Ill have a cup of tea then, the elephant says, and the waiter
goes to the kitchen.

The manager of the restaurant is standing in the kitchen. He is

not happy.
What (3) . the elephant want? the manager asks.
He wants a cup of coffee, the waiter replies.
But we (4) . have coffee, the manager says. We only
have tea.
I know, the waiter replies. I told the elephant we (5) .
have coffee. Im getting him a tea.
I (6) . the elephant have any money? the manager says.
I (7) . know, the waiter replies. (8) . elephants
have money? They (9) . have pockets!
Well, give him the tea, the manager says. If he (10) .
have any money he can wash the dishes for us.
So, the waiter returns with the tea, and says, Heres your tea
sir, and heres the bill for $3.50.
The elephant drinks the tea but he (11) . look very happy.
Is the tea OK, sir? the waiter asks.
No, says the elephant. You put milk and sugar in my tea. (12)
. you know anything about elephants? Elephants (13) .
like milk and they (14) . like sugar. We (15) . drink tea
with milk and sugar!
Im sorry, sir, the waiter says. I (16) . know much about
elephants. We (17) . see many elephants in this restaurant.
That (18) . surprise me, the elephant replies, Your teas
expensive.