THE PRESENT SIMPLE TENSE

A/ Be
Examples
I am patient.
Dogs are friendly.
My mother is lonely.
It is cold in summer.
There are toys for dogs.
She is not home much.
Some children are not home.

Explanation
I am
We/ you/ they are
He/ she/ it is
There is + a/an N
There are + N(s,es)
Is not = isnt
Are not = arent

Contraction
I am = Im
She is = Shes
He is = Hes
You are = youre
They are = theyre

Exercise 1: Using the Verb "To be"

Example: I (be) am happy.

8) We (be) _______________ sleepy.
1) I (be) _______________ tired.
9) They (be) ________________ funny.
2) I (be) ________________ hungry.
Example: He / She / It (be) is happy.
3) I (be) ____________ late!
4) He (be) __________________ cool.
Example:
5) She (be) ________________ pretty.
You / We / They (be) are happy.
6) It (be) __________________ fast.
7) You (be) ________________ nice.
10) John (be) ________________excited
11) Tiffany and Uma (be) ____________________my friends.
12) Ricardo, John and I (be) ________________ watching a movie.
13) Hadil (be) ________________ kind.
14) Alisa (be) ____________________ young.
15) The hammer (be) _______________ new.
16) My mother and father (be) _______________ cooking dinner.
17) Rachel (be) ___________________ driving to school.
18) Nikos and Billy (be) _____________________ playing at the park.
19) The students (be) ______________________ studying English.
20) The test (be) ___________________________ hard!
21) My best friend (be) _______________________ coming to my house.
Exercise 2: Using the Verb "To be" in present tense.
Example: I (be) am excited.
Jessica and Akbar (be) are happy.
The new car (be) is nice.
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1/ The bag (be) ________ blue.

2/ The rocks (be) ________ hard.
3/ The children (be) ________ young.
4/ Thomas (be) ________ nice.
5/ The game (be) ________ difficult.

6/ They (be) ________ tired.

7) I (be) ________ thirty years old.
8) Susan and Juan (be) ________ married.
9) Teddy (be) ________ my friend.
10) We (be) ________ in English class

Exercise 3: Write the correct form of the verb "to be" in present tense
1/ The old man (be) ________ wise.
2) The sun (be) ________ hot.
3) The children (be) ________ eating bananas. They (be, not) ____ ____ eating apples.
4) I (be) ________ happy. I (be, not) ____ ____ sad.
5) The racecar (be) ________ fast. It (be, not) ____ ____ slow.
6) My friend (be) ________ buying a new car. Her old car broke down.
7) I (be) ________ at the beach with my family. It (be) ________ hot and sunny outside. The ocean
water (be) ________ warm.
8) Ko and Jacob (be) ________ very smart. Ko (be) ________ a scientist and Jacob (be) ________
an engineer.
9) The library (be) ________ open until 9:00 p.m.
10) The school (be) ________ small. It (be, not) ____ ____ big.
11) The books (be) ________ new. They (be, not) ____ ____ old.
12) Tommy, Steven, and Teddy (be) ________ acting in the school play.
13) Beatrice (be) ________ at her house.
14) It (be) ________ hot outside. It (be, not) ____ ____ cold outside.
15) You (be) ________ finished with the quiz! 11
16) Judith (be, not) ____ ____ at home. She (be) ________ at school.
Exercise 4: Fill in the blanks with the correct form of be
1. My dog ..small.
2. You .responsible.
3. My cat soft.
4. Dogs ..great pets because they ..affectionate.
5. My dog .a member of our family.
6. Some cats affectionate. Other cats ..very independent.
7. It ..a bid responsibility to own a pet.
8. Kittens and puppies .cute.
9. We ready to get a pet.
10. Some people lonely.
11. My daughter and I .at the pet shop. We at home.
12. My husband .at work now. He (not)..with me.
13. I ..patient. My husband (not).patient.
14. My daughter .responsible.
15. My son .excited. He .tired.
16. This ..a lap. It ..a big dog.
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17. The children excited about the new puppy.

18. My dog in the yard. It..hungry.
19. There .toys for dogs. They ..inexpensive.
20. The window..open. I ..cold.
21. It ten oclock now. The weather ..warm today.
22. My husband from California. I ..from New York.
23. The dogs ..thirsty. put some water in the dish.
24. I worried about my cat because it ..sick.
25. That a picture of my dog.
Exercise 5: Using the Verb "To be"
My name (be) ________(1) John. I (be) ________(2) fifteen years old. I live on a farm. It (be)
________(3) in the country. It is quiet in the country. It (be, not) ____ ____(4) loud in the country.
I wake up early. Sometimes, I wake up before the sun rises. Sometimes, it (be) ________(5) still
dark when I wake up. But I dont mind. I like waking up that early. I like the way the country looks
in the morning.
The first thing I do after I wake up is milk the cow. After I (be) ________(6) finished milking the
cow, I bring the milk to my mom. I think she uses it to make breakfast. She makes a delicious
breakfast. My mom
(be) ________(7) a really good cook.
Next, I feed the pigs. One time, I asked my mom how come my little sister doesnt feed them. She
said it is because my sister (be, not) ____ ____(8) strong enough. But I still dont understand. She is
almost as strong as me! I guess my mom doesnt want my sister to get hurt. After all, the pigs can
(be) ________(9) pretty rough, especially when they (be) ________(10) hungry.
The last thing I do (be) ________(11) feed the chickens. That (be) ________(12) easy. I just throw
some food down on the ground and they run out and eat it. While the chickens (be) ________(13)
eating, I go into their house to collect their eggs. Chicken eggs (be) ________(14) really good to eat.
They (be) ________(15) easy to cook too. That is what I do in the mornings. I (be) ________(16)
pretty busy.
Exercise 6: Write the correct form of "to be" in present tense.
Tess and Jen ________(1) best friends.
They do everything together. They spend every day together.
One day they meet on the bus to school. They start talking.
Hey Jen, says Tess. How ________(2) you?
Hey girl, says Jen. I ________(3) doing fine. What ________(4) going on? What ________(5)
you doing today?
Oh, says Tess, I _____ _____ (6) doing anything special. I dont have any plans.
That ________(7) cool.
Yeah, says Tess. But I have something to tell you.
Really! Can I try to guess?
Umm says Tess. Well
Okay, I get three guesses. Ready?
Umm, wellokay.
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________(8) we eating dinner together?

No, that _____ _____ (9) it.
Okay. Are we going to the soccer game together?
No. It ____ ____(10) that either. Tess looks nervous. Her eyes look sad. A tear starts to fall down
her cheek.
Oh, says Jen, wiping a tear from her own eye. Now I know. You ________(11) moving away.
B/ Verbs
Exercise 1:Choose the correct form of the verb in simple present tense.
Example: I / You / We / They (cook) cook.
Example: He / She / It (cook) cooks.
4) They ( cook) .on Thursday.
1) I ( cook) .on Monday.
5) He ( cook) .on Friday.
2) You ( cook) .on Tuesday.
6) She ( cook) .on Saturday.
3) We ( cook) .on Wednesday.
7) It ( cook) .on Sunday.
Exercise 2: Choose the correct form of the verb in simple present tense.
Example: I / You / We / They (wash) wash the car on Monday.
Example: He / She / It (wash) washes the car on
Tuesday.
4) They ( wash) .the car on Thursday.
1) I ( wash) .the car on Monday.
5) He ( wash) .the car on Friday.
2) You ( wash) . the car on Tuesday.
6) She ( wash) .the car on Saturday.
3) We ( wash) .the car on Wednesday.
7) It ( wash) .the car on Sunday.
Exercise 3: Choose the correct form of the verb in simple present tense.
Example: I / You / We / They (study) study English on Monday.
Example: He / She / It (study) studies English on Tuesday.
1) I (study) .English on Monday.
5) He (study) .English on Friday.
2) You (study) .English on Tuesday.
6) She (study) .English on Saturday.
3) We (study) .English on Wednesday.
7) It (study) .English on Sunday.
4) They (study) .English on Thursday.
Exercise 4: Choose the correct form of the verb in simple present tense.
Example: I / You / We / They (cook) cook.
Example: He / She / It (cook) cooks.
Example: I / You / We / They (wash) wash the car on Monday.
Example: He / She / It (wash) washes the car on Tuesday.
Example: I / You / We / They (study) study English on Monday.
Example: He / She / It (study) studies English on Tuesday.
1) They (study) English on Tuesday.
7) We (study) English on Sunday.
2) He (cook) .on Tuesday.
8) It (cook) ..on Thursday.
3) I (wash) the car on Wednesday.
9) He (study) .English on Friday.
4) We (cook) on Sunday.
10) You (wash) .the car on Thursday.
5) You (wash) the car on Friday.
11) They (cook) .on Wednesday.
6) She (wash) the car on Saturday. 12) She (study) .English on Thursday.
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Exercise 5: Choose the correct form of the verb in simple present tense.
Example: Tom and I We (cook) cook on Tuesday.
Example: Tom and Amy They (cook) cook on Tuesday
Example: Tom He (cook) cooks on Tuesday
Example: Amy She (cook) cooks on Tuesday
1) Tom and Amy (cook) .on Wednesday.
2) Daniel and I (cook) ..on Tuesday.
3) Herbert (cook) ..on Sunday.
4) Carlos and Peter (wash) the car on Friday.
5) Jovita (wash) ..the car on Saturday.
6) Ko, Uri, and I (study) .English on Monday.
7) The students (study) ..English on Thursday.
8) Randy (study) ..English on Friday.
9) I (wash) .the car on Thursday.
10) Mack (wash) ..the car on Monday.
11) Natasha (study) .English on Thursday.
12) Rachel: Hi, Nina. Can I help you?
Nina: Yes. You (wash) the car, and I will cook dinner.
Exercise 6: Choose the correct form of the verb in simple present tense.
1) Monica (eat) ____________________ eggs.
2) Teddy and Monica (eat) _____________________ eggs.
3) Mickie (study) ____________________ English every day.
4) Arthur and Jason (study) _____________________ English on Monday and Tuesday.
5) Angie and I (drink) _______________________ coffee.
6) Eva (like) _______________________ chocolate.
7) Dustin (watch) ______________________ movies.
8) Yoko (play) ______________________ the piano.
9) The students (take) _____________________ tests.
10) It (rain) ______________________ here a lot.
Exercise 7: Choose the correct form of the verb in simple present tense.
1) Dennis (cook) ___________________ on Wednesday.
2) Mariella and I (cook) ______________________ on Tuesday.
3) Spencer (wash) _______________________ his car on Sunday.
4) Tammy and I (wash) _____________________ our car on Monday.
5) You (study) _______________________ science on Thursday.
6) Thomas (study) ______________________ math on Friday.
7) Rickie (play) ___________________________ golf and tennis.
8) Justin and I (play) _______________________ basketball and soccer.
9) Kim (read) __________________________ fiction novels.
10) Richard and David (read) _____________________________ the newspaper.
Exercise 8: Choose the correct form of the verb in simple present tense.
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Example: I / You / We / They (play) play the guitar.

Example: He / She / It (play) plays the guitar.
1) I ( bake) .cakes.
2) You ( work) .in an office.
3) We ( take) .pictures of birds.
4) They ( talk) .about cars.
5) He ( think) .about school.
6) She ( play) . soccer.
7) It ( rain) .here a lot.
8) I ( like) .chocolate.
9) He ( like) .chocolate.
10) You ( watch) .movies.
11) She ( watch) .movies.
12) The babies ( cry) . every night.
13) The baby (cry) .every night.
14) I ( fly) .to Belize every year.
15) My father ( fly) .to Belize every year.
Exercise 9: Fill in the spaces with the correct form of the verb in simple present tense.
Example: I (play) play the guitar.
Example: Jessica (play) plays the guitar.
1) I (be) ____________________ sixteen years old.
2) Tommy (live) ___________________ at 107 Pine Lane.
3) Juana (cook) ______________________ dinner for her family.
4) They (eat) ________________________ lunch at 12:00.
5) Nina (take) ________________________ medicine when she is sick.
6) I (like) _________________________ chocolate.
7) He (drive) _______________________ a nice car.
8) We (want) _____________________ to see a movie tonight.
9) Mr. Anderson (teach) _____________________ chemistry at Hill High School
10) They (study) ______________________ English at school.
11) I (want) ______________________ to go home now.
12) Bill and Calicia (drive) ______________________ to the mountains every year. every year.
13) We (eat) ____________________ pasta once a week.
14) It (snow) _________________ here in December.
15) When Dax (take) ___________ a shower, he (wash) __________ his hair with shampoo.
Exercise 10: Fill in the spaces with the correct form of the verb in simple present tense.
Example: I/You/We/They (play) play the guitar.
Example: He/She/It (play) plays the guitar.
1) Mary (be) ___________________ twenty-nine years old.
2) We (like) __________________ to eat fruit. It (taste) ____________________ good.
3) The football team never (score) __________________ . It (lose) _____________ all the time.
4) Roberta and Betty always (talk) _________________ to each other on the phone.
5) Jose and I (study) ______________________ chemistry together.
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6) The car (have) _________________________ a flat tire.

7) You never (make) ________ breakfast for me. I always (have) _______ to make it myself.
8) The mechanic (fix) __________________ my car when it breaks down.
9) Tom rarely (fly) _________________. He usually (drive) ___________________.
10) I usually (watch) ____________ TV, but tonight I (think) __________ I will read a book.
11) Igor (call) ___________________ his mother on the phone every day.
12) When he (be) _____________ alone at night, Beto sometimes (get) ___________ scared.
13) I (be) _______________ tired. I (think) _________________ I am going to take a nap.
14) Cakes (be) _________ hard to make. They (require) _____________ a lot of work.
15) Joel (like) ____________ to play soccer. He (practice) ________________ every day.
Exercise 11: Fill in the spaces with the correct form of the verb in simple present tense.
Affirmative (+): Example: He (play) plays the guitar.
Negative (-):
He (not, play) does not play the guitar.
1) I rarely (eat) _______ chocolate. I (not, like) _____ _____ _____the way it (taste) ______
2) We (like) ___________ to watch movies. My favorite movie (be) __________ Titanic.
3) The ocean (sound) _______ like an airplane.
4) The flag (blow) _______________ in the wind every day. It is getting old. It (need)_________ to
be replaced soon.
5) The janitor at my school (empty) ________________ the trash on Sunday.
6) Angelica always (try) ______________ to make new friends.
7) James (run) _________________ two miles every day.
8) Elizabeth often (march) _________________ with the band.
9) John and I (open) __________________ presents at Christmas.
10) When there is a fire, the firemen (rush) _________________ to put it out. After the fire
(be)_______________ out, they (go) _______________ home.
11) I (be, not) _______ _______ tired. I (think) _____________ I will read a book.
12) Shelley (not, think) _______ _______ _______ this quiz is hard. But I (do) _______!
Exercise 12: Fill in the spaces with the correct form of the verb in simple present tense.
Example: I (play) play the guitar.
Example: Jessica (play) plays the guitar.
Example: He (not, play) does not play the guitar.
1) I always (eat) ___________ vegetables. Carrots (be) ____________ my favorite.
2) Randy (like) _______ swimming in the ocean, but he (be) _______ afraid of sharks.
3) It (be) _______ really cold outside, and I (not, have) _______ _______ _______ a jacket!
4) We (think ) _________________ it is fun to ride roller coasters.
5) Roberto and Kelly (hunt) ___________________ for eggs every Easter.
6) The simple present tense (be) ___________________ easy!
7) My family (want) __________________ to visit the pyramids in Egypt.
8) Donna (love) _______ the summer. She also (like) _________________ winter.
9) Liz and Tommy (travel) _________________ to the coast every year.
10) The baby (cry) __________________ every time it (want) ________________ to be fed.
11) You (need) _______________ to exercise in order to stay healthy.
12) What time (be) _____________ Rubiela getting here? She (be) ____________ late!
13) Yoko (win) _____________ the science contest every year. She (be) _______so smart!
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14) Ken (be) __________ a baker. He (bake) _________ cakes and pastries every morning.
15) Then he (sell) _______ them to his customers. Everybody (love) _______ Ken's bakery.
Exercise 13: Fill in the spaces with the correct form of the verb in simple present tense.
Note: These sentences use verbs and adverbs. An adverb says something more about the action of a
verb.
Example: Joseph (always, climb) always climbs trees in his yard.
Example: Ernestine (usually, pick) usually picks flowers on Mondays.
1) Julia (sometimes, sell) _______ _______ lemonade on hot days.
2) Thomas (often, play) _______ _______ baseball after school.
3) My neighbor (never, paint) _______ _______ his house; it looks terrible!
4) The students (eagerly, leave) _______ _______ their
classrooms when the bell rings.
5) Mrs. Gomez (quickly, water) _______ _______ the plants when she (get) _______ home at five
o'clock.
6) Each night, Serena (kindly, help) _______ _______her little sister with geography homework.
7) Stuart (happily, play) _______ _______video games with his friends on Saturdays.
8) Joan and Nate (patiently, wait) _______ _______ for the bus to arrive each day.
9) The jazz musicians in our town (frequently, win) _______ _______ competitions.
10) The merry-go-round (slowly, come) _______ _______ to a stop every five minutes.
Exercise 14: Fill in the spaces with the correct form of the verb in simple present tense.
Hi. My name (be) __________ (1) Albert. My friends (call) _____________ (2) me Al. You can call
me Al if you (like) ___________________ (3) .
I (want) to tell you about a problem I (have) _________________ (4) .It (be, not) ______ ______ (5)
a big problem, but it is not a small problem, either. I (guess) _______________ (6) it's somewhere
between big and small.
I (have) ______________ (7) a best friend. His name (be) _________________ (8) Joe,
but everybody (call) _________________ (9) him Joey. Joey and I have been friends for a long time.
That's the problem. Joey (like) ______________ (10) to smoke. He (say) ______________ (11) he
(do, not) _______ ______ (12) but I (know) ______________ (13) he (do) ____________ (14) .He
(try) ___________ (15) to hide it from me, but I (see) _____________ (16) him do it sometimes.
When I see him do it, he just (laugh) ___________ (17) and (walk) ______________ (18) away.
Now, Joey (smoke) _____________ (19) every day. When he (come) ____________ (20) over to my
house, he (always, bring) _______ _______ (21) his cigarettes with him. He (keep) __________ (22)
them in his pocket. He (think) ______________ (23) they are cool. He (not, think) _______ _______
_______ (24) it's a bad idea to smoke. He (say) ________________ (25) "(not, worry) _______
_______ _______ (26) Al. I'm okay." He (tell) ______________ (27) me that I (not, understand)
_______ _______ _______ (28) ,but I (think) ___________ (29) I (do) ___________ (30) .
I (feel) ____________ (31) like it's his right to smoke. He can do what he (want) ____________ (32)
to do, right? But I can (not, help) _______ _______ (33) worrying. He's my best friend.