SIMPLE PRESENT NEGATIVE & INTERROGATIVE FORMS

SIMPLE PRESENT - NEGATIVE & INTERROGATIVE

 

Introduction

In the simple present tense, negative forms and question forms are made using the auxiliary verb DO. This page explains the rules.

 

1. Forming a negative

Negatives in the simple present are formed by adding don't or doesn't before the simple form of the verb: 

Subject	Auxiliary	Example
I	don't	I don't sing
You	don't	You don't sing
He	doesn't	He doesn't sing
She	doesn't	She doesn't sing
It	doesn't	It doesn't sing
We	don't	We don't sing
They	don't	They don't sing

In other words, only third person singular subjects (he, she and it) have doesn't — the rest have don't.

 

2. Forming a yes/no question

Yes/no questions are also created using the auxiliary DO. This time, the auxiliary is placed before the subject. Here are the rules:

Auxiliary	Subject	Example
Do	I	Do I sing?
Do	you	Do you sing?
Does	he	Does he sing?
Does	she	Does she sing?
Does	it	Does it sing?
Do	we	Do we sing?
Do	they	Do they sing?

 

3. Forming a WH- question

WH- questions (using words such as WHAT, WHEN, or WHERE) are also created by putting the auxiliary DO before the subject. So, you add the WH- word at the beginning; then the auxiliary and the subject. Here are some examples:

Statement	Yes/no question	WH- question
I sing	Do I sing?	What do I sing?
You fight.	Do you fight?	Why do you fight?
He lives	Does he live?	Where does he live?

Watch the following Power Point Presentation about Simple Present Tense to understand this tense better

THE SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

And now... As one of my teachers used to tell me 'PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT'... Let's practise!!

Click on the exercises below to practise simple present tense

EXERCISE 1

EXERCISE 2

EXERCISE 3

EXERCISE 4

EXERCISE 5

EXERCISE 6

EXERCISE 7 

EXERCISE 8

EXERCISE 9

AND FINALLY, TRY THIS GAME!!