Present Simple Worksheet (A1)
A printable present simple worksheet for A1 learners: the third-person -s, negatives with don't and doesn't, questions, frequency adverbs and a writing task about their own family. Full answer key and teacher's notes.
About this worksheet
It goes with the Present Simple lesson plan but works on its own, in class or as homework.
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Present Simple · Level A1 · About 35 minutes
Name: ______________________________ Date: ______________
Task 1. Add the -s
Write the he/she/it form of each verb. Be careful with spelling.
Example: work → works
- eat → ________
- go → ________
- watch → ________
- study → ________
- play → ________
- finish → ________
- have → ________
- teach → ________
- live → ________
Task 2. Positive, negative, question
Complete the sentences with the present simple of the verb in brackets.
Example: She works (work) in a bakery.
- My brother ________ (study) at night.
- We ________ (not / live) near the school.
- ________ your father ________ (drive) to work?
- Ndidi ________ (not / eat) breakfast at home.
- ________ you ________ (speak) three languages?
- The shop ________ (open) at eight o'clock.
- My friends ________ (not / like) football.
Task 3. How often?
Put the frequency word in the right place and write the whole sentence.
Example: (always) She gets up at five. → She always gets up at five.
- (never) He eats meat. → ________________________
- (usually) We walk to school. → ________________________
- (often) My sister is late. → ________________________
- (sometimes) They play football on Friday. → ________________________
- (always) I am tired in the evening. → ________________________
Task 4. Three sounds
Say the verbs aloud. Write each one under the sound of its ending.
- /s/: works, ________, ________
- /z/: lives, ________, ________
- /ɪz/: finishes, ________, ________
- Verbs to sort: reads, watches, starts, goes, teaches, eats
Task 5. Your turn
Write eight sentences about one person in your family: their routine, what they do not do, and how often. Use at least two negatives.
- ________________________________________
- ________________________________________
- ________________________________________
- ________________________________________
- ________________________________________
- ________________________________________
- ________________________________________
- ________________________________________
For the teacher: answer key
| Task | Answers |
|---|---|
| Task 1 | eats, goes, watches, studies, plays, finishes, has, teaches, lives. |
| Task 2 | 1 studies 2 don't live 3 Does ... drive 4 doesn't eat 5 Do ... speak 6 opens 7 don't like |
| Task 3 | 1 He never eats meat. 2 We usually walk to school. 3 My sister is often late. 4 They sometimes play football on Friday. 5 I am always tired in the evening. (After be, the adverb goes second.) |
| Task 4 | /s/: works, starts, eats. /z/: lives, reads, goes. /ɪz/: finishes, watches, teaches. |
| Task 5 | Answers will vary. Check: -s on every third-person verb, don't/doesn't + verb with no ending, frequency words before the main verb. |
Teacher's notes
- Timing: Tasks 1 to 4 take about 25 minutes; Task 5 about 10, or set it as homework.
- The one to watch: the missing -s in Task 2 and Task 5, and the extra -s after doesn't (she doesn't works). Both are worth one minute on the board rather than a correction on each script.
- Task 3, item 5 is the exception: after be, the frequency word comes after the verb. Learners who put always first have applied the rule they were taught, so praise the logic before correcting.
- Using it: learners check Tasks 1 to 3 in pairs before you give answers, and read the sentence aloud when they check, so the ending is heard as well as written.
- Extension: learners swap their Task 5 paragraph and write three questions about the person described.
The lesson plan, and more like this
Present Simple ESL Lesson Plan (A1, 60 Minutes)
The full lesson this worksheet belongs to.
Grammar: Present Continuous Worksheet (A1)
5 tasks with an answer key. Grammar, A1.
First and Second Conditionals Worksheet (B1)
5 tasks with an answer key. Grammar, B1.
All ESL worksheets
Grammar, vocabulary, reading and writing, by CEFR level.
About this worksheet
Written by RCF English to the RCF English international standard: levelled by the CEFR, original throughout, and suitable for classrooms in any country. Last reviewed 22 September 2026.