I always try to make exercises that use relevant everyday language, and today I thought I’d share an English tenses exercise all about baking bread.

It’s a topical subject right now, with people in isolation and baking bread at home – but it’s something I’ve been doing myself for a bit over a year now, so I already wrote an exercise specific to this for The English Tenses Exercise Book.

The exercise below tests mixed present tenses in use, specifically looking at rules and instructions, with the answers at the bottom of the page. It’s written as prose to explore different present tense uses, but it is a working recipe, so once you’ve completed the exercise you can go on and make an excellent loaf of bread – trust me on that!

English Grammar Exercise – Present Tenses

Choose the best present form (simple, continuous, perfect or perfect continuous) using the information provided in brackets and the context of the text. Note that there can be some flexibility between the present simple and the present perfect for following instructions; mostly the present perfect is used when it is important that the action is completed. Use contractions where possible.

How to Bake a Perfect Loaf

(1) _______________ (you / to want) to make a perfect loaf of bread? This recipe (2) _______________ (to deliver) great results.

To make life easier, (3) _______________ (to prepare) your ingredients in advance: 500g of strong flour, 8g of yeast, 300ml of water and 10g of salt. These simple ingredients (4) _______________ (to combine) for a basic but delicious loaf.

Before you (5) _______________ (to begin), a word about temperature. When it is hot, the mixture (6) _______________ (to react) faster. On colder days, the recipe (7) _______________ (to take) longer to complete. For balance, we (8) _______________ (to want) the mixture to be about 75 degrees. If you (9) _______________ (to warm) the water, you can manage this temperature.

Step one: combine the water and the yeast in a bowl. The flour (10) _______________ (to go) in next, then the salt on top of the flour. This order is important, because the salt (11) _______________ (to affect) the yeast if they (12) _______________ (to touch) directly.

Mix the ingredients: you can use a spoon, but hand mixing (13) _______________ (to give) you a better feel for the results.

(14) _______________ (you / mix) it thoroughly now? (15) _______________ (you / to create) a dough! Leave it for about 20 minutes: during this time, the flour (16) _______________ (to absorb) water.

Next: how (17) _______________ (we / to develop) gluten? This recipe (18) _______________ (to require / not) kneading, but uses folding instead. (19) _______________ (to place) the dough on a floured counter and fold one side to about halfway in. Turn 90 degrees and fold again. It                        (20) _______________ (to take) two or three turns, usually, until you have a tight ball. (21) _______________ (to be / not) that easy?

(22) _______________ (to put) the dough back in the bowl, covered by a towel, and leave it to rise for about 90 minutes. When the dough                       (23) _______________ (to become) light and airy, it is ready. Back on the counter, where it (24) _______________ (to need) to be folded again, like a letter. Fold to the centre, then turn, until (25) _______________ (you / to form) a tight parcel.

Now, the dough (26) _______________ (to rise) one more time – leave it for another hour to 90 minutes. When you press it with a finger, (27) _______________ (the dough / spring) back? Then it is ready.

We (28) _______________ (to use) a Dutch Oven to do the cooking, preheated to 475 degrees. A Dutch Oven (29) _______________ (to trap) steam with a lid, for the best results. The dough (30) _______________ (to go) in seam side up. The seam (31) _______________ (to open) during cooking to give a nice rustic look.

Put the Dutch Oven and dough in the oven for 25 minutes, then                  (32) _______________ (to remove) the lid. Another 15‒20 minutes in the oven (33) _______________ (to produce) a golden loaf with a firm crust. A properly cooked loaf (34) _______________ (to make) a hollow thump when you tap the base.

(35) _______________ (it / to sound) done? (36) _______________ (to eat / not) it yet! (37) _______________ (to rest) the loaf on a wire rack for 30 minutes, so the interior crumb can set, making it easier to cut. Congratulations: (38) _______________ (you / to bake) a perfect loaf!

Answers

The complete correct text follows the numbered answers below.

1. Do you want; 2. delivers; 3. prepare; 4. combine; 5. begin; 6. reacts; 7. takes; 8. want; 9. warm; 10. goes; 11. affects; 12. touch; 13. gives; 14. Have you mixed; 15. You’ve created; 16. absorbs; 17. do we develop; 18. doesn’t require; 19. Place; 20. takes; 21. Isn’t; 22. Put; 23. becomes; 24. needs; 25. you’ve formed; 26. rises; 27. does the dough spring; 28. use; 29. traps; 30. goes; 31. opens; 32. remove; 33. produces; 34. makes; 35. Does it sound; 36. Don’t eat; 37. Rest; 38. you’ve baked

How to Bake a Perfect Loaf

(1) Do you want to make a perfect loaf of bread? This recipe (2) delivers great results.

To make life easier, (3) prepare your ingredients in advance: 500g of strong flour, 8g of yeast, 300ml of water and 10g of salt. These simple ingredients (4) combine for a basic but delicious loaf.

Before you (5) begin, a word about temperature. When it is hot, the mixture (6) reacts faster. On colder days, the recipe (7) takes longer to complete. For balance, we (8) want the mixture to be about 75 degrees. If you (9) warm the water, you can manage this temperature.

Step one: combine the water and the yeast in a bowl. The flour (10) goes in next, then the salt on top of the flour. This order is important, because the salt (11) affects the yeast if they (12) touch directly.

Mix the ingredients: you can use a spoon, but hand mixing (13) gives you a better feel for the results.

(14) Have you mixed it thoroughly now? (15) You’ve created a dough! Leave it for about 20 minutes: during this time, the flour (16) absorbs water.

Next: how (17) do we develop gluten? This recipe (18) doesn’t require kneading, but uses folding instead. (19) Place the dough on a floured counter and fold one side to about halfway in. Turn 90 degrees and fold again. It (20) takes two or three turns, usually, until you have a tight ball. (21) Isn’t that easy?

(22) Put the dough back in the bowl, covered by a towel, and leave it to rise for about 90 minutes. When the dough (23) becomes light and airy, it is ready. Back on the counter, where it (24) needs to be folded again, like a letter. Fold to the centre, then turn, until you (25) you’ve formed a tight parcel.

Now, the dough (26) rises one more time – leave it for another hour to 90 minutes. When you press it with a finger, (27) does the dough spring back? Then it is ready.

We (28) use a Dutch Oven to do the cooking, preheated to 475 degrees. A Dutch Oven (29) traps steam with a lid, for the best results. The dough (30) goes in seam side up. The seam (31) opens during cooking to give a nice rustic look.

Put the Dutch Oven and dough in the oven for 25 minutes, then (32) remove the lid. Another 15–20 minutes in the oven (33) produces a golden loaf with a firm crust. A properly cooked loaf (34) makes a hollow thump when you tap the base.

(35) Does it sound done? (36) Don’t eat it yet! (37) Rest the loaf on a wire rack for 30 minutes, so the interior crumb can set, making it easier to cut. Congratulations: (38) you’ve baked a perfect loaf!

Want more English tenses exercises?

This exercise was taken from The English Tenses Exercise Book; if you found this useful, there are 160 more exercises in the book.