Questions are formed in the simple tenses by using either do, does, did or will before a bare infinitive, or with the verb to be. The following exercise will help you practice converting simple statements into question form in the past, present and future. Use the example sentences to make questions – while these cover simple tense forms, the sentences are not necessarily easy. And remember, first person questions (I, we) should be converted to the second person (you, they)!

For example:

• The red bird flew through the trees.
• Did the red bird fly through the trees?

Simple Tense Questions Exercise

1. Rabbits eat grass.
2. Jimmy played in the garden all day.
3. I always enjoy seeing circus performers.
4. Wendy will be in the market tomorrow.
5. The parade comes through the North part of town first.
6. Dozens of men waited in the street.
7. He rested on the park bench for two hours.
8. There will be twenty people at dinner.
9. We will wait for the delivery man until noon.
10. They study very hard just before exams.
11. Cape Town was the busiest city I had ever been to.
12. You will watch my child while I use the toilet.
13. Men are stronger than women.
14. Women will inherit the Earth.
15. The radio’s battery ran out before we heard the results.
16. The marigold is my favourite type of flower.
17. Polly has her own bicycle.
18. The lifeguards saved all the children.
19. When I am older, I’ll own ten cats.
20. Before the war, these buildings looked much more pleasant.

Answers:

1. Do rabbits eat grass?
2. Did Jimmy play in the garden all day?
3. Do you always enjoy seeing circus performers?
4. Will Wendy be in the market tomorrow?
5. Does the parade come through the North part of town first?
6. Did dozens of men wait in the street?
7. Did he rest on the park bench for two hours?
8. Will there be twenty people at dinner?
9. Will you wait for the delivery man until noon?
10. Do they study very hard just before exams?
11. Was Cape Town the busiest city you had ever been to?
12. Will you watch my child while I use the toilet?
13. Are men stronger than women?
14. Will women inherit the Earth?
15. Did the radio’s battery run out before you heard the results?
16. Is the marigold your favourite type of flower?
17. Does Polly have her own bicycle?
18. Did the lifeguards save all the children?
19. When you am older, will you own ten cats?
20. Before the war, did these buildings look much more pleasant?

Note that in questions 19 and 20, the adverbial phrases could also come after the question clause (e.g. Will you own twenty cats when you are older?).