English MCQs – Page 1 (Q1-10)

The correct answer is ‘goes’ because the subject ‘she’ is third-person singular, which requires an -s ending on the verb in the Simple Present tense. This tense follows the formula subject + base verb (+s/es for he/she/it) and is used for habits, routines, and repeated actions, often signaled by time markers like ‘every Sunday’, ‘always’, or ‘usually’. Note that ‘go’ would suit plural or first/second-person subjects (I/you/we/they go), while ‘gone’ and ‘going’ are non-finite forms that need auxiliary verbs like ‘has’ or ‘is’ to function as a main verb.

The correct answer is ‘completes’ because ‘he’ is third-person singular, so the Simple Present tense requires the verb to take an -s ending. This tense expresses habitual or routine actions, and ‘every evening before dinner’ is a classic frequency marker signaling it. Compare this to ‘completed’ (Simple Past, a finished single action) or ‘completing’ (a participle needing an auxiliary like ‘is’). Getting third-person singular agreement right is one of the most heavily tested grammar rules in competitive exams.

The correct answer is ‘rises’ because general truths and scientific facts, such as the sun’s daily rising in the east, are always expressed in the Simple Present tense regardless of when the sentence is spoken. The subject ‘the sun’ is singular, so the verb takes the third-person -s form. This differs from a one-time past event, which would use ‘rose’. Simple Present is the standard tense for laws of nature, e.g., ‘Water boils at 100°C’ or ‘Ice melts at 0°C’.

The correct answer is ‘boils’ because scientific facts and universal truths are expressed in the Simple Present tense, and ‘water’ functions as a singular/uncountable subject taking the third-person -s verb form. This rule holds even though the sentence describes something that happens repeatedly across time rather than at this exact moment. Contrast this with ‘boiled’ (a specific past occurrence) or ‘is boiling’ (an ongoing action happening right now). Exam questions frequently use scientific facts to test this tense usage.

The correct answer is ‘play’ because the subject ‘they’ is plural, and plural subjects in the Simple Present tense use the base form of the verb without an -s ending. The phrase ‘every Saturday afternoon’ signals a recurring habitual action, which is the hallmark use of Simple Present. Remember the core rule: singular third-person subjects (he/she/it) add -s or -es, while plural subjects and ‘I/you/we/they’ use the bare infinitive form. This subject-verb agreement distinction is tested constantly in PPSC and FPSC papers.

The correct answer is ‘goes’ because ‘my father’ is a third-person singular subject, requiring the -s form of the verb in the Simple Present tense to describe his regular commuting habit. Habitual daily actions like commuting, eating, or exercising are classic Simple Present territory. ‘Went’ would incorrectly shift the sentence into the past, while ‘going’ and ‘go’ fail subject-verb agreement without a helping verb. Always check whether the subject is singular or plural before choosing the verb form.

The correct answer is ‘brush’ because the subject ‘I’ always takes the base form of the verb in the Simple Present tense, never the -s ending reserved for third-person singular subjects. ‘Twice a day’ is a frequency adverbial that confirms a habitual action, another signature marker of this tense. First-person and second-person subjects (I, you) and plural subjects (we, they) all use the plain verb form, e.g., ‘I brush’, ‘you brush’, ‘they brush’, but ‘he brushes’.

The correct answer is ‘departs’ because ‘the train’ is a singular subject and the sentence describes a fixed, scheduled routine, which in English is conventionally expressed using the Simple Present tense even though it refers to a future scheduled event. This is a special use of Simple Present for timetables, such as train departures, flight times, and class schedules. The third-person singular subject requires the -s ending. Compare ‘The bus arrives at 8’ or ‘The shop opens at 9’, both using the same timetable convention.

The correct answer is ‘speaks’ because ‘she’ is third-person singular, and describing someone’s general ability or skill (like speaking English well) uses the Simple Present tense with the -s verb ending. This tense is used for facts, abilities, and permanent states, not just physical habits. ‘Spoke’ would wrongly imply a single past instance, while ‘speaking’ needs an auxiliary verb to form a complete predicate. Stative descriptions of skill or character are a common Simple Present use case in grammar tests.

The correct answer is ‘migrate’ because ‘birds’ is a plural subject, so the Simple Present verb takes its base form without an -s ending. Bird migration in winter is a recurring natural pattern, exactly the kind of general truth the Simple Present tense is built to express. This question pairs two rules at once: subject-verb agreement for plural nouns and tense choice for repeated natural phenomena. Always identify the number of the subject first, then apply the appropriate present-tense form.