Advanced Simple Present. 45 questions on narrative uses, performatives, and nuanced stative-dynamic distinctions.
What this test covers
- Performative Verbs
- Historic Present & Commentary
- Nuanced Stative-Dynamic Verbs
Answer the 45 questions below. Each answer is checked straight away, with an explanation. Press Submit at the end to get your score and save it to your dashboard. Answers are not kept if you leave before submitting.
All 45 questions with answers
Pick an answer for each question to see if you are right, with the explanation. Submit when you are done; you can submit before answering them all.
-
Q1I ___ that we postpone the meeting until next week to allow for further deliberation.
Answer: C. suggest
The verb 'suggest' functions here as a performative — a verb where the act of saying the word performs the action itself. Performative verbs require the Simple Present to achieve their official effect. 'Will suggest' refers to future intent, while 'suggested' reports a past event; neither performs the suggestion in the current moment. 'Am suggest' is a grammatical error.
-
Q2Which sentence correctly uses the performative verb warn to issue a warning at the moment of speech?
Answer: D. I warn you not to repeat this mistake.
A performative utterance — one that enacts a specific speech act — uses the Simple Present 'I warn' to officially issue the warning. While the present continuous 'I am warning' is common in casual speech to describe the speaker's current behavior, the Simple Present is the formal form for the act itself. 'I have warned' (present perfect) describes a completed past event, not a current enactment.
-
Q3In a current legal report, the defendant ___ that he was nowhere near the scene of the crime during the incident.
Answer: C. denies
The 'reporting present' is used in legal and journalistic summaries to present a standing position or a statement of fact as a current record. 'Denies' indicates the defendant's plea remains their active, valid assertion within the context of the report. 'Denied' is a narrative past tense, whereas 'denies' focuses on the current status of the testimony. 'Is deny' is grammatically incorrect.
-
Q4Which of these is the most standard formal way to enact a declaration using a performative verb?
Answer: D. I hereby declare this session open.
The adverb 'hereby' is a formal marker of a performative utterance (an action performed through speech), which requires the Simple Present 'declare'. This structure formally creates the state it describes. 'I am declaring' is a description of an action in progress rather than a ritual enactment. 'Declares' is incorrect because the third-person singular form does not match the subject 'I'.
-
Q5Which of the following sentences correctly uses a performative verb?
Answer: A. I promise you that the shipment will arrive.
To perform the act of making a commitment, the Simple Present 'I promise' is required. The present continuous 'I am promising' describes the speaker's behavior or a persistent state of giving assurances, but it does not constitute the formal act of a promise. 'Promised' is a past-tense report of a previous event and cannot enact the promise in the present.
-
Q6In this chapter, the author ___ (timeless claim) that global economic shifts are inevitable.
Answer: C. argues
The 'academic present' is used to discuss the content of published works, treating the author's claims as timeless truths that remain active as long as the text exists. 'Argues' is the standard form for this. 'Is arguing' would imply a temporary or developing argument, while 'argued' suggests the claim is a historical event rather than a permanent feature of the book.
-
Q7Which sentence correctly uses the performative verb?
Answer: A. I apologize for the inconvenience.
The Simple Present 'I apologize' is the standard performative form for executing an apology at the moment of speaking. 'I am apologizing' describes the process of giving an apology and is often perceived as less formal or definitive. 'Apologized' reports a past event and does not perform the act in the 'now'.
-
Q8I ___ that you accept the position immediately; it is a rare opportunity.
Answer: C. recommend
The verb 'recommend' acts performatively here to issue advice. The Simple Present is the required aspect for such speech acts to take effect immediately. 'Recommended' shifts the action to the past, reporting a previous suggestion. 'Am recommend' is a morphological error (incorrect verb structure).
-
Q9The commentator shouts as the striker ___ past the defender and ___ the ball into the net.
Answer: D. dribbles / crosses
Sports commentary utilizes the Simple Present ('dribbles / crosses') to provide a real-time description of rapid, successive actions. This creates a sense of immediacy. The past progressive ('was dribbling') or present perfect ('has dribbled') would distance the listener from the live action by focusing on duration or completion rather than the unfolding moment.
-
Q10In its current standing, the committee ___ that the proposal lacks sufficient detail.
Answer: B. finds
In formal reporting, verbs describing official positions ('finds') are used in the Simple Present to indicate a stable, current state of opinion. 'Is finding' would suggest an incomplete or ongoing discovery process, which is inappropriate for a settled committee 'standing'. 'Found' (past simple) would imply the position is no longer current.
-
Q11I ___ the motion to increase the budget by ten percent.
Answer: A. second
In formal parliamentary procedure, 'second' is a performative verb used in the Simple Present to officially support a motion. Using the Simple Present enacts the support at that moment. 'Will second' refers to a future intention, and 'seconded' refers to a past action; neither effectively seconds the motion during the current procedural vote.
-
Q12In today's formal report, the witness ___ that the suspect was wearing a red hat.
Answer: C. testifies
For formal summaries of evidence, the 'reporting present' ('testifies') is used to present the content of the testimony as part of the current record. 'Testified' focuses on the past event of speaking, whereas 'testifies' focuses on the evidence's ongoing relevance in the report. 'Is testifying' suggests the action is currently in progress but is not standard for summaries.
-
Q13I ___ my resignation, effective immediately.
Answer: B. submit
The verb 'submit' functions as a performative here — the act of resigning is completed by the utterance itself. The Simple Present 'submit' is necessary for this ritualized act. 'Will submit' is a promise of future action, and 'submitted' is a report of an action already completed in the past.
-
Q14Identify the statement that expresses a scientific fact as a timeless truth:
Answer: D. The study shows that caffeine increases focus.
The Simple Present ('shows') is used for scientific facts and general truths because they are considered valid regardless of when they were discovered. 'Is showing' implies the results are temporary or currently emerging, while 'showed' implies the findings belong to a specific past study and may no longer be relevant today.
-
Q15I ___ you to leave these premises at once.
Answer: A. order
This is a performative use of 'order' to issue a command with official authority. The Simple Present 'order' enacts the command at the moment it is spoken. 'Am order' is a grammatical error, and 'will order' suggests a future action rather than a current directive that the listener must follow now.
-
Q16Suddenly, the protagonist ___ the door and discovers the hidden treasure.
Answer: D. opens
The 'historic present' is a stylistic device used in narratives to describe past events as if they are happening now, heightening drama. 'Opens' fits this mode. 'Is opening' incorrectly focuses on the duration of the action, which slows the narrative pace, whereas the historic present usually emphasizes a sequence of quick events.
-
Q17The striker ___ the ball into the top corner!
Answer: A. scores
In sports broadcasting, the Simple Present 'scores' is the standard aspect for brief, completed actions occurring at the time of speech. 'Has scored' focuses on the state after the goal, and 'was scoring' (past continuous) incorrectly implies a long duration or an interrupted action.
-
Q18In the final act, the hero ___ his sword and ___ the villain.
Answer: B. draws / confronts
Literary or dramatic summaries use the 'plot present' to describe the sequence of events. This treating of the story as a perpetual present allows the reader to follow the plot as it exists in the text. 'Is drawing' is incorrect because it applies the progressive aspect (ongoing action) to a discrete, completed plot point.
-
Q19The commentator says that the player ___ the ball with incredible force.
Answer: D. hits
Sports commentary favors the Simple Present ('hits') for instantaneous actions. 'Hitted' is an error; 'hit' is an irregular verb with the same form in the present and past. 'Was hitting' (past continuous) would emphasize duration, which does not fit the sudden, momentary nature of a strike.
-
Q20The instructions state: 'First, you ___ the mixture and then you ___ it to a boil.'
Answer: A. heat / bring
The procedural or instructional present uses the Simple Present ('heat / bring') to outline steps that apply whenever the process is performed. This describes a generic, repeatable action. 'Are heating' would describe an action currently in progress in a specific instance rather than a general rule.
-
Q21Which sentence correctly uses the historic present?
Answer: D. He walks into the bar and orders a drink.
The 'historic present' — using the present tense to tell a story about the past — requires consistency. 'He walks... and orders' maintains the Simple Present throughout. 'He walked... and orders' is an incorrect tense shift between past and present within the same sequence.
-
Q22The narrator notes that the protagonist ___ from his mistakes and ___ his life.
Answer: A. learns / changes
In literary analysis, the Simple Present ('learns / changes') is the standard register. This treats the characters' development as an inherent, timeless quality of the written work. 'Learned' would treat the character as a historical figure, while 'is learning' implies a temporary process rather than a narrative fact.
-
Q23Watch this: I ___ the device, and then it ___ automatically.
Answer: B. press / activates
Demonstrations use the Simple Present ('press / activates') to describe actions as they are performed. This creates a direct link between the speaker's action and the immediate result. 'Am pressing' focuses on the duration of the physical action, which is less precise for a step-by-step demonstration.
-
Q24Identify the incorrect usage in this narrative:
Answer: C. She enters the room. She looks around. She is finding nothing.
In a narrative using the historic present, achievement verbs (verbs describing momentary success like 'find') are used in the Simple Present ('finds'). 'Is finding' incorrectly applies the progressive aspect to a sudden discovery, which sounds unnatural in a narrative sequence of discrete events.
-
Q25The goalkeeper ___ the penalty kick and the crowd ___ wildly.
Answer: D. saves / cheers
This is a use of the 'commentary present'. The Simple Present 'saves' captures the instantaneous action, and 'cheers' captures the immediate reaction. Using 'was saving' (past continuous) would imply the action was interrupted or was just a background event, rather than the main focus.
-
Q26In this scene, Romeo ___ Juliet, and he ___ immediately in love.
Answer: B. sees / falls
Summarizing the plot of a play requires the 'literary present' ('sees / falls'). This treats the events as timeless and repeatable each time the play is performed. 'Saw / fall' is an inconsistent tense mix, and 'is seeing' describes a temporary state not suited for a permanent plot point.
-
Q27Once the experiment ___ the desired results, we will publish the final report.
Answer: C. yields
In subordinate temporal clauses — those starting with 'once,' 'when,' or 'after' — the Simple Present ('yields') is used to refer to future time. Using 'will yield' in these clauses is a common error; the future reference is already provided by the main verb 'will publish'.
-
Q28If the temperature ___ below zero, the water freezes.
Answer: B. drops
The 'zero conditional' describes universal truths or scientific facts. It uses the Simple Present in both the 'if' clause (the condition) and the main clause (the result). 'Will drop' would turn a general law of nature into a specific, one-time prediction (first conditional).
-
Q29When she ___ tomorrow, we will start the meeting.
Answer: A. arrives
In adverbial time clauses introduced by 'when,' 'as soon as,' or 'before,' the Simple Present ('arrives') is used to refer to the future. The future tense marker 'will' cannot be used inside the time clause itself.
-
Q30The play ___ at 8:00 PM tonight, so do not be late.
Answer: C. starts
The Simple Present ('starts') is used for scheduled future events or 'timetabled' actions. This indicates the event is part of a fixed program. 'Will starts' is ungrammatical; the modal 'will' must be followed by the base form of the verb ('will start').
-
Q31The soup ___ delicious; did you use a new recipe?
Answer: A. tastes
In this context, 'taste' is a state/feeling verb — it describes a state or quality rather than a physical action. state-describing verbs typically avoid the progressive aspect (-ing). 'Is tasting' would imply the soup itself is actively performing the act of sampling something.
-
Q32Why ___ you ___ the soup? Is something wrong with it?
Answer: A. are / tasting
Here, 'taste' is used dynamically to describe the physical action of testing food. When a verb can be both state-describing (a quality) and dynamic (an action), the Present Continuous ('are tasting') is used for the action performed by a person at the current moment.
-
Q33This fabric ___ very soft; it must be silk.
Answer: B. feels
The verb 'feel' is used here as a state/feeling verb to describe an inherent quality or perception. The Simple Present 'feels' is the standard form. 'Is feeling' would suggest the fabric is a conscious agent performing an action, which is semantically impossible.
-
Q34Which sentence expresses a stative opinion rather than a dynamic process of deliberation?
Answer: B. I think that this is a bad idea.
When 'think' means 'to believe' or 'to have an opinion,' it is a state/feeling verb and uses the Simple Present ('I think'). 'I am thinking' (present continuous) indicates a dynamic mental process of actively considering or deliberating a plan.
-
Q35I ___ of moving to a new city next year.
Answer: B. am thinking
In this sentence, 'think of' refers to the dynamic mental process of contemplating or considering an option. Therefore, the Present Continuous 'am thinking' is used to describe this ongoing deliberation occurring in the speaker's mind.
-
Q36Which sentence is correct?
Answer: B. She has a car.
'Have' is a state/feeling verb when it denotes possession. Verbs describing a state are generally not used in the progressive (-ing) aspect. 'She is having a car' is incorrect; the progressive 'is having' is only used for dynamic actions like 'having lunch' or 'having fun'.
-
Q37He ___ lunch with his colleagues right now.
Answer: B. is having
When 'have' means 'to consume' or 'to eat,' it is an action verb (dynamic). The Present Continuous 'is having' is the correct form to describe an action happening at the specific moment of speaking ('right now').
-
Q38The package (as a general fact) ___ five kilograms.
Answer: A. weighs
When 'weigh' describes the static measurement of an object, it is a state/feeling verb and takes the Simple Present ('weighs'). 'Is weighing' would be dynamic, referring to the act of a person placing the package on a scale to measure it.
-
Q39Right now, the butcher ___ the meat to check the weight.
Answer: B. is weighing
In this case, 'weigh' is an action verb (dynamic) referring to the intentional act of measurement. The Present Continuous 'is weighing' correctly identifies this physical action as being in progress at the time of speaking.
-
Q40This perfume ___ like roses.
Answer: B. smells
The verb 'smell' is state-describing here, describing an inherent property of the perfume. state-describing sensory verbs use the Simple Present. 'Is smelling' would incorrectly imply the perfume is actively sniffing something.
-
Q41The chef ___ the herbs right now to see if they are fresh.
Answer: A. is smelling
In this context, 'smell' is a dynamic action verb; it describes the chef's deliberate act of sniffing. The time marker 'right now' confirms the action is in progress at the current moment, requiring the Present Continuous 'is smelling.' 'Smells' (Present Simple) would describe a habitual or general characteristic, not a current action.
-
Q42Identify the incorrect sentence:
Answer: C. The cake is looking good.
When 'look' is a linking verb meaning 'to appear,' it is state-describing and uses the Simple Present ('looks'). In formal grammar, verbs describing an appearance do not take the progressive aspect. While 'is looking good' is common in casual speech, 'looks' is the standard choice for describing an inherent quality.
-
Q43She currently ___ very professional in that suit.
Answer: D. looks
The verb 'look' here is a state/feeling verb expressing an appearance or attribute. The Simple Present 'looks' is the standard form for describing a current state. 'Is looking' is often used informally for temporary states, but 'looks' is more precise for a descriptive attribute.
-
Q44He ___ at the documents to evaluate the contract terms right now.
Answer: A. is looking
In this instance, 'look' is an action verb (dynamic) describing the act of directing one's gaze. Because the action is currently in progress ('right now'), the Present Continuous 'is looking' is the correct aspectual choice.
-
Q45The situation ___ complicated, but we can resolve it.
Answer: B. appears
The verb 'appear' meaning 'to seem' is a state/feeling verb describing a current impression. Therefore, it requires the Simple Present. 'Is appearing' would only be correct if it were an action verb meaning 'showing up' (e.g., 'The actor is appearing on stage').
Done? Submit to get your score.
Answer at least one question to submit. Questions you leave out count as skipped.