Steps to put in verbs into gaps in sentences and questions

Steps on how to fill in the correct verb forms into gap-filling exercises.

Here you will find 4 examples where you have to fill in the correct form of the verb. Study the steps which show you you to fill in the verb form into different types of sentences.

Signal words and English Tenses

What are auxiliaries?


1. Is there a signal word in the sentence?

  • yes → go on with No. 3
  • no → go on with No. 2

2. What action is it?

3. Define the tense and find the correct verb form

4. Is it a sentence or a question?

  • sentence → go on with No. 7
  • question → go on with No. 5

5. Is there an auxiliary in the question?

  • yes → go on with No. 7
  • no → go on with No. 6

6. Use do or does in the Simple Present – did in the Simple Past

7) Is the statement or the question negative?

  • yes → go on with No. 8
  • no → go on with No. 9

8) Put in not after the auxiliary. (Simple Present don't or doesn't; Simple Past didn't)

9) Now fill in the verb form into the gap.


Sample sentence 1: Peter often ________ (to play) football.

1. Is there a signal word in the sentence?

  • yes often → go on with No. 3

3. Define the tense and find the correct verb form → Simple Present → play or plays

4. Is it a sentence or a question?

  • sentence → go on with No. 7

7. Is the statement or the question negative?

  • no → go on with No. 9

9. Now fill in theverb form into the gap.

Use plays. Peter is in the 3rd person singular steht, so add -s to the infinitive play.

Answer: Peter often plays football.


Sample sentence 2: Peter ________ (not/to play) football every day.

1. Is there a signal word in the sentence?

  • yes every day→ go on with No. 3

3. Define the tense and find the correct verb form → Simple Present → play or plays

4. Is it a sentence or a question?

  • sentence → go on with No. 7

7. Is the statement or the question negative?

  • yes → go on with No. 8

8. Put in not after the auxiliary. (Simple Present don't or doesn't; Simple Past didn't) does not

9. Now fill in theverb form into the gap.

Use does not. Peter is in the 3rd person singular steht, so use the auxiliary does. Then use the infinitive of the verb play.

Answer: Peter does not play football every day.


Sample sentence 3: Where ______ Peter always ________ (to play) football?

1. Is there a signal word in the sentence?

  • yes always → go on with No. 3

3. Define the tense and find the correct verb form → Simple Present → play or plays

4. Is it a sentence or a question?

  • question → go on with No. 5

5. Is there an auxiliary in the question?

  • no → go on with No. 6

6. Use do or does n the Simple Present – did in the Simple Past does

7. Is the statement or the question negative?

  • yes → go on with No. 8

8. Put in not after the auxiliary. (Simple Present don't or doesn't; Simple Past didn't)

9. Now fill in the verb form into the gap.

Use the auxiliary does in the first gap of the questions and the infinitive of the verb play in the second gap of the sentence.

Answer: Where does Peter always play football?


Sample sentence 4: Where ______ it ________ (not/to rain) tomorrow?

1. Is there a signal word in the sentence?

  • no → go on with No. 2

2. What action is it? Action is a predictiion in the future

3. Define the tense and find the correct verb form will-future will rain

4. Is it a sentence or a question?

  • question → go on with No. 5

5. Is there an auxiliary in the question?

  • yes → go on with No. 7 will

7. Is the statement or the question negative?

  • yes → go on with No. 8

8. Put in not after the auxiliary. (Simple Present don't or doesn't; Simple Past didn't) will not

9. Now fill in the verb form into the gap.

Fill in the auxiliary will into the first gap and not and the infinitive of the verb rain into the second gap.

Answer: Where will it not rain tomorrow?