Бланк ответов лежит на столе.

Because бланк ответов is a noun + noun structure meaning answer sheet / answer form.

In Russian, the second noun is often put in the genitive case to show a relationship like of in English:

• бланк ответов = form of answers
• natural English translation: answer sheet

So:

• ответы = answers as a basic dictionary form
• ответов = of answers / answers in the genitive plural

This is very common in Russian:

• книга студента = the student’s book / book of the student
• чашка чая = cup of tea
• лист бумаги = sheet of paper

Here, бланк requires that kind of of answers relationship, so ответов is correct.

Бланк usually means a form, blank form, or sometimes a sheet meant to be filled in.

In this sentence, бланк ответов is best understood as:

• answer sheet
• answer form

It does not mean just any random blank piece of paper. It usually refers to an official or structured paper used for writing answers.

Лежит comes from лежать, which means to lie or to be lying.

Russian often uses different verbs for the position of an object:

• лежать = to lie
• стоять = to stand
• висеть = to hang

A sheet or form on a table is normally thought of as lying flat, so Russian says:

• Бланк ответов лежит на столе.

English often just says The answer sheet is on the table, but Russian commonly uses the more specific positional verb.

Yes, very often in this kind of sentence.

A natural English translation is:

• The answer sheet is on the table.

A more literal translation is:

• The answer sheet is lying on the table.

Both are fine, but English usually sounds more natural with just is on the table unless you specifically want to emphasize the physical position.

Russian normally does not use a present-tense form of to be in ordinary sentences like this.

So where English says:

• The answer sheet is on the table

Russian says:

• Бланк ответов на столе
• or, more naturally here, Бланк ответов лежит на столе

The verb быть (to be) is usually omitted in the present tense.

So the sentence does not need a separate word for is.

Because this sentence describes location, not motion.

With на:

• на стол = onto the table → motion toward the table
• на столе = on the table → location

Here the form is already there, resting on the table, so Russian uses the prepositional case:

• столе = prepositional singular of стол

Compare:

• Я положил бланк на стол. = I put the form onto the table.
• Бланк лежит на столе. = The form is lying on the table.

Бланк is in the nominative singular.

It is the grammatical subject of the sentence:

• Бланк ответов = the answer sheet
• лежит = lies / is lying

Since бланк is singular, the verb is also singular:

• лежит = third person singular

Ответов is genitive plural.

Basic form:

• ответ = answer

Plural nominative:

• ответы = answers

Genitive plural:

• ответов = of answers

In бланк ответов, Russian uses the genitive plural because it means something like a form for answers or a form of answers.

The word order Бланк ответов лежит на столе is neutral and natural.

It presents the information in a straightforward way:

1. the thing
2. what state it is in
3. where it is

Russian word order is flexible, so you could also say:

• На столе лежит бланк ответов.

This version puts more focus on the location, like On the table there is an answer sheet or The answer sheet is lying on the table.

Both are correct, but the emphasis changes.

Usually it describes a state: the object is in that position.

So in this sentence, лежит does not strongly mean that the paper is actively moving into a lying position. It means it is there, lying.

That is why English often translates it simply as:

• is on the table

rather than focusing on the action of lying.

Russian has no articles.

So бланк ответов can mean:

• an answer sheet
• the answer sheet

Which one is meant depends on context.

In many situations, English would naturally say The answer sheet is on the table, but Russian does not mark that distinction with a separate word.

Yes, but it sounds a bit different.

• лежит на столе = is lying on the table
• находится на столе = is located on the table

Находится is more neutral, formal, or abstract.
Лежит is more concrete and natural when talking about a physical paper resting on a table.

So for everyday speech, лежит на столе is usually the better choice here.

The main stress is usually on the most important new information.

Common pronunciation:

• Бланк отве́тов лежи́т на столе́.

Depending on context, different words can be stressed more strongly:

• БЛАНК ответов лежит на столе — not something else
• Бланк ответов ЛЕЖИТ на столе — emphasizing its position
• Бланк ответов лежит на столе́ — emphasizing where it is

So stress can shift with context, even though the words stay the same.