Self-evaluation test 50 questions

Instructions

Multichoice questions: Click on the option you think is correct.

= Correct answer = Incorrect answer If your answer is incorrect, read the explanation why!

1. I ______ in Lyon,

where __________

Incorrect

For a permanent situation we use the Present Simple.

Incorrect

Where do you live ? is the correct answer.

The Present Simple in the question form, using the auxiliary do.

3. " _____________ to the radio ? " "No, you can turn it off."

Do you listen

Are you listening

You listen

Listen you

Incorrect

This is asking a question about an activity that has started, but not finished.

Are you listening to the radio ?

4. We usually _____ to Greece for our holiday but

Incorrect

This year ... it's not a habit but a temporary situation so we use the Present Continuous

We're going ...

YOUR SCORE

How did you do?

Click here for score 1 - 30

There are 20 more questions

this year _________ to Ireland.

we go

we're going

6. ___________ with my mother-in-law until we find a flat.

We rest
We're staying
We're resting

Incorrect

'Usually' indicates a routine, a habit. In these situations we use the Present Simple.

We usually go to Italy ...

7. I'm sorry, I can't see you tomorrow, __________ to Manchester.

I will fly

I'm flying

I'm going to fly

8. I plan on retiring when _________

I'm 65.

I have 65 years.

I will be 65.

I will have 65 years.

Incorrect

This is a temporary situation, so use the Present Continuous.

We use the verb 'to stay' when describing a sojurn

We're staying ......... until ..........

Incorrect

We tend to use the Present Continuous for a fixed arrangements, such as appointments.

I'm flying to the States tomorrow.

9. PETER "Annie, have you seen the new price list anywhere ?"
ANNIE "Yes, it's in my office _________ for you."

I get it

I'll get it

I'm going to get it

I shall get it

Incorrect.

I plan on retiring when I'm 60

Even though we are talking about the future, after the word 'when', we use the Present Simple.

To describe age, we use the verb 'to be' not 'to have' as is common in other languages.

10. THOMAS "Have you decided what to do with your old computer ? ".
JIM "Yes, ____________ it to my son.

I'll give

I'm going to give

I give

Incorrect

'so far' indicates the year has not finished yet.

We use the Present Perfect 'We've taken ...' because we have the possibility of taking more orders before the year has finished.

11. A spokesman for Airbus Industrie said "__________ orders for 700 A320neo jets so far this year."

We take

We've taken

We took

We had took

Incorrect

I'll get it ... is the correct response.

Annie is announcing her decision to get the list
AT THE SAME TIME as she makes her decision
- so she uses the 'will' form.

Incorrect

I'm going to give it to my son.

Jim has ALREADY DECIDED what to do, so he uses 'going to'.

12. __________ such as Excel or Word can be found on practically all office computers.

Software

Softwares

Incorrect

Software is always singular

13. __________ in France for 15 years, I love it here.

I live

I lived

I've lived

I'd lived

Incorrect

I've lived in France ...

We use the Present Perfect because I still live in France.

14.__________ in France for 15 years, I loved it there.

I live

I lived

I've lived

I'd lived

Incorrect

'I loved it there' indicates the speaker has left France, therefore he uses the Past simple.

I lived in France ...

Incorrect

The speaker is talking about living in France BEFORE he took French nationality, so I'd lived is correct.

However, many English speakers would say:

I lived in France ...

15.__________ in France for 10 years before I took French nationality.

I live

I lived

I've lived

I'd lived

Correct

The speaker is talking about an event that happened before he took French nationality, so the Past Perfect is used.

I'd lived in France ...

However, English speakers might also say:
I lived in France ...

16. I've been working with Jane ______ a year on this project.

for

since

17. I've been working with Jane on this project _________ March.

for

since

Incorrect

for + a period of time
since + a defined starting point

18. There's a lift in the building so ___________ climb the stairs.

we must

we mustn't

we haven't to

we don't have to

Incorrect

for + a period of time
since + a defined starting point

19. Soldiers generally ______ wear uniform, but

must

mustn't

have to

don't have to

Incorrect.

There is an element of choice here ...

We don't have to climb the stairs, but we can if we want to !

office workers ________.

must

mustn't

haven't to

don't have to

Incorrect.

On weekdays

Incorrect.

At weekends

___ weekends it's nearer 2.00 in the morning !

in
at
on

21. ___ weekdays I go to bed before midnight, but

23. Damn, we haven't got ___ paperclips !

some

any

Incorrect

Soldiers generally have to ...

Use have to when talking about an imposed obligation.

If you are in doubt, it's generally safer to use 'have to' rather then 'must'.

Incorrect

we use 'any' in negative statements.

24. If the bank _______ we'll be able to invest in more computers.

helps us

will help us

is going to help us

Incorrect.

If the bank helps us ...

Although we are talking about the future, in a conditional statement like this we use the Present Simple in the 'condition' part of the sentence.

Incorrect

'don't have to' is the correct response.

Teachers are not usually obliged to wear a uniform.

25. A client suggests a meeting on Thursday, you say :

One second, I'll get my agenda.

One second, I'll get my diary.

26. If we leave now we'll get there ___ time for the film.

Incorrect

An agenda is what the French call an ordre du jour

27. I think we should _________ their offer, we won't get a better one.

take over

take up

take off

take in

Incorrect

We'll be there in time ...

28. We ____ a lot of business in Germany.

make

Incorrect

take up = accept, in this context.

29. I won't be long, I just have a few phone calls to ____.

make

Incorrect

DO business, never make business !

30. You are introduced to someone for the first time who says 'How do you do ?'
You reply:

Well

Good

How do you do ?

Not very well I'm afraid, the doctor says I've got .......

Incorrect.

You MAKE phone calls.

31. Armelle is making progress, she speaks _________ now.

well English

English well

Incorrect

The word order is:

You DO something WELL

Incorrect

The correct response is 'How do you do ?'

This question / response is only used at the first meeting.

Subsequently we can say something like "Hi, how are you?"

32. If ________ the Lottery I'd retire tomorrow !

I win

I won

I will win

Incorrect

This is the second conditional.

If I won ...

33. The quality of the product __________ rigorous quality control

depends of

depends on

Incorrect

depends ON

depends of does not exist !

34. When you speak to Gilles, you must _________ to tell him our new phone number

remember

to remember

remind me

Incorrect

you must remember to ...

35. ________________ the United States, have you ?

I never went to

I never gone to

I've never been to

I've never gone to

Incorrect

Present perfect tense, we do not specify WHEN we went.

I've never been to ...

36. __________ a lot of business with China last year?

Did you do

Have you done

Did you make

Have you made

Incorrect

Did you do ...

Past simple because we are talking about a specified time in the past.

Remember, you DO business, not make.

37. Next year _________ , maybe it's time I learned to drive !

I have 25 years

I am 25

I will have 25 years

I'll be 25

Incorrect

Next year I'll be 25.

38. My boss usually _______ in the Hilton when she goes to London.

stays

is staying

Incorrect

'usually' tells us that this is a habit or routine, so we use the Present Simple.

My boss usually stays ...

39. My boss is in London. As usual ________ in the Hilton

she stays

she's staying

Incorrect

Here we are not talking about a habit or routine, but about an action that has started but not finished - so we use the Present Continuous.

As usual she's staying in ...

40. It is English practice to shake hands with your colleagues
when you meet them every morning.

True

False

Incorrect answer

The English generally shake hands only on meeting someone for the first time.

41.You are staying at a small hotel in England, and want to know what time
breakfast is served. You ask the receptionist:

Excuse me Sir, at what time is breakfast served ?

Excuse me, what time is breakfast ?

Can you tell me at what time breakfast is served please ?

Incorrect

Excuse me, what time is breakfast ?

Remember, we do not say '... at what time ...?'
We do not say 'the breakfast'.

We do not usually call people Sir or Madam, unless we are serving them in a shop etc.

42. The receptionist replies

Incorrect

From seven-thirty Sir.

We say, breakfast, lunch or dinner, NOT the breakfast etc.

43. Julie ________ the bank earlier, she's back now.

has gone to

has been to

went to

Incorrect

Julie went to the bank earlier.

We use the Past Simple because we specify when, 'earlier'.

We cannot use 'has been to', and also specify the time.

We cannot use 'has gone to', because Julie has returned.

44. Can you _____ Pierre-Yves if he's finished the report yet.

ask to

ask

Incorrect

After 'ask' we do not say 'to'.

45. A colleague says: 'Oh dear, we haven't told the printer about
the changes to the brochure.'

You agree with this statement, so reply:

Yes

Incorrect

Be careful when replying to negative statements !

46. It doesn't matter if we are a bit late, __________ hurry.

we haven't to

we don't have to

Incorrect

'We haven't to' doesn't exist in English.

47. A friend's daughter has just got her first job in a bank.
You want to know about the dress code. You ask: ________ wear a skirt ?

48. You cannot finish your report because you're missing certain ________

informations

bits of information

Incorrect

Does she have to ... ?

Incorrect

'Information' is always singular - it cannot be plural.

49. If I had known it was going to rain __________ an umbrella.

I should have brought

I would have bringed

I would have brought

Incorrect

I would have brought ... Third Conditional

50. Having done this test, I have a better idea of the progress I need to make in English !

True

False

Thank you !

This test is not intended to be scientific, but hopefully you will now have a better idea of your level of English.

YOUR SCORE

How did you do?

Click here for score 1 - 30

There are 20 more questions

Welcome

Translate a word

English dictionary

Self-evaluation test 50 questions

Instructions