ESL B1 Level MCQ Test With Answers INTERMEDIATE TEST 1

Use always with the present continuous (is always asking) to complain about something annoying that happens again and again. The clue is It's so annoying. Always goes between is and the -ing form.

Use the past continuous (was raining) for an action in progress at a moment in the past. The clue is when I got up this morning. Not has been raining, because the time is finished and in the past.

Use the present perfect (haven't had) with yet for something that has not happened up to now. The mess is still here now, so it connects past and present. Not hadn't had, because we are talking about now, not an earlier past moment.

After Where do you think…? the second part is not a question, so we use normal word order: subject + verb (you will be). Not will you be, because the question form is already in do you think.

Stop + -ing means to finish doing a habit: He stopped smoking = he doesn't smoke any more. Not to smoke: stop to smoke means to stop doing something else in order to smoke.

Was able to is used for managing to do something on one particular occasion in the past. The gap is followed by to, so only was able fits. Not could, because could is not followed by to; succeeded needs in explaining.

Whose is the relative pronoun for possession: Sam's wife = the wife whose husband is Sam. Not who's, which means who is.

The wallet did not do the action, so we need the passive: was stolen. Not was robbed: we rob a person or a place (a bank), but we steal a thing.

If I were you is the second conditional, used for advice, so the other part needs would/wouldn't + verb: I wouldn't buy. Not won't buy, which is for the first conditional.

Get used to + -ing means to become familiar with something new: He got used to drinking tea with milk. Here to is a preposition, so it is followed by -ing, not the base form. Not used to drinking: used to (past habit) takes the base form.

The first sentence is in the past simple (made), so the passive is was + past participle: A mistake was made. Not was been made, which is not a correct form.

Hang up means to end a phone call by putting down the receiver. The past tense is hung up. Example: She hung up on me.

Break into a building means to enter it by force, usually to steal something. The past tense is broke into. Not were forced, which has the opposite meaning: someone forced the thieves.

In reported questions we use normal word order (subject + verb) and move the tenses back: are going to → was going to, go → went, you → she. Not was she going to stay, because a reported question does not use question word order.

Agree is followed by to + base form: Sheila agreed to do it for him. Not doing it, because agree does not take the -ing form.

Try on means to put on clothes to see if they fit. With a pronoun, it goes between the verb and the particle: try it on. Not on it, because try on it is wrong with a pronoun.

This changes the passive (are produced by a printer) into the active. The tense stays present simple, and a printer is singular: A printer produces the brochures. Not is produced, which is still passive.

Use the present perfect continuous (has been driving) for an action that started in the past and is still going on. Use for + a period of time: for six hours. Not since six hours, because since needs a point in time (since 6 o'clock).

Carry out orders means to do what you are told: The soldiers carried out the orders. Not took out, which means to remove something.

In spite of is followed by a noun or an -ing form: In spite of having little money…. Not he had, because in spite of cannot be followed by a subject and verb (that needs although).

The statement is false. Paragraph 1 says Ireland has just become fully metric, and the whole text is about this change: the new kilometre signs, the publicity campaign, the police and the comparison with the UK. The speed limits are only one part of the story.

Paragraph 1 says only that one speed sign gave an 80 kph speed limit down a dead-end street. It does not say that any drivers actually drove there at that speed, so the text doesn't say.

Paragraph 2 describes a nationwide campaign with newspaper and TV advertisements and brochures. It says the government believes this will be enough. So the government thinks the change was adequately (well enough) publicized.

Paragraph 1 says Ireland had distances in kilometres and speed limits in miles per hour for over twenty years. Not the option about speed limits in kilometres per hour: speed limits were in miles until the recent change.

Paragraph 2 says there was a campaign with newspaper and television advertisements and brochures before the new signs were introduced. So people were informed by various means. The 100 kph sign outside a school was a mistake, not a rule.

Paragraph 2 says Northern Ireland's transport department has also launched a campaign encouraging drivers to be extremely careful when they cross the border. So it has warned drivers going from Northern Ireland into the Republic to be careful.

Paragraph 3 says half their instruments for measuring speed still register them in miles per hour. So some police officers still use instruments that measure speed in miles. Not tolerant: the text says they have no intention of being lenient.

Paragraph 4 says that in 1983 any new signs were in kilometres while the old ones still reported the distance in miles, so not all the road signs were changed immediately. Not Ireland became fully metric in 1983: paragraph 1 says Ireland has just become fully metric. It is schools, not children, that have been teaching the metric system for thirty years.

Paragraph 5 says a spokesman stated it was improbable that Britain would change in the near future. So the British government does not plan to change its road system for the moment. Not will probably change, which is the opposite.

The last sentence says the Irish still have a British legacy (something left from the past): they drive on the left. So Irish drivers drive on the same side of the road as the British.

Out of order means a machine is not working. Example: The lift is out of order, so we must use the stairs.

Lose your temper means to suddenly become very angry. Don't lose your temper = stay calm.

Look on the bright side means to think about the good part of a bad situation. Example: Look on the bright side – at least nobody was hurt.

Be good for you means to be healthy or useful for you. Walking up and down the stairs is exercise, so it will be good for you.

Be up to your eyes in work is an idiom that means to be extremely busy. The clue is I haven't got time to waste.

Baggage reclaim is the place at an airport where you collect your suitcases after a flight.

Fill in a form means to write your information in the spaces on an official paper. Example: I filled in a form to report my lost suitcase.

Feel under the weather means to feel a little ill. The clue is I think I caught a cold.

Do someone a favour means to help someone. Could you do me a favour? is a polite way to ask for help.

Twist your ankle means to hurt the joint between your foot and your leg by turning it suddenly. The clue is I fell and going up and down the stairs won't do it any good.