Straightforward Beginner and Elementary Level Grammar and Vocabulary Placement Test

The Straightforward Beginner and Elementary Placement test has been designed to help you decide whether the Straightforward Beginner course would be suitable for your students or whether they would qualify for using the Straightforward Elementary Course.

The Straightforward test has 50 questions, each worth one point. The first 40 are grammar questions and the final 10 are vocabulary questions. The conversion chart below has been designed to assist you in making your decision but please note, however, that these bandings are a guide.

Total score	Level
0 – 35	Beginner
36 – 50	Elementary

This test can also be used to diagnose the grammar of the Beginner level that your students need clarification on.

Straightforward Beginner and Elementary Level Grammar and Vocabulary Placement Test

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Congratulations - you have completed Straightforward Beginner and Elementary Level Grammar and Vocabulary Placement Test. You scored %%SCORE%% out of %%TOTAL%%. Your performance has been rated as %%RATING%%

Your answers are highlighted below.

Question 1

-- _____'s your name?

-- Thomas

A	How
B	Who
C	What
D	Where

Question 1 Explanation:

We use What to ask for a name: What's your name?

Question 2

This is Lucy and her brother, Dan. _____ my friends.

A	We're
B	I'm
C	You're
D	They're

Question 2 Explanation:

Lucy and Dan are two people, so we say They're (they are).

Question 3

-- _____?

-- I'm from Italy.

A	Where are you from?
B	Where you are from?
C	Where from you are?
D	From where you are?

Question 3 Explanation:

In questions, are comes before you: Where are you from?

Question 4

I'm from Milan. _____ is in Italy.

A	They
B	It
C	He
D	She

Question 4 Explanation:

Milan is a city (a thing, not a person), so we say It.

Question 5

A: Excuse me, how _____ your last name?

B: R-I-L-E-Y

A	spell
B	you spell
C	do you spell
D	spell you

Question 5 Explanation:

Questions with most verbs need do: How do you spell ...?

Question 6

Oh, _____ are my keys!

A	this
B	these
C	that
D	it

Question 6 Explanation:

Keys is plural, so we use these: These are my keys.

Question 7

I'd like _____ omelette, please.

A	a
B	(no article)
C	an
D	two

Question 7 Explanation:

Omelette starts with a vowel sound, so we use an: an omelette.

Question 8

And here is your _____.

A	desk
B	desks
C	a desk
D	an desk

Question 8 Explanation:

After your we don't use a or an. Is needs one thing: your desk.

Question 9

My name's Pete and this is Sylvia. _____ doctors from France.

A	I'm
B	We're
C	She's
D	They're

Question 9 Explanation:

Pete is talking about himself and Sylvia, so he says We're (we are).

Question 10

Sorry, _____ Paul. My name's Eric.

A	I isn't
B	I is not
C	I aren't
D	I'm not

Question 10 Explanation:

With I we use am: I'm not (I am not).

Question 11

-- _____?

-- No, he isn't.

A	Are they teachers
B	Are you from Italy
C	Is Mr Banning a teacher
D	Is this your phone

Question 11 Explanation:

The answer he isn't talks about one man, so the question is Is Mr Banning a teacher?

Question 12

_____ is the school? It's 50 years old.

A	How many years
B	How much years
C	What years
D	How old

Question 12 Explanation:

We ask about age with How old: How old is the school?

Question 13

What is _____?

A	job Mary
B	Mary job
C	Mary's job
D	job's Mary

Question 13 Explanation:

We use 's to show that something belongs to a person: Mary's job.

Question 14

Your bag is next _____ the table.

A	on
B	to
C	in
D	of

Question 14 Explanation:

We always say next to: next to the table.

Question 15

_____ are the keys? On the table.

A	What
B	When
C	Where
D	Who

Question 15 Explanation:

The answer is a place (On the table), so we ask Where.

Question 16

I go to work _____ train.

A	with
B	by
C	for
D	in

Question 16 Explanation:

We use by for transport: by train, by bus, by car.

Question 17

She _____ a dog.

A	not have
B	don't have
C	don't has
D	doesn't have

Question 17 Explanation:

With she we use doesn't + verb: She doesn't have a dog.

Question 18

Stephen _____ in our company.

A	work
B	works
C	is work
D	working

Question 18 Explanation:

With one person (he/she) we add -s to the verb: Stephen works.

Question 19

_____ they live in London?

A	Are
B	Is
C	Do
D	Does

Question 19 Explanation:

With they we make questions with Do: Do they live in London?

Question 20

_____ to the cinema.

A	We not often go
B	We don't go often
C	We don't often go
D	We often not go

Question 20 Explanation:

In a negative sentence, often goes after don't and before the main verb: We don't often go to the cinema. Not We often not go, because we need don't to make a negative.

Question 21

When do you play tennis? _____ Mondays.

A	On
B	In
C	At
D	By

Question 21 Explanation:

We use on with days: on Mondays.

Question 22

What time _____ work?

A	starts he
B	do he starts
C	does he starts
D	does he start

Question 22 Explanation:

With he the question is does he + verb without -s: does he start.

Question 23

_____ two airports in the city.

A	It is
B	There is
C	There are
D	This is

Question 23 Explanation:

Two airports is plural, so we say There are.

Question 24

There aren't _____ here.

A	a restaurants
B	any restaurants
C	any restaurant
D	a restaurant

Question 24 Explanation:

In negative sentences we use any + plural noun: There aren't any restaurants.

Question 25

I'm afraid it's _____.

A	a hotel expensive
B	expensive hotel
C	expensive a hotel
D	an expensive hotel

Question 25 Explanation:

The adjective goes before the noun, and expensive starts with a vowel sound: an expensive hotel.

Question 26

They _____ popular TV programmes in the 1980s.

A	are
B	were
C	was
D	is

Question 26 Explanation:

In the 1980s is the past, and they takes were.

Question 27

_____ at school last week?

A	Do you were
B	Was you
C	Were you
D	You were

Question 27 Explanation:

Last week is the past. With you we use were, and it goes first in a question: Were you ...?

Question 28

Brad Pitt is a popular actor but I don't like _____.

A	him
B	his
C	her
D	them

Question 28 Explanation:

Brad Pitt is a man, and after a verb we use him: I don't like him. Not his, because his goes before a noun (his films).

Question 29

We _____ the film last week.

A	see
B	saw
C	sees
D	were see

Question 29 Explanation:

Last week is the past. The past of see is saw.

Question 30

He _____ tennis with me yesterday.

A	doesn't played
B	didn't played
C	not played
D	didn't play

Question 30 Explanation:

In the past negative we use didn't + the base verb: didn't play.

Question 31

She was born _____ May 6th, 1979.

A	in
B	at
C	on
D	from

Question 31 Explanation:

We use on with dates: on May 6th. Not in: we use in with a month alone (in May).

Question 32

Where _____ last summer?

A	you went
B	did you went
C	do you went
D	did you go

Question 32 Explanation:

Past questions use did + the base verb: did you go.

Question 33

-- Were you at the shops at 5 p.m. yesterday?

-- No, I _____.

A	didn't
B	am not
C	wasn't
D	weren't

Question 33 Explanation:

The question uses Were you, so the short answer with I is I wasn't.

Question 34

Excuse me, _____ is the T-shirt? It's £25.99.

A	what expensive
B	how much
C	how many
D	how price

Question 34 Explanation:

We ask about price with how much: How much is the T-shirt?

Question 35

She's only four but she _____.

A	can read
B	cans read
C	can reads
D	cans reads

Question 35 Explanation:

Can never changes, and the verb after it has no -s: she can read.

Question 36

This party is boring. We _____ a good time.

A	don't have
B	aren't having
C	don't having
D	aren't have

Question 36 Explanation:

The party is happening now, so we use the present continuous: We aren't having a good time.

Question 37

Sorry, I _____ you at the moment.

A	can't help
B	don't can help
C	can't helping
D	can't helps

Question 37 Explanation:

The negative of can is can't + the base verb: can't help.

Question 38

I _____ my computer very often.

A	am not using
B	don't use
C	doesn't use
D	am not use

Question 38 Explanation:

Very often shows a habit, so we use the present simple: I don't use.

Question 39

It's my mum's birthday next week. I _____ her a present.

A	buy
B	buys
C	am going to buy
D	buying

Question 39 Explanation:

We use going to for a plan: I am going to buy her a present.

Question 40

What _____ do after school today?

A	are you going to
B	are you
C	do you
D	you

Question 40 Explanation:

We use going to to ask about plans: What are you going to do?

Question 41

Gina is married to John.

He's her _____.

A	uncle
B	husband
C	wife
D	parent

Question 41 Explanation:

A man married to a woman is her husband. Not wife: a wife is a woman.

Question 42

We usually _____ the shopping in a supermarket.

A	make
B	do
C	have
D	go

Question 42 Explanation:

We say do the shopping. Not go: we say go shopping.

Question 43

I love this watch! It's _____.

A	terrible
B	boring
C	beautiful
D	ugly

Question 43 Explanation:

You love the watch, so you say something nice about it: beautiful (very nice to look at).

Question 44

He doesn't have a car so he often uses public _____.

A	taxi
B	transport
C	car
D	bus

Question 44 Explanation:

Public transport means buses, trains and so on that everyone can use.

Question 45

I don't go to _____ on Sundays.

A	job
B	office
C	factory
D	work

Question 45 Explanation:

We say go to work with no article. Not office: we say go to the office.

Question 46

Do you like Chinese _____?

A	kitchen
B	meal
C	food
D	cook

Question 46 Explanation:

Chinese food means food from China. A kitchen is a room where you cook.

Question 47

They hardly _____ visit us.

A	ever
B	sometimes
C	never
D	usually

Question 47 Explanation:

Hardly ever means almost never: They hardly ever visit us.

Question 48

-- I'm Jeff Caine.

-- Nice to _____ you, Mr Caine.

A	speak
B	talk
C	meet
D	watch

Question 48 Explanation:

When we see someone for the first time, we say Nice to meet you.

Question 49

-- Can I help you?

-- Thanks, but I'm just _____.

A	watching
B	looking
C	seeing
D	shopping

Question 49 Explanation:

In a shop, I'm just looking means you don't want help, you are only looking at things.

Question 50

Mandy is over there. She's _____ a blue T-shirt and jeans.

A	having
B	wearing
C	doing
D	walking

Question 50 Explanation:

We use wear for clothes: She's wearing a blue T-shirt.

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Straightforward Beginner and Elementary Level Grammar and Vocabulary Placement Test

Straightforward Beginner and Elementary Level Grammar and Vocabulary Placement Test

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