Straightforward Quick Placement and Diagnostic Test

The Straightforward Quick Placement & Diagnostic test has been designed to help you decide which of the five levels of the Straightforward series is the most appropriate for you.

The Straightforward test has 50 questions, each worth one point. The first 40 are grammar questions and the final 10 are vocabulary questions. To decide your level, use the conversion chart below. Please note that these bandings are a guide.

Total score	Level
0 – 15	Beginner
16 – 24	Elementary
25 – 32	Pre-intermediate
33 – 39	Intermediate
40 – 45	Upper-Intermediate
46 – 50	Advanced

This test can also be used to diagnose grammar that you need clarification on. Please consult the relevant level and unit of the course for more information.

Straightforward Quick Placement and Diagnostic Test

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Congratulations - you have completed Straightforward Quick Placement and Diagnostic Test. You scored %%SCORE%% out of %%TOTAL%%. Your performance has been rated as %%RATING%%

Your answers are highlighted below.

Question 1

I _____ from France.

A	is
B	are
C	am
D	be

Question 1 Explanation:

With I we use am: I am from France.

Question 2

This is my friend. _____ name is Peter.

A	Her
B	Our
C	Yours
D	His

Question 2 Explanation:

Peter is a man, so we use his: His name is Peter.

Question 3

Mike is _____.

A	my sister’s friend
B	friend my sister
C	friend from my sister
D	my sister friend’s

Question 3 Explanation:

To show that something belongs to a person, we add ’s to the person: my sister’s friend (the friend of my sister).

Question 4

My brother is _____ artist.

A	the
B	an
C	a
D	_____

Question 4 Explanation:

We use a/an for a job. Artist starts with a vowel sound, so we say an artist. Not a, because a comes before a consonant sound.

Question 5

_____ 20 desks in the classroom.

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

Question 5 Explanation:

Use there are to say that many things exist in a place: There are 20 desks. There is is for one thing.

Question 6

Paul _____ romantic films.

A	likes not
B	don’t like
C	doesn’t like
D	isn’t likes

Question 6 Explanation:

With he/she/it in the present simple negative we use doesn’t + verb: Paul doesn’t like romantic films.

Question 7

Sorry, I can’t talk. I _____ right now.

A	driving
B	’m driving
C	drives
D	drive

Question 7 Explanation:

Right now shows an action happening at this moment, so we use the present continuous: I’m driving.

Question 8

She _____ at school last week.

A	didn't be
B	weren’t
C	wasn’t
D	isn’t

Question 8 Explanation:

Last week is past. The past of is not with she is wasn’t. Not weren’t, because that is for you/we/they.

Question 9

I _____ the film last night.

A	like
B	likes
C	liking
D	liked

Question 9 Explanation:

Last night is past, so we use the past simple: liked.

Question 10

_____ a piece of cake? No, thank you.

A	Do you like
B	Would you like
C	Want you
D	Are you like

Question 10 Explanation:

We use Would you like …? to offer something politely. Not Do you like, because that asks if you enjoy cake in general.

Question 11

The living room is _____ than the bedroom.

A	more big
B	more bigger
C	biggest
D	bigger

Question 11 Explanation:

Short adjectives make the comparative with -er + than: big → bigger. We don’t use more with bigger.

Question 12

The car is very old. We’re going _____ a new car soon.

A	to buy
B	buying
C	to will buy
D	buy

Question 12 Explanation:

For plans we use be going to + verb: We’re going to buy a new car.

Question 13

Jane is a vegetarian. She _____ meat.

A	sometimes eats
B	never eats
C	often eats
D	usually eats

Question 13 Explanation:

A vegetarian doesn’t eat meat at all, so she never eats meat.

Question 14

There aren’t _____ buses late in the evening.

A	some
B	any
C	no
D	a

Question 14 Explanation:

In negative sentences we use any: There aren’t any buses. Not no, because aren’t is already negative.

Question 15

The car park is _____ to the restaurant.

A	next
B	opposite
C	behind
D	in front

Question 15 Explanation:

The preposition is next to. Opposite and behind are not followed by to, and in front needs of.

Question 16

Sue _____ shopping every day.

A	is going
B	go
C	going
D	goes

Question 16 Explanation:

Every day shows a habit, so we use the present simple. With she we add -s/-es: Sue goes.

Question 17

They _____ in the park when it started to rain heavily.

A	walked
B	were walking
C	were walk
D	are walking

Question 17 Explanation:

The past continuous (were walking) describes a longer action in progress when a shorter action (it started to rain) interrupted it.

Question 18

_____ seen fireworks before?

A	Did you ever
B	Are you ever
C	Have you ever
D	Do you ever

Question 18 Explanation:

Seen is a past participle, so we need the present perfect: Have you ever seen …? for life experience.

Question 19

We’ve been friends _____ many years.

A	since
B	from
C	during
D	for

Question 19 Explanation:

With the present perfect we use for + a period of time (for many years) and since + a point in time (since 2010).

Question 20

You _____ pay for the tickets. They’re free.

A	have to
B	don’t have
C	don’t need to
D	doesn’t have to

Question 20 Explanation:

They’re free means it isn’t necessary to pay, so we use don’t need to. Not doesn’t have to, because the subject is you.

Question 21

Jeff was ill last week and he _____ go out.

A	needn't
B	can’t
C	mustn’t
D	couldn’t

Question 21 Explanation:

Last week is past, and we talk about ability, so we use couldn’t (the past of can’t).

Question 22

These are the photos _____ I took on holiday.

A	which
B	who
C	what
D	where

Question 22 Explanation:

We use which (or that) for things in relative clauses: the photos which I took. Who is for people.

Question 23

We’ll stay at home if it _____ this afternoon.

A	raining
B	rains
C	will rain
D	rain

Question 23 Explanation:

In the first conditional we use the present simple after if: if it rains. Not will rain, because we don’t use will in the if clause.

Question 24

He doesn’t smoke now, but he _____ a lot when he was young.

A	has smoked
B	smokes
C	used to smoke
D	was smoked

Question 24 Explanation:

Used to + verb describes a past habit that is no longer true: he used to smoke (but he doesn’t now).

Question 25

Mark plays football _____ anyone else I know.

A	more good than
B	as better as
C	best than
D	better than

Question 25 Explanation:

Good/well has the irregular comparative better, followed by than: better than anyone else.

Question 26

I promise I _____ you as soon as I’ve finished this cleaning.

A	will help
B	am helping
C	going to help
D	have helped

Question 26 Explanation:

After I promise we use will for a promise about the future: I will help you. Not going to help, because it lacks am.

Question 27

This town _____ by lots of tourists during the summer.

A	visits
B	visited
C	is visiting
D	is visited

Question 27 Explanation:

The town doesn’t visit; tourists visit it. So we need the present simple passive: is visited (by lots of tourists).

Question 28

He said that his friends _____ to speak to him after they lost the football match.

A	not want
B	weren’t
C	didn’t want
D	aren’t wanting

Question 28 Explanation:

In reported speech after he said, the present moves back to the past: don’t want becomes didn’t want.

Question 29

How about _____ to the cinema tonight?

A	going
B	go
C	to go
D	for going

Question 29 Explanation:

How about is followed by the -ing form: How about going to the cinema?

Question 30

Excuse me, can you _____ me the way to the station, please?

A	give
B	take
C	tell
D	say

Question 30 Explanation:

The fixed phrase is tell someone the way. Not say, because say is not followed directly by a person (me).

Question 31

I wasn’t interested in the performance very much. _____.

A	I didn’t, too.
B	Neither was I.
C	Nor I did.
D	So I wasn’t.

Question 31 Explanation:

To agree with a negative sentence we use Neither + auxiliary + subject. The auxiliary matches the original (wasn’t), so: Neither was I.

Question 32

Take a warm coat, _____ you might get very cold outside.

A	otherwise
B	in case
C	so that
D	in order to

Question 32 Explanation:

Otherwise means ‘if you don’t’: take a coat; if you don’t, you might get very cold. Not in case, which is normally followed by the present simple (in case it gets cold), not might.

Question 33

_____ this great book and I can’t wait to see how it ends.

A	I don’t read
B	I’ve read
C	I’ve been reading
D	I read

Question 33 Explanation:

The present perfect continuous (I’ve been reading) shows an activity that started in the past and is still unfinished. Not I’ve read, because that means the book is finished, but the speaker doesn’t know the ending yet.

Question 34

What I like more than anything else _____ at weekends.

A	playing golf
B	to play golf
C	is playing golf
D	is play golf

Question 34 Explanation:

What I like more than anything else is the subject of the sentence, so it needs the verb is, followed by a gerund: is playing golf.

Question 35

She _____ for her cat for two days when she finally found it in the garage.

A	looked
B	had been looked
C	had been looking
D	were looking

Question 35 Explanation:

The past perfect continuous (had been looking) shows an action continuing for a period (for two days) up to a moment in the past (when she finally found it).

Question 36

We won’t catch the plane _____ we leave home now! Please hurry up!

A	if
B	providing that
C	except
D	unless

Question 36 Explanation:

Unless means ‘if … not’: we won’t catch the plane if we don’t leave now. Not if, which gives the opposite, illogical meaning.

Question 37

If I hadn’t replied to your email, I _____ here with you now.

A	can’t be
B	wouldn’t be
C	won’t be
D	haven’t been

Question 37 Explanation:

This is a mixed conditional: an unreal past condition (If I hadn’t replied) with a present result (I wouldn’t be here now). Now shows the result is in the present.

Question 38

Do you think you _____ with my mobile phone soon? I need to make a call.

A	finish
B	are finishing
C	will have finished
D	are finished

Question 38 Explanation:

The future perfect (will have finished) describes an action that will be completed before a future time (soon).

Question 39

I don’t remember mentioning _____ dinner together tonight.

A	go for
B	you going to
C	to go for
D	going for

Question 39 Explanation:

Mention is followed by the -ing form: mention going for dinner. Not to go for, because mention doesn’t take an infinitive.

Question 40

Was it Captain Cook _____ New Zealand?

A	who discovered
B	discovered
C	that discover
D	who was discovering

Question 40 Explanation:

This is a cleft sentence for emphasis: It was … who + past simple. So: Was it Captain Cook who discovered New Zealand? Not who was discovering, because discovering is a single completed action.

Question 41

You may not like the cold weather here, but you’ll have to _____, I’m afraid.

A	tell it off
B	sort itself out
C	put up with it
D	put it off

Question 41 Explanation:

Put up with something means to accept something unpleasant without complaining: You’ll have to put up with the cold. Put off means to postpone.

Question 42

It’s cold so you should _____ on a warm jacket.

A	put
B	wear
C	dress
D	take

Question 42 Explanation:

The phrasal verb is put on (a jacket). Not wear, because wear is used without on: wear a jacket.

Question 43

Paul will look _____ our dogs while we’re on holiday.

A	at
B	for
C	into
D	after

Question 43 Explanation:

Look after means to take care of: Paul will look after our dogs. Look for means to try to find.

Question 44

She _____ a lot of her free time reading.

A	does
B	spends
C	has
D	makes

Question 44 Explanation:

We say spend time + -ing: She spends her free time reading.

Question 45

Hello, this is Simon. Could I _____ to Jane, please?

A	say
B	tell
C	call
D	speak

Question 45 Explanation:

On the phone we say Could I speak to …, please? Not say or tell, which are not used with to + person in this way.

Question 46

They’re coming to our house _____ Saturday.

A	in
B	at
C	on
D	with

Question 46 Explanation:

We use on with days: on Saturday.

Question 47

I think it’s very easy to _____ debt these days.

A	come into
B	become
C	go down to
D	get into

Question 47 Explanation:

Get into debt means to start owing money: Many students get into debt. Not become, because become needs an adjective or noun (become poor), not debt alone.

Question 48

Come on! Quick! Let’s get _____!

A	highlight
B	cracking
C	massive
D	with immediate effect

Question 48 Explanation:

Let’s get cracking! is an informal expression meaning ‘let’s start quickly’. The clue is Come on! Quick!

Question 49

I phoned her _____ I heard the news.

A	minute
B	during
C	by the time
D	the moment

Question 49 Explanation:

The moment means ‘as soon as’: I phoned her the moment I heard the news. Not minute, because it needs the (the minute).

Question 50

I feel very _____. I’m going to go to bed!

A	nap
B	asleep
C	sleepy
D	sleeper

Question 50 Explanation:

Sleepy is an adjective meaning ‘tired and wanting to sleep’: I feel very sleepy. Not asleep, which means already sleeping.

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Straightforward Quick Placement and Diagnostic Test

Straightforward Quick Placement and Diagnostic Test

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