GRAMMAR EXAM

1 In the sentences below, put the verb in brackets into the correct form: Present perfect or Past
simple.
a. Carlos visited (visit) the USA about twelve years ago.
b. (go) ___________ to the cinema lately? No, I ________________ (not/have) the time.
c. The plane ____________ (take off) at 8.15 ... exactly on time.
d. I__________________ (never/see) anything so stupid in all my life!
e. It _________ (be) a bad day in the shop: so far this morning we ________ (not/have) a single
customer.
……../10

2. Complete this text about Cher, using the correct tense, Present perfect or Past simple.
Few stars (1) have had (have) careers as long and varied as Cher. In a career of more than three
decades, she (2) (be) _________________ successful both as a singer and as an actress.
Born Cherilyn Sarkasian LaPier in El Centro, California, on 20th May 1946, she (3) (leave)
___________________ home for Hollywood at the age of sixteen. When only seventeen she (4)
(marry) _________________________ songwriter and record producer, Sonny Bono. As Sonny
and Cher, they (5) (have) ________________ several hits in the 1960s, including 'I Got You Babe'
in 1964. But in the 1970s, success (6) (be) _______________ more difficult to find, and Cher and
Bono (7) (get) ___________divorced in 1975.
Soon after, Cher (8) (marry) _______________ rock star Gregg Allman, but the marriage only (9)
(last) ______________ until 1979. She (10) (not / marry) ___________________ again.
Since the mid-1980s, Cher (11) (have) ________________ a second career - as an actress,
appearing in films like The Witches of Eastwick and Faithful. In 1988, she (12) (win) __________
a Best Actress Oscar for the film Moonstruck. More recently, Cher (13) (return)
________________ to singing once more, and with great success - her single 'Believe' (14)
(become) ______________ US Number One in March 1999. In 2002, Cher (15) (start) a farewell
tour which (16) (last) ______________ for over two years!
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3 can / can't, have to / don’t have to
Ben is going to take his driving test soon. Complete the conversation with the correct form of
have to or can.

BEN: Is it true that there are two driving tests?

INSTRUCTOR: That's right: you (a) have to take a written test and a practical - that's where
you’re on the road with the examiner.
BEN: (b) ___________ I take the practical test first, please?
INSTRUCTOR: No, I'm sorry. You (c) _______________ that test until you've passed the written
one.
BEN: Hm ... Is the written test very difficult?
INSTRUCTOR: No, not really. There are fifty questions, but the good news is you
(d) __________ answer all of them correctly. You (e) ___________________ get 45 correct
answers, so you (f) ________________ make a few mistakes and still pass.
BEN: (g) ______________ you give me some advice about how to prepare for the written exam?
INSTRUCTOR: Learn all the rules of the road! But there are thousands, so you (h) ____________
remember everything at once - you (í) _______________ study a little bit every day.
BEN: OK. How about the practical exam?
INSTRUCTOR: Well, on the day, the examiner (j) __________ see your driving licence. Then he
asks you to read a number plate to check you (k) __________ see OK.
BEN: That sounds easy … (l) _____________ I take my test straight away?
INSTRUCTOR: Impossible! You (m) ______________ learn to park first – you won’t pass if you
(n) _____________ park your car!
……./.24

4. Circle the best form, -ea or -ing.

1. Driving for a long time can be tired / tiring

2. A long walk in the park can be relaxed / relaxing.
3. If you have nothing to do, you may be bored / boring.
4. A piece of news can be surprised / surprising.
5. You can be interested / interesting in football.
………../8
5. Past time words: already, just, never ... before Put the words in the correct order to make
sentences.

a. been / before / abroad / had / Carla / never

Carla had never been abroad before.

b When / closed / shop / I / there / just / the / got / had

________________________________________________

c. you / met / I / already / had / brother / thought / my

________________________________________________

d. doorbell / I / when / had / finished / just / the / rang / dinner

________________________________________________

e. before / way / knew / We / because / been / had / the / there / we

________________________________________________

…………/8

6. Complete the dialogues with the Past simple form of the verbs in the box
cook hear ...forget introduce not tell
get (x2) rain go happen
not want not see

A: Oh sorry, I (a) didn’t see you there.

(b) ___________you ____________ the bell?
B: No, I (c) ____________to disturb you.

A: (d) ___________ you __________ out last night?

B: No, actually w (e) _______________in and Gary
(f)________________ a fantastic meal.

A: (g) ________________ you _____________ about Abby and Rob's disastrous holiday?
B: No, what (h) ___________________?
A: Well, the weather was terrible – it (i) _____________________ every day, and they both (j)
_________________ food poisoning from the hotel food!

…../16
7. Tick (✓) the correct sentence for each situation below.

1. Someone asks you to help them to translate a newspaper article into your language.
Unfortunately, the newspaper article is in Chinese – a language you don’t speak or understand.
What do you say?

a. I’ll help you if I can.

b. I’d help if I could. ✓

2. Someone asks about your plans for tomorrow. You’re not sure yet – you’re either going to the
beach or to the cinema – it depends on the weather. What do you say?

a. If the weather’s good, I’ll go to the beach.

b. If the weather was good, I’d go to the beach.

3. You’re on holiday at the seaside. The beach is very nice, but unfortunately the weather isn’t
very good – it’s cloudy and the temperature is only 12ºC. Someone asks if you’re enjoying
yourself. What do you say?

a. I’d be happier if the weather were better.

b. I’ll be happier if we have better weather.

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