Short placement test 5

Life
1 The sales representatives often …… in the 13 I’m sorry. I …… ten tickets because you said
Chalgrove Hotel on the corner. you didn’t want to come.
a are staying b stays c stay a had only been buying b only bought
c had only bought
2 The pills sometimes …… dizziness.
a cause b causes c are causing 14 Before I went to Australia last summer, I ……
Europe!
3 Don’t leave yet. The rain …… down outside. a never left b had never been leaving
a is pouring b are pouring c pours c had never left

4 …… milk in his tea, or lemon? 15 The police …… the area for two hours and
a Is Ivan preferring b Is Ivan prefers they still hadn’t found any clues.
c Does Ivan prefer a were searching b searched
c had been searching
5 The fire alarm …… for almost half an
hour now. 16 Bill …… his new car this evening.
a is ringing b has been ringing c rings a will collect b is going to collect
c does collect
6 Mr and Mrs Rossi …… the café since 1987.
a own b have owned 17 I think …… the sea bass with spinach.
c have been owning a I’m ordering b I order c I’ll order

7 I think the car in the lead …… by Alonso. 18 ‘Shall we meet on Monday afternoon?’
a is driving b is being driven c drives ‘No, I …… physics in the library.’
a ’m studying b ’ll have studied
8 I’m sure this towel …… before. It isn’t clean. c ’ll be studying
a has been used b was using c uses
19 I hope it …… raining by the time the film
9 A bar of soap …… each prisoner. finishes.
a has given for b gives c is given to a will have stopped b will be stopping
c is going to stop
10 So far, the weather this summer …… really
good. 20 I’d like …… sugar with that, if that’s all right.
a is b was c has been a a little b a bit c little

11 Liam and I …… our holiday back in December. 21 Although we have used weed killer, there are
a have booked b booked still …… weeds in the lawn.
c were booking a a lot b much c lots of

12 They …… in the park when her mobile rang. 22 Even though there were a lot of people at the
a walked b were walking party next door, there wasn’t …… noise.
c had walked a much b many c few

23 …… time Emma comes into the room, Joshua

blushes!
a All the b Every c Each of the

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24 The snow was falling heavily and …… houses 36 I really wish the exams …… held in August. I
in the village were white. won’t be able to have a holiday.
a all of b any c all the a isn’t b not being c weren’t

25 When you decide …… home, I’ll give you a lift. 37 There isn’t really enough food for all of you. If
a on going b to go c going only you …… me you were coming.
a told b had told c tell
26 It’s not worth …… your life to get there more
quickly. Drive more slowly! 38 I really wish reporters …… only focus on
a risk b to risk c risking bad news!
a wouldn’t b can’t c won’t
27 Do you remember …… me that you weren’t
going to be in this evening? 39 Lisa offered …… one of her famous coffee
a to tell b tell c telling cakes to the office.
a bringing b to bring c will bring
28 Please don’t forget …… the door when you
leave. 40 I hope he will apologise …… so rude to me
a to lock b lock c locking yesterday!
a to be b to have been
29 The class chose …… for the exam this term. c for being
a to not register b not to register
c to register not 41 It …… that Queen Elizabeth I stayed in this
house.
30 That’s crazy! I …… to pay extra for first-class a believes b is believed
seats. c was believing
a not want b don’t want
c am not want 42 …… the Prime Minister was going to resign.
a They report that b It reported that
31 What is Dan doing here? …… today? c It was reported that
a Doesn’t he work b Wasn’t he working
c Isn’t he working 43 How long have you lived in Tokyo? Can you
speak …… ?
32 It’s almost time for the lecture, …… ? a Japanese b a Japanese
a isn’t it b is it c isn’t there c the Japanese

33 There have been too many accidents on the 44 …… is absolutely icy today! Wrap up warm!
road this year, …… ? a Wind b The wind c A wind
a weren’t there b aren’t there
c haven’t there 45 We need to go by …… as there is no bus
service here.
34 Keith would still be a member of the a the taxi b a taxi c taxi
committee if he …… the president.
a doesn’t annoy b hadn’t annoyed 46 The people …… waiting at the bus stop are all
c wasn’t annoying freezing cold.
a are b which c who are
35 The team would …… now if their plane hadn’t
been delayed. 47 The house …… to belong to Sting, has been
a have competed b compete sold for £2 million.
c be competing a used b , who used c , which used

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48 Have you ever met that man …… over there 59 I need to get …… . The rain is coming in!
by the door? a repaired my roof b my roof repairing
a that stands b standing c to stand c my roof repaired

49 The bag …… by the pickpocket was recovered 60 Robin got the taxi driver …… him right to the
later in a waste bin. front door.
a stolen b stealing c was stolen a taking b to take c took

50 Sarah’s brother …… her DVDs without 61 Su Yung …… plays Korean pop loudly in his
asking her. room.
a is borrowing b borrows always a already b often
c is always borrowing c for some time

51 Isabel just …… working so hard. The new job 62 The surgeon …… the operation to Mrs Dakers.
was a shock! a already explained b has already explained
a didn’t use to b isn’t used to c usually c already explains

52 We were just …… the new timetable when 63 It’s been a long time …… we had a really
they decided to change it again. relaxing weekend.
a getting used to b used c got used to a for b while c since

53 Dina tried to repair her dishwasher by herself 64 ‘Where is Adrian?’

but she …… . ‘He …… to Paris for the weekend’.
a wasn’t able to b can’t a has gone b has been
c could c has been going

54 Jake …… beating his personal 400m record. 65 When Elena joined the staff, Sarah …… at the
a managed to b could school for two years.
c has succeeded in a had been working b has worked
c worked
55 I thought that the cat …… into the road.
a was about to run b is going to run 66 In January, Diana …… there for 25 years.
c is running a has been working
b will have been working c is working
56 Peter …… enter the competition, but then he
injured his ankle. 67 My aunt …… in Texas when the tornado
a is going to b was going to struck.
c would a lived b has been living
c was living
57 …… meat, as well as fish, in the restaurant.
a They also serve b Also they serve 68 I …… for almost an hour before I saw the
c They serve also outskirts of the town.
a walked b had been walking
58 The food was so bad that …… to eat it. c had walked
a even the boys refused
b the boys even refused 69 Yvonne …… in a luxury room in Acapulco at
c even refused the boys this time tomorrow.
a is going to sleep b will be sleeping
c will have been sleeping

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70 …… the right experience for the job, I wasn’t 82 There are lots of copper coins and a few……
invited for an interview. in the box.
a I don’t have b Having c Not having a silver coin b silver ones c silvers

71 …… in the USA for four years, I can now speak 83 My boyfriend really likes playing football, but
English fluently. I …… .
a In order to live b So that I lived a don’t b doesn’t c don’t like
c Having lived
84 The management can’t make …… on that just
72 When they opened the curtains they saw that yet.
it was …… day. a decide b a decision c decisive
a an absolutely fine b absolutely a nice
c an absolutely beautiful 85 Winning the Nobel Prize was his greatest …….
a achieving b achieve
73 When did you last wash your coat? It’s …… c achievement
dirty!
a extremely b absolutely c entirely 86 I really hope Jack gets …… my parents. I want
them to like him.
74 …… I remember most about Sardinia is the a up to b on with c into
beautiful, clean seawater.
a It’s what b The thing c That 87 Pat knows Ken isn’t right for her but she can’t
…… .
75 I don’t eat very much. …… finish a plateful of a give up him b him give up c give him up
food.
a Rarely I b Rarely do c Rarely do I 88 You must leave now. Otherwise you risk ……
your flight.
76 I …… travelling first class! It’s a real luxury. a miss b to miss c missing
a do like b ’m liking c not like
89 We have decided …… President of the
77 You really …… bring me a birthday present, Literary Society.
but thanks anyway! a Adnan to be b to elect Adnan as
a couldn’t b didn’t need to c mustn’t c being Adnan

78 The team …… do 50 press-ups at the 90 The manager insists …… on time in the

beginning of the training session. morning.
a allowed to b must to c had to a to everyone to arrive
b on everyone to arrive
79 The weather was so stormy – the ferry …… . c on everyone arriving
a shouldn’t to leave b ought to leave
c shouldn’t have left 91 The value of the car is much less …… the
scratches on the paintwork.
80 Carina looks as if she …… fall asleep at a since b due to c because
any moment!
a must b might c couldn’t 92 …… her aggressive behaviour, they promoted
her to deputy head.
81 The horse was …… win the Grand National, a In spite b Although c Despite
but we bet on it anyway.
a bound to b about to c unlikely to

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93 Julia decided to move to Tenerife …… a 104 Linda is going to India …… experience the
holiday there last summer. culture first hand.
a following b since c while a in order that b because c so as to

94 …… the restaurant has a Michelin star, I 105 ……his children should have the best in life,
didn’t think the food was that good. Ali went to work in America.
a In case b Because a So that b Due to c Because
c Considering that
106 We really should stop buying chocolate, …… ?
95 …… the doors were opened, a lot of people a shouldn’t we b should we c don’t we
had started queuing for tickets.
a Before b While c Once 107 Let’s see if we can beat the last record, ……?
a shan’t we b won’t we c shall we
96 …… property is a bit cheaper now, Jake and
Lana have bought a bigger flat. 108 The pretty little brown dog was …… .
a As b In order that a aggressive surprisingly
c Because of b surprisingly aggressive
c aggressively surprising
97 The Picts …… in Scotland before the Romans
invaded. 109 He worked so hard that he passed the final
a were believed living b believe to be living exam …… .
c are believed to have lived a easy b in an easy way
c easily
98 It …… that the MP will lose his seat in the
next election. 110 There were …… enough plates for all the
a is expected b expects c is expecting guests.
a hard b hardly c not hardly
99 There’s …… – she’s not going to come.
a no point to wait b no point of wait 111 I’d rather …… visit me this weekend.
c no point in waiting a you don’t b you won’t c you didn’t

100 Congratulations. There’s …… the marketing 112 I wish I …… to her advice – it’s too late now to
campaign has been a huge success. change my mind.
a no suggestion that b no doubt that a had listened b listened
c no way that c would listen

101 I …… that there is a bird nesting in that tree. 113 …… your husband forgot your wedding
a have noticed just b have just noticed anniversary, what would you do?
c just have noticed a Were b Unless c Supposing

102 Mr Harland lives in that little house …… the 114 …… bump into Graham, you would be
bridge. amazed. He’s shaved his head!
a just by b just next c only near a Had you b Did you c Should you

103 You need to wear special glasses …… 115 …… the Queen of England, I would make you
appreciate 3D films. a Lord!
a because of b so that c in order to a Were I b Was I c Being

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116 …… the competition would be so strong, I
wouldn’t have entered the race.
a If I knew b Had I known c Did I know

117 They live in a six-bedroom house which is

worth …… $500,000.
a so b over c over of

118 It’s …… difficult to get any information from

the call centre.
a roughly b kind of c quite a

119 The picture was …… good, but not that good!

a a bit b quite c quite a

120 If you drove ……more carefully, you wouldn’t

keep on having accidents.
a a bit b fairly c very

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