Optimise B1+

Student name

Group/Class

Date Score

GRAMMAR

1 Complete the conversation with the correct f orm of the verbs in brackets.

Polly: Hi Mina, how are you?

Mina: I’m a bit stressed. I (1) 'm st udying (study) for an exam next week.
Polly: What subject is it?
Mina: Maths. I (2) don't hat e (not hate) it but I do find it challenging!
Polly: Oh really? I thought you were good at it. You (3) don't seem (not seem) to have any problems with maths at
school.
Mina: T hat’s true but I’m really worried about this exam. Anyway, I need a break. What (4) are you doing (do) at the
moment?
Polly: Nothing really. (5) Do you want (want) to come round to my house?
Mina: T hat sounds great. See you in 20 minutes.

Score: /5

2 Complete the sentences with the present simple or continuous f orm of the verbs in brackets.

1 Please don’t turn the T V off. I 'm wat ching (watch) that programme.
2 He doesn't own (not own) that tablet. He’s looking after it for his sister.
3 Has she got (have got) a widescreen T V in her bedroom?
4 Our new teacher’s sitting over there. She seems (seem) very nice.
5 Well done, Kiera! You 're working (work) very hard this term.

Score: /5

3 Complete the sentences with the correct f orm (past simple or past continuous) of the words in brackets.

1 I was making (make) good progress on my essay when my computer crashed.

2 He decided to stay at home because he didn't want (want) to go to the exhibition.
3 I think they t aught (teach) us lots of interesting things at school.
4 When you saw her, she wasn't sending (send) a text message. She was just checking the time.
5 I t ook (take) your advice and stayed at home. Now I feel much better.

Score: /5
4 Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the f irst sentence, using the word given. Do not
change the word given. You must use between two and f ive words, including the word given.
1 My football team would lose all the time but we still had fun.
My football team used t o lose all the time but we still had fun. USED
2 It’s normal for me to walk two kilometres to school.
I 'm used t o walking two kilometres to school. USED
3 I used to get upset because they never used to tell me where they were going.
I used to get upset because t hey would never t ell me where they were WOULD
going.
4 T hey hardly ever spoke to each other but now they’re best friends.
T hey didn't use t o speak to each other very often but now they’re USE
best friends.
5 For Matthew it’s strange to be told what to do.
Matthew is not used t o being told what to do. USED

Score: /5

5 Choose the best option to summarise each sentence.

1 T hey aren’t used to staying up so late.

A T hey usually go to bed late.
B T hey usually go to bed earlier than this.
2 He would get up early to do his homework before school.
A He got up early from time to time to do his homework.
B He always got up early to do his homework.
3 We didn’t use to go abroad on holiday.
A T hey didn’t usually go abroad on holiday.
B T hey usually went abroad on holiday.
4 Are you used to living in a hot country?
A Did you live in a hot country?
B Does living in a hot country feel normal to you?
5 Did you use to invent games when you were a child?
A Did you sometimes invent games when you were a child?
B Was it unusual for you to invent games when you were a child?

Score: /5

6 Complete the sentences using the correct f orm of used to, be used to or would and the verb in brackets. Where
used to or would are possibilities, use would.

1 We would spend (spend) our summer holidays at the beach when I was a child.
2 Leanne looks tired. She is not used t o going (go) to bed this late in the evening.
3 Henry’s grandparents used t o live (live) with him but they moved out two years ago.
4 My mother wouldn't buy (buy) me new shoes until my old ones were too small.
5 You are not used t o swimming (swim) in the sea so please don’t go out too far.

Score: /5
 7 Complete the dialogues with a modal verb in each gap.

1 A: Do you want to do something this weekend?

B: I can’t. My mum says I have t o stay in and revise for my exams.
2 A: I’m not going to the shops now. It’s raining.
B: OK, we could stay home instead.
3 A: I always feel tired these days.
B: You shouldn't stay up so late. T hat’s why you’re tired.
4 A: Why have you got mum’s phone?
B: She said I could borrow it.
5 A: Let’s give the monkeys some of our sandwiches.
B: No, you must n't do that! T he sign says it’s prohibited.

Score: /5

8 Choose the best words to complete the sentences.

1 You’ve had a long train journey. You must/might be feeling tired.

2 I should answer the phone. It could/can’t be important.
3 T hey’re not watching the cup final so they can’t/can be very interested in football.
4 I think it may/must rain. T he sky looks very dark.
5 T here’s a lot of traffic on the road so Portia might/must get home late.

Score: /5

9 Choose the correct words to complete the sentences.

1 Our bus hasn’t arrived/been arriving yet. It should be here soon.

2 You’ve played/been playing that game all morning. Why don’t you do something else now?
3 Rick’s an old friend. I’ve known/been knowing him since I was five.
4 T hat’s the strangest story I’ve ever heard/been hearing!
5 I’ve studied/been studying Greek for three months and I still can’t say anything.

Score: /5

10 Complete the text with the correct f orm (present perf ect simple or continuous) of the verbs in brackets.

I (1) have dreamt (dream) of going to London since I was a child and finally I’m going! I
(2) have been saving (save) for two years and by next week I’ll have all the money I need. I’m really excited because
(3) have never gone (never go) abroad before and now I’m going on my own. My mum (4) has been worrying
(worry) a lot because she thinks I won’t like being away from home. However, I’m staying with an English family who are
used to having foreign students. T hey say they (5) haven't had (not have) any problems before and that all of
their students have had a great time.

Score: /5
11 Choose the correct word or phrase to complete the sentences.

1 I can’t come to football training because I ’m seeing/see my cousins this weekend.

2 You’ve dropped your papers. I ’m helping/’ll help you pick them up.
3 I think it will/’s going to be a nice day today. T here aren’t any clouds in the sky.
4 Shall/Will we introduce ourselves to the new students?
5 Is it OK if I wait at your house until my parents get/are going to get home?

Score: /5

12 Choose the correct words to complete the sentences.

1 T hat’s Mr Brown, which/who was our maths teacher last year.

2 T here’s a boy over there that/whose has the same trainers as you.
3 My dad’s car, that/which is 15 years old, is in perfect condition.
4 T he girl whose/who phone was stolen was very upset.
5 T he hotel where/which we stayed had wonderful views.

Score: /5

13 Choose the best words to complete the sentences.

1 I hadn’t seen/hadn’t been seeing any Pixar films until last night.
2 I could see she had cleaned/had been cleaning all morning because the floor was still wet.
3 By midday, we had waited/had been waiting for an hour.
4 T he food wasn’t ready because he had started/had been starting cooking too late.
5 T hey had played/had been playing half the match when the referee stopped it.

Score: /5

14 Complete the text with the correct past perf ect f orm of the verbs in brackets.

My last birthday was better than I (1) 'd ex pect ed (expect). I wanted to do something special to celebrate, but I
(2) hadn't been (not be) able to make plans with my friends. Everyone had an excuse. Jack
(3) had promised (promise) to help his dad in the garden all day. Barbara (4) had worked (work) on her
school project for the last two weeks, and she needed to stay in and finish it. I ended up going hiking all day with my family
and my best friend T om. Afterwards, T om suggested going to his house and ordering a pizza, but when we got there I had
a huge surprise. All my friends were there! T hey (5) 'd planned (plan) a huge party for weeks and kept the
secret!

Score: /5
15 Complete the text with the correct passive f orms of the verbs in the box.

call find rescue send treat

A young woman (1) has been rescued from Pine Ridge National Park within the last hour. She had gone for a walk
alone on Sunday afternoon and got lost in fog. T he emergency services (2) were called when she didn’t come
home on Sunday evening. A helicopter (3) was sent to look for her but it had to return to base because of the
fog. She was finally (4) found by a rescue team with dogs. T he woman is (5) being t reat ed in the
hospital for minor injuries but should be able to go home this afternoon.

Score: /5

16 Choose the correct words to complete the reported speech.

1 ‘I haven’t seen our teacher this morning.

She said she haven’t/hadn’t seen our teacher that morning.
2 ‘It wasn’t me. I didn’t eat the last cake.’
Brendan denied eat/eating the last cake.
3 ‘Will they get here in time for dinner?’
He asked me if they will/would get here in time for dinner.
4 ‘I spoke to them three weeks ago.’
Mrs Harris said she’d spoken to them three weeks past/before.
5 ‘Do you want to go for a run?’
She asked me if/did I wanted to go for a run.

Score: /5

17 Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the f irst, using the word given. You must use
between two and f ive words including the word given.
1 Where did you go last weekend?
I’d like t o know where you went last weekend. KNOW
2 How long have you lived here?
I wonder if you could t ell me how long you have lived here? COULD
3 What song are you listening to at the moment?
I’d be int erest ed in knowing what song you’re listening to at the moment. KNOWING
4 Could you open the door for me?
I’d be grat eful if you could open the door for me. GRATEFUL
5 When are mum and dad going to get here?
I wonder when mum and dad are going t o get here? GOING

Score: /5

18 Complete the sentences with the correct f orm of the words in brackets.

1 If you 'd t old (tell) us that the film was going to start at eight o’clock, we’d have got here sooner.
2 I think he’d have won the race if he hadn't fallen (not fall) over.
3 Even if I’d been invited, I wouldn't have gone (not go) to the party. It was too late for me.
 4 She probably would have helped us if she 'd seen (see) that we were in trouble.
5 I 'd have st ayed (stay) in bed longer if you hadn’t woken me up.

Score: /5

VOCABULARY