September placement test for high school students

NAME: ______________________________

GRAMMAR
1 Complete the sentences. Use the correct form of the verb in brackets.
example: Are you going (go) on holiday this year?

1 ‘Where’s Lynne?’ ‘She ________ (go) to Cuba. She’ll be back next week.’
2 Mike ________ (work) in his study. Shall I call him for you?
3 If I had the chance to live abroad, I ________ (go).
4 I’m sorry. I think I _______ (break) your camera when I dropped it!
5 I would have said ‘hello’ if I ________ (see) you!
6 I ________ (have) lunch every day with Clare in the canteen – I really enjoy talking to her.
7 ‘Didn’t you hear the phone ring?’ ‘No, sorry. I ________ (listen) to music.’
8 She told me she ________ (want) to meet me the next day.
9 Between 1984 and 1986 Patricia Cornwell ________ (write) three novels.
10 I ________ (eat) less chocolate at the moment because I am on a diet.
11 We can’t go to that restaurant again! I ________ (go) there twice last week.
12 You will get your results in a month – a letter ________ (send) to your house.
13 He ________ (work) at the company for years, and he still loves it.
14 When I got home, I saw that somebody ________ (break) one of my windows.
15 I’ll wait until she ________ (get) here and then we’ll come over together.

2 Complete the sentences.

example: That’s the house where my father was born.

1 How much money did you take ________ of the cash machine?
2 You’re Joel’s cousin, ________ you?
3 I wouldn’t have missed his party if I ________ (not / have) a bad headache.
4 We can’t have dinner ________ all the guests are here.
5 The police ________ me whether I had witnessed the crime.
6 If I ________ you, I’d make a complaint to the manager.
7 Do you know where the nearest taxi rank ________?
8 Will you be ________ to look after the children next Thursday evening?
9 Are you responsible ________ the sales figures?
10 Can you tell me ________ the main entrance is, please?
11 My brother and I want to set ________ our own online business.

3 Underline the correct word(s).

example: There’s no / not enough time to get the project finished today.

1 You wouldn’t / won’t get the job if you don’t apply for it!
2 You mustn’t / shouldn’t ride without your helmet. It is illegal.
3 Please talk more quieter / quietly. You might wake up the baby.
4 She’s the woman who’s / whose brother won the national lottery.
5 I think banning / ban cars from the city centre is a good idea.
6 The boss said / told me not to tell anyone about the promotion.
7 Very few / little people turned up at the meeting last week.
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8 I’ll see you the next / next Friday.
9 There aren’t any / no big parks in this town.
10 I’m so tired. I won’t be able to drive unless / if I have a break and some coffee.
11 I usually / used to watch TV in the evenings, but now I go to the sports centre.
12 Will / Shall you tell me if you hear any news?
13 If you went to visit her, she’ll / she’d be so happy.
14 I must / might work harder if I want to get a better job.

4 Complete the sentences. Use the correct form of the verb in brackets.
example: I usually get up (get up) at seven o’clock.

1 David _____ (cook) lunch at the moment.

2 He _____ (not listen) to music now.
3 Paella _____ (make) with rice.
4 I don't think it _____ (rain) tomorrow. There aren’t any clouds.
5 I _____ (see) Marco last night.
6 _____ you ever _____ (see) a dolphin?
7 They _____ (watch) a film when we arrived.
8 When I arrived, Tim _____ already _____ (leave) – the house was empty.
9 Happy anniversary! How long _____ you _____ (be married)?
10 What _____ you _____ (see) when you opened the door?

VOCABULARY
5 Underline the odd one out.
example: composer teacher employee violinist

1 retire get sacked apply for a job resign

2 extras thriller horror film comedy
3 fork menu knife spoon
4 straight curly beard wavy
5 take off travel check in trip

6 Write the noun.

example: organize organization

1 mad ________
2 possible ________
3 similar ________
4 survive ________
5 react ________
6 move ________

7 Complete the sentences with the correct preposition.

example: What are you going to do next weekend?

1 I could understand the film because it was dubbed ________ German.

2 I spent €1,600 ________ a holiday to Japan.
3 I’m thinking ________ applying for a job with Microsoft.
4 She’s been ________ charge of the accounts department for two years.
5 I’m so tired. I am really looking forward ________ my holiday next week.

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6 Excuse me, may I try these trousers ________?
7 Let me pay ________ the cake – you bought the coffees!

8 Complete the sentences with the correct word.

example: I inherited a lot of money a few years ago from my grandfather.
inherited earned invested

1 I think ________ should be banned from children’s TV because they make them want
material things.
channels adverts presenters
2 The teachers give us extra homework when some students ________ badly.
cheat behave revise
3 I’m ________ my third year of university, studying chemistry.
in at through
4 My sister’s a ________. She’s having an exhibition in London next month.
guitarist conductor sculptor
5 Antonia’s so ________. She’s always trying to get people to do what she wants.
extrovert mean manipulative
6 We often have dinner outside on our ________ .
terrace roof path
7 Go away and don’t come ________!
back here away
8 It’s easy to buy things on ________. You just pay a little every month.
credit online tax
9 When I was in Greece, I couldn’t understand anything anyone was saying. It was so
________.
exciting terrifying frustrating
10 I’ve finally thrown ________ my old leather jacket.
in away up
11 You’re not allowed to drive in a ________ area.
residential pedestrian suburb
12 Could you give me a 20% ________ on this bag? It has a dirty mark on it.
refund bargain discount
13 I haven’t eaten anything for hours. I’m ________!
starving furious freezing
14 She’s so ________. Her feelings are easily hurt.
reliable honest sensitive

9 Complete the sentences with one word.

example: My sister and I get on well with each other.

1 When I got ________ playing football, the doctor said I couldn’t play again for four weeks.
2 The film The Beach is ________ on the novel by Alex Garland.
3 Jeff ________ yoga for an hour every day– it helps him to relax.
4 I tried to phone Mike, but the line’s engaged. I’ll call him ________ later.
5 It was lovely seeing you again after so long. Let’s ________ in touch.
6 Shall we meet ________ lunch on Tuesday? There’s a new Italian restaurant in the High
Street.
7 Tickets for U2 concerts always sell ________ really quickly.
8 It was great to see you. I hope we bump ________ each other again!

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10 Complete the second sentences so that they have a similar meaning to the first, using
the word given. Do not change the word given. You can use a maximum of five words.

1 Unfortunately, I'll no longer be staying here next Monday. LEFT

Unfortunately, I _______________ next Monday.

2 It was her first trip to Africa. NEVER

She _______________ Africa before.

3 The last earthquake occurred in this area over 50years ago. NO

_______________ in this area over 50years.

4 I last talked to her during your birthday party. NOT

I _______________ your birthday party.

5 Our expedition was unsuccessful despite six month of preparation. BEEN

Our expedition was unsuccessful although we_______________ for it for six months.

6 Now I don't go fishing as often as I did. GO

I_______________ more often than i do now.

GOOD LUCK 

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KEY
1. 5.
1 has gone / ‘s gone 1. apply for a job
2 is working / ‘s working 2. extras
3 would go / ‘d go 3. menu
4 broke 4. beard
5 had seen / ’d seen 5. trip
6 have
7 was listening 6.
8 wanted 1. madness
9 wrote 2. possibility
10 am eating / ‘m eating 3. similarity
11 went 4. survival
12 will be sent 5. reaction
13 has been working / has worked 6. movement
14 had broken
15 gets 7.
1. into / in
2. 2. on
1. out 3. of
2. aren't 4. in
3. had not have / hadn’t have 5. to
4. until 6. on
5. asked 7. for
6. were
7. is 8.
8. able 1. adverts
9. for 2. behave
10. where  3. in
11. up 4. sculptor
5. manipulative
6. terrace
3. 7. back
1. won’t 8. credit
2. mustn’t 9. frustrating
3. quietly 10. away
4. whose 11. pedestrian
5. banning 12. discount
6. told 13. starving
7. few 14. sensitive
8. next
9. any
10. unless 9.
11. used to 1. injured
12. Will 2. based
13. she’d 3. does
14. must 4. back
5. keep / stay
6. for / over
4. 7. out
1. is cooking / ’s cooking 8. into
2. is not listening / isn’t listening
3. is made
4. will rain / will be raining 10.
5. saw
6. Have … seen 1. I am leaving

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7. were watching 2. has never been to
8. had … left 3. There has been no earthquake
9. have … been married 4. haven’t talked to her since
10. did … see 5. had been preparing
6. used to go