Academic English Test

This test is designed as a test of your English level and measures your knowledge of Use of English and Grammar.

This is not a placement test. You will need to do an additional test on or before your arrival at Stafford House to complete the placement process.

Before you start, here is what you can expect:

There are 80 questions
You have 70 minutes to finish the test
The test timer will tell you how much time you have left and if you are behind
Read each question carefully and choose the best answer
You can skip a question, but you cannot return to it later
Once you have started the test, please do not use your browser back button or refresh the page as this will exit the test and you will need to start again

Name*

First Name Last Name

Email*

Citizenship*

What location are you interested in?

What course are you interested in?*

Which level of course would you like to take?

Which area of study are you interested in?

Are you already in contact with an Education Agent?

Yes

No

What is the Education Agency's name?

What is the Education Agent's email address?

Are you happy for us to contact your Education Agent on your behalf?

Yes

No

Are you happy for us to contact an Education Agent in your country or region on your behalf? We have agreements with experienced Education Agents across the world who will be able to help advise you on your choice of course and test result?

Yes

No

How soon would you like to start your course?

By taking this Academic English test you agree to the Stafford House Terms & Conditions

We would like to contact you from time to time with information regarding our full range of services. Please tick to confirm you are happy for CATS Colleges Limited to contact you by:

Email

Phone

SMS

Social Messaging

Social Media

The police stopped us and said we ____________ to enter the building.

were not allowed

can’t

couldn’t

didn’t allow

Doctors must wash their hands _________, sometimes as often as 40 times a day.

certainly

gradually

rarely

frequently

This is the best tea I have ____________ tasted.

never

already

still

ever

This used to be _________ part of the city, but since the old buildings were renovated, it has become a very fashionable area.

a trendy

a run-down

an affluent

a pricy

If I ______ well in my exams, I ________ to university.

will do / will do

will do / go

do / go

do / will go

Which of these words means the same as “concealed”?

obscure

trouble

criminal

unorganized

The teacher made sure that everybody was able to express their points of _________.

idea

impression

view

opinion

Game consoles are a very popular __________.

invent

intervening

invention

inventory

Man: I have had almost no energy for three days now.
Woman: Then you _________ stay home from work. It sounds like you need to rest.

should

be

have

need

Man: Were you late for the concert?
Woman: Yes, __________ I went there it was half over.

until

whenever

as soon

by the time

Peter, the student, ________ his essay three times and it was still not good enough.

renewed

referred

revised

relied

If you had asked me, I _______________ you.

would have helped

have helped

helped

would be helping

When I first moved to Hong Kong, life in a different country was very strange. However, now I am used ___________ here.

to live

living

to living

lived

If you are ________ in attending the lecture, please let us know as soon as possible.

concerned

interested

pleased

sure

I will never forget the party. It was truly ___________ event!

a mindful

an attending

an expressing

a memorable

The homework was due on Wednesday, but the teacher made _________ for Scott.

a delay

an enlargement

a contract

an exception

I am finally here. I hope you ___________ very long.

haven’t been waiting

aren’t waiting

wouldn’t wait

won’t wait

Anne: Oh! I watched the new TV show last night.
Joe: Was it any good?
Anne: Yes, ___________ the TV set is so old I could see very little.

by the way

and

still

mind you

Which of these is the same as “well-known”?

excellent

expensive

prominent

delightful

The global financial crisis, _________ is forcing many small businesses to close, does not look to end soon.

which

that

when

it

I am not worried, because the doctor _________ me everything will be fine.

assured

maintained

evaluated

believed

Students have to __________ their project work by the end of the week.

subject

submit

subcontract

subscribe

Violence can never _______ to a good solution to our problems.

lead

conduct

connect

effect

I can’t find my keys. I ___________ them!

might have lost

may lose

should have lost

must lost

Philipp has to be very organized as his job involves meeting tight _________.

deadlines

problems

responsibilities

challenges

I think that is a new employee. I have never seen ___________ here before.

he was working

him to work

he worked

him working

My teacher is always happy to help us. She is very _____________ with her time.

generous

kind

inspired

promising

Researchers claim the new discovery is a major __________ in the fight against cancer.

investigation

breakthrough

progress

innovation

Man: I like what you have done with the room. How long did it take you to paint it?
Woman: __________because I had it done professionally.

Less

No time at all

Little

Soon

If I had had enough time, I ___________ a vacation.

had taken

would take

would have taken

would be taking

The movie star would not _________ her age.

reveal

advise

emerge

distribute

He jumped onto the __________ train.

mover

moving

moved

movable

Woman: Good morning. May I help you?
Man: Yes, I ___________ that you sell laptop computers. Where can I find them?

told

was telling

was told

tell

Man: Did you get a speeding ticket? What did the police officer say?
Woman: He said he ____________ with just a warning. Therefore, I was lucky.

was letting off me

is letting me off

left off me

was letting me off

The animals were _________ from their cages, so they could go free.

released

managed

prevented

reduced

Woman: I think my computer is broken. It won’t _________ up.
Man: Sorry, I can’t help much. I don’t know anything about computers!

begin

be

show

start

__________, I would never have missed that opportunity!

Had I known

Have I known

If I knew

If I have known

Jill rented an apartment in a ___________ location near her work.

competent

compound

constant

convenient

We have never been in this position before. It is a whole new _____________ game.

cricket

ball

hockey

team

A lot of trains ______ late today due to the heavy storms.

went

are going

run

are running

The baby boy saw ____________ in the mirror and started to cry.

he

himself

him

his

She called the student _________ bike was stolen.

whose

whom

which

who’s

It is getting _____________ to find a good job these days.

harder and harder

more and more harder

more hard

hard and harder

We are happy to replace the ___________ cell phone free of charge for you.

hurt

damaged

injured

destroyed

Woman: Do you think Sarah will show up at our company party?
Man: I doubt it. She has been totally _______ up in her work recently. She is traveling all the time.

held

covered

wrapped

taken

Man: Are you going to the movies tonight?
Woman: I might go this Friday. ___________about you?

Why

What

Where

Who

Man: Does John still have your books?
Woman: Yes, but he _____________ to give them back to me tomorrow.

will suppose

is supposed

is supposing

supposed

Peter was not aware _______ the risk and therefore was hurt.

of

in

at

to

Please do not believe Monica. She has _______ to lie.

a tendency

a trend

a characteristic

an attitude

Sometimes Luke’s grades are high and sometimes they are low, nothing in the middle. He is just not very _________.

similar

consistent

usual

complicated

Why on earth isn’t Karen here yet? ________ for her for over an hour!

we are waiting

we waited

we wait

we have been waiting

Can I __________ milk for yogurt in this recipe?

displace

substitute

mix

include

A local politician has ________ charges of corruption made by the opposition party.

committed

accused

blamed

denied

Man: Where is Maria? I need to speak to her!
Mother: She _______________ right now. You cannot disturb her!

has been sleeping

was sleeping

sleeps

is sleeping

_________ the weather was horrible, we decided to go out for a short walk.

Even though

Despite

In spite of

However

Man: Why did you hide the present?
Woman: I do not want _________ it!

that Philipp see

Philipp to see

Philipp will see

that Philipp will see

You should not make jokes on the phone as you may be ____________.

misplaced

misguided

misunderstood

mistaken

You ________ clean your teeth twice a day to avoid having problems.

have

having

should to

should

It is important to understand how other cultures behave, so you do not cause ___________.

behaviour

disgust

offence

disaster

Your body ___________ usually gives other people information about how you really feel.

impression

language

appearance

relationship

I ____________ intending to stop smoking even before I got this bad cough.

would had been

have been

had been

would have been

Absence makes the heart _______ fonder.

become

feel

be

grow

This is the best movie that I ____________.

never saw

ever saw

have never seen

have ever seen

She hit her __________while she was playing football.

motor

tail

backyard

shoulder

There __________ orange juice in the refrigerator.

are some

is some

were some

is a

Man: Are you sure you can’t come out with us tonight?
Woman: Sorry, but I can’t. I really regret ________ more money last month.

not having

saving

not save

not saving

Woman: Would you like to go with me to the farmer’s market tomorrow morning?
Man: Could we go at noon? I would like to _________ because I am exhausted.

sleep over

sleep in

sleep off

sleep on

The children thought they were __________ when they saw the bull.

in dangerous

in a danger

in danger

in the danger

I really don’t like this meal. __________ money in the world wouldn’t get me to eat it.

All the

Whatever

Enough

If

He hasn’t played football since he _________ the accident.

had had

has

had

has had

She lives on a beautiful street lined __________ oak trees that keep the houses cool.

in

between

among

by

Ocean currents ____________ play an important part in regulating global climate.

are known to

are believed that they

thought to

is known to

I don’t think I can put __________ that noise for much longer.

to

down for

away by

up with

Sophie is glad the deadline for applications has been ___________ as she is not quite finished with it.

increased

extended

disappeared

elected

Woman: I lost my sunglasses!
Man: Oh no! Do you have ________ pair?
Woman: Yes, I think I have __________sunglasses in the car. Can we go check?

other / other

another / other

another / others

other / others

These fish ____________ by fisherman with big nets.

have caught

are caught

is catching

are catching

We lost the football game because we made __________ of mistakes.

a volume

a series

a composition

an amount

He had to _________ to reach the book on the top shelf.

swell

stretch

shape

split

I finally ________ that I had to quit my job.

come to the conclusion

come to conclude

came to concluding

came to the conclusion

Woman: Hey, did you catch my interview on News Tonight?
Man: No. If I ___________ it was on, I would have been sure to watch it.
Woman: That’s okay. I had my husband record it, if you are interested.

knew

known

had known

have known