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

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!

start

show

be

begin

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 me off

was letting off me

is letting me off

left off me

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.

wrapped

held

taken

covered

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

opinion

idea

view

impression

The movie star would not _________ her age.

advise

reveal

distribute

emerge

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

revised

referred

renewed

relied

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

certainly

rarely

gradually

frequently

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

a composition

an amount

a series

a volume

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

he worked

he was working

him to work

him working

He jumped onto the __________ train.

movable

mover

moved

moving

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

swell

stretch

shape

split

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

haven’t been waiting

aren’t waiting

won’t wait

wouldn’t wait

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

in

of

at

to

Game consoles are a very popular __________.

invention

intervening

inventory

invent

She called the student _________ bike was stolen.

who’s

whose

whom

which

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

we have been waiting

we waited

we wait

we are waiting

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

do / will go

do / go

will do / will do

will do / go

There __________ orange juice in the refrigerator.

is some

is a

were some

are some

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

must lost

should have lost

might have lost

may lose

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

criminal

unorganized

obscure

trouble

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

is supposed

is supposing

supposed

will suppose

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

released

reduced

managed

prevented

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

destroyed

damaged

injured

hurt

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

when

which

it

that

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

hard and harder

more and more harder

more hard

harder and harder

Absence makes the heart _______ fonder.

become

be

feel

grow

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

didn’t allow

can’t

couldn’t

were not allowed

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

having

have

should to

should

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.

No time at all

Less

Soon

Little

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

mistaken

misunderstood

misplaced

misguided

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

sleeps

was sleeping

is sleeping

has been sleeping

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

are going

are running

run

went

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

cricket

team

hockey

ball

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

by

between

in

among

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

progress

breakthrough

innovation

investigation

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

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

would be taking

would have taken

had taken

would take

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.

saving

not save

not having

not saving

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

prominent

delightful

excellent

expensive

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

to

away by

down for

up with

If you had asked me, I _______________ you.

would have helped

helped

have helped

would be helping

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

had

has had

has

had had

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.

known

knew

had known

have known

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

was telling

told

was told

tell

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

as soon

whenever

until

by the time

She hit her __________while she was playing football.

tail

backyard

shoulder

motor

These fish ____________ by fisherman with big nets.

have caught

are catching

are caught

is catching

I finally ________ that I had to quit my job.

come to the conclusion

came to concluding

come to conclude

came to the conclusion

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

conduct

connect

effect

lead

__________, I would never have missed that opportunity!

If I have known

Had I known

If I knew

Have I known

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

behaviour

disgust

offence

disaster

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

a characteristic

a trend

an attitude

a tendency

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

to living

lived

to live

living

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

Philipp will see

that Philipp will see

that Philipp see

Philipp to see

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

challenges

deadlines

problems

responsibilities

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

Who

Where

Why

What

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

an affluent

a pricy

a trendy

a run-down

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

increased

extended

elected

disappeared

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

Enough

Whatever

All the

If

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

his

him

he

himself

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

inspired

generous

promising

kind

This is the best tea I have ____________ tasted.

still

already

ever

never

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

blamed

accused

committed

denied

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 / others

other / others

another / other

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

in the danger

in danger

in dangerous

in a danger

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

constant

convenient

competent

compound

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.

and

mind you

by the way

still

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

complicated

similar

consistent

usual

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

pleased

sure

concerned

interested

This is the best movie that I ____________.

have never seen

have ever seen

never saw

ever saw

Can I __________ milk for yogurt in this recipe?

displace

include

mix

substitute

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

thought to

is known to

are known to

are believed that they

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

maintained

assured

believed

evaluated

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.

be

need

should

have

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

an enlargement

a delay

an exception

a contract

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

a mindful

an attending

a memorable

an expressing

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

Despite

However

Even though

In spite of

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

had been

would have been

would had been

have been

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

relationship

appearance

impression

language

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

subscribe

submit

subject

subcontract