Grammar decides a large share of the points on the ECL and the ALCPT: many reading questions test a verb form, a preposition or the order of words, and listening questions rely on the same grammar. These 30 questions cover the topics that cause the most mistakes. Each group links to the lesson that explains the rule.
Choose an answer: you see at once whether you are right, with the rule behind it.
Tenses 6 questions
Rule reminder: English verb tenses lesson.
1The patrol ______ back before dark yesterday.
B. came Yesterday is a finished time in the past: simple past, came.2He hasn't answered my email ______.
B. yet Negative + present perfect takes yet.3Yesterday, the news about the earthquakes in Chile and Peru _____ bad.
C. was Yesterday calls for the past, and news is singular: the news was bad.4He ______ to Washington three times this year.
B. has been This year is not finished yet: present perfect.5Next June he ______ in the Navy for twenty years.
C. will have served A duration completed by a future moment.6The color red on the flag _____ blood.
D. symbolizes The color is singular (it), so the present simple takes -s: symbolizes.
Conditionals 4 questions
Rule reminder: Conditionals lesson.
7She wishes she _____ the earlier flight.
B. had taken Regret about a past choice: wish + past perfect.8If I finish my homework early, I _____ to the gym and work out.
B. might go First conditional with might: a possible result in the future (will would make it certain).9If I _____ you, I would be more careful with my answers.
D. were Subjunctive "If" clause present unreal. If I were you, I would study the "If" clause patterns.10If I were a person who _____ a million dollars, I would retire immediately.
D. had The unreal part is having a million dollars, so the verb after who is in the past too: if I were a person who had a million dollars, I would retire.
Modals 4 questions
Rule reminder: Modal verbs lesson.
11I may _____ to the movie tomorrow.
D. go Remember: put the simple form of the verb after a modal.12You ______ better check the coordinates twice.
B. had had better + the simple form of the verb (had better check).13He ______ pass the ECL; he has studied very hard.
A. ought to Probability: ought to.14The next ECL will _____ easy.
C. be After a modal (will, might, should...), use the base form of the verb: will be.
Passive 4 questions
Rule reminder: The passive voice lesson.
15This exercise _____ by Mr. Ashford.
C. was written Passive voice. The word "by" usually indicates a passive structure. Active voice: Mr. Ashford wrote this exercise.16The proposal _____ by the board.
A. has already been approved The subject undergoes the action, so the passive is required.17The escaped prisoner _____ last night near the airport.
B. was caught Last night calls for the past, and the prisoner did not catch anyone: he was caught (passive).18My purse was found ______ one of the cleaners.
B. by Agent -> by.
Reported speech 3 questions
Rule reminder: Reported speech lesson.
19"Come here," she said. -> She told me to ______ there.
B. go Here becomes there, and come usually becomes go, because the speaker is no longer at that place.20I wonder ______ he will accept the offer.
B. whether wonder + whether / if.21He insisted ______ paying for the meal.
B. on insist on + V-ing.
Prepositions 5 questions
Rule reminder: Prepositions lesson.
22He makes a living _____ recycling old newspapers and magazines.
B. by By + -ing tells how someone does something: he makes a living by recycling. She improved her English by reading every day.23The children are playing _____ the street again.
A. in In the street = in the area of the road. At is used for a point, not for an area.24They are aware ______ the risks.
C. of aware of.25It is not polite to stare _____ strangers.
C. at Stare at, look at, point at: these verbs take at before the person or thing.26I heard some bad news _____ the radio this morning.
B. on On the radio, on TV, on the Internet: use on for the media.
Sentence structure 4 questions
Rule reminder: Comparisons and word order lesson.
27They moved the antenna _____ a stronger signal.
D. in order to obtain The correct pattern for purpose is in order to + base form.28Do you remember _____ him at the conference in Zurich?
C. meeting Remember meeting recalls a past event.29Amine, it is high time you _____ for the exam.
B. studied It is (high) time + subject + past simple: it is time you studied. The past form refers to the present.30They decided _____ the launch until spring.
B. to postpone Decide takes the full infinitive.
Keep going
The trainer has 1,045 grammar questions, mixed in a new order each time, with your mistakes saved for review. To check one topic in depth, open the practice pages by topic, or test everything at once with the ECL practice test.