These 40 ECL practice questions cover the three kinds of items you meet most often: grammar in a sentence, idioms and phrasal verbs, and short listening items. Every question has its answer and an explanation. Try each one before you look, then open the answer key at the end to review them all.
Answer a question to see whether you are right and why. The full answer key is at the end.
Grammar 23 questions
Choose the word or phrase that completes the sentence.
1Don't go in that room; Dr. Duffy ______ a patient right now.
B. is examining right now -> progressive.2Yesterday, I ______ to the movies.
C. went yesterday -> went.3First, I went to the movie; then, I ______ some pizza.
C. ate A sequence of past actions: simple past.4Q: How much area has the river flooded? A: The river ______ flooded any area at all.
C. hasn't Present perfect negative, singular.5I was answering the phone and didn't realize you ______ outside.
B. were waiting An action in progress in the past.6When I was a child, I always ______ my homework.
A. did A past habit.7Capt. Barrow and his wife ______ in Europe last year.
A. were Plural subject in the past.8I ______ the taste of raw tomatoes ever since I was a little boy.
D. have liked ever since -> present perfect.9I will sit in the car and wait while you ______ in the store.
D. shop After while with future meaning, use the present simple.10Before I could stomp on the brake, I ______ the dog.
C. hit The past of hit is hit.11You _______ seen a doctor earlier. Now the infection is worse.
A. should have 'Should have + past participle' = past advice not followed (regret/reproach).12The suspect _______ by the military police right now.
A. is being questioned Passive, present continuous: is being + past participle.13She is _______ honest and reliable officer.
A. an 'Honest' starts with a vowel sound → an.14Nobody was hurt in the accident, _______?
A. were they 'Nobody' → tag with 'they' and positive verb: were they?15She is married _______ a naval officer.
A. to Married to someone.16I'm not used to _______ up so early.
A. getting 'Be used to' + gerund = be accustomed to.17English _______ at every major staff college in the world.
A. is taught Passive, present simple: is + past participle.18The bridge _______ by army engineers next month.
A. will be repaired Passive, future: will be + past participle.19Let's _____ certain the radios are working before we move out.
C. make After let's, the verb takes its base form, with no to.20I am here _____ your teacher, not _____ your parent.
A. as As = in the role of: I am here as your teacher. He will act as company commander for three weeks.21You should not walk alone in this neighborhood _____ night.
A. at In the evening but at night22Children should walk _____ the sidewalks.
D. on On the sidewalk23_____ a spare uniform in the storeroom, or should I order one?
A. Is there Is there introduces the existence of a single object. Is it would refer to something already identified.
Idioms and phrasal verbs 12 questions
Choose the meaning of the words in color, or the phrase that completes the sentence.
24You don't have to stand up. Be seated.
B. sit down Sit down = stop standing25Dogs and cats don't act like friends most of the time.
C. get along Get along = be friendly with each other = maintain a good relationship26Before you buy a car, you must test drive it to determine what it's like.
C. try it out Try out = to test something to see if you like it. You would try out a car, a gun, a boat.27Before you ask for a reassignment, consider the matter carefully.
C. think it over Think something over = consider it carefully, think about all the possible advantages and disadvantages28When you go walking in the woods, be careful of snakes and spiders.
B. look out for Look out for = be careful about = pay attention29The firemen were able to extinguish the fire in less than 30 minutes.
D. put out put out = extinguish30Let's stop working on this exercise for a minute and do something different.
D. put aside Put aside = move something to the side and not work with it for a while31Some prisoners have to subsist on nothing but bread and water for months.
D. live on Live on = to survive on. You live on food. You live on a certain amount of money per month.32Report to the Major _____ once!
A. at fixed expression at once, meaning without delay, without hesitation33The bean counters probably won't agree to your budget requests.
C. accountants or clerks in a business Bean counter (informal, slightly negative) = an accountant or finance official who cares mainly about costs.34The tour guide called our attention to a lot of old buildings.
D. pointed out Point out = call attention to = tell people about = show = demonstrate35_____ my opinion, we should not have classes on Fridays.
B. In fixed expression in someone's opinion
Listening 5 questions
Press Play, listen, then choose the answer.
- Listen, then answer.
36At what time should the listener report?
What you heardPlease report to the orderly room at zero seven thirty.
D. 7:30 a.m. Zero seven thirty (0730) is 7:30 in the morning. - Listen, then answer.
37Choose the best answer.
What you heardWhy don't we take a break?
D. Good idea. I'm tired. "Why don't we...?" is a suggestion, not a real question about a reason. - Listen, then answer.
38What does the man mean?
What you heardWoman: Did you get the email about the new duty roster?
Man: I haven't checked my email since this morning.
C. He has not seen the email yet. He has not checked his email since the morning, so he has not seen this email yet. - Listen, then answer.
39Who was at the meeting?
What you heardNeither the captain nor the sergeant was at the meeting.
D. Neither of them "Neither... nor..." means not the captain and not the sergeant. - Listen, then answer.
40What does the woman mean?
What you heardMan: Can you cover my shift on Saturday?
Woman: Sorry, my hands are tied. I'm on duty all weekend.
B. She cannot help him. "My hands are tied" means "I am not free to do it": she cannot help.
Show the answer key
- B is examining. right now -> progressive.
- C went. yesterday -> went.
- C ate. A sequence of past actions: simple past.
- C hasn't. Present perfect negative, singular.
- B were waiting. An action in progress in the past.
- A did. A past habit.
- A were. Plural subject in the past.
- D have liked. ever since -> present perfect.
- D shop. After while with future meaning, use the present simple.
- C hit. The past of hit is hit.
- A should have. 'Should have + past participle' = past advice not followed (regret/reproach).
- A is being questioned. Passive, present continuous: is being + past participle.
- A an. 'Honest' starts with a vowel sound → an.
- A were they. 'Nobody' → tag with 'they' and positive verb: were they?
- A to. Married to someone.
- A getting. 'Be used to' + gerund = be accustomed to.
- A is taught. Passive, present simple: is + past participle.
- A will be repaired. Passive, future: will be + past participle.
- C make. After let's, the verb takes its base form, with no to.
- A as. As = in the role of: I am here as your teacher. He will act as company commander for three weeks.
- A at. In the evening but at night
- D on. On the sidewalk
- A Is there. Is there introduces the existence of a single object. Is it would refer to something already identified.
- B sit down. Sit down = stop standing
- C get along. Get along = be friendly with each other = maintain a good relationship
- C try it out. Try out = to test something to see if you like it. You would try out a car, a gun, a boat.
- C think it over. Think something over = consider it carefully, think about all the possible advantages and disadvantages
- B look out for. Look out for = be careful about = pay attention
- D put out. put out = extinguish
- D put aside. Put aside = move something to the side and not work with it for a while
- D live on. Live on = to survive on. You live on food. You live on a certain amount of money per month.
- A at. fixed expression at once, meaning without delay, without hesitation
- C accountants or clerks in a business. Bean counter (informal, slightly negative) = an accountant or finance official who cares mainly about costs.
- D pointed out. Point out = call attention to = tell people about = show = demonstrate
- B In. fixed expression in someone's opinion
- D 7:30 a.m.. Zero seven thirty (0730) is 7:30 in the morning.
- D Good idea. I'm tired.. "Why don't we...?" is a suggestion, not a real question about a reason.
- C He has not seen the email yet.. He has not checked his email since the morning, so he has not seen this email yet.
- D Neither of them. "Neither... nor..." means not the captain and not the sergeant.
- B She cannot help him.. "My hands are tied" means "I am not free to do it": she cannot help.
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