Core Skills Grammar: Mid-term (mock) exam
Oxford English Grammar Course Sections 3-5, 7, 12, 15-17
Time: 60 minutes
1. By the end of next year, she __________ at this company for five years.
Oa) will have worked
b) will work
c) is working
d) has worked
2. Here are the first two sentences of a recent news article published by the BBC. Pick the correct verb
forms.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz _______ a vote of confidence in parliament, paving the way for
early elections on 23 February.
Scholz _________ Monday's vote and _________ to lose it, but ___________ that triggering an
early election was his best chance of reviving his party's political fortunes.
a. has lost – has called – expected – calculated
&
b. has lost – called – had expected – calculated -I
c. lost – called – expected – calculated
d. lost – has called – had expected – had calculated
3. A man to his therapist: “My marriage _____________________ for at least a year, which is why
____________ to you.”
a) is falling apart – I’ve come
b) has fallen apart – I’m coming maybe
c) falls apart – I came
VO
d) has been falling apart – I’m coming
The next four questions share the same set of multiple-choice solutions. Pick the situation that best matches
the utterance.
4. “I drink too much.” – Zoe
Zoe’s statement is…
a) A response to the question, “What are you doing these days?”
~ O
b) A response to the question, “Do you have any bad habits?”
c) A rueful confession to a colleague giving one of the reasons Zoe’s productivity at work has declined
in the past month
d) A refusal to get behind the wheel of a car
5. “I’ve drunk too much.” – Zoe
Zoe’s statement is…
a) A response to the question, “What are you doing these days?”
b) A response to the question, “Do you have any bad habits?”
1
, c) A rueful confession to a colleague giving one of the reasons Zoe’s productivity at work has declined
in the past month
O d) A refusal to get behind the wheel of a car
6. “I’m drinking too much.” – Zoe
Zoe’s statement is…
vo
a) A response to the question, “What are you doing these days?”
b) A response to the question, “Do you have any bad habits?”
c) A rueful confession to a colleague giving one of the reasons Zoe’s productivity at work has declined
in the past month
d) A refusal to get behind the wheel of a car
7. “I’ve been drinking too much.” – Zoe
Zoe’s statement is…
a) A response to the question, “What are you doing these days?”
b) A response to the question, “Do you have any bad habits?”
vo c) A rueful confession to a colleague giving one of the reasons Zoe’s productivity at work has declined
in the past month
d) A refusal to get behind the wheel of a car
8. One of Berlin’s top attractions is the Brandenburg Gate, which _________ through the city’s history and
today ________ a symbol of unity and peace.
a. has been standing – serves as
b. has stood – is serving as
O
c. has stood – serves as
d. has been standing – is serving as
The next four questions share the same set of multiple-choice solutions. Pick the best way to complete each
utterance. Each answer is only used once.
I'll you this weekend.
9. Perhaps _____
voa. I’ll see
b. I’m going to see
c. I’m seeing
d. I see
10. _______ you need some sleep – you’d better get to bed.
a. I’ll see
b. I’m going to see
c. I’m seeing
ro
d. I see
11. Excuse me, ___________ if the conductor can tell us when the train will start moving again. Could you
please watch my bags for me?
a. I’ll see
2
, vob. I’m going to see
c. I’m seeing
d. I see
12. ________ Phillip on Tuesday, so we can’t meet then.
a. I’ll see
b. I’m going to see
vo
c.
d.
I’m seeing
I see
13. Which answer is not correct?
It’s getting late; we __________ leave soon.
a) should
b) must
c) ought to maybe
vo d) might
14. Which sentence is not correct?
a) When I was a child I could watch as much TV as I wanted.
b) I tried to assemble this Ikea bed, but I couldn’t understand the instructions.
vo c) The front door was locked, but I could get in through a window.
d) She could already read by the age of four.
15. Which answer is not correct?
You __________ to pay for the tickets in advance if you want to get a seat.
a) need
X b) should better
c) have
Od) must is also correct
16. Which use of “may” is wrong?
a) We may go to Japan this summer.
b) May I park here?
c) Let’s hurry – the shop may still be open.
vo d) May people vote at 17?
17. Consider the function of would in this sentence.
As I kid I would phone my grandmother at random times throughout the night.
Does this sentence mean:
a. I wanted to phone my grandmother (but did not)
b. I wanted to phone my grandmother (and did)
Vo
c. I performed this behavior regularly and habitually
d. I am critical of the time that I did this inconsiderate thing
3
Oxford English Grammar Course Sections 3-5, 7, 12, 15-17
Time: 60 minutes
1. By the end of next year, she __________ at this company for five years.
Oa) will have worked
b) will work
c) is working
d) has worked
2. Here are the first two sentences of a recent news article published by the BBC. Pick the correct verb
forms.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz _______ a vote of confidence in parliament, paving the way for
early elections on 23 February.
Scholz _________ Monday's vote and _________ to lose it, but ___________ that triggering an
early election was his best chance of reviving his party's political fortunes.
a. has lost – has called – expected – calculated
&
b. has lost – called – had expected – calculated -I
c. lost – called – expected – calculated
d. lost – has called – had expected – had calculated
3. A man to his therapist: “My marriage _____________________ for at least a year, which is why
____________ to you.”
a) is falling apart – I’ve come
b) has fallen apart – I’m coming maybe
c) falls apart – I came
VO
d) has been falling apart – I’m coming
The next four questions share the same set of multiple-choice solutions. Pick the situation that best matches
the utterance.
4. “I drink too much.” – Zoe
Zoe’s statement is…
a) A response to the question, “What are you doing these days?”
~ O
b) A response to the question, “Do you have any bad habits?”
c) A rueful confession to a colleague giving one of the reasons Zoe’s productivity at work has declined
in the past month
d) A refusal to get behind the wheel of a car
5. “I’ve drunk too much.” – Zoe
Zoe’s statement is…
a) A response to the question, “What are you doing these days?”
b) A response to the question, “Do you have any bad habits?”
1
, c) A rueful confession to a colleague giving one of the reasons Zoe’s productivity at work has declined
in the past month
O d) A refusal to get behind the wheel of a car
6. “I’m drinking too much.” – Zoe
Zoe’s statement is…
vo
a) A response to the question, “What are you doing these days?”
b) A response to the question, “Do you have any bad habits?”
c) A rueful confession to a colleague giving one of the reasons Zoe’s productivity at work has declined
in the past month
d) A refusal to get behind the wheel of a car
7. “I’ve been drinking too much.” – Zoe
Zoe’s statement is…
a) A response to the question, “What are you doing these days?”
b) A response to the question, “Do you have any bad habits?”
vo c) A rueful confession to a colleague giving one of the reasons Zoe’s productivity at work has declined
in the past month
d) A refusal to get behind the wheel of a car
8. One of Berlin’s top attractions is the Brandenburg Gate, which _________ through the city’s history and
today ________ a symbol of unity and peace.
a. has been standing – serves as
b. has stood – is serving as
O
c. has stood – serves as
d. has been standing – is serving as
The next four questions share the same set of multiple-choice solutions. Pick the best way to complete each
utterance. Each answer is only used once.
I'll you this weekend.
9. Perhaps _____
voa. I’ll see
b. I’m going to see
c. I’m seeing
d. I see
10. _______ you need some sleep – you’d better get to bed.
a. I’ll see
b. I’m going to see
c. I’m seeing
ro
d. I see
11. Excuse me, ___________ if the conductor can tell us when the train will start moving again. Could you
please watch my bags for me?
a. I’ll see
2
, vob. I’m going to see
c. I’m seeing
d. I see
12. ________ Phillip on Tuesday, so we can’t meet then.
a. I’ll see
b. I’m going to see
vo
c.
d.
I’m seeing
I see
13. Which answer is not correct?
It’s getting late; we __________ leave soon.
a) should
b) must
c) ought to maybe
vo d) might
14. Which sentence is not correct?
a) When I was a child I could watch as much TV as I wanted.
b) I tried to assemble this Ikea bed, but I couldn’t understand the instructions.
vo c) The front door was locked, but I could get in through a window.
d) She could already read by the age of four.
15. Which answer is not correct?
You __________ to pay for the tickets in advance if you want to get a seat.
a) need
X b) should better
c) have
Od) must is also correct
16. Which use of “may” is wrong?
a) We may go to Japan this summer.
b) May I park here?
c) Let’s hurry – the shop may still be open.
vo d) May people vote at 17?
17. Consider the function of would in this sentence.
As I kid I would phone my grandmother at random times throughout the night.
Does this sentence mean:
a. I wanted to phone my grandmother (but did not)
b. I wanted to phone my grandmother (and did)
Vo
c. I performed this behavior regularly and habitually
d. I am critical of the time that I did this inconsiderate thing
3
