ACE English Malta – Placement Test

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Amanda: They've just announced that our train has been delayed.
Laura: That's annoying. We _____ have rushed to get here after all.

could
needn't
mustn't
should

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Amanda: It said on the news that the president also owns all the national newspapers.
Andrew: That ____ be right! I don't think that's true.

would
won't
can't
must

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Sophie: How long _____ married?
Ying Jong: Two years. I met my husband when I was working in New York.

did you get
had you got
have you been
are you being

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Student: Is it true that it took Bell and Watson ages to invent the telephone?
Teacher: Yes. When they finally succeeded, they _____ on it for about 30 years.

would be working
had been working
must work
have worked

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Andrew: I picked up some of that cat food you wanted.
Pedro: Oh good. Once _____ to these new cat biscuits, they won't want to go back to the other stuff.

we'll be switching
we've switched
we'll have switched
we've been switched

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Sara: I saw the photos from the film festival. Was that you with the actor from 'The Hobbit'?
Nail: Yes, it was! _____ did I imagine I would ever actually meet him.

Not
Much
Little
Hardly

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Mother: ____ you packed your suitcase yet? We're leaving early tomorrow morning.
Son: I'll do it later. It won't take long.

Have
Will
Did
Are

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Father: Are we ready to go?
Daughter: No, Mum can't find ___ hat.

its
their
his
her

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Ifrah: Which bus goes to the hospital?
Anton: ____ the 236. It stops outside.

Get
Getting
Got
Gets

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Josef: Why didn't you come to the cinema last week?
Chloe: I wanted to but I couldn't. I ____ studying for that test we had on Monday.

been
were
am
was

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Karina: When do you want to play football?
Aniqa: I ____ to play tomorrow because I don't need to go to work.

like
liked
'd like
likes

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Stephen: The concert was fantastic yesterday. You ____ have come.
Yuuto: I know. I wanted to, but I had to work late.

must
should
ought
could

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Anna: That bird's on the garden table again. I think it's hungry.
Juliana: Yes, look! It ____ eat the bread we put there.

will
is going to
goes to
is

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Julia: Do you like Brazilian coffee?
Mary: No I don't, because it's ____ strong.

enough
much
such
too

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David: Have you ____ that new film yet?
Susan: No, I haven't. We could go on Thursday if you like?

seen
saw
seeing
see

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Shop Assistant: Can I help you?
Customer: Yes, I'd like to buy ____ trousers.

a
this
these
an

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Anna: I like your new sofa.
Amanda: Thanks. It's _____ comfortable than the other one we had.

more
much
too
very

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Martina: What did the doctor say about your stomach pains?
Pamela: He asked me what I ____ for the last two days.

would eat
eat
was eating
had eaten

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Anton: Has your son done well in his exams?
Phillip: Yes. Only once ____ he wasn't sufficiently prepared, but he can take that one again.

he found
he has found
did he find
could he find

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Sara: Why do you like running?
Isabel: Because it's ____ way to keep fit.

the best
better
best
the better

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Client: I don't have much money - just enough to ______.
Accountant: Well, let me suggest a way of helping you save more.

make up
do with
get by
pay off

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Vicente: Did you see the weather forecast? It's going to be extremely hot this weekend.
Paul: I know, I can't believe it! It ____ since Monday.

has been raining
is raining
rains
was raining

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Daughter: Mum, my computer is broken again. I really need a new one.
Mother: I ____ buy one if we had the money, but it's not possible right now.

should
will
would
may

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Miriam: Are you coming to my party on Tuesday?
Ryan: I'm really sorry, but I ____ to take my daughter to the airport.

has
having
had
have

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Katie: Is Charlotte at school today?
Laura: No, she ____. She's not well today.

aren't
isn't
doesn't
hasn't

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David: Did you see the headline this evening?
Nicola: Yes - the Prime Minister was _____ to resign today.

charged
argued
forced
struggled

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Amirah: Do you like cats?
Chris: No, but there ____ lots of other animals I like.

is
was
are
be

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Andrew: Where _____ Alicia come from?
Martin: I think she's from the United States.

are
is
do
does

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Pauline: I hear you got soaked on the golf course this morning.
Chris: Yes, I wish I ____ listened to the weather forecast.

had
should have
have
would have

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Andrei: I want to buy some new shoes for the winter.
Shan: Well, I _____ looking for a new pair of boots for weeks, but I can't find anything I like.

was
had been
have been
am

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Wife: Have we got any cheese in the fridge?
Husband: No, we haven't. I'm ___ buy some this afternoon.

going
go to
going to
go

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Mother: Where's that fish I bought? It was on the table.
Daughter: Oh no! The cat ____ it.

eats
eat
is eating
are eating

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Student: What's today's lesson going to be about?
Teacher: Today we're going to learn about a tribe _____ descendants live in Lima, the capital of Peru.

whose
whom
who
which

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Liam: So, your Dad's got a laptop!
Cian: Yes, I bought it for him last year - until then he ______ a typewriter.

had been using
has been using
used
has used

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Lucas: Do you play the piano, Natasha?
Natasha: Well, I ____ play when I was younger, but I'm not sure I remember now.

could
can't
could't
can

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Student: I'm concerned about the chemical test results I've just had from the river.
Professor: It ____ be a good idea to check the acid levels as well then.

must
should
might
ought

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Victor: I'd love to go back in history to see how people lived hundreds of years ago.
Simon: Me too! If I _____ choose, I'd probably travel to ancient Rome.

can
will
could
would

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Katie: Would you like to go sightseeing or to the beach this afternoon?
Matthew: I don't mind, I'll let you decide.
Katie: OK, let's go sightseeing, ____ we?

would
should
might
shall

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Anna: Have you lived here a long time?
Stefan: Yes, over 40 years. I know _____ of people in this town.

more
any
lots
most

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Chris: I wish I could be with our cousins ....
Alison: Me too! By this time tomorrow they ___ on a Greek beach while we're revising for our history test.

will be sunbathing
will have sunbathed
will sunbathe
sunbathe

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Daughter: Joanna has been really supportive. I'm so lucky to have her as a friend.
Mother: Yes. Just think - if you hadn't sat next to her in class at school, you ____ so close now.

won't be
wouldn't be
aren't
wouldn't have been

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Andres: Did your town have a good market?
Katie: Yes. When I was young we _____ there every Saturday looking for bargains.

were going
would go
had been going
had gone

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Alex: I'd like to make a cake. ____ eggs have we got?
Andres: Three, I think. Let me check.

How long
How much
How many
How big

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Shop Assistant: Excuse me, please. Could I get past?
Customer: Oh, I'm sorry. I'm getting in the way, ____ I?

aren't
don't
can't
haven't

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Ameena: What colour are you going to paint the living room?
Charlotte: I ____ probably choose something bright, like yellow.

can
will
may
might

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Isabel: The flight is fully booked, so I won't be able to go to Barbados next week.
Sofie: If you _____ the ticket sooner, you'd have found a seat.

had booked
booked
were booking
would have booked

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Emma: Have they finished interviewing for the manager's position yet?
Raf: No, but they _____ all the candidates by next Friday.

haven't seen
would see
won't see
will have seen

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Pablo: In April next year I _____ here for ten years exactly.
Alison: Wow! It really doesn't seem that long.

will have been living
am going to live
will live
will be living

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Matthew: Would you like anything from the shop?
Alicia: Yes, I'd like one of _____ celebrity magazines, please.

the most recent
more recent
most recent
the more recent

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Receptionist: You _____ taken a taxi to the hotel since you arrived so late.
Customer: It was OK, actually. There was a direct bus service from the airport.

will have
would have
should have
might have

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Laura: I can't believe how talented this artist was.
Emily: I know, it's amazing. _____ he was almost 90 when he did them, his paintings are beautiful.

Although
Besides
Since
Therefore

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Son: Mum, I'd really like a guitar. Can I have one?
Mother: OK, but if we buy one you ____ have to practise playing it.

could
can
must
will

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Alicia: I'm going to the supermarket. Do you want anything?
Peter: Could you get ____ milk, please?

a
every
any
some

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Emma: What did you do at the weekend?
Nicole: I ____ tennis with my friend on Saturday.

play
played
plays
playing

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Nicola: I love this picture, but won't it cost a fortune?
Victor: No, it's just a copy. The original, ____ is a portrait of the artist's friend, sold for $4 million!

which
whom
that
whose

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Athlete: _____ hard I try, I can't run any faster.
Coach: You've improved a lot. I wouldn't worry about it.

Though
Whereas
Considering
However

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Son: I had a bit of a stomach ache this morning.
Mother: Oh dear! Well, I did say you ____ eaten that chicken last night.

wouldn't have
shouldn't have
mustn't have
couldn't have

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Assistant: That meeting was really difficult. What would you have done if you ____ in my position?
Manager: Oh, I think you managed it very well.

would be
are
had been
were

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Laura: How was the meeting?
Ricardo: It finished late because Victor didn't arrive until 5 pm. He told me he ____ been given the wrong directions.

has
had
would have
should have

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Manager: Where's Mr Davidson?
Assistant: Oh, he's _____ London today.

in
at
to
on

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Wife: Advertising is a big business for musicians.
Husband: Yes, musicians ____ a lot of money for writing short pieces of music.

are paid
pay
paid
are paying

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Teacher: Tell me something about your parents, Lucas.
Student: My mother and father ____ both very tall.

are
isn't
is
aren't

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Natalia: My new smartphone doesn't seem to work.
Katie: Oh dear! Perhaps you should take it ___ and ask for a refund.

up
out
away
back

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Laura: That's a really beautiful painting. The colours are so vivid.
Jeremy: Yes, it's amazing to think it was lost for years and ____.

has been restoring
had to be restored
must be restored
would be restoring

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Laura: Where ____ you last Tuesday? I tried to phone you.
Beatriz: Oh, I was visiting my grandmother. I didn't have my phone with me.

were
was
are
is

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Emma: What do you do after school?
Chloe: I see my friends. Do you visit people, too?
Emma: No, I ____ go out.

sometimes
never
always
often

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Ayla: That's a nice table, Sophie! Is it new?
Sophie: Oh no. it's my ____ old dining table.

mother
mothers
mothers'
mother's

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Son: Are you OK, Mum? You don't seem very relaxed.
Mother: I just wish I _____ an aisle seat so that I could get up and walk around more easily.

would choose
have chosen
had chosen
should choose

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Daughter: Everyone has arrived apart from Angela.
Mother: Don't worry, she phoned me this morning and said she ____ be a bit late.

can
would
should
must

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Rachel: This would be a lovely place to sit on a dry day.
Natasha: Yes, I know. I just wish the rain ______.

would be stopping
would stop
will have stopped
has stopped

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Placement Test

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