First Certificate Language Practice Final Test

1             Put each verb in brackets into a suitable verb form.

0           While I (try) was trying to get my car started, a passing car stopped and the driver (offer) offered to help me.

1           I (wait) ___________________________________ for you for the past hour! What (you do) ___________________________________ all this time?

2           While I (walk) ___________________________________ to the bus-stop, I realised I (leave) ___________________________________ the cooker on.

3           Why didn’t you phone me? If I (knew) ________________________________ you were ill, I (come) ___________________________________ to see you.

4           Hello, Pat. I (phone) ___________________________________ to ask if you (do) ___________________________________ anything this Saturday.

5           By the time Big Jim (become) ___________________________________ heavyweight boxing champion he (win) ________________________________ over thirty fights.

6           I (not see) ___________________________________ you for ages. What (you do) ___________________________________ ?

7           Hurry up! I (think) ___________________________________ you (be) ___________________________________ ready by now.

8           If I (be) ___________________________________ you, I (not spend) ___________________________________ so much money.

9           Danny’s train (arrive) ___________________________________ tomorrow evening at 6.00 so we (meet) ___________________________________ him at the station.

10         Wish me luck! If I (get) ___________________________________ the job, I (let) ___________________________________ you know.

2          Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.

0           Look at those black clouds! There’s rain on the way.
to
Look at those black clouds! It’s going to rain.

1           I’d prefer you not to wear jeans to the office.
rather
I’d __________________________________________ wear jeans to the office.

2           We won’t get there on time without taking a taxi.
unless
We won’t get there on time ____________________________________ a taxi.

3           ‘I wouldn’t go swimming after dark if I were you, Tom.’
advised
Brian _________________________________________ swimming after dark.

4           Although she had twisted her ankle, Sally still won the race.
twisting
Sally still won the race, ____________________________________ her ankle.

5           Mike enjoys playing golf more than I do.
as
I don’t enjoy playing golf ______________________________________ does.

6           I regret selling my car.
wish
I ________________________________________________________ my car.

7           Nobody has cut the lawn for weeks!
hasn’t
The lawn _______________________________________________ for weeks.

8           It was the best meal I had ever eaten.
never
I ______________________________________________ a good meal before.

9           Have you got a smaller size than this?
the
Is __________________________________________________ you have got?

10         A friend is looking after my cat while I’m away.
care
A friend _____________________________________ my cat while I’m away.

3          Look carefully at each line. Some of the lines are correct, and some have a word which should not be there. Tick each correct line. If a line has a word which should not be there, write the word in the space.

Foreign travel

Nowadays more and more people enjoy                                                                                      0 ü

foreign travel, and take up their holidays in                                                                                00 up

the distant countries. However, not everyone                                                                            1 ______

has had the same reason for travelling. Some                                                                             2 ______

of people travel so that they can practise                                                                                    3 ______

foreign languages, or because they want to                                                                               4 ______

visit well-known sights in other countries.                                                                                  5 ______

Lots of young people just want to have relax                                                                             6 ______

and make up new friends. Personally, I would like                                                                     7 ______

to travel abroad for the excitement! I have never                                                                       8 ______

been visited to a foreign country before, but I have                                                                  9 ______

been planning a trip around Europe by the train with                                                               10 ______

some friends of mine. As we are students, and so we can                                                        11 ______

buy cheaper tickets. One of my friends went on                                                                        12 ______

having this kind of trip a few years ago. She stayed in                                                             13 ______

youth hostels, and managed to spend a very little                                                                    14 ______

money. I think that this would be an exciting holiday.                                                              15 ______

4          Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.

0           Look at those black clouds! There’s rain on the way.
to
Look at those black clouds! It’s going to rain.

1           I don’t play tennis as well as you do.
better
You _________________________________________________________ do.

2           You ought to have your house painted.
be
Your house _______________________________________________ painted.

3           The last time I saw Melanie was before she got her new job.
since
I ______________________________________________ she got her new job.

4           The film was so funny that I burst out laughing.
a
It was ______________________________________ that I burst out laughing.

5           I’ve never flown in a helicopter before.
first
This is ________________________________________ flown in a helicopter.

6           ‘You stole the money, Joe, didn’t you!’ said the inspector.
accused
The inspector ___________________________________________ the money.

7           It is essential that this letter is posted today.
must
This letter __________________________________________________ today.

8           ‘Is the train on time?’ asked one of the people waiting.
whether
One of the people waiting wanted to ___________________________ on time.

9           My advice is to inform the police.
better
I think ___________________________________________ inform the police.

10      They believe a single gunman carried out the attack.
believed
A single gunman ________________________________ carried out the attack.5      Decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each space.

School sports day

Our school sports were held last week, and the (0)  B  afternoon was a disaster. For a start, very (1) _____ people bothered to turn (2) _____ , and there is nothing
(3) _____ than trying to win a race with only three or four people cheering you on. It rained (4) _____ afternoon, from the moment the first starting pistol (5) _____ fired, until the last medal had (6) _____ presented. I was in the high jump, (7) _____ meant running up to do my best jump and then landing (8) _____ a pool of cold muddy water. It was raining (9) _____ hard that we couldn’t see the runners in the 5,000 metres, and it (10) _____ out that they had all stopped (11) _____ the other side of the field to shelter under a tree. My other event was the javelin, but (12) _____ time I tried to throw, the javelin kept slipping from my hand. In (13) _____ case, I couldn’t see where I was throwing, and when I (14) _____ finally manage to launch my javelin into the air, it disappeared in the direction of the railway line, and was never seen
(15) _____ .

0          A all                              B whole                       C total                            D final

1          A little                           B small                         C few                             D rare

2          A up                              B about                        C round                         D over

3          A like                            B better                        C left                              D worse

4          A by                              B the                            C entire                          D all

5          A had                            B was                           C has                             D been

6          A to                               B had                           C been                           D itself

7          A which                        B and                           C so                               D nevertheless

8          A on                              B at                               C in                                D to

9          A so                              B as                              C and                             D very

10        A worked                     B found                       C looked                        D turned

11        A under                        B on                             C through                     D about

12        A first                           B in                               C every                          D a

13        A this                            B the                            C whatever                   D any

14        A did                             B had                           C should                       D have

15        A there                         B again                        C to                                D back

6          Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given. You must use between two and five words, including the word given.

0           Look at those black clouds! There’s rain on the way.
to
Look at those black clouds! It’s going to rain.

1           A year ago we hadn’t even met!
last
This ______________________________________________ hadn’t even met!

2           Without your help, I wouldn’t have passed the exam.
for
If it ________________________________ , I wouldn’t have passed the exam.

3           Nobody knows anything about the whereabouts of the President.
about
Nothing ______________________________ the whereabouts of the President.

4           My teachers made me work hard at school.
was
I ___________________________________________________ hard at school.

5           ‘I’m awfully sorry, Carol, but I’ve broken your watch,’ said Jim.
to
Jim ____________________________________________________ her watch.

6           Please see that you close the door when you go.
open
Please don’t __________________________________________ when you go.

7           Unless we leave now, we’ll miss the start of the film.
if
We’ll miss the start of the film __________________________________ now.

8           Do you own these two cars?
belong
Do _________________________________________________________ you?

9           Business hasn’t been so bad for a long time.
has
Rarely ________________________________________________ been so bad.

10            I won’t sell the painting, no matter how much you offer me.
price
Whatever __________________________________ the painting, I won’t sell it.