This English grammar quiz is designed to check if an English learner is at C2/Upper Intermediate CEFR level.
This is a quiz to check if an English learner is at the C1/Advanced CEFR level. It tests the learner's ability to understand and use a wide range of complex and nuanced language. The questions will cover various grammar topics such as verb tenses, modals, passive voice, and idiomatic expressions. The learner will be expected to show a high degree of accuracy in their use of English. The quiz is designed to challenge even the most advanced learners and will be a good indicator of whether they have reached a C1 level of proficiency in the language.
Correct Answers
What's the deal with that guy? He's such a ______."
Choose the correct option.
"Pain in the neck" is a colloquial expression that means a person who is a nuisance or annoyance.
Might is the correct answer because it indicates a possibility of rain tomorrow. is and be are grammatically incorrect. should is incorrect because it suggests a recommendation or advice, but it is not expressing a possibility of rain.
The correct answer is "had proved" because it is in the past perfect form, which is used to describe an action that was completed before another action or point in time in the past. In this sentence, the action of proving to be more cost-effective was completed before the company's decision to outsource the customer service department.
Option "proved" is incorrect because it is in the past simple form, which is used to describe an action that was completed in the past with no reference to another action or point in time in the past.
Option "has proved" is incorrect because it is in the present perfect form, which is used to describe an action that was completed at an unspecified time in the past or that began in the past and continues to the present.
Option "was proved" is incorrect because it is in the passive voice past simple (and not perfect) form.
The correct answer is "would manage" because it implies that the team is able to win the game despite the odds. "Managed" and "did manage" are in the past simple tense and imply that the team was able to win the game in the past, which is not what is expressed in the sentence. "Had managed" is in the past perfect tense and implies that the team had already won the game in the past.
"Had decided" is the correct option because it is in the past perfect tense, which is used to describe an action that was completed before another action or point in time in the past. In this sentence, the meeting was held yesterday, and the committee had already decided to make a decision by the end of the month. So, the action of deciding was completed before the meeting was held.
Option "decided" is incorrect because it is in the simple past tense, which is used to describe an action that was completed in the past, but it does not indicate when the action was completed.
Option "has decided" is incorrect because it is in the present perfect tense, which is used to describe an action that was completed at an unspecified time before now, but it does not indicate when the action was completed with respect to the meeting.
Option "was decided" is incorrect because it is in the past passive form, which is used to describe an action that was done to someone or something, but it does not indicate who or what did the action.
I had hoped that the situation ______ differently, but it appears that things are still the same.
Choose the correct option.
The correct answer is "would turn out" because it is in the past tense and expresses the speaker's hope for a future outcome. "Had turned out" and "Would have turned out" are in the past perfect tense and imply that the situation has already been resolved in the past, which is not what is expressed in the sentence. "Turned out" is in the past simple tense and implies that the situation has already been resolved in the past, which is not what is expressed in the sentence.
"Go" is the correct answer because it is used to form the subjunctive mood in the past.
Option "am going" is incorrect because it is in the present continuous form, which is used to describe an action that is currently in progress or scheduled to happen in the near future.
Option "would go" is incorrect because it is in the conditional form, which is used to describe an action that would happen in certain conditions or in the future.
Option "had gone" is incorrect because it is in the past perfect form, which is used to describe an action that was completed before another action or point in time in the past. Here it doesn't indicate that the action was completed before anything else.
Feeling blue - This idiom means to feel sad or depressed.
"Shooting the breeze" is a colloquial expression that means to engage in idle or casual conversation.
Keep one's nose to the grindstone - This idiom means to work hard and consistently
The correct answer is turning down, as it is the gerund form of the verb "to turn down" and the verb "regret" requires something that functions as a noun.
"Wild goose chase" is a colloquial expression that means a futile or fruitless pursuit or effort.
"Threw under the bus" is a colloquial expression that means to betray or sacrifice someone for one's own benefit.
The correct answer is "had" because it is in the past subjunctive form of the verb "have", which is used in conjunction with "wish" to express a hypothetical or unreal action or condition in the past. In this sentence, the speaker is expressing regret or disappointment about not having more time to prepare for the presentation, but this is a hypothetical or unreal situation because the time has already passed.
Option "have" is incorrect because it is in the present form of the verb, which is not appropriate to express a hypothetical or unreal action in the past.
Option "would have" is incorrect because it is in the past conditional form of the verb, which is used to express a hypothetical or unreal action in the future.
Option "will have" is incorrect because it is in the future form of the verb, which is not appropriate to express a hypothetical or unreal action in the past.
The idiom "as poor as a church mouse" means to be very poor.
"I'm gonna hit up the store later"
Choose the standard English equivalent of the above colloquial language.
The phrase "hit up" is a colloquial way of saying "visit". The correct option "I'm going to visit the store later" uses the standard English phrase to convey the same meaning.
What do you call someone who's always running late?
Choose the correct option.
A "flake" is a colloquial term for someone who is habitually late.
The correct options are "will have", "am going" and "have decided".
The option "had decided" is not correct because the phrase "next two weeks" indicates speaking about the future in present.
"are monitoring" is a correct option. This is the present continuous form of the verb "monitor", which is used to indicate that the action is currently taking place. "have been monitoring" is also correct. This is the present perfect continuous form of the verb "monitor", which is used to indicate that the action started in the past and continues to the present moment. "will monitor" is correct too as it expresses a promise. "would monitor" is incorrect. This is the conditional form of the verb "monitor", which is used to indicate a hypothetical or uncertain situation.
"have failed" is the correct option because it is in the present perfect tense, which is used to indicate that an action has been completed in the past but has a connection to the present. "Fail" is in the present simple, which is not appropriate in this context because the action is completed. "Had failed" is in the past perfect, which is used to indicate that an action was completed before another action in the past. This option doesn't match the context of the sentence, as there's no other action in the past that this is being compared to. "Was failing" is in the past continuous, which is used to indicate that an action was in progress at a specific time in the past. But this option doesn't match the context of the sentence, as the speaker is describing the result, not the progress of the action.
Clause
A clause is a grammatical unit built around a verb — typically a subject plus a predicate (She laughed; The manager approved the budget). Clauses come in two types: independent clauses stand alone as complete sentences; dependent clauses need an independent clause to make sense (Because I overslept — incomplete on its own).
Spotting clause boundaries is the foundation of correct punctuation. Once you can see where one clause ends and another begins, comma rules, run-on sentences, and complex sentence structure stop being mysteries.
Subjunctive mood
The subjunctive mood is the verb form English uses for hypothetical, counterfactual, or formal-recommendation contexts. The two main patterns are: the present subjunctive in that-clauses after verbs of recommendation/insistence (I suggest that he go, It's essential that she be informed), and the past subjunctive were in counterfactual conditionals (If I were you).
Most subjunctive forms in modern English look identical to the indicative — the visible signs are the missing third-person -s (he go, not he goes) and were with first/third-person singular (if I were). Easy to miss; a strong marker of careful, formal English when used.
Perfect tense
The perfect aspect marks an action as complete relative to a point in time. It's formed with have + past participle: I have eaten (present perfect), She had finished (past perfect), They will have arrived (future perfect). The perfect doesn't just say when — it says the action's completion is relevant to the time of reference.
The trickiest English-specific use is the present perfect: I have lived in Paris connects the past to now (you may still live there), while I lived in Paris doesn't. This connection is one of the biggest jumps for learners whose native language doesn't make the same distinction.
Progressive tense
The progressive aspect (also called continuous) marks an action as ongoing at the time of reference, formed with be + present participle (-ing): I am working, She was reading, They will be travelling. It signals temporary or in-progress events — the contrast with the simple aspect (I work = habit; I'm working = right now) is one of the most-used distinctions in English.
Some verbs (stative verbs like know, believe, own, belong) don't normally take the progressive — I'm knowing the answer sounds wrong. Recognising stative vs dynamic verbs is what stops you from over-applying the rule.
Simple tense
The simple aspect is the unmarked verb form — no progressive -ing, no have + past participle. I go, I went, I will go are simple; I am going, I have gone, I had gone are not. The simple aspect typically marks a single completed action (Brutus killed Caesar), a repeated/habitual action (I go to school every day), or a permanent state (We live in Dallas).
The simple aspect is the foundation everything else builds on. Once it's automatic, switching into progressive (ongoing) or perfect (completed-relative-to-now) becomes a small adjustment rather than a fresh decision.
Future tense
English doesn't have a single dedicated future tense — it has multiple ways to talk about future time. The most common are will + bare infinitive (I'll call you), be going to + infinitive (I'm going to study), the present continuous for arrangements (I'm meeting Sam at six), and the present simple for fixed schedules (The train leaves at 8).
The choice between them isn't free — each carries a different shade of meaning. Will often signals spontaneous decisions or pure prediction; going to signals intentions formed earlier or evidence-based predictions. Picking the right form is one of the trickiest distinctions for B1+ learners.
Past tense
The past tense is how English talks about events finished before now. It comes in four flavours: simple past (I walked) for completed events, past progressive (I was walking) for actions ongoing at a past time, past perfect (I had walked) for events before another past event, and past perfect progressive (I had been walking) for ongoing events leading up to a past point.
Choosing the right one is what makes past narratives clear instead of murky. When I arrived, she ate dinner is technically grammatical but means something different than had eaten (already done) or was eating (in progress when you arrived).
Present tense
The present tense in English has four forms: simple present (I work) for habits, general truths, and stative descriptions; present progressive (I am working) for actions happening right now or temporary situations; present perfect (I have worked) for past actions with present relevance; and present perfect progressive (I have been working) for ongoing actions continuing into the present.
The simple/progressive distinction is one of the trickiest jumps for learners — I work in Paris (habitual) and I'm working in Paris (temporary, right now) feel almost identical but signal different things. Pick wrong and your meaning subtly shifts.
Modal verb
A modal verb is a special class of auxiliary — can, could, may, might, must, shall, should, will, would — that adds shades of meaning around possibility, ability, permission, obligation, or speculation. I can swim (ability), You should rest (advice), It might rain (possibility), You must leave (obligation).
Modals are grammatically peculiar: no -s in the third person (she can, not she cans), no infinitive, no participle, followed by the bare verb (I can swim, never I can to swim). Mastering them is the move from describing facts to expressing how you feel about them — likelihood, necessity, recommendation.
Gerund
A gerund is the -ing form of a verb used as a noun — swimming, reading, being late. It can sit in any position a noun can: as the subject (Swimming is fun), as the object of a verb (I enjoy swimming), or as the complement of a preposition (She's good at swimming).
Gerunds matter because dozens of common English verbs and almost every preposition force you into the -ing form. Pick the wrong shape — I enjoy to swim, good at to swim — and the sentence sounds clearly off to a native speaker. Knowing which contexts demand a gerund (vs. an infinitive) is what makes verb patterns click.
Infinitive
The infinitive is the basic, unmarked form of a verb, used when no tense or subject agreement is needed. English has two flavours: the to-infinitive (to swim, to read) and the bare infinitive (swim, read). The to-infinitive follows verbs like want, decide, hope, plan (I want to swim); the bare infinitive follows modal verbs (I can swim) and certain causative verbs (Let him go).
Knowing which form to use after which verb is one of the trickiest distinctions in English — closely tied to the parallel choice of gerund (-ing form). I want to swim but I enjoy swimming aren't interchangeable.
Verb
A verb is a word that expresses an action, a state, or an occurrence — the engine of every English sentence. Most verbs have five forms: base (go), -s form (goes), past tense (went), past participle (gone), and -ing form (going). The verb be is the major exception with eight forms; modal verbs like can and must have fewer.
Verbs carry tense (when), aspect (how it unfolds), mood (the speaker's attitude), and voice (active vs passive). Mastering them is foundational — virtually every other grammar topic depends on getting verbs right.
Noun
A noun is a word that names something — a person, place, thing, idea, action, or quality. Nouns are one of the open word classes in English, alongside verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. They typically appear as the subject or object of a clause, after articles or adjectives, and as the head of a noun phrase.
Recognising nouns reliably is the foundation for nearly every other grammar topic — agreement, articles, plurals, possessives, and prepositions all depend on it. Get this right and the rest of English grammar starts to fall into place.
Adverb
An adverb modifies a verb, an adjective, or another adverb — adding information about how, when, where, how often, or to what degree something happens: she sings beautifully, unbelievably fast, we go there often. Many adverbs end in -ly, but plenty don't (well, fast, hard, almost).
Adverbs matter because they're how you add nuance without piling on extra clauses. Used well, a single adverb can sharpen a vague sentence (she answered → she answered honestly), but misplace one and the meaning drifts in a way native speakers immediately notice.
Conditional sentence
A conditional sentence describes one situation as depending on another. It pairs a condition clause (usually starting with if) with a consequence clause: If it rains, we'll stay in. The condition can refer to general truths, real future possibilities, hypothetical present situations, or unreal past situations — and each type uses a specific tense pattern.
English teaching groups these into zero, first, second, third, and mixed conditionals. Mastering them lets you talk about plans, regrets, hypotheticals, and warnings — territory you can't reach with simple present and past tenses alone.
Idiom
An idiom is a fixed expression whose meaning isn't predictable from the words it contains. Kick the bucket doesn't mean physically kicking a bucket — it means to die. Spill the beans means to reveal a secret. It's raining cats and dogs means it's pouring rain. The cultural meaning has fully replaced the literal one.
English is dense with idioms, and recognising them is the difference between feeling lost in a casual conversation and following along easily. They can't usually be translated word-for-word into other languages — they have to be learned as whole units, like vocabulary.
C2 | Proficiency
C2 is the highest level in the CEFR framework — the proficiency stage, where your English is nearly indistinguishable from a well-educated native speaker's. C2 users handle irony, understatement, and idiomatic range across any register, and they reformulate ideas under pressure without losing fluency.
C2 is less about learning new grammar and more about mastering the flexible, context-sensitive use of everything you already know. Most learners never reach C2 — and most don't need to. Knowing the level helps you set realistic goals: B2 or C1 is plenty for almost any practical purpose.
C1 | Advanced
C1 is the advanced level in the CEFR framework, sitting between B2 and C2. At C1 you stop translating in your head and start thinking in English — handling specialised articles outside your field, picking up implicit meaning, and writing structured arguments on complex topics.
Grammatically, C1 means natural use of inversion (Rarely have I seen…), mixed and advanced conditionals, subjunctive forms in formal contexts, and cleft sentences for emphasis. Most university programmes for non-native speakers and many professional certifications set C1 as their entry standard.
Difficulty: Hard
The Hard difficulty tag marks questions and challenges aimed at upper-intermediate to advanced learners — typically B2 and above. Expect interacting rules, edge cases, distractors that look right at first glance, and contexts where the surface meaning and the grammatical answer don't match.
Filter by Hard when you're past the basics and want material that genuinely tests your understanding. These questions catch the gaps your textbook didn't — register-sensitive choices, exception cases, mixed conditionals, the difference between would have been and had been.