TEST INSTRUCTIONS

ENGLISH PLACEMENT TEST

Time Allowed
Grammar and Reading:
35 minutes
Writing:
25 minutes
Answer Transfer:

10 minutes

Answers to Sections 1 8 must be transferred to the ANSWER SHEET

SCORE INTERPRETATION
GRAMMAR, PRONUNCIATION and READING
Level
equivalent

Score

Beginner
Elementary
Pre-Intermediate
Intermediate
Upper Intermediate
Advanced

(0-16)
less
(17-26) less
(27-35) 4.5
(36-43) 5
(44-50)
(51-55)

IELTS
than 4.5
than 4.5
5.5
5.5/6

GRAMMAR, PRONUNCIATION and READING

(35 minutes)
Section 1
Choose the correct answer to fill in the gaps.
1) Q. Where do you come from?
A. I ________________ from Italy.
a) came
b) come
c) am coming
2) ________________________ watching movies?
a) Does you likes
b) Would you like
c) Do you like
3) ________________________ arrive in Melbourne?
a) Did you
b) Have you ever
c) When did you
4) If I was rich, I ________ quit my job.
a) will
b) would
c) can

5) I ________________ play the piano when I was a child.

a) used to
b) used
c) wants
6) She might ________________ lunch, but its only 11:00am.
a) eat
b) eaten
c) have eaten
7) Everyday, doctors ________________ people not to smoke.
a) advising
b) advise
c) may advise
8) If you ________________ in art, you should visit the gallery regularly.
a) interesting
b) are interesting
c) are interested
9) Hell definitely ________________ watch the football match.
a) wont
b) want to
c) want
10) If I ________________ left work earlier, I would have arrived home on
time.
a) have
b) had
c) did have

Section 2
Decide which preposition is correct for each sentence.
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)

down
up
in
at
by
to
next
with
on
off

1) The baby put the toy ________ its mouth.

2) Im going overseas ________ year.
3) After dinner, she quickly drove ________ .
4) He came ________ with the flu
5) I like to be alone ________ times.
6) Scientists will eventually come ________ with a cure for arthritis.
7) Her clothes are similar ________ mine.
8) The magazines belong ________ the bottom shelf.
9) She took a holiday ________ her boyfriend.
10) There is a supermarket near ________ .

Section 3
1)

Which three words have a similar vowel pronunciation?

line
mix
fine
think
kind
2)

Which word has a different pronunciation?

stomach
lunch
headache

3)

Which word has a silent w?

woman
welcome

4)

write

Profession is the noun. What is the adjective?

________________

5)

What is the silent letter in knee?

________

Section 4
Match the expression in bold with the meaning below.
1) If you wear bright colours, you will stand out.
____
2) His plan to travel fell through because he didnt have a lot of
money.

____

3) She isnt confident, and doesnt get out a lot.

____
4) Although his leg hurt, he went on walking.
____
5) You should speak out for what you believe in.
____
a) continued
b) didnt happen
5

c) be easily noticed, attract attention

d) go places, do things
e) give your opinion

Section 5
Which of the phrases are used for?
1) Refusing to do something
2) Asking for help

____
____

3) Asking for someone to wait

4) Interrupting someone

____
____

5) Agreeing to do something

____

a) Id really appreciate
b) Excuse me
c) Could you hold on
d) Id prefer not to
e) No worries
Section 6
Which is the best answer for the question?
1) I dont really like action movies. Do you?
a) No, not really.

b) No, I am.

2) I always used to study on the weekend.

a) Did you really?

b) Do you really?

3) Do you remember the title of the book?

a) Well, let me think.

b) What do you think?

4) I passed the examination.

a) Well done!

b) Well thought out!

5) I used to be a chef.
a) When did you stop?

b) Do you still do that?

Section 7
Read the text and complete the summary by choosing one of the words
from the box.
additional

computer

English

encourage

understand

study

questions

language

money

expected

In Australia, students are (1) ________ to participate actively in their

classes. They are expected to ask and answer (2) ________ to show that
they (3) ________ . Students can also ask brief questions in class or see
the teacher privately for extra help or for (4) ________ explanations of
class material. Sometimes, instead of answering questions, teachers
will (5) ________ students to think for themselves by asking them to find
the answer.

Section 8
Probably the most widely recognised conversational convention is that
people take turns speaking. In other words, one person speaks while
the other listens, then they swap. But how do people know when it is
their turn? Some rules must be present, otherwise conversations
would be continually breaking down into a disorganized jumble of
interruptions and simultaneous talk.
Turn-taking cues are usually quite subtle. A person does not simply stop
talking when they are ready to let the other person start. They usually
signal in advance that they are about to conclude. The clues may be
semantic (So anyway, or Last but not least, ); but more
commonly the speech itself can be modified to show that a turn is
about to end typically, by lowering its pitch, loudness, or speed.
Body movements and patterns of eye contact are especially important.
While speaking, we look at and away from our listener in about equal
proportions; but as we approach the end of a turn, we look at the
listener more steadily.
Listeners are not passive in all of this. There are several ways for a
listener to signal that they want to speak next. One way is through an
obvious increase in body tension by leaning forward or producing an
audible intake of breath. A less subtle approach is simply to interrupt.
This strategy may be tolerated if the purpose is to clarify what the
speaker is saying, but usually leads to social disapproval.

Indicate whether the following are true or false according to the passage
above.
1) Rules are unnecessary for conversation.
True
False
2) A change in volume can signal that a speaker is about to stop
talking.
True
False
3) While speaking, we look at our speaker all the time.
True
False
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4) It is impossible for the listener to influence the speaker.

True
False
5) Interrupting a speaker is sometimes considered impolite.
True
False
Sometimes different words can have a similar meaning. Choose the
word closest in meaning to these words from the reading passage.
6) recognised
a) chosen

b) understood

c) academic

7) present
a) gift

b) existing

c) now

8) modified
a) changed

b) stopped

9) obvious
a) strange

b) quick

10) tolerated
a) bad

b) old

c) faster
c) clear
c) accepted

WRITING
(25 minutes)
Write a paragraph about each of the following topics.
1. Your family.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Your childhood.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
3. Your future plans.
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
10

_________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________

ANSWER SHEET (10 minutes transfer time)

Total

Score:_____________/55

Section 1 (write a, b or c)

Section 2 (write a, b, c, etc)

1. ____________ 6.
____________
2. ____________ 7.
____________
3. ____________ 8.
____________
4. ____________ 9.
____________
5. ____________ 10.
____________

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

____________ 6. ____________
____________ 7. ____________
____________ 8. ____________
____________ 9. ____________
____________ 10. ____________

/10

/10
Section 3 (write the word/s)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

_________ ________ _________

_________
_________
_________
_________
/5

Section 5 (write a, b, c, etc)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Section 4 (write a, b, c, etc)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
5

Section 6 (write a or b)

____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
/5

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
11

____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
/5

Section 7 (write the word)

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

____________
____________
____________
____________
____________
/5

Section 8
(write TRUE/FALSE) // (write a, b
or c)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

____________ 6. ____________
____________ 7. ____________
____________ 8. ____________
____________ 9. ____________
____________ 10. ____________

/10

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