Revision Tasks

Sec. Pre Advanced (Advanced Speak Out)

Progress Test 1

A. WISHES and REGRETS

Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first. Use the word in
capitals.

1. I overslept because I went to bed late. IF

If I hadn’t gone to bed late, I wouldn’t have overslept.

2. It’s annoying that you don’t tidy up. WISH

_____________________________________________

3. It’s a shame Stephen isn’t here today. ONLY

_____________________________________________

4. I forgot my keys. I’m locked out of my house. IF

_____________________________________________

5. Laura feels bad about being so impatient. REGRETS

_____________________________________________

6. Sarah had a bad back so she couldn’t go to work. BUT FOR

_____________________________________________
______/5

B. THE CONTINUOUS ASPECT

a) William will have been teaching/taught for ten years by the end of this academic year.
b) When do you think you’ll have heard/been hearing about your application?
c) Hannah claims not to have known/been knowing about the meeting
d) I can’t believe that you’ve been making/made so many friends since you moved here.
e) How long have you waited/been waiting for the bus?
f) Maria has/had been working as a teacher for years before I met her.
______/5
C. DESCRIBING HABITS

Complete the sentences with the words in the box.

wouldn’t always inclination kept on will prone

to

1. My parents would allow me to stay out late when I was a teenager.

2. John _______ always tell you the truth even if it’s unpalatable.
3. I __________ taking painkillers even though they didn’t really help.
4. Lucy’s _________ complaining about something or other.
5. Max is __________ driving too fast especially when he’s on the motorway.
6. Phil has an __________ to spend money when he knows he shouldn’t.
____/5

D. VERB PATTERNS
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
1. As a business leader, __________ (make) decisions is one of the most important things you
do.
2. It’s important ____________ (have) strong opinions on an issue in order ___________(invite)
a healthy debate on the topic.
3. However, the fact is that circumstances change all the time. You may need to contemplate
__________(change) your decision.
4. If the facts and environment change, you need ____________(be) willing and able to make
changes quickly while you still have the chance ____________(do) so.
5. The scientists appear ___________(steal) their research from another source.
____/5

E. Complete the sentences one or two words

Example 1 Adrianna’s aim,     which      I’m sure is achievable, is to earn enough money to buy a
car this year.
2 I’ve got two sons,                 which are architects.
3 We had a big fight on Tuesday, at which _____ we decided to break up.
4 My best friend,                     has just moved away, is hoping to become a travel writer.
5 Isn’t that the lady                     husband has just sailed round the world single-handed?
6 It may rain tomorrow, ________________ case we won’t go to the beach.
7 He promised to take me to the town ________________ he grew up.
____/6
F. Put the noun phrases in the correct order.
Example I was surprised to learn that my favourite book had been written by a teenage boy from
America.
boy / from America / teenage
1 Mike bought a(n) ______________________________________ ring for his girlfriend.
huge / expensive / insanely / diamond
2 The children were scared by the ____________________________________ noises at the
airplane show.
jet engine / loud / deafeningly
3 Lucy was upset to lose her ________________________________________ bag.
handmade / favourite / leather
4 We ate on the balcony and watched the sunlight
________________________________________________________ water.
reflecting / crystal / off / clear / the
5 We decided to stay in ___________________________________________ of the city.
neighbourhood / centre / trendy / in / the / the
_____/5

G. PERSONALITY IDIOMS

Complete the sentences.

1. Tom really thinks he’s a big cheese__ in the company even though his role is minor.
2. Julie is such a ____________ blanket. She always complains about everything!
3. That Ben’s a _____________ apple to be sure. He always manages to create a bad
atmosphere.
4. Greg’s a bit of a loose ____________. You can’t ever be sure how he’s going to react to
things.
5. Don’t worry about Stella – she’s a tough ___________ and is pretty scary when under attack.
6. I’m tired of being such a couch ________. I’m going to join a gym next week!
_____/5
H. METAPHORS
Sentences 1-8 each have a word missing.

at downhill for go ideas regurgitate their to

regurgitate
Example 1. I hate exams in which you just have to  the teacher’s ideas.

2. Because experience is vital, mountaineers don’t usually reach peak until their forties.
3. My tennis has gone as I’ve got older.
4. I was a crossroads in my career so I had to make a move.
5. I find a lot of his theories rather hard swallow.
6. When I joined the company, my boss said, ‘You’ll far’.
7. This report says human cloning is only a few years away. Hmm, that’s food thought.
8. He emails me with these ridiculous half-baked on how to improve the business.
_______/7

I. SPECULATING
Choose the correct alternative.
1 You’re looking/supposing a bit puzzled there, Jeffrey. Is there something you don’t
understand? What do I need to clarify?
2 If I had to give/make a guess, which I’d rather not, I’d say he was in his early fifties. He can’t
be any older than that, surely.
3 I reckon/hazard we took a wrong turning off that main road. There’s been no sign of the station
we should’ve passed shortly after the turn.
4 Most of the time, it seems/supposes to me that he lacks the necessary integrity required to work
in the police force. He’s certainly never been known to keep his opinions to himself.
5 Oh, I know she makes/gives the impression of being all high and mighty but if you give her a
chance, you’ll discover that she’s actually really down-to-earth.
6 When you get to talk to him, you realise how quiet he actually is. It makes/has me think that
his arrogance may actually mask a lack of self-confidence.
7 Please don’t quote me but I’m pretty/definitely sure that the man standing over there talking to
Maurice is the one who created his own IT company when he was only twenty-one. If I’m right
and it is him, you should tell him about your idea for a new app!
8 I’d reckon/hazard a guess that there’s a lot more to Professor Pracowik than meets the eye. He
certainly strikes me as rather a dark horse and no-one seems to know much about him
_____/7
J. OPINIONS

Complete the sentences with words and phrases a)–k) below. There are two options you do not
need.

1 It’s       e     that Stephen will step up to the mark and help out now. After all, he’s shown no
interest in the project all year, so why should we expect a sudden change of heart from him
now?
2 As far             it’s all water under the bridge. It’s time to start afresh and let bygones be
bygones. There’s no point letting an old dispute spoil what could be a wonderful friendship.
3 To             Matthew has always been scrupulously fair in his dealings with clients, which is
why I’d thoroughly recommend him to manage your investment.
4 From what             , we seem to be committed to something we don’t actually believe in. If you
also feel this to be the case, let’s see if we can get out of the agreement somehow.
5 According             , there are more school-leavers than ever deciding to take a gap year on
leaving formal education. Whilst some are deciding to travel, others are using this time to gain
valuable work experience.
6 Whether the concert will go ahead or not             .
I guess it all depends on how well the tickets are selling and whether at the end of the day,
enough are sold to cover our costs.
7 I’m           doing what you suggest. We might just open a can of worms, which will only make
things worse.
8 Quite             , I’ve had enough of listening to pointless rhetoric. There’s no time for that any
more, we need to start being proactive and actually do something.
9 Well, if             , we should look at introducing measures to streamline the company so we can
keep things ticking over during the recession.

a) is debatable
b) frankly
c) as I’m concerned
d) reality is
e) highly unlikely
f) to the statistics
g) want my honest opinion
h) my knowledge
i) you ask me
j) really not sure about
k) I can gather
_____/8

Total ____________ / 58