Grammar
B2
Cambridge English B2 Exam
Complete each sentence by choosing the option that best fits the gap. This exercise reviews a mix of grammar topics.
Past Continuous
Question 1
At 9 p.m. last night, I .......... (to try) to finish the report before the deadline.
was tried
tried
was trying
have tried
Question 2
While we .......... (to discuss) the budget, the internet suddenly .......... (to stop) working.
were discussing / was stopping
were discussing / stopped
discussed / was stopping
discussed / stopped
Question 3
.......... you .......... (to listen) when the teacher explained the rule?
Were / listening
Have / listened
Did / listen
Was / listening
Question 4
When I called, Maya .......... (to drive), so she didn’t answer immediately.
had driven
drives
was driving
drove
Question 5
The whole office .......... (to talk) about the merger that morning.
talked
was talking
were talking
has been talking
Question 6
I .......... (not / to pay) attention, so I missed the last part of the announcement.
weren't paying
not paid
didn't pay
wasn't paying
Question 7
They .......... (to cycle) along the river when it .......... (to start) to rain heavily.
were cycling / started
cycled / started
were cycling / was starting
cycled / was starting
Question 8
Choose the sentence with the correct word order.
Were you doing what when I arrived?
What you were doing when I arrived?
What did you were doing when I arrived?
What were you doing when I arrived?
Question 9
At the conference, some people .......... (to take) notes while others .......... (to record) the session.
were taking / recorded
were taking / were recording
took / recorded
took / were recording
Question 10
She .......... (to own) a flat in Madrid at the time, so she didn’t need to rent one.
owned
had been owning
was owning
was owned
About Grammar — Cambridge English B2
This Cambridge English B2 Grammar exercise reviews a mix of grammar points. For each sentence, choose the option that best completes the gap.
Regular grammar practice at B2 builds the accuracy you need across every part of the exam — Use of English, Reading, Listening and Writing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this B2 Grammar exercise cover?
A mix of grammar topics, with each question focused on a specific point such as tenses, articles, prepositions or pronouns.
Why is grammar important for the Cambridge exam?
Grammatical accuracy is assessed directly in Use of English and Writing, and strong grammar helps you understand Reading and Listening too.
How can I improve my grammar?
Practise little and often, review the specific topic behind each mistake, and read the whole sentence before choosing your answer.
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What to do
This part consists of a series of assessments, each having only one valid answer.
Select the best answer according to what you read.
There's only a correct answer which you will have to select by clicking on it.
Don't spend time in an assessment you don't know. Wasting time on this activity might cost you points later in the exam because you won’t have enough time to do other tasks well. Get used to being quick!
Don't spend time in an assessment you don't know. Wasting time on this activity might cost you points later in the exam because you won’t have enough time to do other tasks well. Get used to being quick!
Although these grammar tests are not part of the official Cambridge exams, they are still important as they touch on language elements that you'll come across in all parts of the official exams, such as Reading and Use of English.
Strategy
- Read the assessment so you understand what it is about.
- Pay attention to the topic on the top-right corner of each assessment.
- Check the words before and after each gap and look for grammatical collocations.
- Remember that you select a choice by clicking on it.