Grammar
C1
Cambridge English C1 Exam
Complete each sentence by choosing the option that best fits the gap. This exercise reviews a mix of grammar topics.
Mixed Exercise
Question 1
Only after the auditors had left .......... how serious the compliance breach was.
did we realise
we realised
we did realise
had we realised
Question 2
She has .......... knack for turning awkward meetings into productive discussions.
-
the
a
an
Question 3
I .......... (to see) the legal team twice this week, so I’ll send you an update after the third meeting.
have seen
have been seeing
am seeing
saw
Question 4
By the time the press conference started, the spokesperson .......... (to rehearse) the key messages for hours.
rehearsed
has been rehearsing
had been rehearsing
was rehearsing
Question 5
If the servers keep overheating, the system .......... down again by tomorrow morning.
will go
will have gone
goes
is going to go
Question 6
The final recommendations .......... to the board next Monday, so please keep the draft confidential.
have been presented
will be presented
are presenting
will present
Question 7
You .......... have copied the figures from last quarter; the pattern is identical, including the same typo.
might
must
could
would
Question 8
The consultant promised to .......... the proposal by Friday, but we still haven’t received a revised version.
get back to us on
get away with
get down to
get over
Question 9
She insisted .......... paying for the training herself, even though the company offered to reimburse her.
on
in
at
to
Question 10
Direct speech: The CFO said, “We can’t justify this expense any longer.” Reported speech: The CFO said that they .......... justify that expense any longer.
wouldn’t
hadn’t been able to
can’t
couldn’t
About Grammar — Cambridge English C1
This Cambridge English C1 Grammar exercise reviews a mix of grammar points. For each sentence, choose the option that best completes the gap.
Regular grammar practice at C1 builds the accuracy you need across every part of the exam — Use of English, Reading, Listening and Writing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this C1 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.