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
Hardly .......... the meeting started when the fire alarm went off.
has
did
was
had
Question 2
She has .......... reputation for being brutally honest, which can be both an asset and a liability.
the
an
a
-
Question 3
I .......... the figures all morning, and I still can’t make sense of the discrepancy.
have checked
have been checking
am checking
had been checking
Question 4
By the time the auditors arrived, the company .......... its records to comply with the new regulations.
had already revised
was already revising
has already revised
already revised
Question 5
This time next week, I .......... in for my final interview, so I’ll be unreachable.
will check
will be checking
am checking
will have checked
Question 6
The final decision .......... until all stakeholder feedback has been reviewed.
isn’t making
won’t be made
won’t make
hasn’t been made
Question 7
You .......... have told the client the deadline was flexible; now they expect constant extensions.
couldn’t
shouldn’t
needn’t
mustn’t
Question 8
We can’t just .......... the complaints; they point to a systemic issue.
brush off
take over
fall through
run out
Question 9
If the report .......... more clearly, the board wouldn’t be questioning our methodology now.
had been written
would be written
has been written
was written
Question 10
Maya said, “I’ll forward the contract as soon as I’ve had it vetted.” → Maya said that she .......... the contract as soon as she .......... it vetted.
forwarded / had
would forward / has had
would forward / had had
will forward / has had
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.
Keep practising Cambridge English C1
Grammar at every level
More Cambridge English C1 skills
Cambridge English Exam Resources
More Cambridge English exam preparation tools from our family of apps:
Made with by Shining Apps
The best Cambridge English apps ever
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.