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.
Past Tenses
Question 1
By the time the conference call began, the IT team .......... the audio issue.
has already resolved
already resolved
was already resolving
had already resolved
Question 2
I .......... through the appendix when I noticed a discrepancy in the figures.
had skimmed
was skimming
skimmed
have been skimming
Question 3
She looked exhausted because she .......... all night to meet the deadline.
worked
had been working
has been working
was working
Question 4
Hardly .......... the memo when the legal team requested a revision.
we circulated
did we circulate
we had circulated
had we circulated
Question 5
When I was a junior analyst, I .......... to double-check every assumption before presenting my findings.
would
used to
was used to
had
Question 6
The spokesperson confirmed that the documents .......... to the press without authorisation.
had been leaked
were leaked
have been leaked
leaked
Question 7
I .......... if you could possibly send the revised contract by close of business.
am wondering
was wondering
wondered
wonder
Question 8
They .......... the merger for months, but the talks collapsed after the regulator intervened.
have been negotiating
negotiated
were negotiating
had been negotiating
Question 9
It was the first time he .......... in front of such a hostile audience.
has spoken
was speaking
had spoken
spoke
Question 10
She .......... the report twice before she realised a key citation was missing.
read
has read
was reading
had read
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.