Combined English Language Skills Assessment (CELSA) — Questions and Answers

Question 1: Identify the sentence where 'unless' is used correctly:

Unless you will not study, you will fail.
You will fail unless you study. (Correct answer)
You will fail unless you won't study.
Unless you don't study, you will pass.

Correct answer: You will fail unless you study.

'Unless' already contains a negative condition, so it should not be combined with 'not' in the clause it introduces.

Question 2: Which sentence uses 'then' and 'than' correctly?

She is taller than her sister, and then she grew even more. (Correct answer)
She is taller then her sister, and then she grew even more.
She is taller than her sister, and than she grew even more.
She is taller then her sister, and than she grew even more.

Correct answer: She is taller than her sister, and then she grew even more.

'Than' is used for comparisons; 'then' refers to time or sequence.

Question 3: A: 'I keep repeating the same grammar errors no matter how much I study.' B: '___'

Try reading your writing aloud — it helps you catch errors you'd otherwise miss. (Correct answer)
Everyone makes grammar mistakes from time to time.
Grammar is a notoriously complex area of language learning.
Improvement in writing simply takes a very long time.

Correct answer: Try reading your writing aloud — it helps you catch errors you'd otherwise miss.

Offering a specific, actionable tip directly addresses the problem and is far more helpful than a general comment.

Question 4: How many stripes are there on the US flag?

13 (Correct answer)
10
12
11

Correct answer: 13

The flag of the United States features 13 horizontal stripes, alternating red and white. These 13 stripes represent the original thirteen colonies that declared independence from Great Britain and formed the United States. The number of stars, however, represents the current number of states.

Question 5: Choose the sentence with correct indefinite pronoun agreement.

Somebody left their keys on the table.
Somebody left its keys on the table.
Somebody left his or her keys on the table. (Correct answer)
Somebody left our keys on the table.

Correct answer: Somebody left his or her keys on the table.

In formal writing, the singular indefinite pronoun 'somebody' takes the singular 'his or her.'

Question 6: What is the tallest waterfall in the world?

Sutherland and Falls, New Zealand
Wailau Falls, Hawaii
Angel Falls, Venezuela (Correct answer)
Niagara Falls, New York

Correct answer: Angel Falls, Venezuela

Angel Falls, located in Venezuela, holds the record as the world's tallest uninterrupted waterfall. Its waters plunge an astounding 979 meters (3,212 feet) from the summit of Auyán-tepui. This makes it significantly taller than other famous waterfalls like Niagara Falls or Sutherland Falls.

Question 7: Please, let me _________!

Have
Make
Put
Think (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Think

The correct answer is "think! because the phrase "please, let me" implies that the speaker is asking for permission or opportunity to do something. In this case, they are requesting the ability to think, indicating that they want to take some time to consider or reflect on something.

Question 8: A clinical trial showed that patients who took a new medication reported 60% fewer headaches than the placebo group, though the medication caused mild nausea in 30% of participants. Which inference is most reasonable?

The placebo group benefited more than the medication group
The medication's effectiveness must be weighed against its side effects (Correct answer)
The medication should never be prescribed to anyone
All patients will experience nausea from the medication

Correct answer: The medication's effectiveness must be weighed against its side effects

The drug is effective but has a notable side effect, so a rational conclusion is that the trade-off between benefit and risk must be considered.

Question 9: Which word is a synonym for 'remorse'?

Joy
Pride
Satisfaction
Regret (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Regret

Remorse is a feeling of deep regret for wrongdoing, making 'regret' the correct synonym.

Question 10: Choose the correctly punctuated sentence with a possessive.

The childrens's toys were scattered.
The womens' locker room is closed.
The childrens' toys were scattered.
The children's toys were scattered. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: The children's toys were scattered.

'Children' is an irregular plural that does not end in -s, so the possessive is formed by adding 's.

Question 11: Which word is the antonym of 'candid'?

Deceptive (Correct answer)
Open
Honest
Frank

Correct answer: Deceptive

Candid means truthful and straightforward; its antonym is 'deceptive', meaning misleading.

Question 12: A health policy paper states: 'Nations with universal healthcare spend less per capita than the United States yet achieve comparable or better health outcomes. The correlation between spending and outcomes is not as straightforward as proponents of the current U.S. system claim.' What does the author most logically suggest?

U.S. health outcomes are superior to all other nations studied
Universal healthcare always costs more than private insurance systems
The U.S. healthcare system has no problems worth addressing
Higher spending does not automatically produce better health outcomes (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Higher spending does not automatically produce better health outcomes

The finding that lower-spending nations match or beat U.S. outcomes directly undermines the assumption that more spending equals better results.

Question 13: Which preposition best completes 'She is responsible ___ managing the team'?

with
for (Correct answer)
about
of

Correct answer: for

The fixed collocation is 'responsible for,' which always takes 'for' before a gerund or noun phrase.

Question 14: Which word is a synonym for 'ambiguous'?

Clear
Uncertain (Correct answer)
Definite
Obvious

Correct answer: Uncertain

'Ambiguous' means open to more than one interpretation, making 'uncertain' the closest synonym.

Question 15: Choose the sentence that correctly uses pronoun-antecedent agreement:

Each of the students must bring their own pencil.
Each of the students must bring his or her own pencil. (Correct answer)
Each of the students must bring our own pencil.
Each of the students must bring its own pencil.

Correct answer: Each of the students must bring his or her own pencil.

'Each' is a singular indefinite pronoun, so it requires the singular pronoun 'his or her.'

Question 16: What does 'denotation' mean in the context of language?

The emotional associations of a word
The literal, dictionary definition of a word (Correct answer)
The origin and history of a word
The implied meaning based on context

Correct answer: The literal, dictionary definition of a word

Denotation refers to the direct, literal meaning of a word, as opposed to connotation, which includes emotional associations.

Question 17: A: 'Do you prefer coffee or tea in the morning?' B: '___'

Both beverages contain caffeine and are widely consumed.
Morning drinks are entirely a matter of personal taste.
Tea is healthier, but coffee is more popular overall.
Definitely coffee — I can't really function before my first cup. (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Definitely coffee — I can't really function before my first cup.

Giving a clear personal preference with a touch of humor is the most natural conversational answer.

Question 18: Which of the following statements best defines the 'main idea' of a reading passage?

The author's central point or overall message about the topic. (Correct answer)
An interesting detail or fact mentioned by the author.
A personal opinion the reader forms after reading the passage.
The subject or topic the passage is about.

Correct answer: The author's central point or overall message about the topic.

The main idea is the core message the author is trying to convey about a topic. It's the primary argument or controlling point that all the other sentences and details in the passage support and explain. The topic is what the passage is about, but the main idea is what the author says *about* that topic.

Question 19: Identify the sentence with no pronoun error.

Us girls decided to form a club.
The coach gave the trophy to John and I.
Just between you and me, I know the answer. (Correct answer)
Her and me went shopping yesterday.

Correct answer: Just between you and me, I know the answer.

'Between you and me' correctly uses the objective pronoun 'me' after the preposition 'between.'

Question 20: This time next week, we ______ on the beach in Hawaii.

are relaxing
will relax
would relax
will be relaxing (Correct answer)

Correct answer: will be relaxing

Future continuous ('will be relaxing') describes an action that will be in progress at a specific future moment.

Question 21: Which sentence uses 'fewer' and 'less' correctly?

He drinks less sodas than before.
I have fewer money than I thought.
She has fewer problems and less stress. (Correct answer)
There are less students in this class.

Correct answer: She has fewer problems and less stress.

'Fewer' is used for countable nouns ('problems') and 'less' is used for uncountable nouns ('stress'), both used correctly here.

Question 22: She ______ three cups of coffee since she woke up.

had drunk
has drunk (Correct answer)
drank
is drinking

Correct answer: has drunk

Present perfect ('has drunk') with 'since' links past actions to an ongoing period ending in the present.

Question 23: Select the correct form: 'Is that ___ at the door?'

them
they (Correct answer)
her
him or her

Correct answer: they

After a linking verb, the nominative 'they' is the grammatically correct form.

Question 24: Which sentence from a passage would MOST LIKELY serve as the main idea?

Water levels rose by three feet.
Soil erosion near riverbanks has worsened due to increased flooding, deforestation, and poor land management. (Correct answer)
Some farmers use sandbags.
The river flooded twice last year.

Correct answer: Soil erosion near riverbanks has worsened due to increased flooding, deforestation, and poor land management.

The sentence naming multiple causes of a broader problem serves as the main idea, while the others are specific supporting details.

Question 25: Which word best completes: 'The scientist remained _____ despite the controversy, presenting only verifiable data.'

impartial (Correct answer)
opinionated
subjective
biased

Correct answer: impartial

'Impartial' means not taking sides or being unbiased, which aligns with presenting only verifiable data.

Question 26: A: 'Are you coming to the team lunch on Friday?' B: '___'

I'd love to, but I have a client call — I'll come by if I finish early. (Correct answer)
Friday is not a convenient day for lunch events.
I already had lunch, so no thank you.
Friday lunch is usually served at noon.

Correct answer: I'd love to, but I have a client call — I'll come by if I finish early.

This response politely explains the conflict while leaving the door open, which is both natural and friendly.

Question 27: Which sentence contains a pronoun reference error?

The committee reached its decision quickly.
Maria told her sister that she had won the prize. (Correct answer)
Jake gave the book to his friend.
Both students completed their assignments.

Correct answer: Maria told her sister that she had won the prize.

In the first sentence, 'she' is ambiguous—it could refer to either Maria or her sister.

Question 28: A: 'Sorry to interrupt, but I think there's a key point we've overlooked here.' B: '___'

All important points should of course be raised when appropriate.
We can certainly discuss any additional points at the end of the meeting.
Please go ahead — what did you want to add? (Correct answer)
Interrupting during a discussion is generally considered impolite.

Correct answer: Please go ahead — what did you want to add?

Welcoming the interruption graciously and inviting the speaker to continue is the most professional and open-minded response.

Question 29: Which sentence correctly uses an em dash?

She bought everything — milk, eggs, and bread. (Correct answer)
She, bought everything — milk eggs bread.
She bought — everything, milk, eggs and bread.
She — bought everything milk eggs and bread.

Correct answer: She bought everything — milk, eggs, and bread.

An em dash can introduce a list or add emphasis, and is correctly used before the items listed.

Question 30: In the sentence 'They argued about the new policy,' how does 'about the new policy' function?

As a subject complement
As an adverbial prepositional phrase modifying 'argued' (Correct answer)
As the direct object
As an adjectival phrase modifying 'they'

Correct answer: As an adverbial prepositional phrase modifying 'argued'

'About the new policy' modifies the verb 'argued,' explaining what the argument concerned.

Combined English Language Skills Assessment (CELSA)

The CELSA is an ESL placement test used by community colleges to place adult English language learners in the appropriate ESL course level. It uses a 4-choice multiple-choice cloze format assessing grammar, vocabulary, and contextual language use.

Questions

18 min

Time Limit

70%

To Pass

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