Free Certificate of Proficiency in English Basic Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: It was the collapse of the dotcom boom that finally did _______ him.
- out
- with
- for (Correct answer)
- off
Correct answer: for
The correct phrase is 'did for him,' a fixed English idiom meaning to ruin, destroy, or finish someone off — here, the dotcom collapse was what finally ruined him. 'Do out,' 'do with,' and 'do off' are either different idioms with unrelated meanings or not standard fixed expressions in this context, making them incorrect completions of this specific phrase.
Question 2: By the time you're my age, you _______ your mind.
- will probably have changed (Correct answer)
- would probably change
- are probably changing
- will probably change
Correct answer: will probably have changed
The future perfect tense 'will probably have changed' is required here because 'by the time you're my age' indicates a future reference point by which an action will already be completed. The future simple 'will probably change' does not convey this completion before a future deadline. 'Would probably change' is a conditional form, and 'are probably changing' is present continuous — neither fits the future perfect meaning required by 'by the time.'
Question 3: _________ he should have spent all the weekend preparing for his test, he in fact just lay in bed watching videos.
- However
- Nevertheless
- Whereas (Correct answer)
- Despite
Correct answer: Whereas
'Whereas' is the correct conjunction because it introduces a direct contrast between two simultaneous situations: what should have happened versus what actually happened. 'However' and 'Nevertheless' are adverbs used to introduce concessions, not conjunctions that can open a clause this way. 'Despite' is a preposition requiring a noun phrase, not a full clause, so it cannot be used here.
Question 4: I benefited a great deal _______ taking that online training course.
- from (Correct answer)
- for
- with
- off
Correct answer: from
'Benefit from' is the standard English collocation, where 'from' indicates the source or origin of the advantage gained. 'Benefit for,' 'benefit with,' and 'benefit off' are not correct collocations in standard English and would be grammatically or idiomatically wrong in this context.
Question 5: ______ you to change your mind about handing in your notice, we would be happy for you to stay with us.
- Should
- If
- Unless
- Were (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Were
'Were you to change your mind' is a formal inverted conditional that replaces 'If you were to change your mind,' used in formal registers by moving the auxiliary verb 'were' to the front of the clause. 'Should' works for inverted conditionals expressing possibility but is less appropriate for hypothetical willingness scenarios. 'If' cannot be used in an inverted construction without restoring normal word order, and 'Unless' means 'except if,' which changes the meaning entirely.
Question 6: We promised to keep in touch ______ happened to us in life.
- whatever (Correct answer)
- whenever
- however
- wherever
Correct answer: whatever
'Whatever happened' means 'no matter what happened,' expressing an unconditional commitment to stay in touch regardless of life's circumstances. 'Whenever' refers to time, 'however' refers to manner or degree, and 'wherever' refers to place — none of these capture the 'no matter what events occur' meaning required by the sentence.
Question 7: We were at a disadvantage _______ that we did not have a very good knowledge of the language the others were using.
- by
- with
- in (Correct answer)
- for
Correct answer: in
'In that' is a fixed two-word phrase functioning as a conjunction meaning 'because' or 'in the respect that,' used to specify the precise nature of a disadvantage. 'By that,' 'with that,' and 'for that' do not form this fixed expression and would be grammatically awkward or alter the intended meaning of the sentence.
Question 8: The President resigned; the whiff of scandal remained _______
- otherwise
- therefore
- immediately
- nevertheless (Correct answer)
Correct answer: nevertheless
'Nevertheless' means 'in spite of that' or 'even so,' which correctly expresses the contrast between the resignation (expected to end the scandal) and the scandal's persistence. 'Therefore' would imply the scandal remained as a result of the resignation, 'otherwise' would mean 'in a different way,' and 'immediately' is an adverb of time that doesn't capture the contrast.
Question 9: All their children are allowed ________ exactly what the like.
- do
- to do (Correct answer)
- doing
- for doing
Correct answer: to do
'Allow' followed by an object requires the full infinitive (to + verb): 'allow someone to do something.' The bare infinitive 'do' is used after modals, not after 'allow.' The gerund 'doing' and the preposition 'for doing' are both grammatically incorrect with this verb pattern.
Question 10: This time next week I won't be in a stuffy office, _______ on a beach in Spain.
- I'll have lain
- I'll be lying (Correct answer)
- I'm lying
- I'll lie
Correct answer: I'll be lying
'This time next week' refers to a specific moment in the future when an action will be in progress, requiring the future continuous tense: 'will be + -ing.' 'I'll have lain' is future perfect (completed action), 'I'm lying' is present continuous, and 'I'll lie' is simple future, none of which express an ongoing action at a future point in time.
Question 11: In such a plight ________ that we had no choice but to radio for help.
- We ourselves found
- did we find ourselves (Correct answer)
- did we ourselves find
- We found ourselves
Correct answer: did we find ourselves
When a sentence opens with a negative or emphatic adverbial phrase like 'In such a plight,' subject-auxiliary inversion is required. The correct inverted form is 'did we find ourselves,' mirroring question word order. 'We ourselves found' and 'We found ourselves' use normal word order, which is ungrammatical here, and 'did we ourselves find' incorrectly places 'ourselves' before the main verb.
Free Certificate of Proficiency in English Basic Questions and Answers
It was the collapse of the dotcom boom that finally did _______ him.