Complete an original connected text with 15 multiple-choice gaps. Read the whole passage and use the surrounding context. Answers and explanations appear after completion.
Your progress
Ready to move on?
Mark this lesson as studied when you have finished the explanation.
Choose an option for each numbered gap. Your choices appear in the text; they are checked when you finish.
When I decided to leave retail, I worried that my experience would count (1)___ nothing. I had become so used to (2)___ myself by a job title that I overlooked the skills behind it. A careers adviser asked me to give an (3)___ of a difficult day at work. I described a delivery delay, an upset customer and a colleague who needed (4)___. She helped me see that I had been coordinating several demands (5)___.
Those abilities were relevant to the role I was hoping (6)___ enter. It was not a matter (7)___ pretending I already knew everything. There were technical skills I still needed (8)___. (9)___ than deny those gaps, I explained how I planned to address them. The application asked for examples of problems I had (10)___ with.
I chose incidents that demonstrated judgement rather than merely (11)___ responsibilities. The interviewer seemed interested in how I had arrived (12)___ particular decisions. By the time I started, I had (13)___ an introductory course. I still had a great (14)___ to learn. Nevertheless, changing direction did not mean that the previous years had been (15)___.
When I decided to leave retail, I worried that my experience would count ___ nothing.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: for
When I decided to leave retail, I worried that my experience would count for nothing. This is the established combination or expression required by the sentence.
I had become so used to ___ myself by a job title that I overlooked the skills behind it.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: describing
I had become so used to describing myself by a job title that I overlooked the skills behind it. This verb, expression or preposition takes an -ing form in this construction.
A careers adviser asked me to give an ___ of a difficult day at work.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: account
A careers adviser asked me to give an account of a difficult day at work. This is the established combination or expression required by the sentence.
I described a delivery delay, an upset customer and a colleague who needed ___.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: support
I described a delivery delay, an upset customer and a colleague who needed support. This position requires a noun, not an adjective, adverb or finite verb.
She helped me see that I had been coordinating several demands ___.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: simultaneously
She helped me see that I had been coordinating several demands simultaneously. An adverb describes how, when or where an action happens.
Those abilities were relevant to the role I was hoping ___ enter.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: to
Those abilities were relevant to the role I was hoping to enter. The construction requires a to-infinitive.
It was not a matter ___ pretending I already knew everything.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: of
It was not a matter of pretending I already knew everything. This word completes the prepositional pattern in the sentence.
There were technical skills I still needed ___.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: to develop
There were technical skills I still needed to develop. The construction requires a to-infinitive.
___ than deny those gaps, I explained how I planned to address them.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: Rather
Rather than deny those gaps, I explained how I planned to address them. This is the established combination or expression required by the sentence.
The application asked for examples of problems I had ___ with.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: dealt
The application asked for examples of problems I had dealt with. This is the established combination or expression required by the sentence.
I chose incidents that demonstrated judgement rather than merely ___ responsibilities.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: listing
I chose incidents that demonstrated judgement rather than merely listing responsibilities. Keep the grammatical forms parallel on either side of the contrast or comparison.
The interviewer seemed interested in how I had arrived ___ particular decisions.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: at
The interviewer seemed interested in how I had arrived at particular decisions. This word completes the prepositional pattern in the sentence.
By the time I started, I had ___ an introductory course.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: completed
By the time I started, I had completed an introductory course. A perfect construction uses have/has/had followed by a past participle.
I still had a great ___ to learn.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: deal
I still had a great deal to learn. This is the established combination or expression required by the sentence.
Nevertheless, changing direction did not mean that the previous years had been ___.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: wasted
Nevertheless, changing direction did not mean that the previous years had been wasted. A passive construction requires be + past participle, with the appropriate tense.
Question 1 of 150% complete
Gap 1When I decided to leave retail, I worried that my experience would count ___ nothing.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: for
When I decided to leave retail, I worried that my experience would count for nothing. This is the established combination or expression required by the sentence.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: describing
I had become so used to describing myself by a job title that I overlooked the skills behind it. This verb, expression or preposition takes an -ing form in this construction.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: account
A careers adviser asked me to give an account of a difficult day at work. This is the established combination or expression required by the sentence.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: support
I described a delivery delay, an upset customer and a colleague who needed support. This position requires a noun, not an adjective, adverb or finite verb.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: simultaneously
She helped me see that I had been coordinating several demands simultaneously. An adverb describes how, when or where an action happens.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: to
Those abilities were relevant to the role I was hoping to enter. The construction requires a to-infinitive.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: of
It was not a matter of pretending I already knew everything. This word completes the prepositional pattern in the sentence.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: to develop
There were technical skills I still needed to develop. The construction requires a to-infinitive.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: Rather
Rather than deny those gaps, I explained how I planned to address them. This is the established combination or expression required by the sentence.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: dealt
The application asked for examples of problems I had dealt with. This is the established combination or expression required by the sentence.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: listing
I chose incidents that demonstrated judgement rather than merely listing responsibilities. Keep the grammatical forms parallel on either side of the contrast or comparison.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: at
The interviewer seemed interested in how I had arrived at particular decisions. This word completes the prepositional pattern in the sentence.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: completed
By the time I started, I had completed an introductory course. A perfect construction uses have/has/had followed by a past participle.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: deal
I still had a great deal to learn. This is the established combination or expression required by the sentence.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: wasted
Nevertheless, changing direction did not mean that the previous years had been wasted. A passive construction requires be + past participle, with the appropriate tense.
Keep learning
Choose your next small step
Continue this topic or practice every English skill at the same level.
