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.
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Choose an option for each numbered gap. Your choices appear in the text; they are checked when you finish.
The council's plan for a car-free square was greeted with (1)___ reactions. Some residents were delighted at the prospect (2)___ quieter streets. Shop owners, however, feared that deliveries would be (3)___. The first leaflet made no (4)___ of how their concerns would be addressed. (5)___ the council consulted them earlier, the debate might have been less confrontational.
A temporary trial was eventually proposed in (6)___ of an immediate permanent change. Deliveries would be allowed in the morning, (7)___ the square would be pedestrian-only later. The arrangement enabled businesses (8)___ test the practical effects. Visitor numbers rose, but that did not in (9)___ establish that every shop benefited. The evaluation had to distinguish between increased footfall and actual (10)___.
Not only (11)___ the trial reveal problems, but it also suggested solutions. One loading area was moved to avoid (12)___ an accessible entrance. The final design was considerably different (13)___ the initial drawing. Residents were more willing to support it once their concerns had been (14)___ seriously. The outcome illustrates the value of adapting a proposal rather than simply (15)___ it.
The council's plan for a car-free square was greeted with ___ reactions.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: mixed
The council's plan for a car-free square was greeted with mixed reactions. An adjective describes a noun or follows a linking verb; an adverb or noun would not fit.
Some residents were delighted at the prospect ___ quieter streets.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: of
Some residents were delighted at the prospect of quieter streets. This word completes the prepositional pattern in the sentence.
Shop owners, however, feared that deliveries would be ___.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: disrupted
Shop owners, however, feared that deliveries would be disrupted. A passive construction requires be + past participle, with the appropriate tense.
The first leaflet made no ___ of how their concerns would be addressed.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: mention
The first leaflet made no mention of how their concerns would be addressed. This is the established combination or expression required by the sentence.
___ the council consulted them earlier, the debate might have been less confrontational.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: Had
Had the council consulted them earlier, the debate might have been less confrontational. An inverted conditional uses had + subject + past participle. After a fronted negative expression, put an auxiliary before the subject.
A temporary trial was eventually proposed in ___ of an immediate permanent change.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: place
A temporary trial was eventually proposed in place of an immediate permanent change. This is the established combination or expression required by the sentence.
Deliveries would be allowed in the morning, ___ the square would be pedestrian-only later.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: whereas
Deliveries would be allowed in the morning, whereas the square would be pedestrian-only later. This conjunction introduces a full clause expressing contrast.
The arrangement enabled businesses ___ test the practical effects.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: to
The arrangement enabled businesses to test the practical effects. The construction requires a to-infinitive.
Visitor numbers rose, but that did not in ___ establish that every shop benefited.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: itself
Visitor numbers rose, but that did not in itself establish that every shop benefited. A reflexive pronoun refers back to the same subject or completes the fixed reflexive expression.
The evaluation had to distinguish between increased footfall and actual ___.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: sales
The evaluation had to distinguish between increased footfall and actual sales. This position requires a noun, not an adjective, adverb or finite verb.
Not only ___ the trial reveal problems, but it also suggested solutions.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: did
Not only did the trial reveal problems, but it also suggested solutions. An inverted conditional uses had + subject + past participle. After a fronted negative expression, put an auxiliary before the subject.
One loading area was moved to avoid ___ an accessible entrance.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: blocking
One loading area was moved to avoid blocking an accessible entrance. This verb, expression or preposition takes an -ing form in this construction.
The final design was considerably different ___ the initial drawing.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: from
The final design was considerably different from the initial drawing. This word completes the prepositional pattern in the sentence.
Residents were more willing to support it once their concerns had been ___ seriously.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: taken
Residents were more willing to support it once their concerns had been taken seriously. This is the established combination or expression required by the sentence.
The outcome illustrates the value of adapting a proposal rather than simply ___ it.
Your answer: Unanswered
Correct answer: defending
The outcome illustrates the value of adapting a proposal rather than simply defending it. Keep the grammatical forms parallel on either side of the contrast or comparison.
Question 1 of 150% complete
Gap 1The council's plan for a car-free square was greeted with ___ reactions.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: mixed
The council's plan for a car-free square was greeted with mixed reactions. An adjective describes a noun or follows a linking verb; an adverb or noun would not fit.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: of
Some residents were delighted at the prospect of quieter streets. This word completes the prepositional pattern in the sentence.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: disrupted
Shop owners, however, feared that deliveries would be disrupted. A passive construction requires be + past participle, with the appropriate tense.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: mention
The first leaflet made no mention of how their concerns would be addressed. This is the established combination or expression required by the sentence.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: Had
Had the council consulted them earlier, the debate might have been less confrontational. An inverted conditional uses had + subject + past participle. After a fronted negative expression, put an auxiliary before the subject.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: place
A temporary trial was eventually proposed in place of an immediate permanent change. This is the established combination or expression required by the sentence.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: whereas
Deliveries would be allowed in the morning, whereas the square would be pedestrian-only later. This conjunction introduces a full clause expressing contrast.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: to
The arrangement enabled businesses to test the practical effects. The construction requires a to-infinitive.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: itself
Visitor numbers rose, but that did not in itself establish that every shop benefited. A reflexive pronoun refers back to the same subject or completes the fixed reflexive expression.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: sales
The evaluation had to distinguish between increased footfall and actual sales. This position requires a noun, not an adjective, adverb or finite verb.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: did
Not only did the trial reveal problems, but it also suggested solutions. An inverted conditional uses had + subject + past participle. After a fronted negative expression, put an auxiliary before the subject.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: blocking
One loading area was moved to avoid blocking an accessible entrance. This verb, expression or preposition takes an -ing form in this construction.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: from
The final design was considerably different from the initial drawing. This word completes the prepositional pattern in the sentence.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: taken
Residents were more willing to support it once their concerns had been taken seriously. This is the established combination or expression required by the sentence.
Not quite. Keep learning.
Correct answer: defending
The outcome illustrates the value of adapting a proposal rather than simply defending it. Keep the grammatical forms parallel on either side of the contrast or comparison.
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