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Articles (advanced use) – Test 1

B2 Upper-intermediate GrammarEnglish

This B2 grammar test checks advanced use of a, an, the and the zero article. It covers generic statements, place names, institutions, the + adjective, set expressions and the article errors learners often make. It is for upper-intermediate learners and their teachers.

Questions
30
Time
30 min
PDF
4 pages
Answer key
Included
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Choose the one correct option for each question. Choose your answers, then press “Check my answers”.

Part 1: Gap fill

Choose the word or phrase that best completes each sentence. '—' means no article.

  1. Leila's mother went to _____ school to speak to her daughter's teacher.

  2. _____ life in big cities can be stressful and expensive.

  3. Do you know if _____ Netherlands has more bicycles than people?

  4. We usually have _____ dinner at about eight o'clock.

  5. The government should do more to help _____ unemployed.

  6. It was _____ awful weather that we decided to stay inside.

  7. _____ more you practise, _____ more confident you'll become.

  8. Mount Kilimanjaro is _____ highest mountain in Africa.

  9. Very _____ people came to the meeting, so it was cancelled.

  10. Kofi is _____ honest man, and everyone trusts him.

Part 2: Correct sentences and errors

Choose the correct sentence, the correct question or response, or the part of the sentence that contains an error.

  1. Choose the correct sentence.

  2. Choose the correct sentence.

  3. Which part of the sentence is incorrect? 'Most of people I know prefer to work from home on Fridays.'

  4. Which part of the sentence is incorrect? 'She speaks the French fluently because she lived in Paris for a year.'

  5. Choose the correct response: 'How often do you go swimming?'

  6. Choose the correct question.

  7. Choose the correct sentence.

  8. Which sentence means that Daniel is at his job right now?

  9. Which part of the sentence is incorrect? 'It was a such beautiful day that we had lunch in the garden.'

  10. Choose the correct sentence.

Part 3: Articles in a text

Read the text. Then choose the correct option for each numbered gap. '—' means no article.

Last year, my friend Ines and I spent (21) ___ month travelling across (22) ___ South America. We started in Lima, (23) ___ capital of Peru, and then travelled to Cusco by (24) ___ bus. Cusco is a beautiful old city high up in (25) ___ Andes.

On (26) ___ second day, I felt ill because of the altitude, but a local guide looked after me. A few days later, we walked up to the ancient city of Machu Picchu. It was (27) ___ amazing experience that I will never forget it. After that, we crossed into Bolivia and visited (28) ___ Lake Titicaca, one of the highest navigable lakes in the world.

For me, (29) ___ best part of the trip was meeting people from so many different places. I have always believed that (30) ___ travel teaches you more than any book.

  1. (21) Ines and I spent _____ month travelling

  2. (22) travelling across _____ South America

  3. (23) Lima, _____ capital of Peru

  4. (24) travelled to Cusco by _____ bus

  5. (25) high up in _____ Andes

  6. (26) On _____ second day

  7. (27) It was _____ amazing experience that I will never forget it.

  8. (28) visited _____ Lake Titicaca

  9. (29) _____ best part of the trip

  10. (30) I have always believed that _____ travel teaches you more than any book.

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About this test

This B2 grammar test checks advanced use of a, an, the and the zero article. It covers generic statements, place names, institutions, the + adjective, set expressions and the article errors learners often make. It is for upper-intermediate learners and their teachers.

Topics covered

Zero article with generic nounsGeographical and place namesThe + adjective for groupsSuch a / what a with countable and uncountable nounsArticles in fixed expressionsThe + comparative, the + superlativeCommon article errors

How to use this test

  1. Download the PDF and print it, or take the test online below.
  2. Answer every question without a dictionary or time pressure.
  3. Check your answers and note the topics you need to review.

Notes for teachers

Use Part 1 as a warm-up. Part 2 makes learners spot errors and compare sentences, and Part 3 tests articles in a connected text. The test targets frequent B2 errors such as 'the life' used in a general sense, 'most of people', 'at the work', 'a such' and 'what a terrible news'. As a follow-up, ask students to write a short travel paragraph and peer-check each other's articles.