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B2 First for Schools study materials
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B2 First for Schools practice questions

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Question 1Reading and Use of English

Read this sentence: 'The museum, which opened in 1998, attracts thousands of visitors every year.' What is the function of the clause 'which opened in 1998'?

  1. It explains why the museum attracts visitors.
  2. It identifies which museum the writer means.
  3. It adds non-essential information about the museum. Correct answer.
  4. It contrasts the museum with other attractions.

Explanation

The commas around the clause signal a non-defining relative clause, which adds extra information about something already identified. Because the museum is already specific, the clause is not needed to identify it. Removing it leaves a complete, meaningful sentence.

Question 2Reading and Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: 'If I ____ more time, I would take up photography.'

  1. had Correct answer.
  2. will have
  3. have
  4. would have

Explanation

This is a second conditional sentence, used for an unreal or unlikely present situation. The pattern is 'If + past simple, would + infinitive'. 'Had' supplies the past simple form needed in the if-clause.

Question 3Reading and Use of English

Which word best fits the gap? 'She was ____ tired to finish her homework, so she went to bed early.'

  1. too Correct answer.
  2. very
  3. so
  4. enough

Explanation

The pattern 'too + adjective + to + infinitive' means that something is impossible because of an excess. Being 'too tired to finish' expresses that the tiredness prevented finishing the work.

Question 4Reading and Use of English

Choose the correct word: 'There ____ a lot of information in the leaflet about the school trip.'

  1. have
  2. are
  3. is Correct answer.
  4. were

Explanation

The verb agrees with the subject 'information', which is an uncountable noun and therefore takes a singular verb. The phrase 'a lot of' does not change the number of the subject. Present tense 'is' matches the context of the leaflet.

Question 5Reading and Use of English

Which sentence uses the present perfect correctly?

  1. I have seen that film last week.
  2. I have seen that film in 2019.
  3. I have seen that film three times. Correct answer.
  4. I have seen that film yesterday.

Explanation

The present perfect connects a past action to the present and is used with indefinite time expressions such as 'three times'. It is not used with finished past time markers.

Question 6Reading and Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: 'The teacher asked us ____ quiet during the test.'

  1. keeping
  2. keep
  3. to keep Correct answer.
  4. kept

Explanation

The verb 'ask' is followed by an object plus a to-infinitive: 'ask someone to do something'. Here 'us' is the object and 'to keep' is the required infinitive form.

Question 7Reading and Use of English

Which word is closest in meaning to 'exhausted' as used in 'After the long hike, we were exhausted'?

  1. slightly hungry
  2. extremely tired Correct answer.
  3. very excited
  4. bored

Explanation

'Exhausted' describes a state of extreme physical or mental tiredness. In the context of a long hike, the meaning is clearly physical fatigue. The other options describe unrelated feelings.

Question 8Reading and Use of English

Which option correctly completes the sentence? 'You ____ bring a packed lunch; the school canteen will be open.'

  1. can't
  2. shouldn't
  3. mustn't
  4. needn't Correct answer.

Explanation

'Needn't' expresses that something is not necessary. Since the canteen will be open, bringing lunch is optional rather than forbidden. The other modals express prohibition or advice against doing something.

Question 9Reading and Use of English

Read this text: 'The new sports hall opens next month. Students will be able to book courts online from the first day.' What can we infer about booking?

  1. Students must visit the hall to book a court.
  2. Students will use an online system to reserve courts. Correct answer.
  3. Courts cannot be booked by students at all.
  4. Booking will only be possible after the first month.

Explanation

The text states that students can book courts online from the first day. This supports the inference that an online reservation system will be used. The other options contradict details in the text.

Question 10Reading and Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: 'By the time we arrived, the concert ____.'

  1. was already start
  2. already started
  3. had already started Correct answer.
  4. has already started

Explanation

The past perfect is used for an action that happened before another past action. Arriving is the later past event, so the earlier event takes 'had + past participle'. 'Had already started' correctly shows this order.

Question 11Reading and Use of English

Choose the correct option: 'The book, ____ cover was torn, belonged to the library.'

  1. that
  2. whose Correct answer.
  3. who
  4. which

Explanation

'Whose' is the possessive relative pronoun used to show that something belongs to or is part of an antecedent. Here the cover belongs to the book. The other options cannot express possession.

Question 12Reading and Use of English

Which sentence is closest in meaning to 'It's a pity we missed the school play'?

  1. We regret missing the school play. Correct answer.
  2. We forgot to watch the school play.
  3. We didn't mind missing the school play.
  4. We were glad to miss the school play.

Explanation

'It's a pity' expresses regret about something that happened. 'We regret missing' carries the same meaning of feeling sorry about the missed play. The other options change the speaker's attitude.

Question 13Reading and Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: 'She suggested ____ to the science museum instead.'

  1. went
  2. go
  3. going Correct answer.
  4. to go

Explanation

The verb 'suggest' is followed by a gerund when no object is mentioned: 'suggest doing something'. Therefore 'going' is the correct form. Other verbs such as 'decide' take a to-infinitive, but 'suggest' does not.

Question 14Reading and Use of English

Read this text: 'Although the weather forecast promised sunshine, the hiking trip was cancelled because of heavy rain.' Which statement is true according to the text?

  1. The forecast was correct about the weather.
  2. The trip was cancelled because it rained heavily. Correct answer.
  3. The hiking trip took place in the rain.
  4. The trip was cancelled despite the sunny weather.

Explanation

The text gives heavy rain as the reason for cancelling the trip. The contrast word 'although' shows that the forecast was wrong, not that the weather was sunny. Careful reading of cause and contrast is needed here.

Question 15Reading and Use of English

Choose the correct word: 'The instructions were so ____ that nobody could understand them.'

  1. confused
  2. confusing Correct answer.
  3. confusion
  4. confuse

Explanation

Adjectives ending in -ing describe the thing that causes a feeling, while -ed adjectives describe how a person feels. The instructions cause confusion, so the -ing adjective 'confusing' is correct.

Question 16Reading and Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: 'I wish I ____ harder for the exam last term.'

  1. had studied Correct answer.
  2. study
  3. would study
  4. studied

Explanation

'Wish' followed by 'had + past participle' expresses regret about a past situation that cannot be changed. The time reference 'last term' makes it clear the regret concerns the past.

Question 17Reading and Use of English

Which option best completes the sentence? 'The film was ____ boring that half the audience fell asleep.'

  1. so Correct answer.
  2. very
  3. too
  4. such

Explanation

The structure 'so + adjective + that + clause' expresses a result. 'Boring' is an adjective, so 'so boring that' is correct. 'Such' would need a noun phrase after it.

Question 18Reading and Use of English

Choose the word that best fits: 'The school has decided to ____ a new recycling scheme next term.'

  1. set out
  2. set up Correct answer.
  3. set off
  4. set aside

Explanation

'Set up' means to establish or start something new, which fits starting a recycling scheme. The other phrasal verbs with 'set' have different meanings and do not collocate with 'scheme' in this sense.

Question 19Reading and Use of English

Read this text: 'The club meets on Mondays and Wednesdays. Members who cannot attend can follow the sessions online.' What does the text suggest about attendance?

  1. The club no longer meets on Wednesdays.
  2. Online sessions replace the Monday meetings.
  3. Members must attend every session in person.
  4. Members have an alternative if they cannot come. Correct answer.

Explanation

The second sentence offers online sessions to members who cannot attend in person. This shows that an alternative exists for those unable to be present. The other options add or change information.

Question 20Reading and Use of English

Choose the correct option: 'Hardly ____ the classroom when the bell rang.'

  1. I entered
  2. I had entered
  3. had I entered Correct answer.
  4. did I enter

Explanation

After a negative adverbial such as 'hardly' at the start of a sentence, the subject and auxiliary are inverted. The past perfect is needed because entering happened just before the bell rang. 'Had I entered' provides both the inversion and the correct tense.

Question 21Reading and Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: '____ having studied all night, she still felt nervous.'

  1. Although
  2. Even
  3. However
  4. Despite Correct answer.

Explanation

'Despite' is followed by a noun or an -ing form, so 'Despite having studied' is grammatically correct. It introduces a contrast between the studying and the nervousness. 'Although' would need a full clause with a subject and verb.

Question 22Reading and Use of English

Which sentence uses the participle clause correctly?

  1. Walking home, the rain caught me suddenly.
  2. Walking home, it began to rain on me.
  3. Walking home, the rain started suddenly.
  4. Walking home, I was caught in the rain. Correct answer.

Explanation

In a participle clause, the subject of the participle must be the same as the subject of the main clause. Here 'I' am the one walking home and being caught in the rain. The other options make the rain or 'it' the walker, which is illogical.

Question 23Reading and Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: 'The teacher insisted that every student ____ a copy of the novel.'

  1. bought
  2. will buy
  3. buy Correct answer.
  4. buys

Explanation

Verbs such as 'insist' and 'demand' can be followed by 'that' plus the base form of the verb, regardless of the subject. This subjunctive form is 'buy'. The other options do not fit this formal pattern.

Question 24Reading and Use of English

Choose the word that best fits: 'The two brothers look alike, but their personalities are quite ____.'

  1. alike
  2. identical
  3. similar
  4. distinct Correct answer.

Explanation

The sentence contrasts appearance with personality using 'but'. 'Distinct' means clearly different, which fits the contrast. The other options repeat the idea of similarity and so contradict the contrast.

Question 25Reading and Use of English

Choose the option that best completes the sentence: 'No sooner ____ the results than the students started cheering.'

  1. the teacher had announced
  2. had the teacher announced Correct answer.
  3. did the teacher announce
  4. the teacher announced

Explanation

'No sooner ... than' requires inversion and the past perfect for the earlier action. The auxiliary 'had' comes before the subject, giving 'had the teacher announced'. This shows the announcement happened just before the cheering.

Question 26Reading and Use of English

Part 1 of the Reading and Use of English paper asks you to choose one word to fill each gap in a short text. Which of these is the main skill being tested in Part 1?

  1. Deciding whether each statement about the text is true or false
  2. Choosing the word that fits the meaning and grammar of the whole text Correct answer.
  3. Matching headings to each paragraph of a long article
  4. Writing a short summary of the text in your own words

Explanation

Part 1 is a multiple-choice cloze: four options are given for each gap and you must pick the one that fits both the meaning and the grammar of the surrounding text. The other tasks described belong to different parts of the paper, such as the gapped-text task or the multiple-matching task.

Question 27Reading and Use of English

In Part 1, the four options for each gap are often words that look similar. Which option correctly completes this sentence? 'The science club has decided to ____ out a survey about recycling at school.'

  1. make
  2. carry Correct answer.
  3. take
  4. do

Explanation

The fixed expression is 'carry out a survey', meaning to conduct or perform it. 'Carry out' collocates with tasks, research, surveys and plans, so it is the only natural choice here.

Question 28Reading and Use of English

Part 2 of the paper is an open cloze with no options. Which word correctly fills the gap? 'The museum is free to enter, ____ you must book a ticket online in advance.'

  1. because
  2. so
  3. but Correct answer.
  4. unless

Explanation

The two clauses contrast: entry is free, yet booking is still required. 'But' signals this contrast clearly. 'So' would suggest a result, 'because' a reason, and 'unless' a condition, none of which fits the relationship between the ideas.

Question 29Reading and Use of English

In Part 3 (Word Formation), you change the base word in capitals to fit the gap. Which form of SUCCEED completes the sentence? 'Her ____ as a young journalist surprised everyone at the school magazine.'

  1. succeeding
  2. successfully
  3. success Correct answer.
  4. successful

Explanation

The gap needs a noun because it follows the possessive 'her' and is the subject of 'surprised'. 'Success' is the noun form of the verb 'succeed'. The other forms are an adjective, an adverb and a participle, none of which can stand as the head of this noun phrase.

Question 30Reading and Use of English

Part 4 (Key Word Transformation) gives you a sentence and a key word, and you must write a second sentence with the same meaning. Which transformation of 'I last saw my cousin two years ago' using the key word SEEN is correct?

  1. I haven't seen my cousin for two years. Correct answer.
  2. I haven't seen my cousin since two years ago.
  3. I didn't see my cousin since two years.
  4. I don't see my cousin for two years.

Explanation

'I last saw ... two years ago' means the action has not happened from then until now, so the present perfect with 'for' is needed: 'haven't seen ... for two years'. The time period is expressed with 'for', not 'since', because 'since' needs a starting point.

Question 31Reading and Use of English

In Part 5, you answer multiple-choice questions about a longer text. Which of these is the best advice for this part?

  1. Read the questions first, then find the relevant section of the text for each one Correct answer.
  2. Answer from your own general knowledge of the topic
  3. Choose the option that repeats the most words from the text
  4. Pick the longest option because it usually contains more detail

Explanation

Part 5 tests detailed comprehension, so locating the part of the text that answers each question is essential. Options that simply repeat vocabulary from the text are often distractors, and personal knowledge is irrelevant because answers must come from the passage.

Question 32Reading and Use of English

In Part 6 (Gapped Text), you must put removed sentences back into the text. Which feature most reliably shows where a missing sentence belongs?

  1. Pronouns and linking words that refer back to the previous sentence Correct answer.
  2. The number of words in the missing sentence
  3. Whether the sentence contains a proper noun
  4. The position of the sentence in the answer options list

Explanation

Cohesion is the key: pronouns such as 'this', 'they' or 'such' and linkers like 'however' or 'as a result' point to information in the surrounding sentences. Counting words or relying on option order gives no real evidence about placement.

Question 33Reading and Use of English

Part 7 (Multiple Matching) asks you to match questions to sections of a text. Which approach is most effective when time is limited?

  1. Choose the section that contains the exact words of the question
  2. Read every section in full before looking at the questions
  3. Underline the key idea in each question, then scan the sections for paraphrases of it Correct answer.
  4. Match sections to questions by their position in the text

Explanation

The questions and sections express the same ideas in different words, so identifying paraphrase is the core skill. Reading everything in full first wastes time, and exact word matches are usually deliberate traps.

Question 34Reading and Use of English

Which option correctly completes this sentence using a collocation common in reading texts about school life? 'The head teacher ____ a short speech at the end of the ceremony.'

  1. did
  2. told
  3. made Correct answer.
  4. said

Explanation

English uses 'make a speech' as a fixed collocation. 'Say' and 'tell' describe the act of speaking but do not collocate with 'a speech' in this way, and 'did a speech' is not standard.

Question 35Reading and Use of English

Which option correctly completes this sentence? 'Neither the students nor the teacher ____ aware of the timetable change.'

  1. was Correct answer.
  2. are
  3. have been
  4. were

Explanation

With 'neither ... nor', the verb agrees with the subject nearest to it, which is the singular 'the teacher'. The correct past form is therefore 'was'. Plural forms would only be right if the nearest subject were plural.

Question 36Reading and Use of English

Which option correctly completes this sentence? 'The students were told to hand in their projects ____ Friday at the latest.'

  1. until
  2. during
  3. since
  4. by Correct answer.

Explanation

'By' with a deadline means 'not later than', which matches 'at the latest'. 'Until' describes a continuing action up to a point, and 'since' and 'during' do not express a deadline.

Question 37Reading and Use of English

Which option correctly completes this sentence? 'If the school ____ the trip earlier, more students would have signed up.'

  1. has announced
  2. announced
  3. would announce
  4. had announced Correct answer.

Explanation

This is a third conditional sentence about an unreal past situation, so the if-clause takes the past perfect: 'had announced'. The main clause uses 'would have signed up'. Other tenses do not fit this unreal past meaning.

Question 38Reading and Use of English

Which option correctly completes this sentence? 'The report, ____ was published last week, recommends more outdoor sports.'

  1. that
  2. who
  3. which Correct answer.
  4. what

Explanation

A non-defining relative clause after a comma needs 'which' for a thing. 'That' cannot be used in non-defining clauses, 'who' refers to people, and 'what' cannot act as a relative pronoun here.

Question 39Reading and Use of English

Which option correctly completes this sentence? 'The more practice you get, ____ confident you will feel in the speaking test.'

  1. the most
  2. much more
  3. more
  4. the more Correct answer.

Explanation

This is a double comparative structure: 'the more ... the more ...'. Both halves need the definite article 'the' plus a comparative. The other options break this parallel pattern.

Question 40Reading and Use of English

Which option correctly completes this sentence? 'Our teacher would rather we ____ the experiment in pairs.'

  1. did Correct answer.
  2. do
  3. will do
  4. have done

Explanation

After 'would rather' followed by a different subject, English uses the past simple to talk about present or future preferences: 'would rather we did'. This is a form of unreal past, not a real past tense.

Question 41Reading and Use of English

Which option correctly completes this sentence? 'It was only after the match ____ the captain realised how tired he was.'

  1. what
  2. which
  3. that Correct answer.
  4. when

Explanation

This is a cleft sentence beginning 'It was only after ...', which is completed with 'that'. Cleft structures use 'that' to focus on the adverbial phrase. 'When' and 'which' do not complete this fixed pattern.

Question 42Reading and Use of English

Which option correctly completes this sentence? 'The new library is ____ bigger than the old one that it can hold twice as many students.'

  1. so Correct answer.
  2. too
  3. very
  4. such

Explanation

The pattern is 'so + adjective + that' to express a result. 'Such' needs a noun phrase, 'very' cannot introduce a that-clause of result, and 'too' expresses excess rather than the intended result.

Question 43Reading and Use of English

Which option correctly completes this sentence? 'By next September, the school ____ its new sports facilities for a full year.'

  1. will have used Correct answer.
  2. used
  3. has used
  4. will use

Explanation

'By next September' points to a time in the future, and the action will already have lasted a full year by then. The future perfect 'will have used' expresses this completed duration. The other tenses do not combine future reference with a completed period.

Question 44Reading and Use of English

In Part 3, which form of the word in capitals completes the sentence? 'The ____ of the new club was announced in assembly.' (CREATE)

  1. creation Correct answer.
  2. creator
  3. creative
  4. creatively

Explanation

The gap is the subject of the passive verb 'was announced' and is followed by 'of', so a noun is needed. 'Creation' is the noun meaning the act of creating something. 'Creative' is an adjective, 'creatively' an adverb and 'creator' a person noun that does not fit the meaning.

Question 45Reading and Use of English

Which option correctly completes this sentence? 'The coach praised the team for ____ so well under pressure.'

  1. performed
  2. to perform
  3. perform
  4. performing Correct answer.

Explanation

After a preposition such as 'for', a verb must take the -ing form. 'Performing' is the gerund required here. The infinitive, bare form and past participle cannot follow a preposition.

Question 46Reading and Use of English

Which option correctly completes this sentence? 'The instructions were written ____ clearly that even the youngest pupils understood them.'

  1. very
  2. so Correct answer.
  3. too
  4. such

Explanation

The structure 'so + adverb + that' expresses a result, and here the adverb is 'clearly'. 'Such' needs a noun, 'too' expresses excess and 'very' cannot introduce a result clause with 'that'.

Question 47Reading and Use of English

Which option correctly completes this sentence? 'Not until the final whistle ____ the players realise they had won.'

  1. did Correct answer.
  2. were
  3. they
  4. had

Explanation

When a negative adverbial such as 'not until' begins the sentence, the subject and auxiliary invert, so 'did' comes before 'the players'. This is the standard inversion pattern with negative time expressions.

Question 48Reading and Use of English

Which option correctly completes this sentence? 'The teacher asked whether ____ finished the assignment.'

  1. we had Correct answer.
  2. did we have
  3. we have had
  4. had we

Explanation

In reported speech, the word order returns to subject before verb: 'whether we had'. The auxiliary 'did' is also dropped because the past perfect carries the meaning. Inversion belongs only to the original direct question.

Question 49Reading and Use of English

In Part 4, which transformation of 'The manager said I could leave early' using the key word LET is correct?

  1. The manager let that I leave early.
  2. The manager let me to leave early.
  3. The manager let me leave early. Correct answer.
  4. The manager was let me leave early.

Explanation

The verb 'let' takes an object plus a bare infinitive: 'let me leave'. It is the natural paraphrase of 'said I could leave'. Adding 'to' or a 'that' clause breaks the pattern of 'let'.

Question 50Reading and Use of English

Which option keeps the meaning of 'Few students bothered to read the notice' when rewritten for a Part 4 task?

  1. Not many of students bothered reading the notice.
  2. A little students took the trouble to read the notice.
  3. Hardly any students took the trouble to read the notice. Correct answer.
  4. Only few of students took the trouble to read the notice.

Explanation

'Few' means 'not many', and 'hardly any' is its closest equivalent in a formal paraphrase. The other options contain grammatical errors such as 'a little' with a plural noun or 'of students' without a determiner.