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MATSEC IM English practice questions

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Question 1English (Intermediate Level)

In the sentence 'The committee has finally reached a decision on the new syllabus', which word functions as the head of the noun phrase that acts as the subject?

  1. decision
  2. syllabus
  3. committee Correct answer.
  4. finally

Explanation

The subject noun phrase is 'The committee'; its head is the noun that carries the phrase's core meaning, which is 'committee'. 'Finally' is an adverb inside the verb phrase, while 'decision' and 'syllabus' belong to the object phrase 'a decision on the new syllabus'.

Question 2English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence uses the past perfect correctly to show that one past event happened before another?

  1. By the time the examiner arrived, the candidates already finish the listening paper.
  2. By the time the examiner arrived, the candidates had already finished the listening paper. Correct answer.
  3. By the time the examiner arrived, the candidates have already finished the listening paper.
  4. By the time the examiner arrived, the candidates were already finish the listening paper.

Explanation

The past perfect ('had finished') marks an action completed before another past action ('arrived'). The time phrase 'by the time' establishes the later past reference point, so the earlier event needs the past perfect rather than the present perfect or simple present.

Question 3English (Intermediate Level)

Which option correctly completes the sentence: 'Neither the invigilator nor the candidates ____ aware of the timetable change'?

  1. was
  2. is
  3. were Correct answer.
  4. has been

Explanation

With 'neither ... nor', the verb agrees with the nearer subject, which here is the plural 'candidates'. That makes the plural past form 'were' the only correct choice, and the past tense also suits the reported situation.

Question 4English (Intermediate Level)

In 'The results, which were published online, surprised everyone', what is the grammatical function of the clause 'which were published online'?

  1. A non-defining relative clause giving extra information Correct answer.
  2. A noun clause acting as the subject
  3. A defining relative clause identifying which results are meant
  4. An adverbial clause of reason

Explanation

The commas signal a non-defining relative clause, which adds supplementary information about an already identified noun phrase. A defining clause would appear without commas and would restrict the reference of 'the results'.

Question 5English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon?

  1. The exam was postponed; and the hall was flooded.
  2. The exam was postponed; because the hall was flooded.
  3. The exam was postponed; the hall was flooded. Correct answer.
  4. The exam was postponed; which annoyed the candidates.

Explanation

A semicolon joins two independent clauses that are closely related, and both 'The exam was postponed' and 'the hall was flooded' can stand alone. It cannot be placed before a subordinator or a coordinating conjunction in these constructions.

Question 6English (Intermediate Level)

Which word is the best synonym for 'meticulous' as used in 'She kept meticulous records of every mark awarded'?

  1. temporary
  2. reluctant
  3. careless
  4. thorough Correct answer.

Explanation

'Meticulous' describes extreme care and attention to detail, so 'thorough' is the closest match in this context. The other options describe carelessness, unwillingness, or duration, none of which fits record-keeping done with great precision.

Question 7English (Intermediate Level)

In the phrase 'a rather unexpectedly difficult paper', what is the grammatical category of 'rather'?

  1. Preposition introducing a phrase
  2. Adjective modifying a noun
  3. Conjunction linking clauses
  4. Adverb modifying another adverb Correct answer.

Explanation

'Rather' is an adverb of degree that here modifies the adverb 'unexpectedly'. Adverbs of degree typically intensify or soften a following adverb or adjective, and 'rather' never functions as a preposition or conjunction in this position.

Question 8English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence uses the passive voice appropriately for formal academic writing?

  1. The scripts marked two independent examiners.
  2. Two independent examiners marked the scripts.
  3. The scripts were marked by two independent examiners. Correct answer.
  4. Two independent examiners were marking the scripts.

Explanation

The passive construction 'were marked by' places the emphasis on the scripts, which is typical of formal reports where the action matters more than the agent. The remaining options are active or ungrammatical, so they do not illustrate passive use.

Question 9English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence contains a dangling modifier?

  1. Having finished the essay, Maria submitted it to her tutor.
  2. Having finished the essay, the tutor received it from Maria. Correct answer.
  3. Maria, having finished the essay, submitted it to her tutor.
  4. After Maria finished the essay, she submitted it to her tutor.

Explanation

A participial phrase at the start of a sentence must refer to the subject of the main clause. In option 1 the implied subject of 'having finished' becomes 'the tutor', which is illogical, so the modifier dangles.

Question 10English (Intermediate Level)

Which option best completes the sentence: 'If the candidates ____ harder, they would have passed the examination'?

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

Explanation

This is a third conditional sentence about an unreal past situation, so the if-clause requires the past perfect ('had studied') and the main clause takes 'would have passed'. The other forms belong to second or first conditional patterns.

Question 11English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence uses 'its' and 'it's' correctly?

  1. The school published it's results on its website.
  2. The school published it's results on it's website.
  3. The school published its results on it's website.
  4. The school published its results on its website. Correct answer.

Explanation

'Its' is the possessive determiner meaning 'belonging to it', while 'it's' is the contraction of 'it is' or 'it has'. Both gaps require the possessive form, so only the option with 'its' twice is correct.

Question 12English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence uses a colon correctly?

  1. The examiner asked for three things; a pen, a ruler and an eraser.
  2. The examiner asked for three things: a pen, a ruler and an eraser. Correct answer.
  3. The examiner asked for: a pen, a ruler and an eraser.
  4. The examiner asked for three things, a pen, a ruler and an eraser.

Explanation

A colon may introduce a list after a complete main clause, which 'The examiner asked for three things' provides. It must not separate a verb or preposition from its object, which rules out the version with 'for:' .

Question 13English (Intermediate Level)

What is the meaning of the idiom 'to bite the bullet' in 'She decided to bite the bullet and resit the examination'?

  1. To accept something unpleasant bravely Correct answer.
  2. To speak without thinking
  3. To waste an opportunity
  4. To avoid a difficult task

Explanation

'To bite the bullet' means to face a difficult or unpleasant situation with courage rather than delaying it. Resitting an examination is unpleasant but necessary, which matches this sense exactly.

Question 14English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence uses the correct preposition after the adjective?

  1. All candidates are eligible of applying for the scholarship.
  2. All candidates are eligible on applying for the scholarship.
  3. All candidates are eligible to apply for the scholarship. Correct answer.
  4. All candidates are eligible in apply for the scholarship.

Explanation

The adjective 'eligible' is followed by the infinitive 'to apply' or by 'for' plus a noun. The other prepositions do not collocate with 'eligible' in standard English.

Question 15English (Intermediate Level)

In 'The lecturer spoke so quickly that nobody could take notes', what type of clause is 'that nobody could take notes'?

  1. A relative clause
  2. A concessive clause
  3. A conditional clause
  4. A result clause Correct answer.

Explanation

The pattern 'so + adverb + that' introduces a clause expressing the consequence or result of the degree described. It is not conditional, concessive, or relative, since it does not express a condition, a contrast, or modify a noun.

Question 16English (Intermediate Level)

Which option correctly completes the sentence: 'The Head of Department, together with the teachers, ____ attending the meeting'?

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

Explanation

When a singular subject is followed by 'together with', the verb agrees with the first subject only, since the intervening phrase is parenthetical. 'The Head of Department' is singular, so the singular 'is' is required.

Question 17English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence is an example of a complex sentence?

  1. The bell rang, so the candidates left the hall.
  2. The bell rang and the candidates left the hall.
  3. The bell rang; the candidates left the hall.
  4. When the bell rang, the candidates left the hall. Correct answer.

Explanation

A complex sentence contains one main clause and at least one subordinate clause; 'When the bell rang' is subordinate to 'the candidates left the hall'. The other options combine independent clauses by coordination or juxtaposition.

Question 18English (Intermediate Level)

Which word is an antonym of 'ambiguous' as used in 'The instructions were ambiguous'?

  1. vague
  2. explicit Correct answer.
  3. confusing
  4. unclear

Explanation

'Ambiguous' means open to more than one interpretation, so its antonym is 'explicit', which means stated clearly and leaving no doubt. 'Vague', 'unclear' and 'confusing' are near-synonyms rather than opposites.

Question 19English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence correctly reports the direct speech 'I will finish the assignment tomorrow', said by Maria?

  1. Maria said she would finish the assignment the following day. Correct answer.
  2. Maria said I would finish the assignment the following day.
  3. Maria said she would finished the assignment the following day.
  4. Maria said she will finish the assignment tomorrow.

Explanation

In reported speech after a past reporting verb, 'will' becomes 'would', the pronoun shifts to match the speaker, and 'tomorrow' becomes 'the following day'. Only the first option applies all three backshift rules correctly.

Question 20English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence uses a modal verb to express obligation most strongly?

  1. Candidates should bring their identity cards.
  2. Candidates could bring their identity cards.
  3. Candidates may bring their identity cards.
  4. Candidates must bring their identity cards. Correct answer.

Explanation

'Must' expresses strong obligation or requirement, whereas 'should' gives advice, 'may' grants permission, and 'could' suggests possibility. For a formal examination rule, 'must' conveys the strongest binding obligation.

Question 21English (Intermediate Level)

In 'The teacher whom the students admired retired last term', what is the function of 'whom' within the relative clause?

  1. Object of the verb 'admired' Correct answer.
  2. Possessive determiner
  3. Subject of the relative clause
  4. Object of a preposition

Explanation

Inside the relative clause 'whom the students admired', the relative pronoun is the object of the verb 'admired', with 'the students' as its subject. The object form 'whom' confirms this function rather than a subject or possessive role.

Question 22English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence contains a phrasal verb used correctly?

  1. The candidates were asked to turn off their mobile phones before entering. Correct answer.
  2. The candidates were asked to put off their mobile phones before entering.
  3. The candidates were asked to off turn their mobile phones before entering.
  4. The candidates were asked to turn their mobile phones before entering off.

Explanation

'Turn off' is a separable phrasal verb meaning to switch something off, and with a pronoun object the particle must follow it. Option 1 uses the verb idiomatically and keeps the particle in an acceptable position after the noun phrase.

Question 23English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence uses the definite article 'the' correctly according to standard usage?

  1. Honesty is an important quality in an examiner. Correct answer.
  2. An honesty is an important quality in an examiner.
  3. The honesties are important qualities in an examiner.
  4. The honesty is an important quality in an examiner.

Explanation

Abstract nouns used in a general sense take no article, so 'Honesty is an important quality' is correct. The definite article would be used only for a specific instance already identified in context.

Question 24English (Intermediate Level)

Which option best describes the effect of the sentence 'The hall fell silent' at the start of a narrative paragraph?

  1. It uses a rhetorical question to engage the reader.
  2. It employs personification of the hall.
  3. It uses hyperbole to exaggerate the noise.
  4. It creates a terse, dramatic tone through a short clause. Correct answer.

Explanation

The brevity of the clause and the sudden change of state produce a clipped, dramatic effect that signals tension. There is no exaggeration, question, or attribution of human qualities, so the other readings are unsupported by the text.

Question 25English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence correctly uses 'fewer' rather than 'less'?

  1. There were less candidates in the hall this year.
  2. There were fewer candidates in the hall this year. Correct answer.
  3. There was fewer candidates in the hall this year.
  4. There were fewer noise in the hall this year.

Explanation

'Fewer' is used with plural countable nouns such as 'candidates', while 'less' is used with uncountable nouns. Only the first option combines the plural countable noun with the correct comparative determiner and verb agreement.

Question 26English (Intermediate Level)

In the MATSEC Intermediate English paper, a candidate writes: 'The committee have decided to postpone the results.' Which explanation best accounts for the verb form used?

  1. 'Committee' is treated as a collective noun whose members act individually, so a plural verb is acceptable in British usage. Correct answer.
  2. The sentence is wrong because 'decided' requires 'to have' before it.
  3. 'Committee' is always plural in English and can never take a singular verb.
  4. The verb should be 'has' because collective nouns are always singular in British English.

Explanation

British English allows collective nouns such as 'committee', 'team' and 'government' to take a plural verb when the emphasis is on the individual members acting. When the group is seen as a single unit, a singular verb is also correct, so both patterns are defensible depending on meaning.

Question 27English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence uses a semicolon correctly in a piece of formal school reporting?

  1. The results were published late; because all candidates received their certificates.
  2. The results were published late; however, all candidates received their certificates. Correct answer.
  3. The results were published late; all candidates, received their certificates.
  4. The results were published late; and all candidates received their certificates.

Explanation

A semicolon can join two independent clauses, and it is especially useful before a conjunctive adverb such as 'however' that links the ideas. The clause after the semicolon must be able to stand alone as a sentence.

Question 28English (Intermediate Level)

A student writes: 'Having completed the coursework, the examination was approached with confidence.' What is the problem with this sentence?

  1. The sentence needs a semicolon before 'the examination'.
  2. The perfect participle 'having completed' should be 'having been completed'.
  3. 'Approached with confidence' is an incomplete verb phrase.
  4. The introductory participle phrase has no logical subject in the main clause. Correct answer.

Explanation

An introductory participle phrase must describe the subject of the main clause. Here 'having completed the coursework' appears to describe 'the examination', which is illogical, so the sentence needs rewriting, for example 'Having completed the coursework, the student approached the examination with confidence'.

Question 29English (Intermediate Level)

Which option best completes the sentence: 'The examiner insisted that every script ____ marked twice.'

  1. is
  2. be Correct answer.
  3. was being
  4. will be

Explanation

Verbs of demanding and insisting (insist, demand, require, request) are followed by a that-clause using the subjunctive 'be' in formal English. The base form 'be' signals the mandative subjunctive and is standard in formal written English.

Question 30English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence uses a conditional form correctly to describe an unreal past situation?

  1. If the candidate would have revised systematically, she achieved a higher grade.
  2. If the candidate revised systematically, she would have achieved a higher grade.
  3. Had the candidate revised systematically, she would achieve a higher grade.
  4. Had the candidate revised systematically, she would have achieved a higher grade. Correct answer.

Explanation

The third conditional describes an unreal past situation using 'had + past participle' in the if-clause and 'would have + past participle' in the main clause. Inversion ('Had the candidate revised...') is a formal alternative to 'If the candidate had revised...'.

Question 31English (Intermediate Level)

In the sentence 'The syllabus which the board published in September replaces the old one', what does the relative pronoun 'which' function as inside its clause?

  1. An adverbial of time.
  2. A complement of the noun 'syllabus'.
  3. The object of the verb 'published'. Correct answer.
  4. The subject of the verb 'published'.

Explanation

Inside the relative clause 'which the board published in September', the subject is 'the board' and the verb is 'published'. The pronoun 'which' is the thing being published, so it functions as the direct object of that verb.

Question 32English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence uses a modal verb to express a logical deduction about the present?

  1. You must submit the assignment by Friday.
  2. Must you always interrupt the speaker?
  3. The results must have been ready yesterday.
  4. The results must be ready by now; the office closed an hour ago. Correct answer.

Explanation

'Must' can express a strong logical deduction about the present, meaning 'it is almost certainly true'. The other uses of 'must' express obligation or, in questions, annoyance.

Question 33English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence correctly uses the present perfect continuous?

  1. She has studied for the Intermediate English examination since January.
  2. She has been studying for the Intermediate English examination since January. Correct answer.
  3. She is studying for the Intermediate English examination since January.
  4. She was studying for the Intermediate English examination since January.

Explanation

The present perfect continuous ('has been studying') emphasises an activity that began in the past and continues up to the present, and it combines naturally with 'since' or 'for'. It focuses on the ongoing nature of the activity.

Question 34English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence best demonstrates formal academic hedging in a report on examination performance?

  1. The data proves that candidates performed much better than last year.
  2. Candidates obviously did better; everybody agrees on that point.
  3. The data would appear to suggest a modest improvement in candidates' performance. Correct answer.
  4. The data is a total disaster for the examination board.

Explanation

Hedging uses cautious language such as 'would appear to suggest', 'may' or 'tends to' to avoid overstating a claim. This is standard in formal academic writing, where conclusions are presented as provisional rather than absolute.

Question 35English (Intermediate Level)

Which option correctly completes the sentence: 'Neither the examiner nor the invigilators ____ aware of the timetable change.'

  1. is
  2. has been
  3. were Correct answer.
  4. was

Explanation

With 'neither...nor', the verb agrees with the subject nearest to it, which here is the plural 'invigilators'. The plural past form 'were' is therefore required.

Question 36English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence uses an apostrophe correctly in a formal notice about examination papers?

  1. The candidates' scripts were collected at the end of the session. Correct answer.
  2. The candidates scripts' were collected at the end of the session.
  3. The candidates's scripts were collected at the end of the session.
  4. The candidate's scripts were collected at the end of the session.

Explanation

The apostrophe follows the plural noun 'candidates' to show that the scripts belong to several candidates. For a regular plural ending in -s, the apostrophe is placed after the s.

Question 37English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence correctly uses the definite article in a general statement?

  1. A candidates who arrive late will not be admitted to the hall.
  2. Candidates who arrive late will not be admitted to the hall.
  3. The candidates who arrive late will not be admitted to the hall. Correct answer.
  4. Candidates who arrive late will not be admitted to a hall.

Explanation

The definite article is used when the noun phrase is specified by a defining relative clause, so 'the candidates who arrive late' refers to a specific identified group. This is the standard way to restrict a general category to a particular subset.

Question 38English (Intermediate Level)

Which word is the best synonym for 'concise' as used in 'Candidates should give concise answers in the summary task'?

  1. Detailed
  2. Obscure
  3. Brief Correct answer.
  4. Lengthy

Explanation

'Concise' means expressing information clearly in few words, so 'brief' is the closest synonym. It carries a positive sense of economy, not of vagueness or incompleteness.

Question 39English (Intermediate Level)

In the sentence 'The invigilator walked quietly down the corridor', what is the grammatical function of 'quietly'?

  1. It modifies the noun 'invigilator' as an adjective.
  2. It functions as a subject complement after 'walked'.
  3. It modifies the verb 'walked' as an adverbial of manner. Correct answer.
  4. It modifies the preposition 'down' as an intensifier.

Explanation

Adverbs of manner describe how an action is performed, and 'quietly' modifies the verb 'walked'. It answers the question 'how did the invigilator walk?'.

Question 40English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence uses the gerund correctly as the subject of a clause?

  1. To reading widely improves a candidate's vocabulary.
  2. Reading widely improve a candidate's vocabulary.
  3. Read widely improves a candidate's vocabulary.
  4. Reading widely improves a candidate's vocabulary. Correct answer.

Explanation

A gerund is the -ing form of a verb used as a noun. When a gerund phrase such as 'reading widely' is the subject, it takes a singular verb, so 'improves' is correct.

Question 41English (Intermediate Level)

A candidate writes: 'The essay was written by Maria, and it was praised by the examiner for its clarity.' Which stylistic criticism is most accurate?

  1. The sentence needs a semicolon because it contains two clauses.
  2. The sentence is incorrect because passive voice is never acceptable in academic writing.
  3. The sentence is wrong because 'its' cannot refer to an essay.
  4. The repeated passive constructions make the sentence wordy and weaken the sense of agency. Correct answer.

Explanation

Passive constructions are grammatical and sometimes useful, but piling them up obscures who did what and adds words. A more direct version such as 'Maria wrote the essay, and the examiner praised its clarity' is clearer.

Question 42English (Intermediate Level)

Which option best completes the sentence: 'The examination was ____ difficult that many candidates ran out of time.'

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

Explanation

The pattern 'so + adjective + that' introduces a result clause. 'Such' would require a noun phrase ('such a difficult examination that...'), and 'too' would need an infinitive rather than a that-clause.

Question 43English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence uses 'would' to describe a repeated past habit?

  1. The candidates would finish the paper if they had more time.
  2. The candidates would have finished the paper by noon.
  3. Every June, the candidates would gather outside the hall before the paper began. Correct answer.
  4. Would you please close the door?

Explanation

'Would' can describe a habitual action in the past, often in narrative writing, and it is close in meaning to 'used to'. The time marker 'every June' makes the habitual meaning clear.

Question 44English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence uses a prefix correctly to form a word meaning 'not able to be read'?

  1. The handwriting on the script was unlegible.
  2. The handwriting on the script was dislegible.
  3. The handwriting on the script was inlegible.
  4. The handwriting on the script was illegible. Correct answer.

Explanation

The negative prefix 'il-' is used before words beginning with 'l', so 'legible' becomes 'illegible'. The same assimilation rule produces 'irregular', 'impossible' and 'immature'.

Question 45English (Intermediate Level)

In the sentence 'The candidate, who had prepared thoroughly, answered every question with confidence', what is the effect of the commas around the relative clause?

  1. They introduce a list of the candidate's qualities.
  2. They mark the clause as defining, identifying which candidate is meant.
  3. They separate two independent clauses joined without a conjunction.
  4. They mark the clause as non-defining, adding extra information about an already identified candidate. Correct answer.

Explanation

Commas around a relative clause signal that it is non-defining: it gives additional information about a noun that is already clear from the context. A defining relative clause would have no commas and would identify the noun.

Question 46English (Intermediate Level)

When applying standard reported-speech backshift, which option correctly completes the sentence: 'The Head of Department asked whether the marks ____ already been checked.'

  1. had Correct answer.
  2. have
  3. having
  4. has

Explanation

In reported speech, a past-tense reporting verb ('asked') normally shifts the original present perfect to the past perfect. The original question 'Have the marks already been checked?' therefore becomes 'whether the marks had already been checked'.

Question 47English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence uses a phrasal verb with the correct meaning for an examination context?

  1. The candidate put off revising until the night before the paper. Correct answer.
  2. The candidate put out revising until the night before the paper.
  3. The candidate put up revising until the night before the paper.
  4. The candidate put in revising until the night before the paper.

Explanation

'Put off' means to postpone or delay, which fits the meaning of delaying revision. Phrasal verbs are fixed combinations, and the particle cannot be swapped without changing or losing the meaning.

Question 48English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence uses a comparative structure correctly in a comment on two essays?

  1. The second essay was considerably most persuasive than the first.
  2. The second essay was considerably persuasiver than the first.
  3. The second essay was considerably more persuasive that the first.
  4. The second essay was considerably more persuasive than the first. Correct answer.

Explanation

Multi-syllable adjectives such as 'persuasive' form the comparative with 'more', and the comparison is completed with 'than'. Intensifiers like 'considerably' can modify the comparative.

Question 49English (Intermediate Level)

A candidate's summary reads: 'The author argues that examinations are unfair. He says they are unfair because they reward memory.' Which criticism of cohesion is most accurate?

  1. The repetition of 'unfair' could be replaced by a pronoun or synonym to link the sentences more smoothly. Correct answer.
  2. The summary is incoherent because it uses two sentences instead of one.
  3. The summary needs a colon after 'argues' to be grammatically correct.
  4. The pronoun 'they' is ambiguous because it could refer to 'examinations' or 'memory'.

Explanation

Cohesion improves when repeated words are replaced with pronouns, synonyms or referencing expressions, for example 'This is because they reward memory'. Repeating the same adjective in consecutive sentences makes the writing feel clumsy.

Question 50English (Intermediate Level)

Which sentence uses the infinitive correctly after a verb of perception?

  1. The invigilator saw the candidate leave the hall early. Correct answer.
  2. The invigilator saw the candidate left the hall early.
  3. The invigilator saw the candidate leaving to the hall early.
  4. The invigilator saw the candidate to leave the hall early.

Explanation

After verbs of perception such as 'see', 'hear' and 'watch', the bare infinitive is used for a complete action ('saw the candidate leave'). The -ing form is also possible when the action is in progress, but the infinitive takes no 'to'.