Aptis Grammar and Vocabulary Exam Final Preparation

Aptis Grammar and Vocabulary Exam Final Preparation

1 Refresh your memory
What do you already know about the grammar and vocabulary exam? Choose one word from the
box to complete each gap in this summary text. Use each word only once.
as

change

consists

each tests even for pause whole

The grammar and writing exam 1)__________ of 2 separate sections. The first is 25 multiple choice answers to
test your grammar knowledge. It tests things like verb tenses, articles, prepositions, linkers, modal verbs
and2)__________ spoken grammar. The second is 5 vocabulary exercises,3)__________ with 5 items for
which you have to select one choice from a drop-down list. It 4)__________ mainly synonyms and collocations.
There is one mark 5)__________ each answer, making a total of 50 marks for the6)__________ test. You have
25 minutes to complete the test. During the test, you cannot 7)__________ the clock, but you can go back or
forward8)__________ you like, and you can review and 9)__________ your answers at any point until you
submit your test or your time runs out.
2 Navigating within the Aptis website
1) Circle the following: a) time remaining b) percentage of test completed c) button to move to next ques
2) How would you a) go to question 7? b) leave a question for later? c)go straight to the vocab.
section?
3 Do the Aptis Website Practice Exam
Go to the following web address and do the online Grammar and Vocabulary Practice Exam:
http://www.britishcouncil.org/aptis-practice-tests/AptisGrammarVocabPractice/
Once youve finished, youll get a % mark. Make a note of it here: _________%
4 Find your Strengths and Weaknesses
In order to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses in grammar and vocabulary knowledge, its useful to know
the name of the grammar or vocabulary that is being tested. That way, you can search for the same grammar /
vocabulary area online and improve on your weak areas. Here are all the questions from the test. Read
through them and decide whether you know the grammar or not. Put a tick or cross in the last column. Also
answer any of the questions in the What is it testing? column.
Grammar
Question with correct answer in bold

What is it testing?

1. He is single. He never ________.

married
marries
marrying

Tenses
Past simple, present simple. Its also
testing use of the negative adverb
never.

2. I ________ use to swim much, but now I have

my own pool, I swim every day.
dont
didnt
did

Used to
An area of grammar used to talk about
past habits & states. This question is
testing the form.

3. In those days, my father ________ never eat

Would

Do I know this?
or

dinner after 8 oclock.

used to
will
would

A modal verb that can also be used to

talk about past habits. Why is used
to impossible?

4. I had a shower, ________ I went to bed.

during
then
until

Linkers
during is a preposition, then is an
adverb
and until is either a preposition or a
conjunction.

5. How much ________ the train to Santiago cost?

is
does
do

Question Forms
This question is testing whether you
understand which auxiliary to use in
questions.

6. He ________ in Cairo.
living
lives
live

Tenses
Present simple vs. present continuous.
Only lives is formally correct. How
would it be in present continuous?

7. ________ you like to go out this evening?

Will
Would
Can

Question Forms
This question is testing whether you
know how to form a question with
would like

8. He ________ finished cooking when we arrived.

has
have
had

Tenses
Past perfect simple vs. present perfect
simple. Why is present perfect
impossible?

9. The film starts ________ half past four.

at
on
in

Prepositions of Time
We always use at with clock times.
Do you know when we use on and
in?

10. I wish it ________ the time of year when I could

go on holiday.
will be
is
were

Wish
Notice how we need to use past tense
after wish (were is the subjunctive
form). The same is true about if
only.

11. I dont think its right ________ children to play

with toy guns.
for
that
to

Syntax
A difficult area to revise. It tests your
understanding of how to link clauses
in sentences. Note the structure:
be + right / wrong for (+ noun) to (+
verb).

12. I ________ to work when I saw Steve.

was going
went
going

Tenses
Past continuous vs. past simple. These
are part of an area of grammar
sometimes called narrative tenses.

13. That mans so unreliable you cant trust him.

________
I wouldnt frankly work with him.

Adverb position in sentences

There are specific rules as to where
we can and cant put adverbs in

I wouldnt work frankly with him.

Frankly, I wouldnt work with him.

sentences. Do you know the rules?

14. Excuse me, Im lost. ________ you help me?

Could
Shall
Should

Polite Requests
The example uses could. Do you
know other ways of making polite
requests?

15. William ________ in South America now.

is living
will live
was living

Tenses
Present continuous vs. will future
and past continuous.

16. We could cook dinner. ________, we could buy

some take away food.
Therefore
On the other hand
Although

Linkers
Therefore and On the other hand
are discourse markers, a type of
adverb. Although is always a
conjunction. Do you know the
difference?

17. You ________ to do your homework by

tomorrow.
should
must
have

Expressing Obligation
This is testing an area that includes
both true modal verbs and the semimodal have to. Why are the others
wrong?

18. We ________ have caught the early train, as the

football match was delayed.
mustnt
didnt
neednt

Neednt have (+ past participle)

Notice how some modals can be used
in the past to express criticism or
make deductions. Google past
modals of deduction for more
information.

19. She reads every day ________ she isnt serious.

and
because
but

Conjunctions
This is testing the meaning of the 3
conjunctions. How would you change
the sentence to use and or because?

20. A: I enjoy working on challenging projects at

work.
B: So ________ I!
am
do
can

So do I / Neither do I
This is a specific area of spoken
grammar that is often tested in the
exam. How would you negate the
answer?

21. Go to the end of the street and turn ________

right.
(-)
on
to

Giving Directions
This is testing collocation / dependent
prepositions within the functional area
of giving directions.

22. The children ________ playing football for two

hours before it started raining.
have been
has been
had been

Tenses
Past perfect continuous, the right
answer, is being contrasted with
present perfect continuous. What is
the other verb tense used in the
sentence?

23. There were ________ than fifty people in the

audience last night.

Comparatives / Quantifiers
Note that in Malaysia, lesser is

fewer
few
lesser

sometimes used in this context, but

this is considered wrong in standard
UK English.

24. I just heard they are ________ get married in

June.
going to
going
go to

Be going to (+ verb)
Often just called going to, its a very
common future form in English.

25. If you were a better cook, you ________ need to

eat out all the time.
wont
wouldnt
hadnt

Conditionals (2nd vs. 1st)

The correct answer is a second
conditional. Why cant it be first
conditional?

Vocabulary
For the vocabulary, write strong, OK or weak in the self evaluation column, depending on how you did in the
test:
Answers

Choices

What is it testing?

Vocabulary 1
study = read
receive = get
start = begin
talk = speak
pick = choose

go
plan
read
choose
end

begin
listen
run
speak
get

Vocabulary 2
cover wrap
improve / change adjust
state / make public announce
get somewhere arrive
put something together
assemble

attend
approach
admit
announce
arrange
accept

assemble Verb Synonyms

arrive
Testing knowledge of
verb meaning. Notice
how sometimes 2 verbs
adjust
are given on the left to
wrap
ensure only one match is
possible from the
choices.

Vocabulary 3
More and more people
go abroad for their holidays these
days.
Drivers need to remain alert when
in charge of a car.
The city has many ancient and
interesting buildings.
Shes a highly articulate person
who explains things clearly.
Hes a very aggressive person
always getting into fights

awkward
ancient
ahead
adequate
articulate
alert
accurate
abroad
adult
aggressive

Vocabulary 4
timetable = schedule
reward = prize
queue = line

line
command
mess
schedule

Verb Synonyms
Testing knowledge of
verb meaning. Notice
that the first answer is a
very weak synonym,
but its (probably) the
best choice.

Collocations
Testing knowledge of
adjectives and adverbs.
Most of the correct
answers are right
because they collocate
with a verb before the
adjective or a noun after
it.

joint
prize
fright
dock

Noun Synonyms
Testing knowledge of
noun meaning.

Self-evaluation

phase = stage
error = mistake

stage

Vocabulary 5
aerobics + classes
agriculture + minister
aisle + seat
apron + strings
atom + bomb

bomb
scissors
classes
salesman
minister

mistake
audition
rod
strings
seep
seat

Collocation
Testing knowledge of
adjective noun
collocations, and also of
general noun knowledge.
If you know what an
apron is, only one word
goes with it logically!

Note
The exact choice of vocabulary exercises varies between exams. Some can also test adjective synonyms.
5 My Learning Plan
Between now and the exam, you can improve your mark in the grammar and vocabulary paper significantly by
improving on your current weaknesses. Complete the table below, choosing 10 areas of grammar or
vocabulary you want to study most. Put the most important ones at the top of the table. Add the study
completion date in the last column to help you to plan your time effectively (e.g. by 20th Dec.):
Number What I want to study

Study Completion Date

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
6 How to find what you need online
Now that you know what you want to study and when, here are some tips for finding the right materials online.
For each area of grammar, use Google to find what you need. Example searches are given below:
1) Grammar Learning
Search for the name of the grammar (notice the use of inverted commas), and the words grammar rules.
This will bring up websites that explain the basic rules:
2) Grammar Practice
Search for the name of the grammar (notice the use of vs) and the word exercises or activities.

Trainer Supplements
Answer Key
Grammar

1. married
2. didnt
3. would
4. then
5. does
6. lives
7. Would
8. had
9. at
10. were
11. for
12. was going
13. Frankly, I wouldnt work with him.
14. Could
15. is living
16. On the other hand
17. have
18. neednt
19. but
20. do
21. (-)
22. The children had been
23. fewer
24. going to
25. wouldnt

Vocabulary 4
timetable = schedule
reward = prize
queue = line
phase = stage
error = mistake
Vocabulary 5
aerobics + classes
agriculture + minister
aisle + seat
apron + strings
atom + bomb
Aptis Practice Test Online Test
This is the online practice test (a past paper),
copied from the Aptis website in Oct 2013. It can be
used with teachers who are having difficulty
accessing the online exam:
http://www.britishcouncil.org/aptis-practicetests/AptisGrammarVocabPractice/

Vocabulary 1
study = read (poor question)
receive = get
start = begin
talk = speak
pick = choose
Vocabulary 2
cover wrap
improve or change adjust
state / make public announce
get somewhere arrive
put something together assemble
Vocabulary 3
More and more people go abroad for their holidays
these days.
Drivers need to remain alert when in charge of a
car.
The city has many ancient and interesting
buildings.
Shes a highly articulate person who explains things
clearly.
Hes a very aggressive person always getting into
fights

Grammar
1.

He is single. He never ________.

married
marries
marrying
2. I ________ use to swim much, but now I have
my own pool, I swim every day.
dont
didnt
did
3. In those days, my father ________ never eat
dinner after 8 oclock.
used to
will
would
4. I had a shower, ________ I went to bed.
during
then
until
5. How much ________ the train to Santiago
cost?
is
does
do
6. He ________ in Cairo.

living
lives
live
7. ________ you like to go out this evening?
Will
Would
Can
8. He ________ finished cooking when we
arrived.
has
have
had
9. The film starts ________ half past four.
at
on
in
10. I wish it ________ the time of year when I could
go on holiday.
will be
is
were
11. I dont think its right ________ children to play
with toy guns.
for
that
to
12. I ________ to work when I saw Steve.
was going
went
going
13. That mans so unreliable you cant trust him.
_________
I wouldnt frankly work with him.
I wouldnt work frankly with him.
Frankly, I wouldnt work with him.
14. Excuse me, Im lost. ________ you help me?
Could
Shall
Should
15. William ________ in South America now.
is living
will live
was living
16. We could cook dinner. ________, we could buy
some take away food.
Therefore
On the other hand
Although
17. You ________ to do your homework by
tomorrow.
should
must
have

18. We ________ have caught the early train, as

the football match was delayed.
mustnt
didnt
neednt
19. She reads every day ________ she isnt
serious.
and
because
but
20. A: I enjoy working on challenging projects at
work.
B: So ________ I!
am
do
can

21. Go to the end of the street and turn ________

right.
(-)
on
to
22. The children ________ playing football for two
hours before it started raining.
have been
has been
had been
23. There were ________ than fifty people in the
audience last night.
fewer
few
lesser
24. I just heard they are ________ get married in
June.
going to
going
go to
25. If you were a better cook, you ________ need
to eat out all the time.
wont
wouldnt
hadnt

go
begin
plan
listen
read
run
choose
speak
end
get
Vocabulary 1
Select a word from the list that has the most similar
meaning to the word on the left. Example: big =
large
study = ________
receive = ________
start = ________
talk = ________
pick = ________

attend
assemble
approach
arrive
admit
announce
arrange
adjust
accept
wrap
Vocabulary 2
Complete each definition using a word from the
drop down list.
To cover with paper or material is to ________
To improve or change is to ________
To state or make public is to ________
To get somewhere is to ________
To put something together is to ________

awkward
ancient
ahead
adequate
articulate
alert
accurate
abroad
adult

aggressive

Vocabulary 3
Complete each sentence using a word from the
drop down list.
More and more people go ________ for their
holidays these days.
Drivers need to remain ________ when in charge
of a car.
The city has many ________ and interesting
buildings.
Shes a highly ________ person who explains
things clearly.
Hes a very ________ person always getting into
fights.
line
joint
command
prize
mess
fright
schedule
dock
stage
mistake
Vocabulary 4
Select a word from the list that has the most similar
meaning to the word on the left. Example: big =
large
bom timetable = ________
reward = ________
b
audit queue = ________
ion phase = ________
sciss error = ________
ors
rod
class
es
strin
gs
sales
man
seep
mini
ster
seat

Vocabulary 5
Select a word from the list that is
most often used with the word
on the left. Example: big +
house
aerobics + ________
agriculture + ________

aisle + ________
apron + ________

atom + ________