Melbourne PTE Study Centre

GRAMMAR FOR PTE ACADEMIC PREPARATION

NAME: ___________________________________________________________ SCORE:
_________________

Read the sentences below and decide which answer (A, B, C or D) best fits each
gap.

1 The new course is very good, but very demanding: we ____ so hard in all our lives!
A are never working B didn’t work C don’t work
D have never worked
2 It was very difficult during the first few weeks of the term, I ____ anything the tutor
said, but I’m finding it easier now.
A haven’t understood B didn’t understand C can’t
understand D don’t understand
3 It took me ages to make my mind up, but I ____ on my optional subjects for next
year – I’m going to take statistics and biology.
A have finally decided B finally decide C am finally deciding
D haven’t finally decided
4 I ____ sleepy in the afternoons if I eat too much at lunchtime.
A always feel B am always feeling C always felt D feel
always
5 He ____ smoking if he had realised how difficult it would be to give it up.
A hadn’t started B wouldn’t start C didn’t start D
wouldn’t have started
6 If I ____ more exercise and eaten a healthier diet when I was in my 20s, I’d be in
better health now.
A took B had taken C would have taken
D have taken
7 Surely that ____ be enough concrete to finish the floor – you do realise that it’s
nearly ten metres square, don’t you?
A mustn’t B must C can’t D can
8 If the builders confirm that the damp is coming from the window frames, you ____
be obliged to install new ones.
A can B may C must D should
Melbourne PTE Study Centre | GRAMMAR FOR PTE ACADEMIC PREPARATION 1
9 Look! The original staircase ____ here. You can see the handrail and the marks on
the walls where the steps were.
A might have been B could have been C must have been D
can be
10 Most people don’t realise the extent to which they are influenced ____ advertising.
A from B of C by D with
11 We are all very concerned ____ the substantial drop in sales in the last quarter.
A for B about C from
D of

12 Although we are proud ____ our reputation for excellent customer service, there is
still a lot we can improve.
A for B by C of D
from
13 Provided that nothing unexpected happens, the spaceship ____ to re-enter Earth’s
atmosphere at
around midday tomorrow.
A will be likely B is due C might D
will probably
14 We ____ start feeling the benefits of the reduction in carbon emissions very soon.
A expect to B are expecting C are likely D are
planning to
15 Despite the actions of certain anti-nuclear protest groups, the government ____
change its plans to build more nuclear power stations over the next decade.
A will B is hoped to C is forecast to D is
unlikely to
16 Girls ____ have a strong relationship with their father during their childhood are
likely to be more confident as adults.
A– B who C which D who’s
17 Her theories relating to trauma in early childhood, ____ were extremely
controversial when she first published them, are now widely accepted.
A that B the ones C about which D which
18 I’ve lent them a DVD of the film ____ won the best documentary prize.
A what B that C who D
Whom
19 The polar bears in the area ____ by the early melting of the ice floes this year and
are finding it difficult to survive.
A were badly affect B have been badly affected C badly affected
D being badly affected
Melbourne PTE Study Centre | GRAMMAR FOR PTE ACADEMIC PREPARATION 2
20 We can’t set up camp here: this whole area ____ into a natural park in order to
protect the land from developers and preserve the wildlife and plants.
A made B is made C has made D has been
made
21 Unfortunately, since these bears ____ as an endangered species, it is still legal for
hunters to shoot them.
A haven’t been recognised B weren’t recognised C don’t
recognise D haven’t recognised
22 I offered to help them hang up the paintings, but they wanted to do it ____.
A myself B themself C themselves
D their selves
23 At the time, ____ an artist or painter wasn’t considered a respectable profession, for
a woman in particular, and my parents did all they could to persuade me not to go
to art school.
A being B to be C be
D it was
24 Some people complained because the photos of war scenes were so violent;
consequently we had to ____ between removing those particular photos or closing
the whole exhibition.
A choosing B choose C have chosen D making a choice
25 Thank you! We ____ passed the exam without your help.
A can’t have B won’t have C couldn’t have D didn’t have

26 Once we have found an alternative to fossil fuels, we ____ drive to work without
feeling guilty.
A are able to B could be able to C would be able to D will be
able to
27 The university ____ face-to-face tutorials with online ones; such a move would be
against our interests and cause standards to fall.
A never replaced B didn’t replace C doesn’t replace D
would never replace
28 Unfortunately, the topic that I wanted to write ____ for my dissertation has
suddenly become very popular, so I might have to choose another one.
A down B about C over D around
29 I don’t know who I’m going to talk ____ all evening because no one here speaks my
language.
A about B for C to D together

Melbourne PTE Study Centre | GRAMMAR FOR PTE ACADEMIC PREPARATION 3

30 The photos you are looking ____ were taken last year during our research trip to
Chile. That’s us on the Isla Grande, the biggest island in the Tierra del Fuego.
A to B in C for D at
31 I chose to study for a degree in business because I thought I would get a good job
at the end of it; ____ I’ve found the course rather boring so far and I’m wondering if
I made the right choice.
A because B on the other hand C however
D consequently
32 The university has increased its tuition fees by nearly 40 percent in the past few
years; ____ admissions have fallen dramatically and many of the courses are nearly
empty.
A nevertheless B further C for instance D
consequently
33 ____ you do something to improve your posture, you are likely to have serious back
problems when you get older.
A If B As long as C Unless D
Assuming
34 Many forms of cancer can be treated successfully ____ they are identified in their
early stages.
A as long as B wherever C unless D even if
35 ____ all the money we spent on redecoration, this building is still a cold and
unwelcoming place.
A As well as B Not only C Despite D Even though
36 The builders told us that ____ repairing the roof, we also need to replace the floor in
the attic. It’s going to cost us a fortune!
A not only B in addition C instead of D
as well as
37 Our architect has just ____ that she will be leaving the project in two months’ time
to get married.
A announced B informed C remarked
D observed
38 Of course, the previous owners never ____ that the building had structural
problems, so it was a terrible shock when we found out.
A proved B mentioned C told
D commented

Melbourne PTE Study Centre | GRAMMAR FOR PTE ACADEMIC PREPARATION 4

39 This is a radically different design, so I think we should do some market research
____ we can test our customers’ reactions to it.
A to B in order C for
D so that
40 We’ve had more complaints about it than any other product, the sales people all
hate it, ____ I suggest we take
it out of the shops now!
A whereas B therefore C so that D but
41 ____ most other mammals, the platypus lays eggs instead of giving birth to its
young.
A In comparison B Unlike C By contrast D
Different
42 ____ many people believe that building robots with human intelligence is possible,
scientists are still a long way from making this a reality.
A If B The more C While D Since
43 There are better and more recent editions of this software available now – when
are you going to ____ ?
A get update it B get it updated C have updated it D
get updating it
44 We didn’t like the look of the old website so we ____ by a different design studio.
A redesigned it B have redesigned it C had
redesigned it D had it redesigned
45 Most of the scientists here are far less qualified and experienced than ____ I met in
the States, but they are no less dedicated.
A these B those C such D they
46 In theory, it should be possible to build these machines; however, in practice, _____
sophisticated technology takes a long time to develop.
A so B such C that much D one
47 This article claims that drinking water ____ the body feels thirsty is the most
important thing you need to do to stay fit and healthy.
A whenever B however C as much as D
how often as
48 The benefits to the health of starting an exercise regime can be experienced
almost immediately, ____ old you are.
A no matter how B no matter the age C no matter what D
whichever
49 Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands, is the most popular with tourists,
perhaps because of its warm climate and natural attractions, including ____ Mount
Teide, the highest mountain in Spain.

Melbourne PTE Study Centre | GRAMMAR FOR PTE ACADEMIC PREPARATION 5

 A the Ba C such D that
50 Although many of us worry about the danger of sharks when swimming in tropical
waters, ____, more people are killed by coconuts falling from trees every year than
by sharks!
A paradoxically B importantly C commonly D
surprisingly

Melbourne PTE Study Centre | GRAMMAR FOR PTE ACADEMIC PREPARATION 6