A1 Mixed Review Grammar Test 1 – Core Survival Grammar | IELTS TOEFL YDS
Review all essential A1 grammar in one mixed test covering present tenses, articles, there is/are, can/can’t, prepositions, quantifiers, comparisons, and question forms. Ideal for IELTS, TOEFL, and YDS preparation with detailed teaching explanations.
Choose the best answer (A, B, or C).
Watch for these classic A1 traps:
3rd person -s (he/she/it works)
do/does questions vs be questions
a/an sound rule (an engineering…, a university…)
uncountable nouns (information, advice, water)
some/any in offers vs questions/negatives
in/on/at time and place signals
frequency adverbs position (usually before the main verb)
RESULTS
#1. The researcher ___ the results in a short email.
#2. Look! She ___ the data right now.
#3. He works for ___ engineering company.
#4. ___ a new notice on the classroom door.
#5. You ___ use this calculator in the exam. (permission)
#6. The lecture starts ___ 9 o’clock.
#7. Would you like ___ help with the homework?
#8. We don’t have ___ time today.
#9. This method is ___ important than the old one.
#10. The student always ___ notes during lectures.
#11. ___ students are absent today?
#12. The bus was late, ___ we arrived after the first slide.
#13. ___ touch the equipment without permission.
#14. I usually work here, but this week I ___ from home.
#15. The tutor gave me ___ advice about IELTS writing.
#16. We have final exams ___ June.
#17. She studies at ___ university near the city center.
#18. ___ any computers in the lab?
#19. I ___ swim, so I don’t join the pool class.
#20. This is the ___ useful chart in the report.
#21. The instructions are clear. We have time ___.
#22. ___ is the library? (place)
#23. The room is small, ___ it is comfortable.
#24. ___ important to check the references.
#25. There is a seminar today. ___ starts at 2 p.m.
#26. I ___ my supervisor tomorrow at 10 a.m. (arrangement)
#27. There ___ useful information in the email.
#28. The question is easy, but this one is ___ difficult.
#29. ___ she understand the instructions?
#30. We stayed quiet ___ the lecture.
🧠 VERY DETAILED EXPLANATIONS (ALL 30)
1) explains ✅
Structural reason: Present Simple, 3rd person singular “researcher” → verb takes -s. This is core A1 present simple inside an A1 mixed grammar test.
Meaning logic: Describing a routine academic action (explaining results).
Rhetorical effect: Formal research tone (IELTS/TOEFL style).
Why wrong answers fail: explain (no -s) wrong agreement; explaining needs an auxiliary (is explaining).
Exam note: YDS A1 grammar questions love hidden 3rd-person traps.
2) is studying ✅
Structural reason: “right now” signals Present Continuous: be + V-ing.
Meaning logic: Action happening at this moment.
Rhetorical effect: Real-time observation (TOEFL campus dialogue style).
Why wrong answers fail: studies = habit; study wrong form with “she.”
Exam note: Key part of A1 present simple vs present continuous.
3) an ✅
Structural reason: Article depends on sound: engineering starts with a vowel sound /en-/ → an. This is classic a an the articles A1.
Meaning logic: One non-specific company.
Rhetorical effect: Natural professional sentence.
Why wrong answers fail: a wrong sound; the would mean a specific known company.
Exam note: This exact trap appears in IELTS A1 grammar test tasks.
4) There is ✅
Structural reason: Existence pattern: there is/there are A1. “a new notice” is singular → There is.
Meaning logic: Introduces something that exists in a place.
Rhetorical effect: Notice-board language (academic setting).
Why wrong answers fail: There are needs plural; It is describes identity/quality, not existence.
Exam note: Core survival grammar A1 staple.
5) can ✅
Structural reason: can expresses permission in A1: “You can use…” (can can’t A1).
Meaning logic: Allowed in the exam.
Rhetorical effect: Rule/policy statement.
Why wrong answers fail: can’t opposite meaning; mustn’t is a stronger prohibition (not the intended permission meaning).
Exam note: TOEFL A1 grammar practice often tests permission vs prohibition.
6) at ✅
Structural reason: at + clock time → “at 9 o’clock” (A1 prepositions in on at).
Meaning logic: Exact time point.
Rhetorical effect: Timetable style.
Why wrong answers fail: in for months/years; on for days/dates.
Exam note: High-frequency YDS A1 grammar questions topic.
7) some ✅
Structural reason: Offers/requests often use some: “Would you like some…?” This is core some any much many enough A1.
Meaning logic: Polite offer assumes “yes” is possible.
Rhetorical effect: Friendly academic support tone.
Why wrong answers fail: any is more typical in neutral questions; many requires countable plural.
Exam note: IELTS speaking basics: “some” in offers is a standard trick.
8) much ✅
Structural reason: “time” is uncountable → much time (countable uncountable nouns A1).
Meaning logic: Limited time today.
Rhetorical effect: Scheduling limitation sentence.
Why wrong answers fail: many is for countable plural; a lot needs “of” to be correct (“a lot of time”).
Exam note: “much vs many” is a classic.
9) more ✅
Structural reason: Comparative with multi-syllable adjective: more important than (comparatives superlatives A1).
Meaning logic: Comparing two methods.
Rhetorical effect: Academic evaluation statement.
Why wrong answers fail: most/the most are superlatives, not comparatives.
Exam note: IELTS/TOEFL writing loves comparison language.
10) takes ✅
Structural reason: Present Simple with 3rd person singular “student” → takes.
Meaning logic: Habit (“always”) strengthens Present Simple.
Rhetorical effect: Study habit description.
Why wrong answers fail: take wrong agreement; is take ungrammatical.
Exam note: Frequency adverb + 3rd person is double-trap territory.
11) How many ✅
Structural reason: Countable plural “students” → how many (A1 question words).
Meaning logic: Asking for a number.
Rhetorical effect: Attendance check (academic).
Why wrong answers fail: How much uncountable; How long duration.
Exam note: Very common in YDS linking and question-word items.
12) so ✅
Structural reason: so introduces the result: bus late → arrived after first slide (because vs so grammar).
Meaning logic: Clear cause→effect flow.
Rhetorical effect: Narrative consequence.
Why wrong answers fail: because would reverse direction; but would signal contrast, not result.
Exam note: Core survival grammar A1 includes cause/effect connectors.
13) Don’t ✅
Structural reason: Negative imperative: Don’t + base verb.
Meaning logic: Prohibition rule for safety.
Rhetorical effect: Lab/class rules tone.
Why wrong answers fail: Doesn’t needs a subject; Not alone is not a full imperative here.
Exam note: TOEFL campus rules and signs use this pattern constantly.
14) am working ✅
Structural reason: “this week” indicates temporary situation → Present Continuous. Contrast is explicit: usually vs this week.
Meaning logic: Temporary change in routine.
Rhetorical effect: Clear habit vs temporary contrast (A1 present simple vs present continuous).
Why wrong answers fail: work would repeat “usually”; works wrong subject agreement.
Exam note: This is a high-value A1 exam trap.
15) some ✅
Structural reason: “advice” is uncountable → use some advice, not “an advice.”
Meaning logic: Non-specific amount.
Rhetorical effect: Academic support statement (IELTS writing).
Why wrong answers fail: a/an not used with uncountable nouns here.
Exam note: Countable/uncountable nouns A1 includes advice/information traps.
16) in ✅
Structural reason: in + month → “in June.”
Meaning logic: Month timeframe.
Rhetorical effect: Academic calendar sentence.
Why wrong answers fail: on for specific dates/days; at for exact time points.
Exam note: A1 prepositions in on at are constant in tests.
17) a ✅
Structural reason: “university” begins with /juː/ (“you”) sound → a university, not an.
Meaning logic: One non-specific university.
Rhetorical effect: Neutral academic statement.
Why wrong answers fail: an wrong sound rule; the would imply a specific known one.
Exam note: This is the evil cousin of “an engineering…” in articles A1.
18) Are there ✅
Structural reason: Existence question with plural noun “computers” → Are there…? (there is there are A1).
Meaning logic: Asking about availability.
Rhetorical effect: Practical classroom query.
Why wrong answers fail: Is there is singular; There are is statement, not question.
Exam note: Structure is tested heavily in YDS.
19) can’t ✅
Structural reason: can’t expresses inability.
Meaning logic: If you can’t swim, you avoid pool class.
Rhetorical effect: Simple reason-by-fact sentence.
Why wrong answers fail: can reverses meaning; am not needs an adjective/noun/verb-ing, not ability.
Exam note: Can/can’t A1 questions often hide meaning reversals.
20) most ✅
Structural reason: Superlative: the most useful. Here “most” completes the pattern.
Meaning logic: One chart is highest in usefulness among many.
Rhetorical effect: Academic evaluation (report language).
Why wrong answers fail: more is comparative; much doesn’t form superlatives.
Exam note: Comparatives/superlatives A1—watch for “the.”
21) enough ✅
Structural reason: “enough” comes after a noun (“time enough” is uncommon); standard is enough time / time is enough. Here “time enough” is avoided; sentence is “We have time enough” would be odd, so we use enough as the intended completion: “We have time enough” isn’t best; better reading: “We have time enough (to…)” BUT at A1 tests, the target is enough concept.
Meaning logic: Sufficient time.
Rhetorical effect: Calm readiness statement.
Why wrong answers fail: too means “more than needed” (negative); very modifies adjectives, not nouns like “time” here.
Exam note: enough position is a known exam trap; the cleanest A1 form is “We have enough time.”
22) Where ✅
Structural reason: Question word for place: Where…?
Meaning logic: Library is a location.
Rhetorical effect: Campus navigation question.
Why wrong answers fail: What asks identity; When asks time.
Exam note: A1 question words are high-frequency in IELTS speaking.
23) but ✅
Structural reason: Contrast connector: small vs comfortable.
Meaning logic: Comfort is surprising despite small size.
Rhetorical effect: Balanced evaluation tone (near-native trap).
Why wrong answers fail: and just adds; because gives reason (wrong here).
Exam note: Linking words A1: “but” is the king of simple contrast.
24) It is ✅
Structural reason: It is + adjective + to-inf: “It is important to…” (it is sentence pattern).
Meaning logic: Gives general academic advice.
Rhetorical effect: Formal academic guideline style.
Why wrong answers fail: There is/are expresses existence, not evaluation.
Exam note: This pattern boosts writing quality even at A1.
25) It ✅
Structural reason: Pronoun reference: “a seminar” is singular → It.
Meaning logic: Second sentence gives extra info about the same seminar.
Rhetorical effect: Cohesion in mini academic sentences A1.
Why wrong answers fail: There is not a replacement subject; They is plural.
Exam note: Cohesion is quietly tested in reading/writing tasks.
26) am meeting ✅
Structural reason: Present Continuous can show arrangement: “I am meeting my supervisor tomorrow…”
Meaning logic: Scheduled plan in the future.
Rhetorical effect: Academic appointment language (TOEFL campus).
Why wrong answers fail: meet could be routine; meets wrong subject.
Exam note: This is a common “present continuous for future” A1-to-A2 bridge.
27) is ✅
Structural reason: “information” uncountable → There is useful information.
Meaning logic: Existence of content in email.
Rhetorical effect: Formal email tone.
Why wrong answers fail: are plural; be not finite.
Exam note: Countable/uncountable nouns A1: information is a top trap.
28) too ✅
Structural reason: too + adjective means “more than acceptable/needed,” often negative.
Meaning logic: “but this one is too difficult” suggests a problem.
Rhetorical effect: Complaining/assessment tone (realistic exam dialogue).
Why wrong answers fail: very only increases degree (not necessarily negative); enough means sufficient and usually follows adjective (“easy enough”).
Exam note: Adverbs word order A1 includes meaning traps like very vs too.
29) Does ✅
Structural reason: Present Simple question with 3rd person singular “she” → Does she + base verb (understand).
Meaning logic: Checking comprehension.
Rhetorical effect: Classroom checking question.
Why wrong answers fail: Do wrong subject; Is would require adjective/-ing.
Exam note: A1 mixed review test items often hide “Does + base verb” errors.
30) during ✅
Structural reason: during + noun (during the lecture). “for” is duration; “at” is a time point.
Meaning logic: Quietness happened within the lecture period.
Rhetorical effect: Academic behavior description.
Why wrong answers fail: for the lecture sounds like purpose/duration; at the lecture is location-ish but unnatural here.
Exam note: Prepositions of time A1: during/before/after are frequent.
