A1 Mixed Review Grammar Test 2 – Core Survival Grammar | IELTS TOEFL YDS
Take an exam-style A1 mixed review test with mini-dialogues covering present tenses, articles, there is/are, can/can’t, prepositions, quantifiers, comparisons, adverbs, question words, and linking words. Perfect for IELTS, TOEFL, and YDS preparation with detailed explanations.
Choose the best answer (A, B, or C).
Use context clues:
schedule/arrangement → am/is/are + V-ing
“right now / at the moment” → Present Continuous
uncountables: information, advice, equipment, water
article sound rule: an engineering / a university
question form: Does + base verb / Is there / Are there
RESULTS
#1. A: Where is the lab? B: It’s ___ the second floor.
#2. ___ there any seats near the window?
#3. A: I can’t find my timetable. B: There is some information ___ the email.
#4. A: The class starts at 9:00. B: Good. I ___ late today.
#5. A: You look busy. B: I ___ my assignment right now.
#6. He works for ___ university in Ankara.
#7. She wants ___ advice about TOEFL writing.
#8. I bought ___ umbrella because it is raining.
#9. There isn’t ___ equipment in this room.
#10. This is ___ best method for beginners.
#11. We have ___ questions, so we can finish quickly.
#12. She has ___ time today than yesterday.
#13. There are ___ students in the library today.
#14. The second chart is ___ than the first.
#15. This rule is ___ important in YDS than in daily speech.
#16. ___ does the lecture start?
#17. How ___ students are in your class?
#18. The student ___ late; he usually arrives early.
#19. ___ she understand the instructions?
#20. A: Two options: Monday or Wednesday. B: ___ day do you prefer?
#21. ___ I ask a question, please?
#22. You ___ use your phone during the exam. (rule)
#23. Please ___ the file and send it to me.
#24. ___ touch the chemicals without gloves.
#25. We ___ meet the instructor tomorrow at 10. (arrangement)
#26. We studied ___ two hours yesterday.
#27. I took notes ___ the lecture.
#28. The bus was late, ___ we missed the first slide.
#29. I wanted to join the course, ___ I didn’t have time.
#30. The teacher spoke slowly ___ the students understood.
🧠 VERY DETAILED EXPLANATIONS (ALL 30)
1) on ✅
Structural reason: We say on + floor number: “on the second floor.” This is part of A1 prepositions in on at.
Meaning logic: The question asks location inside a building.
Rhetorical effect: Natural campus directions (TOEFL A1 grammar practice).
Why wrong answers fail: at is point-location (“at the entrance”); in is inside a room/area (“in the lab”).
Exam note: YDS A1 grammar questions often test floor/transport prepositions.
2) Are ✅
Structural reason: Plural “seats” → Are there…? (there is there are A1 question form).
Meaning logic: Asking about availability.
Why wrong answers fail: Is is singular; Do is not used with there is/are.
Exam note: This is a core A1 mixed review test trap: statement vs question structure.
3) in ✅
Structural reason: Information is contained in an email (container metaphor).
Meaning logic: “in the email” indicates location of content.
Why wrong answers fail: at is a point; during is time.
Exam note: Common in IELTS A1 grammar test tasks about emails/messages.
4) am not arriving ✅
Structural reason: Planned/near-future + today context can use Present Continuous: “I am not arriving late today.” This is A1 present simple vs present continuous in an exam-style trap.
Meaning logic: Speaker promises a different situation today.
Why wrong answers fail: don’t arriving is ungrammatical; doesn’t arrive wrong subject + wrong tense feel.
Exam note: TOEFL campus dialogues love “today/this week” as temporary signals.
5) am writing ✅
Structural reason: “right now” → Present Continuous (be + V-ing).
Meaning logic: Action is happening at the moment.
Why wrong answers fail: write (habit), writes (wrong agreement).
Exam note: Key target keyword: A1 present simple vs present continuous.
6) a ✅
Structural reason: “university” begins with /juː/ sound → a university (a/an sound rule; a an the articles A1).
Meaning logic: Not a specific named university.
Why wrong answers fail: an wrong sound; the would imply a specific known one.
Exam note: Classic IELTS/TOEFL article sound trap.
7) some ✅
Structural reason: “advice” is uncountable → some advice (countable uncountable nouns A1).
Meaning logic: Non-specific amount of guidance.
Why wrong answers fail: a/an cannot modify uncountable “advice” in this meaning.
Exam note: This is a “top 10” uncountable trap in YDS.
8) an ✅
Structural reason: “umbrella” begins with a vowel sound → an umbrella.
Meaning logic: One umbrella, not specific.
Why wrong answers fail: a wrong sound; the needs known/unique reference.
Exam note: Articles remain high-frequency even at A1.
9) any ✅
Structural reason: Negative sentence + uncountable noun → any equipment. This is some any much many enough A1.
Meaning logic: Zero equipment exists in the room.
Why wrong answers fail: many for countable plural; a equipment is wrong (uncountable).
Exam note: TOEFL beginner connectors often combine negation + any.
10) the ✅
Structural reason: Superlatives normally take the: “the best.”
Meaning logic: Best among options.
Why wrong answers fail: a/an best are incorrect.
Exam note: Comparatives/superlatives A1 is a reliable exam target.
11) few ✅
Structural reason: “questions” countable plural → few means a small number (positive/neutral here).
Meaning logic: Few questions → finish quickly (logic clue).
Why wrong answers fail: much is uncountable; a lot would contradict “finish quickly” in exam logic.
Exam note: This is a meaning trap inside some any much many enough A1.
12) less ✅
Structural reason: “time” uncountable → comparative is less time.
Meaning logic: Comparing today vs yesterday.
Why wrong answers fail: few is for countables; little is not comparative (needs “less”).
Exam note: Countable vs uncountable drives the entire answer.
13) many ✅
Structural reason: “students” countable plural → many students.
Meaning logic: Counting people.
Why wrong answers fail: much uncountable; little uncountable.
Exam note: YDS A1 grammar questions: many/much is constant.
14) clearer ✅
Structural reason: Comparative with short adjective: clear → clearer than.
Meaning logic: Comparing two charts.
Why wrong answers fail: clearest superlative; clear not comparative.
Exam note: Chart/report language is TOEFL-friendly.
15) more ✅
Structural reason: “important” → more important than (comparative).
Meaning logic: Comparing exam importance vs daily speech.
Why wrong answers fail: most is superlative; much doesn’t form comparatives alone.
Exam note: IELTS A1 grammar test often uses “more + adjective.”
16) What time ✅
Structural reason: Asking for clock time → What time…?
Meaning logic: Lecture start time.
Why wrong answers fail: How long duration; How often frequency.
Exam note: This is core A1 question words.
17) many ✅
Structural reason: Countable plural “students” → how many.
Meaning logic: Expected answer is a number.
Why wrong answers fail: much uncountable; long duration.
Exam note: Very common in IELTS speaking A1.
18) is often ✅
Structural reason: Frequency adverb position: be + adverb → “is often late.” This is adverbs word order A1.
Meaning logic: “usually arrives early” contrasts with “is often late” in another context (maybe lately).
Why wrong answers fail: often is is unnatural in standard statements; is late often is awkward/rare at A1.
Exam note: Word order is a high-yield exam trap.
19) Does ✅
Structural reason: Present simple question with “she” → Does + base verb (understand).
Meaning logic: Checking comprehension.
Why wrong answers fail: Do wrong subject; Is needs adjective/-ing.
Exam note: This is a core survival grammar A1 structure.
20) Which ✅
Structural reason: Given two options → which selects from a limited set.
Meaning logic: Monday or Wednesday is a closed choice.
Why wrong answers fail: what is more open; who is person.
Exam note: A1 question words often include who vs which traps.
21) Can ✅
Structural reason: Polite request: Can I…? (can can’t A1).
Meaning logic: Asking permission.
Why wrong answers fail: Must is obligation; Do doesn’t fit.
Exam note: TOEFL classroom politeness uses this constantly.
22) can’t ✅
Structural reason: Rule/prohibition expressed simply: can’t.
Meaning logic: Phone use is not allowed.
Why wrong answers fail: can opposite meaning; could is not the standard prohibition form here.
Exam note: YDS A1 grammar questions test meaning reversal (“can” vs “can’t”).
23) open ✅
Structural reason: Imperative uses base verb: Open the file…
Meaning logic: Instruction.
Why wrong answers fail: opens needs subject; opening not used as imperative.
Exam note: Imperatives are common in academic instructions.
24) Don’t ✅
Structural reason: Negative imperative: Don’t + base verb.
Meaning logic: Safety rule.
Why wrong answers fail: Not alone is incomplete; Doesn’t needs a subject.
Exam note: Lab safety rules are frequent in TOEFL contexts.
25) are meeting ✅
Structural reason: Present Continuous for arrangements: “We are meeting… tomorrow at 10.”
Meaning logic: Scheduled plan.
Why wrong answers fail: meet sounds routine; meets wrong agreement.
Exam note: Great A1-to-A2 bridge pattern.
26) for ✅
Structural reason: for + duration → “for two hours.”
Meaning logic: Length of study time.
Why wrong answers fail: during needs a noun event (“during the lecture”); at is a time point.
Exam note: A1 prepositions are tested relentlessly.
27) during ✅
Structural reason: during + noun event → “during the lecture.”
Meaning logic: Action happened inside the lecture time.
Why wrong answers fail: for is duration; at is a point.
Exam note: Key part of A1 prepositions in on at plus during/for.
28) so ✅
Structural reason: Result connector: late bus → missed slide. (because vs so grammar)
Meaning logic: clear cause→effect.
Why wrong answers fail: because reverses direction; but contrast.
Exam note: Connectors are essential in IELTS/TOEFL short answers.
29) but ✅
Structural reason: Contrast: wanted to join vs didn’t have time.
Meaning logic: desire vs obstacle.
Why wrong answers fail: and adds without contrast; so gives result (but here it’s more “contrast”).
Exam note: A1 linking words: “but” is the most common contrast marker.
30) so ✅
Structural reason: Cause→result: spoke slowly → students understood.
Meaning logic: Teaching method leads to comprehension.
Why wrong answers fail: because would reverse; while is time overlap.
Exam note: Common TOEFL class-context cause-effect sentence.
