C1 Stance & Evidentiality Test 2 – 15 Advanced Practice Questions for IELTS, TOEFL, and YDS
Take C1 Stance & Evidentiality Test 2 with 15 advanced multiple-choice questions for IELTS, TOEFL, and YDS. Improve academic tone, reporting verbs, modal stance, and evidential structures with detailed explanations.
This advanced-level practice test is designed for candidates preparing for high-stakes English proficiency exams such as IELTS, TOEFL, and YDS. At C1 level, learners are expected to express nuanced evaluation, cautious claims, probability, evidential distance, and academic objectivity. Mastery of stance and evidentiality allows candidates to signal degrees of certainty, attribute claims properly, and maintain formal academic tone.
Instructions: Choose the best answer for each question.
RESULTS
#1. The findings tentatively ______ that socioeconomic factors play a decisive role.
#2. The CEO is believed ______ prior knowledge of the merger negotiations.
#3. It is commonly ______ that bilingualism enhances cognitive flexibility.
#4. The author appears ______ the validity of previous research.
#5. There is little to ______ the claim that the policy was effective.
#6. The results can hardly be ______ as conclusive.
#7. The theory has been widely ______ in recent academic circles.
#8. It would seem ______ the committee overlooked several key variables.
#9. The data are ______ to interpretation due to inconsistencies.
#10. The journalist allegedly ______ confidential information.
#11. The professor is reported ______ a groundbreaking discovery.
#12. These outcomes are far from ______ satisfactory.
#13. Critics maintain that the argument is largely ______ on anecdotal evidence.
#14. The minister categorically ______ any involvement in the scandal.
#15. It is by no means ______ that the strategy will succeed.
Detailed Explanations (All Answers Explained Together)
Below you will find comprehensive explanations of all correct answers. Each explanation focuses on C1-level stance, evidentiality, grammatical accuracy, and academic tone. Only the correct answer word is referenced in each explanation.
1. indicate
At advanced academic level, writers avoid absolute certainty unless evidence is indisputable. “Tentatively” signals caution, so the reporting verb must align with this careful tone. “Indicate” expresses interpretation based on evidence without claiming definitive proof. Stronger verbs such as “prove” would contradict the hedging adverb, while verbs like “insist” imply subjective assertion rather than empirical observation. Therefore, “indicate” maintains appropriate evidential modesty.
2. to have had
This structure follows the passive reporting pattern “is believed + to have + past participle,” which is used to refer to a past action preceding the reporting moment. The perfect infinitive signals that the prior knowledge existed before the current reference time. This is a hallmark C1 structure in formal reporting. Other forms break the required grammatical construction.
3. assumed
“Commonly assumed” is a frequent academic collocation indicating shared but not necessarily proven belief. It signals general acceptance while maintaining slight epistemic distance. The verb conveys collective perception without asserting fact. This makes “assumed” the correct evidential stance marker.
4. to question
The verb “appear” must be followed by a to-infinitive structure. This is a fixed grammatical pattern in English: “appear + to + verb.” It also signals indirect evaluation rather than explicit assertion. Therefore, “to question” correctly completes both the grammatical and stance requirement.
5. support
The structure “little to + base verb” requires the bare infinitive form after “to.” The sentence expresses insufficiency of evidence. Grammatically, only the base form fits this infinitive construction. Thus, “support” is correct.
6. described
The passive construction “be described as” is required after “can hardly be.” The sentence expresses strong doubt about conclusiveness. The past participle form is necessary to complete the passive voice. Therefore, “described” is grammatically accurate.
7. criticized
The phrase “has been widely + past participle” forms a present perfect passive construction. This structure emphasizes the reception of the theory within academic circles rather than who performed the action. The past participle is grammatically required. Hence, “criticized” is correct.
8. that
“It would seem that” is a fixed evidential expression used to express cautious inference. The conjunction introduces a content clause. Other relative or interrogative forms do not function grammatically in this structure. Therefore, “that” is correct.
9. open
“Open to interpretation” is a fixed collocation meaning subject to multiple interpretations. The adjective form is required after “are.” The other forms are grammatically incorrect. Therefore, “open” correctly completes the expression.
10. leaked
The sentence refers to a completed past action. “Allegedly” indicates unverified accusation, but the verb tense must still align with past narrative reporting. The simple past tense is grammatically required. Therefore, “leaked” is correct.
11. to have made
This is another example of the perfect infinitive used in passive reporting: “is reported to have made.” The structure indicates that the discovery occurred prior to the reporting moment. This is an advanced evidential construction typical of academic English. Thus, “to have made” is required.
12. being
The fixed expression “far from being” requires a gerund form. This structure emphasizes strong negation of a quality. Neither the base verb nor other forms fit the required pattern. Therefore, “being” is correct.
13. based
“Based on” is a standard adjectival past participle phrase describing foundation or evidence source. The passive-derived adjective correctly modifies “argument.” Other forms violate the grammatical structure. Therefore, “based” is correct.
14. denied
The context clearly refers to a completed event in the past. Formal news-style reporting typically uses simple past for specific statements. The past tense aligns with narrative reporting conventions. Thus, “denied” is correct.
15. certain
The expression “by no means certain” is a fixed academic phrase indicating strong doubt. After “is,” an adjective is required. The adverb form is grammatically incorrect. Therefore, “certain” is correct.
