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

D have never worked
2

B didnt work

It was very difficult during the first few weeks of the term, I ____ anything the tutor
said, but Im finding it easier now.

A havent understood
understand
D dont understand
3

B am always feeling

C always felt

D feel

B wouldnt start

C didnt start

B had taken

C would have taken

Surely that ____ be enough concrete to finish the floor you do realise that its
nearly ten metres square, dont you?
A mustnt

C am finally deciding

If I ____ more exercise and eaten a healthier diet when I was in my 20s, Id be in
better health now.

A took
D have taken
7

B finally decide
D havent finally decided

He ____ smoking if he had realised how difficult it would be to give it up.

A hadnt started
wouldnt have started
6

C cant

I ____ sleepy in the afternoons if I eat too much at lunchtime.

A always feel
always
5

B didnt understand

It took me ages to make my mind up, but I ____ on my optional subjects for next
year Im going to take statistics and biology.
A have finally decided

C dont work

B must

C cant

D can

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

Melbourne PTE Study Centre | GRAMMAR FOR PTE ACADEMIC PREPARATION

D should
1

Look! The original staircase ____ here. You can see the handrail and the marks on
the walls where the steps were.

A might have been

can be
10

C must have been

Most people dont realise the extent to which they are influenced ____ advertising.
A from

11

B could have been

B of

C by

D with

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

from
13
Provided that nothing unexpected happens, the spaceship ____ to re-enter Earths
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
planning to
15

C is forecast to

D is

B who

C which

D whos

Her theories relating to trauma in early childhood, ____ were extremely

controversial when she first published them, are now widely accepted.
A that

18

B is hoped to

Girls ____ have a strong relationship with their father during their childhood are
likely to be more confident as adults.
A

17

D are

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
unlikely to
16

B are expecting C are likely

B the ones

C about which

D which

Ive lent them a DVD of the film ____ won the best documentary prize.
A what

B that

C who

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
D being badly affected

Melbourne PTE Study Centre | GRAMMAR FOR PTE ACADEMIC PREPARATION

C badly affected
2

20

We cant 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 havent been recognised
B werent recognised
recognise
D havent recognised

22

I offered to help them hang up the paintings, but they wanted to do it ____.

A myself
D their selves
23

B choose

C have chosen

D making a choice

B wont have

C couldnt have

D didnt have

B could be able to

C would be able to

D will be

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
would never replace
28

C be

Once we have found an alternative to fossil fuels, we ____ drive to work without
feeling guilty.

A are able to
able to
27

B to be

Thank you! We ____ passed the exam without your help.

A cant have

26

C themselves

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

25

B themself

At the time, ____ an artist or painter wasnt 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
D it was
24

C dont

B didnt replace

C doesnt replace

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 dont know who Im 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

30

The photos you are looking ____ were taken last year during our research trip to
Chile. Thats us on the Isla Grande, the biggest island in the Tierra del Fuego.
A to

31

B in

B on the other hand

C however

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
consequently
33

D at

I chose to study for a degree in business because I thought I would get a good job
at the end of it; ____ Ive found the course rather boring so far and Im wondering if
I made the right choice.

A because
D consequently
32

C for

B further C for instance

____ you do something to improve your posture, you are likely to have serious back
problems when you get older.

A If
Assuming

B As long as

C Unless

34
Many forms of cancer can be treated successfully ____ they are identified in their
early stages.
A as long as
35

B wherever

B Not only C Despite

D Even though

The builders told us that ____ repairing the roof, we also need to replace the floor in
the attic. Its going to cost us a fortune!

A not only
as well as
37

D even if

____ all the money we spent on redecoration, this building is still a cold and
unwelcoming place.
A As well as

36

C unless

B in addition

C instead of

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
D commented

B mentioned

Melbourne PTE Study Centre | GRAMMAR FOR PTE ACADEMIC PREPARATION

C told

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
D so that

B in order

C for

40
Weve 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
Different
42

C have updated it

B have redesigned it
D had it redesigned

C had

B those

C such

D they

B such

C that much

D one

B however

C as much as

The benefits to the health of starting an exercise regime can be experienced

almost immediately, ____ old you are.

A no matter how
whichever
49

B get it updated

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
how often as
48

D Since

In theory, it should be possible to build these machines; however, in practice, _____

sophisticated technology takes a long time to develop.
A so

47

C While

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

46

B The more

We didnt like the look of the old website so we ____ by a different design studio.

A redesigned it
redesigned it
45

There are better and more recent editions of this software available now when
are you going to ____ ?

A get update it
get updating it
44

C By contrast

____ many people believe that building robots with human intelligence is possible,
scientists are still a long way from making this a reality.
A If

43

B Unlike

B no matter the age

C no matter what

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

A the
50

Ba

C such

D that

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
surprisingly

B importantly

C commonly

Melbourne PTE Study Centre | GRAMMAR FOR PTE ACADEMIC PREPARATION