This B1 English grammar test is a practical diagnostic for intermediate learners. Instead of testing one rule repeatedly, it checks how well you choose grammar in context, complete sentence patterns, identify errors, and express the same idea in a different way. Complete all 25 questions before opening the Answer Lab, then use your mistakes to choose a focused study route.
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Ready to begin? Go to the 25 grammar questions. When you finish, find the Answer Lab and open it for explanations, then review your practice score. Allow about 25 minutes and note any answers you guessed.
Start Here: How This B1 Grammar Test Works
This page is organized as a grammar workshop rather than a simple list of questions. You will move through four task types, check detailed explanations, create an error profile, and finish with a short improvement plan. The variety matters because recognizing a correct option is easier than producing or correcting the same structure yourself.
| Stage | Questions | Your task | Main purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grammar in context | 1 to 8 | Choose the option that completes the meaning. | Test tense, aspect, conditionals, and modal verbs. |
| Build the sentence | 9 to 14 | Supply the missing word or correct form. | Test active production of common B1 patterns. |
| Grammar repair shop | 15 to 20 | Edit one form in each sentence for formal written English. | Test editing and error awareness. |
| Same meaning challenge | 21 to 25 | Rewrite the sentence using the word given. | Test flexible control of equivalent structures. |
For a useful first result, work without a translator, dictionary, grammar checker, or answer key. Give yourself about 25 minutes. Mark any answer you guess, even if it later proves correct. An uncertain correct answer still deserves review because it may not represent language you can use reliably.
The B1 Grammar Map
At B1, grammar is not only about naming rules. You need grammar to connect past and present experiences, narrate events, discuss real and imagined situations, explain obligations, compare alternatives, and join ideas clearly. The following map shows what the test samples and why each area matters in everyday communication.
| Grammar area | Communication you can build with it | Typical contrast |
|---|---|---|
| Present perfect and past simple | Connect experience or unfinished time to the present and describe completed past events. | I have visited versus I visited last year |
| Narrative tenses | Show the order and background of events in a story. | was driving, stopped, had forgotten |
| Future forms | Express plans, arrangements, predictions, and decisions. | going to, present continuous, and will |
| Conditionals | Discuss likely results, imagined situations, and consequences. | first conditional versus second conditional |
| Modal verbs | Express obligation, permission, advice, possibility, and deduction. | mustn’t versus don’t have to |
| Verb patterns | Choose an infinitive or gerund after common verbs and expressions. | decide to go versus avoid going |
| Relative and reported structures | Add information and report what another person said or asked. | the person who and she asked where |
| Comparison and quantity | Compare people or options and describe amounts accurately. | fewer people versus less time |
This short test cannot measure the complete B1 English level. A full proficiency profile also includes vocabulary, listening, reading, speaking, writing, interaction, and the ability to complete real tasks. Treat the result as evidence about selected grammar skills, not as an official CEFR decision.
Stage 1: Grammar in Context
Choose the option that best completes each sentence. Read the entire sentence before deciding because time expressions and context often determine the correct form.
- I haven’t seen Mara since she _____ to Rome.
A) moves
B) moved
C) has moved
D) was moving - Use the past perfect to show the earlier event: By the time we reached the stadium, the match _____.
A) already started
B) has already started
C) had already started
D) was already starting - When I was a child, my grandfather _____ to work every morning, but now he takes the bus.
A) used to cycle
B) cycles
C) has cycled
D) would cycling - Use the present continuous for a future arrangement: We _____ the new clients at ten tomorrow morning. The appointment is in my calendar.
A) meet
B) met
C) have met
D) are meeting - If you finish the report early, _____ me a message.
A) send
B) sent
C) would send
D) have sent - If I _____ more confident, I would apply for that job.
A) am
B) were
C) will be
D) have been - Ben has been working since six this morning. He _____ exhausted.
A) can’t be
B) should have
C) must be
D) might have - Wearing a uniform was compulsory: we _____ wear a uniform at my old school, but we can choose our clothes here.
A) had to
B) must
C) should
D) could
Stage 2: Build the Sentence
Complete each sentence with one word or the correct form of the word in brackets. Spelling and form both matter.
- The community centre _____ (build) more than fifty years ago.
- The colleague _____ helped me with the presentation works in Madrid.
- Try to avoid _____ (check) your phone while you are studying.
- Who is responsible _____ booking the meeting room?
- Backshift the question “Where do you live?”: The interviewer asked me where I _____ (live).
- The soup isn’t warm _____ to serve yet.
Stage 3: Grammar Repair Shop
Edit each sentence for standard formal written English. Correct the grammar or usage while keeping the intended meaning.
- She suggested to take an earlier train.
- I’ve known Daniel since six years.
- Despite of the heavy rain, the event continued.
- This exercise is more easier than the previous one.
- I look forward to hear from you soon.
- There were less people at the concert than we expected.
Stage 4: Same Meaning Challenge
Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first. Use the word in brackets without changing it.
- He was tired, but he finished the presentation. (although)
He finished the presentation _____ tired. - The train is faster than the bus. (as)
The bus isn’t _____ the train. - Leo started working here in 2022 and still works here. (since)
Leo _____ 2022. - The box is so heavy that I cannot lift it. (too)
The box is _____ lift. - You need to study or you will not pass the exam. (unless)
You will not pass the exam _____.
Open the Answer Lab
Check more than the answer letter. Read the reason, identify the clue in the question, and write one original example using the same pattern.
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Stage 1 Answers: Grammar in Context
1. B, moved. The main clause uses the present perfect to describe the period from a past event until now. After since, the event that started the period is normally in the past simple: “since she moved.”
2. C, had already started. Reaching the stadium is a completed past event. The match started before that event, so the past perfect makes the earlier sequence clear.
3. A, used to cycle. Used to describes a repeated past habit or state that is no longer true. The contrast “but now” is the main clue.
4. D, are meeting. The present continuous can describe a definite future arrangement. The stated time and calendar appointment show that the meeting is organized.
5. A, send. This is a first conditional instruction. The if clause uses the present simple, while the result is an imperative: “send me a message.”
6. B, were. The second conditional describes an imagined present situation. It uses the past form in the condition and would plus the base verb in the result. Were is standard with I in this formal hypothetical pattern.
7. C, must be. The long working day provides strong present evidence. Must be expresses a confident logical deduction, not a rule or obligation here.
8. A, had to. The sentence describes an external obligation in the past. Had to is the normal past form used for this meaning.
Stage 2 Answers: Build the Sentence
9. was built. The centre receives the action, and the event happened at a finished past time. Use the past simple passive: was plus the past participle built.
10. who or that. Both answers are correct in this defining relative clause. The relative pronoun refers to a person and acts as the subject of helped; award a point for either answer.
11. checking. The verb avoid is followed by a gerund, not a full infinitive: “avoid checking.”
12. for. The fixed adjective and preposition combination is responsible for. Learn common prepositions as part of the complete phrase.
13. lived. The prompt explicitly asks for backshift from “Where do you live?” Use statement word order and change live to lived. Without that instruction, a present form can also be appropriate if the information is still current.
14. enough. The pattern is adjective plus enough plus infinitive: “warm enough to serve.”
Stage 3 Answers: Grammar Repair Shop
15. She suggested taking an earlier train. Suggest is followed by a gerund in this pattern. It is not followed by to plus infinitive.
16. I’ve known Daniel for six years. Use for with a duration and since with a starting point. Compare “for six years” with “since 2020.”
17. Despite the heavy rain, the event continued. Despite is followed directly by a noun phrase or gerund. Do not add of. The alternative in spite of contains of.
18. This exercise is easier than the previous one. Easier is already the comparative form. Do not combine more with an adjective ending in comparative -er.
19. I look forward to hearing from you soon. In look forward to, to is a preposition. A verb after a preposition takes the gerund form.
20. There were fewer people at the concert than we expected. In standard formal writing, use fewer with plural countable nouns such as people and less with uncountable nouns such as time. Less people occurs in informal speech; this task asks for the formal written form.
Stage 4 Answers: Same Meaning Challenge
21. although he was. Complete sentence: “He finished the presentation although he was tired.” Although introduces a clause with a subject and verb.
22. as fast as. Complete sentence: “The bus isn’t as fast as the train.” The negative not as … as pattern expresses that the first item has a lower degree of the quality.
23. has worked here since. Complete sentence: “Leo has worked here since 2022.” The present perfect connects the past starting point with a situation continuing now. Has been working here since is also correct and earns the point. Both forms connect the 2022 starting point to work continuing now.
24. too heavy for me to. Complete sentence: “The box is too heavy for me to lift.” The pattern too plus adjective plus for someone to do something expresses an excessive degree that prevents the action.
25. unless you study. Complete sentence: “You will not pass the exam unless you study.” Unless means if not, so adding another negative would change the meaning.
Turn Your Score into a Grammar Profile
Give yourself one point for each correct answer. For sentence correction and transformation, award the point only if the complete sentence is grammatical and keeps the intended meaning. The bands below describe performance on this practice set, not an official CEFR result.
| Score | Practice profile | Recommended next step |
|---|---|---|
| 22 to 25 | Strong control of the structures sampled here | Review uncertain answers, use the grammar in extended speaking and writing, and try a B2-oriented test when this performance is consistent. |
| 17 to 21 | Developing B1 control with identifiable gaps | Choose the two weakest grammar areas and complete focused production tasks before retesting. |
| 11 to 16 | Partial control that is not yet consistent | Review high-frequency B1 contrasts and combine short explanations with daily sentence practice. |
| 0 to 10 | Foundation structures need reinforcement | Revisit A2 grammar systematically, then return to one stage of this test at a time. |
The total score is less informative than the pattern. Record your result separately for each stage. A learner who scores well on multiple choice but struggles with repair and transformation may recognize grammar without being able to produce it independently. Another learner may understand tense choices but lose points through prepositions and verb patterns. Those learners need different practice.
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Choose Your Study Route
Use the question numbers you missed to choose one or two routes. Do not attempt every route at once.
Route A: Time and Tense
Relevant questions: 1, 2, 3, 4, 13, 16, and 23.
Create a timeline for each sentence. Mark whether the action is finished, continuing, earlier than another past event, habitual, or arranged for the future. Then write a six-sentence personal story containing the past simple, past continuous, past perfect, and present perfect. Underline the time clue that justifies every tense.
Route B: Possibility, Rules, and Imagined Situations
Relevant questions: 5, 6, 7, 8, and 25.
Sort examples by function before focusing on form: likely future result, imagined present, strong deduction, past obligation, and negative condition. Write one workplace or travel example for each function. Pay particular attention to the difference between mustn’t, which means something is prohibited, and don’t have to, which means it is not necessary.
Route C: Sentence Connections
Relevant questions: 10, 13, 17, and 21.
Practise joining short ideas with relative pronouns, reported structures, and contrast linkers. Compare although she felt tired, despite her tiredness, and despite feeling tired before the main clause she continued working. Notice which connector requires a full clause and which requires a noun phrase or gerund with a clear subject.
Route D: Verb and Preposition Patterns
Relevant questions: 11, 12, 15, and 19.
Learn the complete pattern, not an isolated word. Record avoid doing, suggest doing, responsible for doing, and look forward to doing. Cover the second half and recall it, then use each phrase in a message or short dialogue.
Route E: Comparison, Quantity, and Degree
Relevant questions: 14, 18, 20, 22, and 24.
Compare two real options, such as courses, journeys, or products. Use a regular comparative, not as … as, enough to, too … to, fewer, and less. Check whether the noun is countable and whether the adjective already carries a comparative ending.
The Seven-Day B1 Grammar Sprint
This short cycle turns test feedback into active use. Spend 20 to 30 minutes each day and work with your weakest two routes.
- Day 1, diagnose: list every incorrect and uncertain question by grammar area and error type.
- Day 2, notice: find ten examples of your target pattern in reliable reading or listening material.
- Day 3, contrast: compare the target with the form you confused it with and explain the difference in your own words.
- Day 4, produce: write ten original sentences connected to your life, work, studies, or plans.
- Day 5, speak: record a two-minute response that requires several examples of the target grammar.
- Day 6, edit: return to your writing and recording transcript, identify problems, and correct them without checking notes first.
- Day 7, retrieve: answer the missed questions again and create a new question for each grammar point.
How to Make Grammar Transfer into Speaking and Writing
A rule is not fully useful until you can select it while communicating. Start with controlled production, where the target structure is required, and gradually remove support. For example, after reviewing conditionals, complete sentence prompts, answer hypothetical questions, and finally discuss a problem without being told which conditional to use.
Use delayed correction during fluency practice. Finish the message first, then review two or three recurring errors. Correcting every sentence while speaking can interrupt fluency and make it difficult to develop an idea. During accuracy practice, slow down and explain each choice.
Keep an error log with five fields: your original sentence, the correction, the reason, one new example, and the date for review. Grouping errors by cause prevents you from treating every mistake as a separate fact. Review the log after several days and again after several weeks.
Common B1 Grammar Traps
| Trap | Why it happens | Better checking question |
|---|---|---|
| Using the present perfect with a finished past time | The learner focuses on the experience but misses an expression such as yesterday or in 2022. | Is the time period finished and stated? |
| Using would inside the conditional clause | The imagined meaning is associated with would, so it appears in both halves. | Does the if clause need the past form instead? |
| Confusing prohibition with lack of necessity | Mustn’t and don’t have to both appear around rules. | Is the action forbidden, or is it optional? |
| Choosing an infinitive after every verb | The learner has not stored verbs with their following pattern. | Does this verb take a gerund, an infinitive, or both with different meanings? |
| Forming a double comparative | Two correct comparative methods are combined. | Does the adjective already end in -er? |
| Using question order in reported questions | The original direct question remains visually strong. | After the reporting phrase, do I need statement word order? |
Frequently Asked Questions
What grammar should a B1 learner know?
A B1 learner typically works with common present, past, and future forms; present perfect contrasts; basic narrative tenses; first and second conditionals; frequent modal meanings; passive structures; relative clauses; reported speech; comparisons; quantity; verb patterns; and common connectors. Reliable communication matters more than memorizing a single universal checklist.
Is this test enough to prove a B1 level?
No. It is a self-study grammar diagnostic. It does not assess the full range of B1 listening, reading, speaking, writing, vocabulary, and interaction. Use it to identify practice priorities. For a broader estimate, take the Global English Test.
Why can I choose correct answers but still make mistakes when speaking?
Recognition gives you the form and several options, while speaking requires you to retrieve and build the structure quickly. Add sentence completion, transformation, short writing, and recorded speaking to move from recognition toward independent use.
Should I study rules or examples?
Use both. A short rule helps you notice the distinction, and varied examples show how it works in context. Finish by producing your own examples without copying the model.
When should I retake the test?
Retake the missed items after focused practice, but use a different test when you want evidence of progress. Repeating identical questions can measure memory of the answers rather than improved grammar control.
Continue with the Right Grammar Level
Choose practice that is challenging but still allows you to explain most corrections. If this page felt overwhelming, consolidate A2 structures first. If you answered accurately and can use the same grammar in new speaking and writing tasks, begin sampling B2 work.
| Level | Grammar test | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | A1 English Grammar Test | Review the most basic sentence patterns and everyday forms. |
| A2 | A2 English Grammar Test | Strengthen elementary structures before returning to B1. |
| B1 | B1 English Grammar Test | Diagnose and practise intermediate grammar in varied task types. |
| B2 | B2 English Grammar Test | Move toward more complex contrasts and greater accuracy. |
| C1 | C1 English Grammar Test | Practise advanced control, nuance, and flexible structures. |
| C2 | C2 English Grammar Test | Work with precise, subtle, and highly demanding grammar choices. |
What's your English level?
Take the test and get your certificate!
Final Check
A useful B1 grammar test should lead to action. Count your correct answers, but also record guesses, identify the type of each mistake, and choose a study route. Practise the target structure in new contexts, use it in speaking and writing, and return later with unfamiliar questions. That process turns a test result into lasting improvement.
Level reference: Council of Europe CEFR Global Scale.
