Test

Tenses & narrative control

1. By the time we arrived, the meeting ___ already ___.
2. I didn’t realise how serious the situation was until I ___ the report.
3. She claims she ___ the issue several times before it was addressed.
4. Hardly ___ the announcement made when complaints began to appear.
5. He spoke as though he ___ personally responsible for the failure.
6. The longer she ___ in the company, the more confident she became.
7. I was under the impression that he ___ the task the previous week.
8. No sooner ___ the contract signed than doubts were raised.
9. At the time, we didn’t know that the data ___ misleading.
10. She kept interrupting as if she ___ the expert on the matter.

Conditionals & modality

1. Had the warning been taken seriously, the damage ___ avoided.
2. If it weren’t for her support, he ___ given up by now.
3. Should you ___ any concerns, please contact the department.
4. Even if the plan ___ approved, implementation will take months.
5. Were it not for time constraints, the proposal ___ revised.
6. You ___ have informed us earlier; this delay caused problems.
7. He may well ___ underestimated the complexity of the task.
8. If the company ___ invested earlier, profits would be higher now.
9. The results suggest that the policy ___ be reconsidered.
10. Had I known the consequences, I ___ acted differently.

Passive, reporting & formal style

1. It is widely believed that the suspect ___ already left the country.
2. The issue is said ___ under investigation at present.
3. She denied ___ confidential information to the press.
4. He was accused of ___ company funds for personal use.
5. The changes are expected ___ next year.
6. The committee recommended that the proposal ___ revised.
7. He insisted that no mistakes ___ made during the process.
8. The report is thought ___ inaccurate in several areas.
9. She was heard ___ loudly during the debate.
10. The decision has yet ___ officially announced.

Emphasis, inversion & structure

1. What concerns me most ___ the lack of transparency.
2. It was only after the audit ___ the truth emerged.
3. Not only ___ he refuse to apologise, but he denied responsibility.
4. Little ___ she know that the data was unreliable.
5. What the study fails to address ___ long-term consequences.
6. Only when the deadline passed ___ the problem acknowledged.
7. It wasn’t the delay ___ caused frustration, but the silence.
8. Seldom ___ such a reaction from senior management.
9. What matters most ___ how effectively the solution is applied.
10. Rarely ___ the media question official statements so openly.

Articles, cohesion & avoiding repetition

1. ___ freedom of expression is a fundamental democratic principle.
2. His argument lacked ___ evidence necessary to be convincing.
3. Despite ___ being incomplete, the report was published.
4. The proposal was rejected, ___ leading to further negotiations.
5. She spoke cautiously, ___ not to offend anyone.
6. The policy was criticised; ___, it was eventually implemented.
7. His explanation was vague, ___ raised further concerns.
8. The findings point ___ a need for urgent reform.
9. There has been a significant ___ in public awareness.
10. The decision, ___ controversial, was ultimately justified.