Around CEFR B2
English practice test
Thirty questions on the English you actually need at work: the grammar, the site and workshop vocabulary, and reading a contract clause or a safety notice without guessing. Find out where you stand before you pay for the official test.
30 questions, about 25 minutes, free and no sign-up. You get the right answer and the reason after every question.
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Revision
Every question and answer, written out
Read them, learn them, then come back and take the test.
Grammar
I ______ as a welder for eleven years before I moved to Ireland.
The answer: had worked
The work finished before another past event (moving), so the past perfect "had worked" is correct.
The parts ______ yet, so the job is still on hold.
The answer: have not arrived
"Yet" with a result that still matters now takes the present perfect.
While I ______ the hub, the supervisor came over to check the torque setting.
The answer: was stripping
A longer background action interrupted by a shorter one takes the past continuous.
By the time the shift ends, we ______ all four trailers.
The answer: will have finished
"By the time" plus a completed future action takes the future perfect.
If the machine ______ that noise again, stop it and tell the foreman.
The answer: makes
A real, likely condition takes the present simple after "if", even though the meaning is future.
If I had known the road was closed, I ______ the other way.
The answer: would have gone
Third conditional: a past situation that did not happen takes "would have" plus the past participle.
You ______ wear eye protection in this bay. It is not optional.
The answer: must
"Must" is an obligation. "Should" is advice and "might" and "could" are possibilities.
The load looks secure, but it ______ have shifted in transit. Check it before you open the doors.
The answer: may
"May have" expresses a real possibility about the past. "Must have" would mean you are almost certain.
The unit ______ to the workshop yesterday and is being tested today.
The answer: was brought
The unit did not do the action, so the passive "was brought" is correct.
She asked me ______ the paperwork was ready.
The answer: if
A reported yes or no question uses "if" or "whether", and the word order stays statement order.
I am responsible ______ the tyre bay and the two apprentices in it.
The answer: for
The fixed phrase is "responsible for" something or someone.
We are short ______ two drivers this week.
The answer: of
"Short of" means you do not have enough of something.
Workplace vocabulary
A "shift" is:
The answer: a set period of work, for example 6am to 2pm
A shift is the block of hours you work. Many of our employers run early, late and night shifts.
Your "payslip" shows:
The answer: what you were paid and what was deducted
A payslip shows gross pay, deductions such as tax and PRSI, and net pay. You are entitled to one.
If a supervisor says a job is "urgent", it means:
The answer: it needs doing straight away
"Urgent" is about time, not difficulty or danger.
"Overtime" is:
The answer: hours worked beyond your normal hours
Overtime is extra hours. Whether it is paid at a higher rate depends on your contract.
Choose the closest meaning of "faulty": The pump is faulty.
The answer: not working properly
Faulty means defective, not working as it should.
A colleague says "Can you give me a hand with this?" They are asking you to:
The answer: help them
"Give me a hand" is a very common way of asking for help.
"Annual leave" means:
The answer: paid holidays
Annual leave is your paid holiday entitlement, which is a legal right in Ireland and the UK.
To "clock in" means to:
The answer: record the time you start work
You clock in at the start of a shift and clock out at the end.
Speaking at work
You cannot come to work because you are ill. The best thing to say on the phone is:
The answer: "I am unwell and cannot come in today. I have a doctor's appointment this morning and I will let you know how I get on."
Clear, polite and it tells the employer what happens next. That is what a supervisor needs.
You did not understand an instruction. The best thing to say is:
The answer: "Sorry, could you go through that once more? I want to be sure I have it right."
Asking again is normal and expected. Guessing on a site or in a workshop is how people get hurt.
You notice a guard missing from a machine another worker is about to use. You should:
The answer: stop them and report it to the supervisor immediately
Everyone has a duty to report a hazard. Stopping the job and telling the supervisor is the right answer in both Ireland and the UK.
Your employer asks you to work Saturday. You already have plans. The best reply is:
The answer: "I would rather not, but I could do Sunday instead if that helps."
Declining politely and offering an alternative keeps a good relationship without agreeing to something you cannot do.
Reading
Read this notice: "All operatives must sign the permit to work before entering the tank. Entry without a signed permit is a dismissible offence." What happens if you enter without signing?
The answer: You could lose your job
"A dismissible offence" means it is grounds for dismissal, which means losing your job.
Read this message: "Your start date is provisional and depends on the permit being granted. We will confirm once we hear from the Department." This means:
The answer: The date could change and is not final yet
"Provisional" means not final. Nobody should book flights on a provisional date.
Read this clause: "The employee is entitled to 20 days of annual leave per year, exclusive of public holidays." How many days does the employee get in total, if there are 10 public holidays?
The answer: 30
"Exclusive of" means the public holidays are on top of the 20 days, so 30 in total.
Read this: "Accommodation will be sourced by the employer. Rent is payable by the employee." Who pays the rent?
The answer: The employee
"Sourced by" means found by. "Payable by the employee" means you pay it. Both are common and both should be in writing before you accept.
Read this: "Should the candidate fail the trade test, the offer will lapse." What does "lapse" mean here?
The answer: No longer apply
An offer that lapses is no longer valid.
Read this: "Please revert with your availability at your earliest convenience." You are being asked to:
The answer: reply as soon as you can with when you are free
"Revert" in business English means reply. "At your earliest convenience" means as soon as you reasonably can.
Know where you stand
Your rights at work, and who to call if something is wrong
What you are owed in Ireland and in the UK, in plain language, with the phone number of the body that enforces it. Free, and it applies whether you came through us or not.