IELTS Practice (Grammar & Vocabulary) — All Questions

I ___ my keys; I cannot find them anywhere. Which choice is correct?

• a.have lost✓
• b.lost
• c.had lost
• d.was losing

The present perfect 'have lost' links a past action to its present result (the keys are still missing now). The simple past 'lost' would not stress that present consequence.

By next June, she ___ here for ten years. Which choice is correct?

• a.will work
• b.will have worked✓
• c.works
• d.has worked

The future perfect 'will have worked' describes an action that will be completed by a point in the future ('by next June'). It is used with a deadline plus a duration.

While I ___ dinner, the telephone rang. Which choice is correct?

• a.cooked
• b.cook
• c.was cooking✓
• d.have cooked

The past continuous 'was cooking' describes an ongoing background action that was interrupted by a shorter past action ('rang'), which takes the simple past.

They ___ to London three times this year. Which choice is correct?

• a.went
• b.had been
• c.are going
• d.have been✓

The present perfect 'have been' fits an unfinished time period ('this year') where the number of experiences up to now is counted. 'Went' would need a finished past time.

If I ___ you, I would apologise immediately. Which choice is correct?

• a.were✓
• b.was
• c.am
• d.had been

In the second conditional giving advice, standard usage uses the subjunctive 'were' for all persons: 'If I were you'. This pairs with 'would apologise'.