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Joy English · Level A2 · Holidaysjoy-english.com

Test 1: A holiday by the sea

Name:Date:

A mixed test about Jamal's family holiday: past simple, past continuous, comparatives and holiday words.

Choose the correct answer

Choose the word or words that best complete each sentence.

  1. Last summer we ___ two weeks by the sea.
    • a) spend
    • b) spent
    • c) have spent
    • d) were spending
  2. We stayed in a small hotel ___ the beach, so we walked there every morning.
    • a) in front
    • b) between
    • c) near
    • d) opposite of
  3. The water was ___ than I expected.
    • a) more warm
    • b) warm
    • c) warmest
    • d) warmer
  4. Every morning we ___ a swim before breakfast.
    • a) made
    • b) had
    • c) did
    • d) were
  5. I forgot my sun cream, ___ I got sunburnt.
    • a) because
    • b) although
    • c) so
    • d) but
  6. While we ___ on the beach, it started to rain.
    • a) sit
    • b) are sitting
    • c) have sat
    • d) were sitting
  7. Our hotel room had a beautiful ___ of the sea.
    • a) look
    • b) sight
    • c) view
    • d) scene
  8. Next year we're ___ to visit the mountains instead.
    • a) going
    • b) will
    • c) would
    • d) want

Write one word

Type one word in each gap.

  1. We arrived ___ the hotel late in the evening.
  2. The beach was full ___ families with young children.
  3. ___ you enjoy the boat trip yesterday?
  4. We ate fresh fish ___ a restaurant by the harbour.
  5. I've never ___ to such a beautiful place.
  6. It was ___ hot that we stayed inside in the afternoon.
  7. In the morning, the sea was too cold ___ swimming.
  8. Jamal's family travelled to the coast ___ train.

Write the correct form

Type the correct form of the word in brackets. Some answers need more than one word.

  1. During the holiday, we ___ (go) to the beach every day.
  2. On the first day, my mum ___ (buy) postcards for all our friends.
  3. The sea was ___ (calm) on the last day than on the first.
  4. It was the ___ (good) holiday of my life.
  5. We ___ (not / see) any dolphins, but we saw a turtle.
  6. My dad was ___ (swim) when he saw a big fish.
  7. During the boat trip, I ___ (take) more than fifty photos.
  8. The beach was very ___ (crowd) in August.

Answer key

Choose the correct answer

  1. b) spentLast summer is a finished time, so we use the past simple: spent.
  2. c) nearNear means not far from. In front needs of, and we say opposite, not opposite of.
  3. d) warmerWarm is a short adjective, so the comparative is warmer, with than.
  4. b) hadWe say have a swim, so the past is had a swim.
  5. c) soSo introduces a result: I forgot my sun cream, and the result was sunburn.
  6. d) were sittingWe use the past continuous for a longer action that was in progress when something else happened.
  7. c) viewA view is what you can see from a place, for example from a window.
  8. a) goingWe use be going to for plans: we're going to visit.

Write one word

  1. atWe say arrive at a building or place, and arrive in a town or country.
  2. ofWe say full of.
  3. DidYesterday is finished time. Past simple questions start with Did.
  4. at / inWe can say at a restaurant or in a restaurant.
  5. been / travelled / traveledWe use have been to to talk about places we have visited. Have travelled (US traveled) is also possible.
  6. soWe use so + adjective + that to show a result.
  7. forWe use too + adjective + for + noun or -ing form.
  8. byWe use by with transport: by train, by car, by plane.

Write the correct form

  1. wentThe holiday is finished. The past simple of go is went.
  2. boughtThe past simple of buy is bought.
  3. calmerCalm is a short adjective, so the comparative is calmer.
  4. bestGood has an irregular superlative: the best.
  5. didn't see / did not seeThe past simple negative is did not or didn't + base form.
  6. swimmingWas + -ing makes the past continuous. Swim doubles the m: swimming.
  7. tookThe boat trip is finished, so we use the past simple. Take becomes took.
  8. crowdedCrowded is an adjective that means full of people.

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