PAPER 2-LANGUAGE AWARENESS

Copyright 2007. Hellenic American University. Office for Language Assessment and Test Development.

Communicative English Teaching Test

PAPER 2 LANGUAGE AWARENESS
Overview
This paper of the CETT tests language awareness and grammatical knowledge. There are 6 sections in
this paper which cover the following areas:
Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
Section 5
Section 6

Tenses points
General errors 0 points
Language functions 0 points
Semantic differences 0 points
Grammatical terminology
10 points
Reading comprehension
points

Note:

You will have one hour and 45 minutes to complete Paper 2.

Use pen throughout the test.
Write all your answers in the test booklet.
Please make sure to write your answers clearly.
You will be assessed on your use of language in this paper.

Total oints

PAPER 2 - LANGUAGE AWARENESS

SECTION 1: TENSES

_____ / 30 POINTS

The sentences below are incorrect. Look at the underlined verbs then:
a) correct the tense
b) name the correct tense
c) give the meaning or use of the correct tense in this context.
Example:
I do the housework at the moment.
a) Im doing the housework at the moment.
b) present continuous
c) describes an action happening now

1. A: The price of petrol has increased a great deal last year.

B: I know. Thats why more people spent their holidays at home.
a. _________________________________________________________________________________
b. _________________________________________________________________________________
c. _________________________________________________________________________________
2. A: Every year salmon are returning to fresh water to reproduce.
B: And thats why dams pose a major threat to salmon stocks.
a. _________________________________________________________________________________
b. _________________________________________________________________________________
c. _________________________________________________________________________________
3. A: When I was at school I was studying a lot.
B: I guess thats why your grades were always better than mine.
a. _________________________________________________________________________________
b. _________________________________________________________________________________
c. _________________________________________________________________________________
4. A: When the lightning struck the house, I ate my breakfast.
B: I bet you ended up with one hot meal!
a. _________________________________________________________________________________
b. _________________________________________________________________________________
c. _________________________________________________________________________________
SECTION 1: TENSES

Communicative English Teaching Test

5. A: A type of bird flu is believed to cause the 1918 outbreak of the deadly Spanish flu.
B: I suppose thats the reason authorities have been concerned about recent outbreaks of

bird flu in Asia.
a. _________________________________________________________________________________
b. _________________________________________________________________________________
c. _________________________________________________________________________________
6. A: Hes reading this book since 9 o clock.
B: Yeah, he told me that its one of the best books hes ever read.
a. _________________________________________________________________________________
b. _________________________________________________________________________________
c. _________________________________________________________________________________
7. A: Marilyn Monroe has been married three times before her untimely death.
B: I wonder which of those marriages was her happiest.
a. _________________________________________________________________________________
b. _________________________________________________________________________________
c. _________________________________________________________________________________
8. A: By the end of this course, participants will learn a variety of computer skills.
B: That should give them a better chance of getting a job.
a. _________________________________________________________________________________
b. _________________________________________________________________________________
c. _________________________________________________________________________________
9. A: My aunt is owning a house by the sea.
B: Ah, so thats why you visit her every summer!
a. _________________________________________________________________________________
b. _________________________________________________________________________________
c. _________________________________________________________________________________
10. A: I wish Katie will arrive soon.
B: So do I. Its getting late. Well never make our flight!
a. _________________________________________________________________________________
b. _________________________________________________________________________________
c. _________________________________________________________________________________
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SECTION 1: TENSES

PAPER 2 - LANGUAGE AWARENESS

SECTION 2: GENERAL ERRORS

_____ / 30 POINTS

Each of the sentences below contain one error. Rewrite the whole sentence offering ONE correct version. Then, in note-form, explain why the correction is needed.
Example:
I have been working here since six years.
a) I have been working here for six years.
b) since is followed by a specific moment in the past, whereas for is used with a period of time

11. Lets discuss about your hobbies.

a.

_________________________________________________________________________________

b.

_________________________________________________________________________________

12. I want that you tell me the answer.

a.

_________________________________________________________________________________

b.

_________________________________________________________________________________

13. Say it again. You did a mistake.

a.

_________________________________________________________________________________

b.

_________________________________________________________________________________

14. Read more carefully this information before you write anything.
a.

_________________________________________________________________________________

b.

_________________________________________________________________________________

15. Yes, is necessary for you to write your name here.

a.

_________________________________________________________________________________

b.

_________________________________________________________________________________

SECTION 2: GENERAL ERRORS

Communicative English Teaching Test

16. We were so fascinating that we watched the DVD twice.
a.

_________________________________________________________________________________

b.

_________________________________________________________________________________

17. My parents will get me a car as a present after I will pass my driving test.
a.

_________________________________________________________________________________

b.

_________________________________________________________________________________

18. Who broke the window will have to pay for it.
a.

_________________________________________________________________________________

b.

_________________________________________________________________________________

19. The Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of the United States.
a.

_________________________________________________________________________________

b.

_________________________________________________________________________________

20. You will help me with my homework, please?

a.

_________________________________________________________________________________

b.

_________________________________________________________________________________

SECTION 2: GENERAL ERRORS

PAPER 2 - LANGUAGE AWARENESS

SECTION 3: LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS

_____ / 20 POINTS

Write two example sentences for each of the following pairs of 5 language functions. In each case,
pay attention to the style and register.
Example:
To decline an invitation to a friends party during a conversation.
Im really sorry, but Im afraid I cant come to your party.
To decline an invitation to a conference in a letter.
Unfortunately, I will be unable to attend the conference in Munich this year.

21.

a. To express regret about forgetting a friends birthday in a conversation.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

b. To express regret to an unsuccessful applicant for a job in a letter.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
22.

a. To suggest a holiday destination in a letter to a friend.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

b. To suggest hiring new staff at a company meeting.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
23.

a. To predict rain to a friend who is about to leave the house.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

b. To predict rain in a newspaper weather forecast.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
24.

a. To warn a child about to cross the road that there is a car approaching.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

b. To warn an employee about the consequences of arriving at work late again.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
25.

a. To request clarification from a friend in a cafeteria with loud music.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

b. To request clarification from a company about the price of a product in an email.
_______________________________________________________________________________________

SECTION 3: LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS

Communicative English Teaching Test

_____ / 40 POINTS

SECTION 4: SEMANTIC DIFFERENCES

Describe the difference in meaning between these pairs of sentences.
Example:
a) She likes playing tennis.
She enjoys doing this sport
b) Shed like to play tennis.
She wants to play this sport.

26.

a) John has to learn some Spanish.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

b) John has learned some Spanish.

_______________________________________________________________________________________
27.

a) We regret to tell you that the flight has been cancelled.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

b) We regretted telling them that the flight had been cancelled.

_______________________________________________________________________________________
28.

a) At first, she liked his voice.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

b) First, she liked his voice.

_______________________________________________________________________________________
29.

a) Were celebrating her getting promoted.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

b) Were celebrating getting promoted with her.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

SECTION 4: SEMANTIC DIFFERENCES

PAPER 2 - LANGUAGE AWARENESS

30.

a) The family matters, he said.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

b) These are family matters, he said.

_______________________________________________________________________________________
31.

a) Should I refuse, he may get angry.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

b) Should I refuse? He may get angry.

_______________________________________________________________________________________
32.

a) The ski instructor said that we should manage to ski down the mountain.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

b) The ski instructor said we should have managed to ski down the mountain.

_______________________________________________________________________________________
33.

a) Keep a record of the interview, please.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

b) Record the interview, please.

_______________________________________________________________________________________
34.

a) When the snow melts, the valley will be flooded.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

b) When the snow melts, the valley is flooded.

_______________________________________________________________________________________
35.

a) At night, fireworks look fantastic.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

b) On the night, the fireworks looked fantastic.

_______________________________________________________________________________________

SECTION 4: SEMANTIC DIFFERENCES

Communicative English Teaching Test

_____ / 10 POINTS

SECTION 5: GRAMMATICAL TERMINOLOGY

Read the text below. Find one example of each grammatical term.
The first one has been done as an example.

The inspector opened the fridge, removed the previous days leftovers and flung them into the
microwave. Donning a grey suit with a blue shirt and garish tie, he hoped he had succeeded in creating
a cross between white collar and shady. Afterwards, he sat on the veranda and sipped a coffee while
skimming through the newspaper.
Inside, his mobile phone started to ring persistently it was Summers, who simply said, The beach bar.
Lets meet there. Before leaving, he looked for a pair of glasses with plain lenses that he thought might
add something to his attempts at camouflage. They were nowhere to be found. Complaining to himself
about the general state of disorder, he eventually extracted them from a pair of socks.

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Grammar item

ONE example from text

Preposition

at

36.

Phrasal verb

37.

Indefinite article

38.

Compound noun

39.

Adverb

40.

Time expression

41.

Present participle

42.

Object pronoun

43.

Intransitive verb

44.

Relative pronoun

45.

Modal verb

SECTION 5: GRAMMATICAL TERMINOLOGY

PAPER 2 - LANGUAGE AWARENESS

SECTION 6: READING COMPREHENSION

_____ / 18 POINTS

For each of the texts below, read text and answer the questions which follow.

Text 1
Snowboarding
Many believe that free style snowboarding owes much to skateboarding but it actually bears a closer
resemblance to inline skating. Regardless of this, most agree that equipping yourself appropriately is a
must. A protective kit is highly recommended due to the potentially dangerous nature of the activity.
Safety gear should include wrist guards, padded pants and a helmet. Goggles are used by most people
and are crucial on bright days to prevent snow blindness. They also prevent temporary vision loss snow
getting in the eyes can cause collisions with obstacles like trees and with other skiers. Padding can be
useful on other body parts like the knees and spine.

46. In addition of being informative, what is the main communicative purpose of this text?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
47. Which expressions in the text echo:
a. owes much to? ____________________________________________________________________

b. protective kit?_____________________________________________________________________
48. Give two examples of the right clothing mentioned in the text.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
49. Give two reasons why the skateboarder should wear goggles.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
50. Suggest an alternative word or phrase that could replace the following in the text:
a. crucial ___________________________________________________________________________

b. collisions _________________________________________________________________________

SECTION 6: READING COMPREHENSION

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Communicative English Teaching Test

Text 2
Malaria
Malaria is found in certain parts of Africa and Asia, with many areas considered to be disease-free while
others have seasonal risks. The danger of contracting malaria in most cities is minimal, but if you plan
to travel to rural areas, check with your doctor well before you leave. It is important to take anti-malarial
tablets if the risk is significant.
It is possible to come down with the illness from a single mosquito bite and there are distinct tell-tale
signs. It almost invariably starts with marked shivering, fever and sweating. Sore muscles, headache and
vomiting may also be present. Symptoms may become evident from a few days to three weeks after
the initial bite. Many travelers are unaware they may contract the disease even when they are taking
tablets since the latter are not always fully effective. Furthermore, in rare instances, malaria can strike after
completing a course of tablets.
51. In addition of being informative, what is the main communicative purpose of this text?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
52. Which expression in the text echoes:
a. contracting malaria? ________________________________________________________________
b. symptoms? _______________________________________________________________________
53. Give two examples of advice offered to the traveler before s/he leaves.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
54. Give two of the most likely indications of malaria.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
55. Suggest an alternative word or phrase that could replace the following in the text:
a. minimal __________________________________________________________________________
b. instances _________________________________________________________________________

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SECTION 6: READING COMPREHENSION

Answer Key
SECTION 1: TENSES
1. a. The price of petrol increased a great deal last year.
b. Past simple
c. Describes something which happened at a specific time in the past (in this case, last year)
2. a. Every year salmon return to fresh water to reproduce.
b. Present simple
c. Describes an action occurring on a regular basis
3. a. When I was at school I studied a lot. (would study and used to study are also possible answers here)
b. Past simple (studied); would + verb; used to + verb
c. Describes action occurring regularly in the past
4. a. When the lightning struck the house, I was eating my breakfast.
b. Past continuous / progressive
c. Describes an action in progress which is interrupted by another
5. a. A type of bird flu is believed to have caused the 1918 outbreak
b. Perfect infinitive
c. Indicates an action that occurred previous to that that of the main verb
6. a. Hes been reading this book since 9 o clock.
b. Present perfect continuous / progressive
c. Describes an action begun in the past which is still continuing.
7. a. Marilyn Monroe had been married three times before
b. Past perfect
c. Describes an action that happened before another action in the past
8. a. By the end of this course, participants will have learnt/will have learned
b. Future perfect
c. Describes an action which will have been completed by a certain time in the future
9. a. My aunt owns a house by the sea.
b. Present simple
c. Verbs that indicate possession (have, own, possess), feeling (see, hear, love), and thought (know, believe)
generally appear in present simple, even though they are continuous in nature
10. a. I wish Katie would arrive soon.
b. Past subjunctive
c. Would is used with wish here to convey a sense of insistence
SECTION 2: GENERAL ERRORS
11. a. Lets discuss your hobbies.
b. Discuss is a transitive verb.
12. a. I want you to tell me the answer.
b. The structure that follows want is the object plus bare infinitive.
13. a. Say it again. You made a mistake.
b. The verb make collocates with the noun mistake.
14. a. Read this information more carefully before you write anything.
b. Incorrect word order of adverbial phrase

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Answer Key
15. a. Yes, it is necessary for you to write your name here.
b. The subject of a sentence (in this case, a pronoun) cannot be omitted.
16. a. We were so fascinated that we watched the DVD twice.
b. The -ed ending describes the feeling which people are experiencing; the -ing ending describes the source
of that feeling. So: The DVD was fascinating. We were fascinated.
17. a. My parents will get me a car as a present after I pass my driving test.
b. Verbs in time clauses use present simple tense to give the sense of future.
18. a. Whoever broke the window will have to pay for it.
b. Whoever conveys the sense of no matter who / regardless of who.
19. a. Lake Michigan is one of the five Great Lakes of the United States.
b. Names of lakes generally do not take the definite article.
20. a. Please help me with my homework, would you?
b. This sentence is actually an elliptical polite request and so could be rephrased Would you help me with my
homework, please? As a result, the tag question requires would.
SECTION 3: LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS
21. a. Im so sorry I forgot about your birthday. It just slipped my mind.
b. I regret to inform you that the position you applied for has already been filled.
22. a. What do you say we go to Paris for that long weekend we were talking about?
b. We are somewhat short-staffed so it might be a good idea to hire some extra people.
23. a. You know, it looks as though it might rain today.
b. There is an 80% chance of rain this afternoon. /Rain is forecast for tomorrow.
24. a. Hey, watch out! Dont cross now. Theres a car coming.
b. Your lack of punctuality is becoming a habit. Im afraid this will be your last warning./ I would advise you to
come on time to work from now on.
25. a. Sorry, I didnt quite catch what you just said. Could you say it again?
b. I would be grateful if you could let me know the price of your latest MP3 player (which I saw advertised on
your website).
SECTION 4: SEMANTIC DIFFERENCES
26. a. John is required to / must learn some Spanish.
b. John learned some Spanish at some unspecified past time.
27. a. We are sorry to inform you that the flight will not take place.
b. We regret the action (of telling them that the flight has been cancelled). We first did the action & then later
wished we had not done it.
28. a. In the beginning she liked his voice, but then did not (like it).
b. The first thing about him that she liked was his voice (and then began to like other things).
29. a. Were celebrating the fact that she got promoted.
b. Were celebrating the fact that both she and we were promoted.
30. a. The speaker says that the family is of importance.
b. The speaker says that these are family concerns / issues.

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Answer Key
31. a. If I refuse, he may become angry.
b. The speaker asks for advice: Do you think it is okay to refuse? He may become angry.
32. a. The ski instructors sentence has a future meaning S/he believes that they will be able to ski the mountain.
b. The ski instructors sentence has a past meaning s/he believes that it was in our power to have been able
to ski down the mountain (but we didnt). It could have a sense of disappointment as well (If we had done
it, we could have had a great experience).
33. a. The instruction is to document in some way (not specified) what is said at the interview.
b. The instruction is to tape the interview.
34. a. This describes an event certain to happen in the future - we are sure that the valley will suffer flooding.
b. This describes a general truth each time there is snow, the valley gets flooded.
35. a. This describes a general truth that fireworks look great at night-time.
b. This describes one specific night when the fireworks looked great.
SECTION 5: GRAMMATICAL TERMINOLOGY
36. look for
37. a
38. newspaper
39. persistently / simply / eventually
40. afterwards
41. donning / skimming/ complaining
42. them
43. succeed / ring (in this context)
44. who / that
45. might
SECTION 6: READING COMPREHENSION
46. to advise
47. a. bears a closer resemblance to
b. safety gear
48. wrist guards /padded pants /helmets /goggles
49. - to prevent snow blindness
- to prevent snow blocking vision
50. a. vital / essential / really important
b. crashes
51. To advise
52. a. come down with the illness
b. tell-tale signs
53. - see a doctor
- take anti-malarial tablets if there is a strong risk of getting malaria
54. shivering / fever / sweating
55. a. neglible / extremely small
b. cases

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