B2 First for Schools — Reading & Use of English: Parts 1–4 | English Refresher

B2 First for Schools · Reading & Use of English

Use of English Mastery
Parts 1–4

A self-scoring practice set that mirrors the real exam, lets you reconsider before you check, and tells you why each answer is right.

30 questions · 36 marks Suggested time: 30 min Change answers freely CEFR estimate

How this workbook works. Answer every question in a part — click an option or type your word, and change your mind as many times as you like. When you've answered everything in a part, press its Check button to see your feedback, explaining why each key is correct. When you finish all four parts, press See my result for a CEFR estimate and personalized advice. Work in American English spelling.

Multiple-choice cloze

Vocabulary in context

For questions 1–8, read the text and choose the word that best fits each gap from the dropdown list. One mark each. Change your answers as often as you like — nothing is marked until you press Check Part 1 with all eight answered.

Strategy, tips & common traps

What it tests: vocabulary — the right word partner (collocation), phrasal verbs, and fixed phrases.

Often more than one option fits the grammar. Choose the one that collocates — the natural partner.
Learn fixed phrases as whole chunks: take action, make a difference, set up a group.
Check the word right after the gap, especially prepositions.
If two options seem possible, think about exact meaning.

Worked example

The team worked hard to raise money for charity.
A raise B lift C grow D rise — Answer: A raise. We “raise money” (a fixed collocation). “Rise” has no object, and “lift/grow” don’t partner with “money”.

Every Saturday morning, while most of her friends are still asleep, sixteen-year-old Nadia Reyes heads down to the beach with a bag and a pair of gloves. Two years ago, she ¹ up a small group to clean the coastline near her town. What started as just three friends has now ² into a team of more than forty volunteers.

Nadia first had the ³ after a school trip, when she noticed how much plastic was washed up on the sand. “I knew I had to ⁴ action,” she says. At first, some people didn’t ⁵ much attention to her because of her age, but the group’s results soon spoke for themselves.

Last month, the crew ⁶ a local award for their work. Nadia says the best part is seeing the difference they ⁷ . “When children get involved, their parents do too,” she explains. She hopes the project will ⁸ on long after she leaves for university.

Choose an answer for all eight gaps (1–8) before checking.

Open cloze

Grammar & structure

For questions 9–16, read the text and think of the word that best fits each gap. Use only one word per gap. One mark each. Change your answers as often as you like — nothing is marked until you press Check Part 2 with all eight answered.

Strategy, tips & common traps

What it tests: grammar and the small “function” words — prepositions, articles, auxiliaries, linkers, and quantifiers.

The answer is almost always a grammar word, not a content word.
Decide the structure first: a verb pattern, a fixed phrase, a comparison.
Only one word — contractions like don’t count as two.
Common answers: without, of, much, have, if, at, one.

Worked example

I have lived here for ten years. — Answer: for. The present perfect with a length of time (ten years) needs for.

These days, it is almost impossible to imagine life ⁹ a smartphone. For most teenagers, their phone is the first thing they look ¹⁰ in the morning and the last thing they check at night. But ¹¹ more and more young people are starting to wonder whether they spend too ¹² time staring at a screen.

Some have decided to do something ¹³ it. A growing number switch their phones off for one day a week, or delete the apps that waste most ¹⁴ their time. They say that, since making this change, they ¹⁵ felt calmer and more focused. ¹⁶ you have ever felt controlled by your phone, it might be worth a try.

Fill in all eight gaps (9–16) before checking.

Word formation

Building the right word

For questions 17–24, use the word in CAPITALS at the end of each gap to form a word that fits the space. One mark each. Change your answers as often as you like — nothing is marked until you press Check Part 3 with all eight answered.

Strategy, tips & common traps

What it tests: word families — turning a stem into the right noun, verb, adjective, or adverb.

Decide the part of speech first (the word before the gap is a clue: a / the / most / feel).
Think about plurals (friendship → friendships) and adverbs (-ly).
Sometimes you need a negative prefix (un-, in-, dis-).
Watch spelling changes (responsible → responsibility).

Worked example

The view from the top was beautiful. (BEAUTY) — Answer: beautiful. An adjective is needed after was; the noun beauty becomes an adjective with -ful.

Joining a sports team can be one of the most ¹⁷ (ENJOY) things you do at school. As well as keeping you fit, playing regularly helps you build ¹⁸ (FRIEND) that can last for years.

It is completely normal to feel ¹⁹ (NERVE) before your first practice. ²⁰ (SURPRISE), even students who think they are bad at sport often discover a hidden talent, and this can do wonders for their ²¹ (CONFIDENT).

Being part of a team also teaches you ²² (RESPONSIBLE), because others are depending on you. With a little ²³ (ENCOURAGE) from a good coach, most players improve quickly and feel a real sense of ²⁴ (ACHIEVE) by the end of the season.

Fill in all eight gaps (17–24) before checking.

Key word transformations

Say it another way

For questions 25–30, complete the second sentence so it means the same as the first, using the word given. Do not change the word given. Use between two and five words, including the word given. Two marks each. Change your answers as often as you like — nothing is marked until you press Check Part 4 with all six answered.

Strategy, tips & common traps

What it tests: control of B2 structures — comparatives, the passive, reported speech, conditionals, and too/enough.

Spot the grammar point from the key word before you write.
Count your words: two to five, and never change the key word.
Each item is worth two marks — you can earn one for a half-correct answer in the real exam.
Keep the meaning exactly the same; don’t add extra ideas.

Worked example

“I’m sorry I broke your phone,” said Tom. (APOLOGIZED)
Tom apologized for breaking my phone. — apologized for breaking (3 words). Half one: apologized for; half two: the -ing form breaking.

Complete all six transformations (25–30) before checking.

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This is a practice estimate for one section. Your official Cambridge result is calculated across the whole exam on the Cambridge English Scale.

English Refresher · B2 First for Schools · Use of English Parts 1–4