The first three exercises are about accuracy, and the fourth one is what measures the level. One feature measures B2 better than any other: sentence length. Whoever strings together three short sentences with "and" is at B1; whoever fits the same information into a single sentence with a relative and a participle is at B2. Force yourself to build long sentences, even if they are difficult for you.
1. Listen to the entire track and write, for each object, the phrase that identifies it with a relative or a participle.
- Object 1
- Object 2
- Person 3
- Object 4
- Persona 5
Show answers
- The machine standing unused in the corner.
- The boxes which arrived from the family house.
- The engineer who maintained this equipment.
- The files stored in a garage for forty years.
- The woman whose handwriting appears on every label.
2. Combine the two phrases into one using a relative clause. Also, decide if it requires commas.
- The tapes are unreadable. We found them in the garage. → The tapes ___ are unreadable.
- My colleague retired last year. She trained the whole department. → My colleague, ___ , retired last year.
- Nobody kept the manuals. This made restoration almost impossible. → Nobody kept the manuals, ___ almost impossible.
- That is the supplier. We bought the equipment from them. → That is the supplier ___ .
- The building has been sold. Its roof leaked for years. → The building, ___ , has been sold.
Show answers
- we found in the garage
- who trained the whole department
- which made restoration
- we bought the equipment from
- whose roof leaked for years
3. Complete with the dependent preposition and compress the relative into a participle where possible.
- Staff who are unfamiliar ___ the system should ask for training.
- Anyone who is interested ___ volunteering can write to me.
- The department is far too dependent ___ one retired engineer.
- Equipment which was donated by the museum → equipment ___ by the museum.
- The woman who is waiting in reception → the woman ___ in reception.
Show answers
- with
- in
- on
- donated
- waiting
4. Speak out loud for one minute per task. Record yourself and count how many of your sentences contain more than one idea.
- Describe an object in your home that nobody knows how to use any more
- Describe a person in your family using two non-defining relative clauses
- Argue that something old should be kept, and answer the obvious objection
- Explain a piece of technology that you are reluctant to use, and say why
- Retell the dialogue of lesson one in five long sentences, without using the word and
Show answers
- Their own response. At least one specifying relative clause is expected: “a machine that my father bought…”, and if possible a participle: “a radio standing on the shelf”.
- Her own response. Commas and real pauses are expected when speaking: «my aunt, who worked in a printing house, still keeps…».
- Their own response. Vocabulary from lesson 2 is expected: “built to last,” “obsolete,” “take it for granted,” and adjectives with their correct preposition.
- Its own response. “reluctant to” is expected followed by the infinitive, and it contrasts with “wary of” followed by the “-ing” form.
- Their own response. This is the key exercise: prohibiting "and" requires subordination with relatives and participles, which is exactly what B2 measures.
