Joining a Community Repair Cafe

Study the questions and tasks

Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.

Practice level

B1. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.

Question formats

Single choice, Multiple choice, Fill in the blank (text), Fill in the blank (dropdown), Cloze (text), Cloze (dropdown), Matching, Error correction, Sentence transformation, Sentence reordering

How to approach this practice

Read the complete context. Check both the meaning and the grammar, including word forms, collocations and links between sentences.

1. Question 1 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the best completion. The repair cafe has been open … last September.

   1. for
   2. until
   3. during
   4. since
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   since

   Since introduces the starting point of a period continuing to the present.

2. Question 2 · Multiple choice

   Choose all the correct answers.

   Choose TWO correct statements based on the information given. It is possible that the volunteers will repair your lamp today, but it is not certain.

   1. The volunteers must repair your lamp today.
   2. The volunteers have repaired your lamp today.
   3. The volunteers might repair your lamp today.
   4. The volunteers may repair your lamp today.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The volunteers might repair your lamp today.; The volunteers may repair your lamp today.

   May and might express an uncertain possibility; must expresses obligation and have repaired states a completed action.

3. Question 3 · Fill in the blank (text)

   Complete each blank with the missing word or phrase.

   Use the noun from explain. The volunteer gave me a clear ___ of how the switch works.

   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   explanation

   The adjective clear and of-phrase require the noun explanation.

4. Question 4 · Fill in the blank (dropdown)

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   Before fixing the toaster, we need to find ___ what is wrong with it.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. out
   2. after
   3. away
   4. up
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   out

   Find out means discover information.

5. Question 5 · Cloze (text)

   Complete each blank with the missing word or phrase.

   Use the past simple. At my first repair session, I 1___ (bring) a broken chair. A volunteer 2___ (show) me the loose part, and we 3___ (fix) it together.

   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   brought

   Blank 2

   showed

   Blank 3

   fixed

   Brought is irregular; showed and fixed are regular past forms.

6. Question 6 · Cloze (dropdown)

   Choose the correct option for each blank.

   The cafe helps people avoid 1___ things away. If an item can be repaired, a volunteer 2___ you how. You do not need to be good 3___ making things.

   Choices for blank 1

   1. throw
   2. thrown
   3. throwing
   4. to throw

   Choices for blank 2

   1. to show
   2. will show
   3. showing
   4. would showed

   Choices for blank 3

   1. for
   2. to
   3. at
   4. on
   Check answers and explanations

   Blank 1

   throwing

   Blank 2

   will show

   Blank 3

   at

   Avoid takes an ing-form; the first conditional uses will plus verb, and the phrase is good at.

7. Question 7 · Matching

   Match each item to the correct choice.

   Match each beginning to its only suitable ending. Messages at the repair desk.

   Answer choices

   • a needle and some thread.
   • put some oil on it.
   • try another set.

   Items

   • To replace a missing jacket button, you will need
   • To stop the bicycle chain squeaking, you should
   • To check whether the torch needs new batteries, first
   Check answers and explanations

   1. To replace a missing jacket button, you will need

   a needle and some thread.

   2. To stop the bicycle chain squeaking, you should

   put some oil on it.

   3. To check whether the torch needs new batteries, first

   try another set.

   Each ending completes a practical instruction with the appropriate repair vocabulary.

8. Question 8 · Error correction

   Rewrite the sentence, correcting the grammatical error.

   Correct the one language error. Write the complete corrected sentence. I look forward to meet the other volunteers.

   Check answers and explanations

   Accepted answers

   I look forward to meeting the other volunteers.

   To is a preposition in look forward to, so it takes meeting.

9. Question 9 · Sentence transformation

   Rewrite or complete the second sentence as instructed, keeping the same meaning unless the task asks you to change it.

   Complete the second sentence so that it has the same meaning as the first. Use the word have without changing it. It is not necessary to bring your own tools. You ___ your own tools.

   Check answers and explanations

   Accepted answers

   do not have to bring / don't have to bring

   Do not have to expresses a lack of necessity.

10. Question 10 · Sentence reordering

    Arrange these parts into the correct sentence.

    Put the chunks in order to make one complete sentence. Keep the capitalised opening first and the punctuated ending last.

    Sentence parts

    • If you bring
    • how to replace it.
    • the broken handle,
    • we can show you
    Check answers and explanations

    Correct order

    If you bring the broken handle, we can show you how to replace it.

    The complete if-clause comes before the main clause; how to replace it completes show you.

11. Question 11 · Single choice

    Choose one answer.

    Choose the best completion. The organiser asked us … the tools after each session.

    1. to clean
    2. cleaned
    3. clean
    4. cleaning
    Check answers and explanations

    Answer

    to clean

    Ask someone to do something uses an object followed by a to-infinitive.

12. Question 12 · Sentence transformation

    Rewrite or complete the second sentence as instructed, keeping the same meaning unless the task asks you to change it.

    Complete the second sentence so that it has the same meaning as the first. The volunteers started using this hall two years ago and still use it. The volunteers have used this hall ___ two years.

    Check answers and explanations

    Accepted answers

    for

    For introduces a duration with the present perfect.

What to review next

Explain why each answer fits the meaning and structure. Record useful phrases and write a new example using each pattern you found difficult.

A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.