The Language of Qualified Claims

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

C1. 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

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 or reply. The evidence is consistent with the theory, but falls short … proving it.

   1. for
   2. to
   3. from
   4. of
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   of

   Fall short of marks failure to reach the stronger evidential standard.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the best completion or reply. The results lend … to a cautious interpretation.

   1. permission
   2. allowance
   3. agreement
   4. support
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   support

   Lend support to means provide evidence favouring a view.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the best completion or reply. The claim holds true only … the assumptions remain valid.

   1. notwithstanding
   2. regardless of whether
   3. even if
   4. insofar as
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   insofar as

   Insofar as limits validity to the extent that the assumptions hold.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the best completion or reply. The findings are not … conclusive, though they are encouraging.

   1. entire
   2. entirely
   3. entirety
   4. partial
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   entirely

   An adverb modifies conclusive; not entirely preserves a limitation.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the best completion or reply. The study offers no basis … dismissing the alternative explanation.

   1. with
   2. to
   3. for
   4. of
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   for

   A basis for takes an ing form and names the supported action.

6. Question 6 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the best completion or reply. Any conclusion should be … with the quality of the evidence.

   1. proportion
   2. equivalent
   3. commensurate
   4. identical
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   commensurate

   Commensurate with means appropriately proportioned to.

7. Question 7 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the best completion or reply. The apparent effect may be attributable … an unnoticed sampling bias.

   1. with
   2. to
   3. for
   4. of
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   to

   Attributable to identifies a possible cause.

8. Question 8 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the best completion or reply. The authors qualify their claim by … its limited scope.

   1. acknowledging
   2. acknowledge
   3. to acknowledge
   4. acknowledged
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   acknowledging

   By takes an ing form describing how the qualification is made.

9. Question 9 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the best completion or reply. The fact that two events coincide does not … that one caused the other.

   1. enact
   2. entrust
   3. entail
   4. entitle
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   entail

   Entail means make a conclusion follow necessarily.

10. Question 10 · Single choice

    Choose one answer.

    Choose the best completion or reply. The pattern is suggestive, … not decisive.

    1. owing
    2. notwithstanding
    3. despite
    4. albeit
    Check answers and explanations

    Answer

    albeit

    Albeit can introduce a reduced concession meaning although.

11. Question 11 · Single choice

    Choose one answer.

    Choose the best completion or reply. The researchers stop … of recommending immediate adoption.

    1. low
    2. short
    3. brief
    4. small
    Check answers and explanations

    Answer

    short

    Stop short of means refrain from taking the further step.

12. Question 12 · Single choice

    Choose one answer.

    Choose the best completion or reply. The explanation is plausible … it accounts for the main observations.

    1. inasmuch as
    2. regardless
    3. irrespective of
    4. despite
    Check answers and explanations

    Answer

    inasmuch as

    Inasmuch as gives the respect or reason in which the explanation is plausible.

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.