What a Statement Commits Us To

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

C2. 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. 'Some objections are valid.' What is guaranteed by this statement?

   1. Every objection is valid.
   2. At least one objection is valid.
   3. No objection is invalid.
   4. Most objections are invalid.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   At least one objection is valid.

   Some commits the speaker to at least one, without settling the others.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the best completion or reply. 'Not all applicants qualified.' Which paraphrase preserves exactly the claim?

   1. Exactly one applicant qualified.
   2. Most applicants failed.
   3. No applicant qualified.
   4. At least one applicant did not qualify.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   At least one applicant did not qualify.

   Not all denies universality without specifying how many failed.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the best completion or reply. 'The result need not indicate bias.' What is asserted?

   1. Bias is not the only possible explanation.
   2. Bias has been proved.
   3. The result must indicate bias.
   4. Bias is impossible.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Bias is not the only possible explanation.

   Need not denies necessity, not possibility.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the best completion or reply. 'Only reviewers may access the file.' What follows?

   1. Every reviewer must access it.
   2. Nobody may access it.
   3. Non-reviewers are not permitted access.
   4. Every reviewer has accessed it.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Non-reviewers are not permitted access.

   Only reviewers restricts permission to that category, not actual use or obligation.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the best completion or reply. 'Approval may be withheld.' Which meaning is closest?

   1. Approval has already been withheld.
   2. Withholding approval is a possibility.
   3. Approval must be withheld.
   4. Approval cannot be withheld.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Withholding approval is a possibility.

   May expresses possibility without necessity or completed occurrence.

6. Question 6 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the best completion or reply. 'The effect is not insignificant.' What is the direct linguistic commitment?

   1. The effect has no significance.
   2. The effect is overwhelming.
   3. The effect has some significance.
   4. The effect is precisely quantified.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The effect has some significance.

   The double negative rejects insignificance without stating a precise magnitude.

7. Question 7 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the best completion or reply. 'No more than five people objected.' What is the upper limit?

   1. Five.
   2. Four.
   3. No upper limit.
   4. Six.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Five.

   No more than five sets an inclusive maximum of five.

8. Question 8 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the best completion or reply. 'At least five people objected.' What is excluded?

   1. More than five objected.
   2. Ten objected.
   3. Exactly five objected.
   4. Fewer than five objected.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Fewer than five objected.

   At least sets a lower bound, allowing five or more.

9. Question 9 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Choose the best completion or reply. 'The claim is not necessarily false.' What remains possible?

   1. The claim must be true.
   2. The claim cannot be true.
   3. The claim has been proved false.
   4. The claim could be true.
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   The claim could be true.

   Not necessarily false leaves truth possible without establishing it.

10. Question 10 · Single choice

    Choose one answer.

    Choose the best completion or reply. 'The error was scarcely noticeable.' What does scarcely qualify?

    1. The degree to which the error could be noticed.
    2. The number of errors.
    3. The time when it occurred.
    4. The certainty that there was no error.
    Check answers and explanations

    Answer

    The degree to which the error could be noticed.

    Scarcely noticeable means only barely perceptible.

11. Question 11 · Single choice

    Choose one answer.

    Choose the best completion or reply. 'We cannot yet rule out an effect.' What is warranted?

    1. An effect remains possible on current evidence.
    2. An effect has been conclusively established.
    3. No effect is possible.
    4. An effect must occur in every case.
    Check answers and explanations

    Answer

    An effect remains possible on current evidence.

    Failure to rule out leaves possibility open, not proven.

12. Question 12 · Single choice

    Choose one answer.

    Choose the best completion or reply. 'Any recommendation would be premature.' What is the speaker's position now?

    1. No recommendation is justified yet.
    2. Every recommendation is permanently impossible.
    3. Only positive recommendations are premature.
    4. One recommendation has been approved.
    Check answers and explanations

    Answer

    No recommendation is justified yet.

    Any has universal force within the current recommendation context.

13. Question 13 · Single choice

    Choose one answer.

    Choose the best completion or reply. 'The report stops short of alleging fraud.' What is withheld?

    1. Any qualification of a fraud allegation.
    2. Proof that fraud is impossible.
    3. A direct allegation of fraud.
    4. All discussion of irregularities.
    Check answers and explanations

    Answer

    A direct allegation of fraud.

    Stop short of marks the further speech act the report does not make.

14. Question 14 · Single choice

    Choose one answer.

    Choose the best completion or reply. 'It is all but certain.' How strong is the claim?

    1. Already disproved.
    2. Only slightly possible.
    3. Almost certain.
    4. Entirely impossible.
    Check answers and explanations

    Answer

    Almost certain.

    All but certain means nearly certain, not absolute certainty.

15. Question 15 · Single choice

    Choose one answer.

    Choose the best completion or reply. 'Nothing in the data requires that interpretation.' What follows?

    1. The data has no possible interpretation.
    2. The interpretation is not forced by the data.
    3. The interpretation is impossible.
    4. The interpretation is proved.
    Check answers and explanations

    Answer

    The interpretation is not forced by the data.

    Not required denies necessity while leaving compatibility open.

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.