--- title: "English C-Test exercises with answers · C-Test Prep" description: "Three free English C-Tests (B1, B2, C1) with 25 gaps each: fill them in and check online, with every answer and an explanation for every gap." canonical: https://ctestprep.de/en/c-test-english-exercises last_updated: 2026-10-27 --- # English C-Test exercises with answers Three English C-Test texts from B1 to C1, free and with no sign-up. Complete the missing second half of each word, then check. Under each text you find every answer with a short explanation of whether it is a grammar or a vocabulary point. Last checked: 27 October 2026 ## Living in a shared flat B1 Many students in Germany do not live in a student residence but in a shared flat, which Germans call a WG. Instead o___ renting a___ apartment al___, they sh___ a flat wi___ two o___ three ot___ people. Ea___ person h___ a private ro___, but t___ kitchen a___ the bath___ are us___ by ever___. This ma___ the re___ much che___, and n___ students qui___ make fri___ in a ci___ that th___ do n___ know y___. A weekly cleaning plan on the kitchen wall prevents many arguments. ### Answers and explanations: Living in a shared flat 1. of Grammar "instead of" is followed by a noun or an -ing verb ("renting"). 2. an Grammar Indefinite article "an", not "a", because "apartment" starts with a vowel sound. 3. alone Vocabulary "alone" = without other people. 4. share Vocabulary "share" = have or use together with others. 5. with Grammar Preposition "with". 6. or Grammar "two or three": "or" joins two possible numbers. 7. other Grammar "other" before a noun; "on the other hand" introduces the opposite view. 8. Each Grammar "each" goes with a singular noun and a singular verb: "each person has". 9. has Grammar "has": third person singular of "have", because "each person" is singular. 10. room Vocabulary "a private room" = a room of your own. 11. the Grammar Definite article: the noun after it is known or specific. 12. and Grammar Conjunction joining two parts of equal rank. 13. bathroom Vocabulary "bathroom" = the room with the shower or bath. 14. used Grammar Passive "are used by": "be" + past participle. 15. everyone Vocabulary "everyone" = all the people; "everybody" is also correct. Also correct: everybody 16. makes Grammar "this makes …": third person singular -s, because "this" is singular. 17. rent Vocabulary "rent" = the money you pay for a flat each month. 18. cheaper Grammar Comparative of "cheap": "much cheaper". 19. new Vocabulary "new students" = students who have just arrived. 20. quickly Grammar Adverb "quickly" describes the verb "make friends"; the adjective would be "quick". 21. friends Vocabulary "make friends" = start friendships. 22. city Vocabulary "city" = a large town. 23. they Grammar Subject pronoun "they" in the relative clause; it refers to the students. 24. not Grammar "do not know": negative with "do" for a plural subject. 25. yet Grammar "not … yet" = not until now. ## The return of night trains B2 Night trains used to be a normal way to travel across Europe. For dec___, they see___ to bel___ to t___ past, a___ several rai___ companies sto___ running th___ because th___ did n___ make eno___ money. Rece___, however, inte___ has gr___ again. Ma___ travellers wa___ to av___ flying, a___ a train th___ leaves i___ the eve___ and arr___ the ne___ morning al___ replaces a ho___. The beds are narrow, but many passengers say they sleep surprisingly well. ### Answers and explanations: The return of night trains 1. decades Vocabulary "decades" = periods of ten years; "for decades" = for a very long time. 2. seemed Grammar Past of "seem": "they seemed to belong". 3. belong Vocabulary "belong to the past" = be something from earlier times. 4. the Grammar "the past" is a fixed phrase with the definite article. 5. and Grammar Conjunction "and" joins two main clauses ("…, and several railway companies …"). 6. railway Vocabulary "railway companies" = companies that run trains. 7. stopped Grammar "stopped running": past of "stop" (double p) + -ing form. 8. them Grammar Object pronoun "them" for the night trains (plural). 9. they Grammar Subject pronoun "they"; here it refers to the trains. 10. not Grammar "did not make": past negative with "did" + infinitive. 11. enough Vocabulary "enough money" = as much money as needed. 12. Recently Grammar Adverb "recently"; it goes with the present perfect "has grown". 13. interest Vocabulary "interest" (uncountable here) = wanting to know or use something. 14. grown Grammar Present perfect "has grown": past participle of "grow" (grow – grew – grown). 15. Many Grammar "many" before the plural countable noun "travellers". 16. want Grammar "want to" + infinitive; no -s, because "travellers" is plural. 17. avoid Vocabulary "avoid flying"; "avoid" is followed by the -ing form. 18. and Grammar Conjunction "and" joins two main clauses ("…, and several railway companies …"). 19. that Grammar Relative pronoun "that" for a thing: "a train that leaves …". 20. in Grammar "in the evening". 21. evening Vocabulary "evening" = the end of the day. 22. arrives Grammar "arrives": third person singular -s; the subject is "a train". 23. next Vocabulary "the next morning" = the morning after. 24. also Grammar Adverb "also" before the main verb "replaces". 25. hotel Vocabulary "replaces a hotel" = you do not need a hotel room. ## Is more choice always better? C1 We usually assume that more choice is better, but psychologists have long asked whether too many options can make decisions harder. In a frequ___ cited exper___, shoppers w___ saw a ta___ with ma___ kinds o___ jam we___ more lik___ to st___, but le___ likely t___ buy anyt___ than shop___ who s___ only a f___. The expla___ seemed obv___: when opt___ multiply, comp___ them bec___ tiring, a___ the fe___ of mak___ the wr___ choice gr___. Later attempts to repeat the study, however, produced mixed results, which suggests that the effect depends strongly on the situation. ### Answers and explanations: Is more choice always better? 1. frequently Vocabulary "frequently cited" = mentioned often by other authors. 2. experiment Vocabulary "experiment" = a scientific test. 3. who Grammar Relative pronoun "who" for people: "shoppers who saw …". 4. table Vocabulary "table", here a display stand in a shop. 5. many Grammar "many kinds of"; "many" before a plural countable noun. 6. of Grammar "kinds of jam": "of" links the type to the thing. 7. were Grammar "were": past of "be" for the plural subject "shoppers". 8. likely Vocabulary "be more likely to" = do something with a higher probability. 9. stop Vocabulary "stop" = stand still; infinitive after "likely to". 10. less Grammar "less likely" is the opposite of "more likely". 11. to Grammar "likely to buy": "to" before the infinitive. 12. anything Grammar "anything" after a negative idea ("less likely to buy anything"). 13. shoppers Vocabulary "shoppers" = people buying things in a shop. 14. saw Grammar Past of "see" (see – saw – seen). 15. few Grammar "only a few" = a small number, the contrast to "many kinds". 16. explanation Vocabulary "explanation", the noun of "explain". 17. obvious Vocabulary "obvious" = easy to see or understand. 18. options Vocabulary "options" = things you can choose from. 19. comparing Grammar Gerund as subject: "comparing them becomes tiring". 20. becomes Grammar "becomes": singular verb, because the gerund subject "comparing" is singular. 21. and Grammar Conjunction "and" joins two main clauses with the same cause. 22. fear Vocabulary "the fear of …" = being afraid of something. 23. making Grammar After the preposition "of", use the -ing form: "the fear of making …". 24. wrong Vocabulary "the wrong choice" = a bad decision. 25. grows Grammar "grows": third person singular; the subject is "the fear". ## How to use the texts - Keep the answers closed until you have filled in and checked a text. - Give yourself about 6 minutes per text: the University of Münster C-Test gives you 25 minutes for four texts. - Read the explanation for every mistake. Grammar mistakes (endings, tenses, plurals) tend to repeat; vocabulary gaps less so. - Capital letters count; British and American spellings are both correct. ## More texts by level Each text has its own page with scoring and every answer. **B1:** [The semester ticket](https://ctestprep.de/en/c-test-english-exercises/b1-the-semester-ticket) · [Volunteering in your free time](https://ctestprep.de/en/c-test-english-exercises/b1-volunteering-in-your-free-time) · [Food waste in the canteen](https://ctestprep.de/en/c-test-english-exercises/b1-food-waste-in-the-canteen) **B2:** [How vaccines are tested](https://ctestprep.de/en/c-test-english-exercises/b2-how-vaccines-are-tested) · [Citizen science](https://ctestprep.de/en/c-test-english-exercises/b2-citizen-science) · [Artificial light at night](https://ctestprep.de/en/c-test-english-exercises/b2-artificial-light-at-night) **C1:** [The printing press](https://ctestprep.de/en/c-test-english-exercises/c1-the-printing-press) · [The economics of streaming](https://ctestprep.de/en/c-test-english-exercises/c1-the-economics-of-streaming) · [The decline of handwriting](https://ctestprep.de/en/c-test-english-exercises/c1-the-decline-of-handwriting) One more text (B2) with instant scoring is on [English C-Test practice](https://ctestprep.de/en/c-test-english-practice). **Want to keep practising?** The English Pass (€12) has 10 more texts from B1 to C1 and a Münster-format simulation with 100 gaps and 25 minutes. 14-day money-back guarantee. [See the Pass →](https://ctestprep.de/en/pricing) [C-Test format, points and levels →](https://ctestprep.de/en/c-test-english)