Practice
English quizzes: use self-checks effectively
A short quiz can do more than give a score. It can show one word, form, or sentence pattern that needs another look.
Use a short self-check to find one English point to practice, then make a clear note about it.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
Could you open the window, please? /kʊd juː ˈəʊpən ðə ˈwɪndəʊ pliːz/
The short answer
For a useful English self-check, answer first, check the reason for each mistake, and practice one small point with a new sentence.
I went to the market yesterday.
Why it works: Yesterday names a finished time, so went is the past form to use.
5 more examples
-
There are three apples in the bag.
Use are with a plural noun such as apples.
Not this:There
isone apple in the bag. What changes: Use is with the singular noun apple. -
Could you open the window, please?
Could you is a polite way to ask for help.
Not this:
Openthe window. What changes: This direct instruction can be suitable in some situations, but it is less polite. -
My keys are on the table.
Use on when something touches a surface.
Not this:My keys are
inthe drawer. What changes: Use in when something is inside a space. -
She is wearing a blue jacket today.
Use the present continuous for something happening now or around now.
Not this:She
wearsa jacket to work every day. What changes: Use the present simple for a usual action. -
We need some water for the trip.
Water is an uncountable noun, so some water is a natural phrase.
Not this:We need
a bottle of waterfor the trip. What changes: A bottle is countable, so it can have a or a number.
Read the full guide
A good self-check asks you to remember something before you see the answer. It may ask about a word, a grammar form, or the meaning of a whole sentence. Work at a calm pace. When you find a mistake, say what caused it and make one new example. That turns one answer into useful practice.
Choose one small topic
A self-check is easier to use when it has one clear topic. Choose a small area, such as past forms, there is and there are, or place words. A mixed set of questions can be useful later, but a focused set makes your next step clearer.
Today’s topic: there is and there are.
This tells you what to notice. Study English grammar is too broad for one short check.
Which topic is small enough for a short self-check: all English verbs or past forms?
Choose past forms. You can check a few examples and see one pattern.
Answer before you read your notes
Cover the rule or example before you answer. Make your best choice from memory. Looking at the answer too early can make a question feel easy, but it does not show what you can choose on your own.
Choose: There is or There are two chairs by the door.
Make your choice first. Then check that two chairs is plural and needs There are.
When should you open your notes?
Open them after you have made your own choice.
Check why the answer fits
A correct answer is useful, but the reason tells you how to use the pattern again. Write a short reason in plain words. Name the time, number, meaning, or situation that helped you choose.
I went to the market yesterday.
The note can say: yesterday is finished past time, so use went. Do not write only wrong or right.
What is a useful reason for went in this sentence?
Yesterday shows a finished time in the past.
Read the whole sentence
Do not choose a word by itself. Read the words around it. The sentence can show whether you need a place word, a polite request, a habit, or something happening now.
My keys are on the table.
On fits because the keys touch the table’s surface. In would fit a drawer, box, or bag.
Which word fits a key inside a bag: on or in?
Use in because the key is inside the bag.
Make one new example
After you check an item, change one part of the sentence. Use your own place, person, or object. A new example shows whether you can use the pattern outside the original question.
Model: Could you open the window, please?
New example: Could you pass the salt, please? Both use a polite request before a base verb.
How can you change the model without changing the polite pattern?
Keep Could you and please, then choose a different helpful action.
Choose a next step from your result
End with one action you can finish soon. If plural forms caused trouble, look around your room and write three sentences with there are. If place words were difficult, describe where your bag, phone, and keys are.
Next step: write three sentences with there are and plural objects.
This is more useful than writing practice grammar because it names one form and one task.
What should a next step include?
Choose one language point and one short action.
Before you go
Remember this
Try before you check. Read the reason for each answer, then make a short note about one point to practice. A small, clear next step is more useful than trying to study everything again.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "English quizzes: use self-checks effectively"
What is an English self-check?
An English self-check is a short set of questions you use to review your own learning. Try each item first, then check the answer and the reason so you can choose one point to practice.
I went to the market yesterday.
Should I look at my notes before I answer?
Try without notes first when you can. Your first choice shows what you remember. Afterward, use your notes to check the answer and understand the grammar, word meaning, or sentence pattern.
I go to the market on Saturdays.
What should I write after a wrong answer?
Write the correct form, a short reason, and one new example. For example, write that yesterday needs a past form, then make a different sentence about something you did yesterday.
There are three apples in the bag.
How many topics should one self-check include?
Start with one small topic, such as plural forms or place words. A focused check makes it easier to see why an answer was difficult and to choose a clear next step.
There is one apple in the bag.
What should I do after a self-check?
Choose one short action based on your result. You could write three new sentences, review one rule, or describe objects near you with the pattern that needs more practice.
Could you open the window, please?
Questions & comments
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