S1 English Practice Paper (Set 1): A Library Survey, Present Perfect and Passive Voice, Word Families, Editing, Loan Figures, Email Writing (with answers)
- 2026-11-15
S1 English practice paper with answers: library survey reading, tenses, passive voice, word families, editing, loan figures, email writing; 24 parts, 100 marks, 60 minutes.
Reading: A Library Survey Report
A school library surveyed 320 students about reading habits: 45 per cent preferred printed books, 35 per cent e-books and the rest audiobooks. The library opens at 8:00 and closes at 17:30, and about 62 students visit each day.
| # | Question | Answer and marking notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | How many students preferred printed books? | Answer: 45 per cent of 320 students, that is 144 students. |
| 2 | How many more students chose e-books than audiobooks? | Answer: e-books 112, audiobooks 64, so 48 more chose e-books. |
| 3 | How long is the library open each day? Give the answer in minutes as well. | Answer: from 8:00 to 17:30 is 9 hours 30 minutes, that is 570 minutes. |
| 4 | Suggest one way to raise library use, with a reason from the report. | Answer: extend opening hours to 19:00, because about 62 students visit every day and demand peaks after school, so longer service raises use directly. |
Grammar: Present Perfect, Passive and Subject-Verb Agreement
Fill in each blank with the correct form of the verb in brackets.
| # | Question | Answer and marking notes |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | I ______ (read) three books since Monday. | Answer: have read (since Monday shows an action continuing up to now, so the present perfect is used). |
| 6 | Neither the teacher nor the students ______ (be) in the library now. | Answer: are (with neither … nor the verb agrees with the nearer subject, students). |
| 7 | The old magazines ______ (remove) every Friday. | Answer: are removed (a weekly routine in the present simple passive). |
| 8 | While I ______ (study), the lights went out. | Answer: was studying (past continuous for the longer background action interrupted by a shorter one). |
Vocabulary: Word Families
Write the correct word as instructed.
| # | Question | Answer and marking notes |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Write the noun form of “inform”. | Answer: information (an uncountable noun with no plural form). |
| 10 | Write the adjective form of “care” that means showing attention. | Answer: careful (the opposite is careless). |
| 11 | Write the opposite of “borrow”. | Answer: lend (borrow means to take and use for a time, lend means to give for a time). |
| 12 | The book is very ______ (interest). Write the correct form. | Answer: interesting (the -ing adjective describes a thing; interested describes how a person feels). |
Editing: Correct the Sentences
Each sentence has one error. Write out the corrected sentence.
| # | Question | Answer and marking notes |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | She don’t like comics. | Answer: She does not like comics. (The third person singular takes does not.) |
| 14 | He is more taller than his brother. | Answer: He is taller than his brother. (Taller is already comparative, so more is not used.) |
| 15 | I have went to the library. | Answer: I have gone to the library. (The present perfect needs the past participle gone.) |
| 16 | The informations are useful. | Answer: The information is useful. (Information is uncountable and takes a singular verb.) |
Working with Loan Figures
Book loans from January to April were 420, 380, 510 and 470 books respectively.
| # | Question | Answer and marking notes |
|---|---|---|
| 17 | Find the total number of books lent from January to April. | Answer: 420 plus 380 plus 510 plus 470 = 1780 books. |
| 18 | Find the mean number of books lent per month. | Answer: 1780 divided by 4 = 445 books. |
| 19 | Find the percentage increase in loans from February to March, correct to the nearest whole number. | Answer: the rise is 130 books, and 130 divided by 380 is about 34 per cent. |
| 20 | Which month had the lowest figure, and how many fewer was it than April? | Answer: February, with 380 books, which is 90 fewer than April. |
Writing: An Email to the Librarian
Write the sentences as instructed. Answers must be grammatically correct and polite.
| # | Question | Answer and marking notes |
|---|---|---|
| 21 | Write the greeting and the first sentence of an email asking to reserve a book. | Answer: Dear Librarian, I am writing to ask whether you could reserve a copy of the new atlas for me. |
| 22 | Make one polite request with “Would you mind …” asking when the book will be available. | Answer: e.g. Would you mind telling me when the book will be available? (Would you mind is followed by a gerund). |
| 23 | Write one sentence with “so … that” saying the reading room was quiet enough for you to finish two chapters in an hour. | Answer: e.g. The reading room was so quiet that I finished two chapters in an hour. (so plus adjective, then that introduces the result.) |
| 24 | Write the last two sentences and the sign-off of the email. | Answer: e.g. Thank you for your help. I look forward to your reply. Yours sincerely, then your name. |
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