Essay Exercises: Writing Practice (B1-C1) with Answers

⏱ Time: 10:00 📝 Questions: 20 📊 Level: B1, B2, C1 📚 Type: Writing ⭐ XP: up to +25 (on pass)
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How many essay words do you really know? Find out with 20 exercises for Level B1-C1 learners. Instant scoring shows where you stand, and detailed explanations turn every mistake into a learning moment.

⏱ You have 10:00 to answer 20 questions. The timer only starts when you click Begin.

Q1  20
Q1 20

Question 1: The first paragraph of an essay is called the ___.

Question 1 options
'Introduction' is the term for the opening paragraph of an essay, where the writer presents the topic and thesis. 'Conclusion' is the final paragraph. 'Body' refers to the middle paragraphs. 'Summary' is a brief restatement of key points, not a structural term for the first paragraph.
Q2 20

Question 2: A ___ statement tells the reader the main idea of the essay.

Question 2 options
'Thesis' is correct because a thesis statement expresses the central argument or claim of an essay. 'Topic' refers to the general subject. 'Supporting' describes evidence or details. 'Closing' relates to the ending.
Q3 20

Question 3: Each body paragraph should begin with a ___ sentence.

Question 3 options
'Topic' is correct because a topic sentence introduces the main idea of a paragraph. 'Transition' connects ideas between paragraphs but is not the term for the opening sentence. 'Concluding' ends a paragraph. 'Complex' describes sentence structure, not function.
Q4 20

Question 4: In essay writing, the word 'furthermore' is used to add supporting information.

Question 4 options
True. 'Furthermore' is an additive transition word used to introduce additional evidence or arguments that support the point being made.
Q5 20

Question 5: Words like 'however', 'moreover', and 'therefore' are called ___.

Question 5 options
'Transitions' is correct because these words connect ideas between sentences or paragraphs. 'Adjectives' describe nouns. 'Prepositions' show relationships of place or time. 'Conjunctions' join clauses but are a different grammatical category from transitional adverbs.
Q6 20

Question 6: What does 'to paraphrase' mean in essay writing?

Question 6 options
'To paraphrase' means to restate someone else's idea using different words. It does not mean copying text directly (that would be quoting), removing information, or translating between languages.
Q7 20

Question 7: Match each essay type to its description.

Question 7 options
narrative
persuasive
descriptive
expository
tells a personal story or experience
uses sensory details to depict a subject
argues a viewpoint to convince the reader
explains or informs about a topic objectively

Select an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.

A narrative essay tells a story. A persuasive essay argues a position. A descriptive essay paints a picture with words. An expository essay explains or informs.
Q8 20

Question 8: The writer used several ___ to support her argument, including statistics and expert opinions.

Question 8 options
'Evidence' is the correct term for facts, data, and examples used to support an argument in an essay. 'Outlines' are structural plans. 'Drafts' are preliminary versions. 'Formats' refer to layout or structure.
Q9 20

Question 9: Which word is closest in meaning to 'coherent' in the context of essay writing?

Question 9 options
'Logical and well-organized' is closest to 'coherent,' which describes writing where ideas are clearly connected and easy to follow. 'Brief' relates to length, 'persuasive' to argumentation, and 'creative' to originality—none of these capture the meaning of coherence.
Q10 20

Question 10: Before submitting an essay, you should always ___ it carefully for errors.

Question 10 options
'Proofread' means to read through a text to find and correct mistakes. 'Publish' means to make public. 'Outline' means to plan the structure. 'Cite' means to reference a source.
Q11 20

Question 11: When you use someone else's words exactly, you must put them in quotation marks and provide a proper ___.

Question 11 options
'Citation' is the correct word for a formal reference to a source. This is a key academic writing convention to avoid plagiarism.
Q12 20

Question 12: The essay lacked ___, jumping from one idea to another without clear connections.

Question 12 options
'Cohesion' refers to the way ideas link together within a text. Without cohesion, writing feels disjointed. 'Brevity' means shortness. 'Ambiguity' means unclear meaning. 'Redundancy' means unnecessary repetition.
Q13 20

Question 13: In academic essays, 'I think' is often replaced by more formal expressions such as 'It could be ___ that'.

Question 13 options
'Argued' collocates naturally with 'It could be argued that' — a standard formal academic expression used to present a viewpoint. 'Spoken,' 'mentioned,' and 'talked' do not form this fixed academic expression.
Q14 20

Question 14: In formal essay writing, contractions such as 'don't' and 'can't' are generally considered appropriate.

Question 14 options
False. In formal academic essays, contractions are generally avoided. Writers use full forms ('do not,' 'cannot') to maintain a formal register.
Q15 20

Question 15: Put these stages of the essay-writing process in the correct order:

Question 15 options
  • brainstorming
  • revising
  • outlining
  • drafting

Drag items or use arrows to arrange them in the correct order.

The correct order is: brainstorming → outlining → drafting → revising. Writers first generate ideas, then organize them, write a first version, and finally improve it.
Q16 20

Question 16: Which word is closest in meaning to 'rebut' in the context of argumentative essays?

Question 16 options
'Counter' is closest in meaning to 'rebut,' which means to argue against or disprove someone else's claim. 'Support' means to agree with. 'Summarize' means to give an overview. 'Elaborate' means to explain in more detail.
Q17 20

Question 17: The professor noted that the student's essay suffered from ___, repeating the same point in different words throughout.

Question 17 options
'Redundancy' means unnecessary repetition of ideas or information. 'Plagiarism' is using others' work without credit. 'Ambiguity' is unclear meaning. 'Brevity' is conciseness.
Q18 20

Question 18: Choose the correct word: 'The author's argument was weakened by several logical ___.'

Question 18 options
'Fallacies' are errors in reasoning that undermine an argument's validity. 'Premises' are starting assumptions. 'Analogies' are comparisons. 'Hypotheses' are proposed explanations. Only 'fallacies' describes flawed reasoning.
Q19 20

Question 19: In academic writing, which transition is most appropriate to introduce a contrasting viewpoint? 'Many researchers support this theory; ___, others have raised significant concerns.'

Question 19 options
'Nonetheless' is a formal contrastive transition appropriate for academic writing. 'Besides' adds information. 'Similarly' shows likeness. 'Subsequently' shows time sequence. Only 'nonetheless' introduces a contrasting point here.
Q20 20

Question 20: A well-written essay demonstrates ___ by presenting a balanced examination of opposing perspectives before asserting its own position.

Question 20 options
'Nuance' refers to subtle, careful distinctions in thought and expression. 'Verbosity' means excessive wordiness. 'Dogmatism' means rigid, unquestioning belief. 'Anecdotalism' is over-reliance on personal stories. Only 'nuance' describes balanced, sophisticated analysis.