Letter Writing Quiz (B1-C1) — Writing Practice Test

⏱ Time: 10:00 📝 Questions: 20 📊 Level: B1, B2, C1 📚 Type: Writing ⭐ XP: up to +25 (on pass)
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This 20-question Letter Writing practice quiz walks you through the topic step by step — from recognising common words to precise word choice in context. Designed for Level B1-C1, with clear explanations after every answer.

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

Q1  20
Q1 20

Question 1: A formal letter usually begins with "Dear Sir or ___".

Question 1 options
'Madam' is the correct formal counterpart to 'Sir' in letter salutations. 'Miss' and 'Mrs' require a specific name, and 'Lady' is a title of nobility, not a standard salutation.
Q2 20

Question 2: At the end of a friendly letter, you write "Best ___" before your name.

Question 2 options
'Wishes' is correct because 'Best wishes' is a standard informal closing in letter writing. 'Hopes,' 'thoughts,' and 'dreams' do not form standard letter closings.
Q3 20

Question 3: The ___ is the name and address of the person receiving the letter.

Question 3 options
'Addressee' refers to the person to whom a letter is addressed. 'Sender' is the person writing the letter, 'postmaster' manages a post office, and 'editor' works on publications.
Q4 20

Question 4: In letter writing, 'Yours faithfully' is typically used when you do not know the recipient's name.

Question 4 options
True. 'Yours faithfully' is the conventional closing when a letter begins with 'Dear Sir or Madam' — that is, when the writer does not know the recipient's name. When the name is known, 'Yours sincerely' is used instead.
Q5 20

Question 5: When writing a formal letter of complaint, you should state the ___ of your letter clearly in the opening paragraph.

Question 5 options
'Purpose' is correct because formal letters require a clear statement of intention at the start. 'Ending,' 'signature,' and 'postscript' refer to other parts of a letter, not the reason for writing.
Q6 20

Question 6: What does the abbreviation 'P.S.' stand for at the end of a letter?

Question 6 options
'Postscript' (from Latin 'post scriptum') means 'written after' and refers to an additional note added after the main body and signature of a letter.
Q7 20

Question 7: Match each letter-writing term to its definition.

Question 7 options
Salutation
Closing
Enclosure
Heading
The greeting at the start of a letter
The sign-off phrase before the signature
An additional document sent with the letter
The sender's address and date at the top

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

A salutation is the greeting; a closing is the sign-off phrase; an enclosure is an additional document included; a heading contains the sender's address and date.
Q8 20

Question 8: "I am writing to ___ about the poor service I received at your hotel." Choose the most appropriate verb for a formal complaint letter.

Question 8 options
'Complain' is the correct verb because the sentence describes a formal letter of complaint. 'Chat' is too informal, 'gossip' implies spreading rumours, and 'whisper' refers to quiet speech.
Q9 20

Question 9: In a cover letter, you should ___ your relevant experience and qualifications.

Question 9 options
'Highlight' means to draw special attention to something, which is what a cover letter should do with relevant experience. 'Conceal' means to hide, 'undermine' means to weaken, and 'overlook' means to miss or ignore.
Q10 20

Question 10: Which word is closest in meaning to 'recipient' in the context of letter writing?

Question 10 options
'Receiver' is the closest synonym for 'recipient' — both refer to the person who gets the letter. 'Composer' and 'author' refer to the writer, and 'courier' is someone who delivers items.
Q11 20

Question 11: When you write 'Enc.' at the bottom of a formal letter, it is short for ___.

Question 11 options
'Enclosure' (or 'enclosures') is the standard abbreviation 'Enc.' in formal letter writing, indicating that additional documents are included with the letter.
Q12 20

Question 12: "I would be ___ if you could send me the brochure at your earliest convenience." Choose the word that fits a polite formal request.

Question 12 options
'Grateful' is the correct word for a polite formal request. 'Angry' and 'furious' express negative emotions, and 'indifferent' means uncaring — none are appropriate for making a polite request.
Q13 20

Question 13: "Please do not ___ to contact me if you require further information." This is a common formal closing phrase.

Question 13 options
'Hesitate' is correct because 'Please do not hesitate to contact me' is a fixed formal expression used in business letters. 'Forget,' 'refuse,' and 'neglect' do not form this standard phrase.
Q14 20

Question 14: In formal correspondence, 'I look forward to hearing from you' uses the ___ to convey polite expectation.

Question 14 options
'Gerund' is correct. In the fixed expression 'look forward to hearing,' the word 'hearing' is a gerund (verb + -ing used as a noun after the preposition 'to'). An infinitive, past participle, or imperative would be grammatically incorrect here.
Q15 20

Question 15: Put these parts of a formal letter in the correct order from top to bottom.

Question 15 options
  • Recipient's address
  • Salutation
  • Date
  • Sender's address

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

The correct order is: Sender's address → Date → Recipient's address → Salutation. This is the standard layout for the top portion of a formal letter.
Q16 20

Question 16: "With ___ to your letter dated 5 March, I wish to clarify the following points." Choose the correct word for this formal opening.

Question 16 options
'Reference' is correct because 'With reference to' is a standard formal opening phrase in business correspondence. 'Regard,' 'relation,' and 'respect' do not form this fixed expression in the same way.
Q17 20

Question 17: A letter written to persuade a newspaper to publish your opinion is called a letter to the ___.

Question 17 options
'Editor' is correct. A 'letter to the editor' is a well-known format in which readers write to a newspaper or magazine to express their views. 'Publisher,' 'reporter,' and 'journalist' do not form this standard phrase.
Q18 20

Question 18: "I wish to bring to your ___ a matter of considerable urgency regarding the contract." Select the word appropriate for formal correspondence.

Question 18 options
'Attention' is correct because 'bring to your attention' is a formal collocation used in business and official letters. 'Mind,' 'brain,' and 'focus' do not collocate naturally with 'bring to your' in formal register.
Q19 20

Question 19: In formal letter writing, using contractions such as 'I'm' and 'don't' is considered appropriate.

Question 19 options
False. Contractions are considered too informal for formal letter writing. Full forms ('I am,' 'do not') should be used to maintain a professional register.
Q20 20

Question 20: "I should be most ___ if you would rectify this matter at your earliest convenience." Which word best suits this highly formal register?

Question 20 options
'Obliged' is correct because 'I should be most obliged' is an elevated formal expression conveying polite gratitude in advance. 'Happy' and 'pleased' are too neutral for this highly formal register, and 'thrilled' is too enthusiastic and informal.