Use of English – English Grammar Exercises for B2
Read the Instagram caption below about a challenging hiking trip. Choose the word or phrase (A, B, C, or D) that best fits each gap. This exercise tests your knowledge of B2-level collocations, idioms, and phrasal verbs.
Hey guys! I finally did it! Let me tell you, this weekend’s hike was an absolute rollercoaster.
We decided to (1) ______ early in the morning to avoid the brutal midday heat. At first, the trail was relatively flat and easy, but about an hour in, the steep incline really caught me (2) ______ guard. I hadn’t trained properly, and my legs were already feeling completely (3) ______ out.
To make matters worse, the weather suddenly changed, and we (4) ______ into a massive thunderstorm halfway up the mountain. The wind was howling, but we had no choice but to (5) ______ through the terrible conditions. The fog became so thick that I could hardly (6) ______ out the rocky path ahead of us.
At one point, my muscles were burning so badly that I seriously considered giving (7) ______ and turning back. But my best friend grabbed my shoulder and encouraged me to carry (8) ______ walking, just one step at a time.
And guys… I am so glad I listened! Suddenly, the heavy clouds cleared, and the view literally (9) ______ my breath away. I was completely taken (10) ______ by the sheer beauty of the green valley below. It was a tough battle, but we finally (11) ______ it to the summit just before noon.
Standing at the top really (12) ______ up to all my expectations. There is something about nature that just brings (13) ______ the best in you. We sat down on a giant rock for an hour to just (14) ______ in the incredible scenery. I had to pinch myself because the whole experience felt so (15) ______ of this world.
The descent wasn’t easy either. We had to constantly watch our (16) ______ because the rain had made the rocks extremely slippery. I actually (17) ______ over a hidden tree root at one point, but luckily, I managed to (18) ______ my balance before taking a nasty fall.
By the time we got back to the car, we were completely dead on our (19) ______. Everything hurts today, but honestly? I wouldn’t have (20) ______ it for the world. Next adventure, anyone?
1 (A) set off (B) put off (C) break off (D) back off
2 (A) out (B) off (C) away (D) blind
3 (A) tired (B) broken (C) worn (D) washed
4 (A) crashed (B) bumped (C) struck (D) ran
5 (A) push (B) pull (C) tear (D) break
6 (A) figure (B) make (C) point (D) turn
7 (A) off (B) away (C) up (D) out
8 (A) out (B) off (C) away (D) on
9 (A) took (B) caught (C) snatched (D) held
10 (A) apart (B) aback (C) along (D) aside
11 (A) achieved (B) arrived (C) made (D) got
12 (A) matched (B) stood (C) faced (D) lived
13 (A) out (B) up (C) back (D) off
14 (A) breathe (B) take (C) let (D) sink
15 (A) way (B) far (C) out (D) off
16 (A) pace (B) track (C) foot (D) step
17 (A) tripped (B) slipped (C) skipped (D) dipped
18 (A) hold (B) keep (C) catch (D) save
19 (A) toes (B) legs (C) feet (D) knees
20 (A) swapped (B) exchanged (C) traded (D) missed
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (A) set off
Explanation: “Set off” is a B2 phrasal verb meaning to start a journey. “Put off” means to delay, “break off” means to separate, and “back off” means to retreat.
2 (B) off
Explanation: The idiom is “catch someone off guard“. It means to surprise someone in a way that they are not prepared for.
3 (C) worn
Explanation: “To be worn out” is a strong collocation meaning to be completely exhausted or extremely tired. “Tired” doesn’t take “out” in this specific emotional intensity as naturally as “worn out” does in UK/FCE English.
4 (D) ran
Explanation: You “run into” a problem or bad weather unexpectedly. You “bump into” a person, and “crash into” a physical object.
5 (A) push
Explanation: “Push through” means to continue doing something difficult even though you are tired or facing obstacles.
6 (B) make
Explanation: “To make out” something means to be able to see, hear, or understand something with difficulty. “Figure out” means to solve a logical problem.
7 (C) up
Explanation: “Give up” means to stop trying or surrender. “Give out” means to stop working (like an engine), and “give away” means to reveal a secret or give something for free.
8 (D) on
Explanation: “Carry on” means to continue doing an action. (Encouraged me to carry on walking = keep walking).
9 (A) took
Explanation: The idiom is “It took my breath away“. It is a fixed collocation to describe something breathtakingly beautiful.
10 (B) aback
Explanation: “To be taken aback” means to be very surprised or shocked by something. It is a classic FCE phrasal verb/idiom.
11 (C) made
Explanation: The phrase “make it to [a place]” means to successfully arrive somewhere, especially after a difficult journey. You cannot say “arrived it to” or “got it to”.
12 (D) lived
Explanation: “Live up to expectations” is a fixed B2 phrase meaning to be as good as people hoped or expected.
13 (A) out
Explanation: “Bring out the best in someone” means to cause someone’s best qualities to show.
14 (B) take
Explanation: To “take in the scenery” means to spend time looking at something and enjoying it.
15 (C) out
Explanation: The idiom “out of this world” means extremely impressive, beautiful, or amazing.
16 (D) step
Explanation: “Watch your step” is a fixed warning phrase meaning to walk carefully so you do not slip or fall.
17 (A) tripped
Explanation: You “trip over” an object on the ground. You “slip” on a wet surface, but you don’t “slip over” a tree root.
18 (B) keep
Explanation: The correct collocation is to “keep your balance” or “lose your balance”. We do not say “hold my balance”.
19 (C) feet
Explanation: The idiom “dead on your feet” means to be completely exhausted.
20 (D) missed
Explanation: The phrase “I wouldn’t have missed it for the world” is a highly native expression meaning you are incredibly glad you did it, despite the pain or cost.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
If you want your English to sound vibrant and natural (and if you want to score high in the Cambridge B2 First exam), you must stop translating word-for-word from your native language and start thinking in chunks.
1 Phrasal Verbs of Movement & Struggle:
- Don’t just say start: Use set off.
- Don’t just say continue: Use carry on or push through.
- Don’t just say arrive: Use make it to.
2 Idioms for Extreme Emotions:
Native speakers exaggerate for dramatic effect, especially on social media.
- Instead of very surprised, use: caught off guard or taken aback.
- Instead of very beautiful, use: took my breath away or out of this world.
- Instead of very tired, use: worn out or dead on my feet.
3 The “Collocation Trap”:
FCE examiners love giving you four words that have similar meanings, but only ONE matches the preposition or the noun perfectly.
- You slip on ice, but you trip over a root.
- You reach your goals, but you live up to expectations.
- You hold a baby, but you keep your balance.