Drag the correct words to complete the sentences about academic performance.
After receiving her test results, Jenny was thrilled to discover she had passed her chemistry exam with flying colors. Now she's determined to maintain her high grades throughout the rest of the year.
After receiving her test results, Jenny was thrilled to discover she had passed her chemistry exam with flying colors.
"Pass an exam" is a fundamental academic collocation meaning to achieve a successful result on a test.
Now she's determined to maintain her high grades throughout the rest of the year.
"Maintain grades" means to keep your academic performance at the same good level consistently.
Verb
Verb vs noun vs adjective: nouns name things. Adjectives describe. Verbs express what happens or what IS. The test: can it take tense (walked, will walk)? Can it take -ing? Can it follow to as an infinitive (to walk)? Yes to any → verb. English often converts freely between classes (run = noun or verb), so context decides.
A verb = action/state/occurrence word. 5 forms (base, -s, past, past participle, -ing). Carries tense, aspect, mood, voice. The one required element in every sentence.
Diagnostic: does it change for tense (walk → walked)? Can you put to before it (to walk)? Does it take -ing (walking)? → verb.
Collocations
Collocation vs idiom: both are fixed expressions, but collocations are transparent (you can guess the meaning from the words: heavy rain = a lot of rain), while idioms are opaque (kick the bucket ≠ literally kick anything). Collocations are about which words pair naturally; idioms are about hidden meaning.
Collocations are habitual word combinations: make a decision, strong coffee, take a shower. Grammar allows alternatives, but fluency demands the conventional pairing.
Diagnostic: if the meaning is clear but the combination sounds "off" to native ears (do a mistake instead of make a mistake) — it's a collocation issue.
Vocabulary for B2/Upper Intermediate
B2 vs C1 vocabulary: B2 gives you precision within common topics. C1 adds low-frequency academic/professional vocabulary and full register sensitivity — knowing that commence is formal, start neutral, kick off informal, and choosing appropriately. The jump is from "precise" to "stylistically aware."
B2 vocabulary = ~4,000–6,000 words. Hedging, reporting verbs, idioms, figurative language, register-appropriate synonyms.
Diagnostic: can you write a formal essay with appropriate hedging and varied vocabulary? Yes → B2. Does your formal writing still sound slightly informal or your informal writing oddly stiff? → need C1 register control.
B2 | Upper Intermediate
B2 vs C1: B2 means effective communication on complex topics with some effort. C1 means effortless fluency with precise register control. If you can argue a point but still reach for words and make structural slips under pressure, you're B2.
B2 is the upper-intermediate CEFR level: mixed conditionals, complex passives, reported speech with backshift, participle clauses, and sustained written argument.
Diagnostic: does your writing read as "competent non-native" or "could be native"? The former → B2. The latter → C1.
Easy
Easy vs Medium vs Hard: Easy = one rule, obvious answer, A1–A2. Medium = one rule but realistic distractors, A2–B1. Hard = interacting rules, edge cases, B2+. Start Easy to check you have the basics before moving up.
The Easy tag filters for single-rule, short-sentence, common-vocabulary challenges designed for beginners or for anyone wanting a confidence check on fundamentals.
Diagnostic: if you get Easy questions wrong, stay here — your foundations need work. If they feel trivial, move to Medium.