Grammar at B1 Level for the PET Exam

Common failure modes

These are the patterns that cause most candidates to lose marks on this topic. Recognising them in advance is half the work.

• !Confusing first conditional (if + present → will) with second conditional (if + past → would)
• !Omitting the relative pronoun or using the wrong one (who for people, which for things)
• !Incorrect tense shift in reported speech (say/tell + that + past form)

Study tips

• 1Drill conditional sentences daily: 5 first conditional (real/possible) and 5 second conditional (hypothetical).
• 2Practice relative clauses by combining two sentences: "I met a teacher. She speaks five languages." → "I met a teacher who speaks five languages."
• 3For reported speech, memorize the tense backshift: present → past, past → past perfect, will → would.

Sample PET Grammar at B1 Level questions

These sample items mirror the format and difficulty of real PET questions. Practice with thousands more on the free Koydo question bank.

1. 1

   If I _____ more time, I would learn Spanish.

   • Ahave
   • BhadCorrect
   • Cwill have
   • Dwould have
   Why this answer?

   "If I had more time, I would learn Spanish" is a second conditional sentence expressing a hypothetical/unreal situation. The if-clause uses the past simple (had), and the main clause uses would + infinitive.

2. 2

   The book _____ by a local author last year.

   • Awas writtenCorrect
   • Bwrote
   • Chas written
   • Dis writing
   Why this answer?

   "Was written" is the past simple passive, appropriate for a completed action in the past where the focus is on the book, not the author. "Last year" confirms past simple is needed.