100+ Free Aptis Advanced Practice Questions

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Question 1

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Choose the word that best matches the definition: "to make something less severe or serious".

alleviate

anticipate

aggravate

accumulate

to track

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Aptis ESOL General

Practice Questions100 questions

2026 Statistics

Key Facts: Aptis Advanced Exam

Aptis ESOL Advanced is the British Council's higher-level four-skills English test covering CEFR B1-C2, with a Grammar and Vocabulary core plus Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking; each skill is scored 0-50 and given a CEFR level.

Sample Aptis Advanced Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your Aptis Advanced exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Choose the correct option to complete the sentence: "By the time the report was published, the committee ____ its main recommendations."

A.had already finalised

B.has already finalised

C.already finalised

D.was already finalising

Explanation: The past perfect "had finalised" is needed because the finalising happened before another past action (the report being published). Aptis Advanced grammar items frequently test sequence of past tenses.

2Choose the correct option: "Hardly ____ the meeting begun when the fire alarm sounded."

A.did

B.has

C.had

D.was

Explanation: After the negative adverbial "hardly" placed at the start of a clause, the subject and auxiliary invert and the past perfect is used: "Hardly had the meeting begun." This inversion is a common C1-C2 grammar focus.

3Choose the correct option: "She insisted that the new policy ____ reviewed before being approved."

A.is

B.be

C.was

D.being

Explanation: After verbs of demand such as "insist," the subjunctive uses the base form "be" regardless of the subject. This formal structure appears in Aptis Advanced grammar at higher levels.

4Choose the correct option: "I'd rather you ____ tell anyone about the changes just yet."

A.don't

B.aren't

C.hadn't

D.didn't

Explanation: 'I'd rather' followed by a different subject takes the past tense form to express a present or future preference, so 'didn't tell' is correct.

5Choose the correct option: "The figures, ____ were released yesterday, show a sharp rise in demand."

A.that

B.which

C.what

D.who

Explanation: In a non-defining relative clause set off by commas, "which" is used to refer to things. "That" cannot introduce a non-defining clause.

6Choose the correct option: "Were it not for your support, the project ____ collapsed."

A.would have

B.will have

C.would

D.had

Explanation: "Were it not for" is a formal inverted conditional equivalent to "If it were not for," and it pairs with "would have collapsed" to describe an unreal past result. This mixed/inverted conditional is typical of advanced grammar.

7Choose the correct option: "Not only ____ the deadline, but she also exceeded every target."

A.she met

B.she did meet

C.met she

D.did she meet

Explanation: When "not only" begins a clause, subject-auxiliary inversion is required: "did she meet." This negative-adverbial fronting is a frequent advanced test point.

8Choose the correct option: "The manager apologised for ____ us waiting so long."

A.keep

B.to keep

C.keeping

D.kept

Explanation: The preposition "for" must be followed by a gerund, so "keeping" is correct. "Apologise for + -ing" is the standard pattern.

9Choose the correct option: "You ____ have told me earlier; I could have rearranged my schedule."

A.must

B.can

C.should

D.would

Explanation: "Should have told" expresses criticism of a past action that did not happen, which fits the regret implied here. This perfect modal usage is common in advanced grammar.

10Choose the correct option: "It's high time we ____ a decision about the budget."

A.make

B.made

C.have made

D.will make

Explanation: "It's high time" is followed by a past-tense form to express that an action is overdue, so "made" is correct. This is a fixed advanced structure.

About the Aptis Advanced Exam

Aptis ESOL Advanced is a higher-level, computer-based English proficiency test developed by the British Council to assess learners across CEFR levels B1 to C2. Like Aptis General it tests four skills - Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking - with a Grammar and Vocabulary component as the core, but its tasks are pitched higher and are designed to distinguish C1 from C2 candidates. The Core has 25 three-option grammar questions and 25 vocabulary questions in 25 minutes; Reading lasts 60 minutes across four parts (opinion matching, heading matching, and two gap-fill tasks); and Listening lasts 30 minutes across four parts that test factual detail, opinion and attitude, who-said-what discussions and extended texts. Writing (45 minutes) and Speaking (about 10 minutes) are produced and marked by British Council examiners. Results report a 0-50 scale score and a CEFR level for each skill, plus a Final Scale Score out of 200 for the full four-skill test.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

About 2 hours 35 minutes for the full four-skill test: Core 25 minutes, Reading 60 minutes, Listening 30 minutes, Writing 45 minutes and Speaking around 10 minutes.

Passing Score

No fixed pass mark. Each skill is scored 0-50 and mapped to a CEFR level (B1 to C2), with a separate 0-50 Grammar and Vocabulary score; a four-skill candidate also receives a Final Scale Score out of 200 and an overall CEFR level.

Exam Fee

Around 80-120 USD depending on country (for example 106 EUR in Spain); the British Council sets local prices so the fee varies by test centre. (British Council)

Aptis Advanced Exam Content Outline

22%

Core: Grammar

25 three-option multiple-choice items on tenses, inversion, conditionals, the subjunctive, relative clauses, modals and linking words in formal and spoken English.

18%

Core: Vocabulary

25 items on word matching, word definition, word usage in context and common collocations and word pairs at B1-C2 level.

32%

Reading

Four parts of increasing difficulty: opinion matching, matching headings to a long text, a gapped short text, and gap-fill across two related texts.

28%

Listening

Four parts: identifying factual information, identifying opinion and attitude, who-said-what discussions, and understanding an extended spoken story.

How to Pass the Aptis Advanced Exam

What You Need to Know

Passing score: No fixed pass mark. Each skill is scored 0-50 and mapped to a CEFR level (B1 to C2), with a separate 0-50 Grammar and Vocabulary score; a four-skill candidate also receives a Final Scale Score out of 200 and an overall CEFR level.
Exam length: 100 questions
Time limit: About 2 hours 35 minutes for the full four-skill test: Core 25 minutes, Reading 60 minutes, Listening 30 minutes, Writing 45 minutes and Speaking around 10 minutes.
Exam fee: Around 80-120 USD depending on country (for example 106 EUR in Spain); the British Council sets local prices so the fee varies by test centre.

Keys to Passing

Complete 500+ practice questions
Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
Focus on highest-weighted sections
Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

Aptis Advanced Study Tips from Top Performers

1Master advanced grammar such as inversion, the subjunctive, mixed and inverted conditionals, and perfect modals, which Core Part 1 frequently tests.

2Build higher-level vocabulary by learning synonyms, precise definitions and common collocations rather than isolated words.

3Practise Reading under time pressure, since you have 60 minutes for four parts that grow harder from B1 to C2.

4For Reading gap-fill tasks, read the whole text first because all options are grammatically possible and only meaning decides the answer.

5In Listening, use the two listens (where allowed) to read the questions first, then confirm answers on the second play.

6Take an official British Council Aptis Advanced demo test to get used to the on-screen format and task types before exam day.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Aptis ESOL Advanced?

Aptis ESOL Advanced is a higher-level, computer-based English test from the British Council. It assesses Reading, Listening, Writing and Speaking with a Grammar and Vocabulary core, covering CEFR levels B1 to C2.

How is Aptis Advanced different from Aptis General?

Aptis Advanced has the same components as Aptis General but its tasks are pitched higher and are designed to distinguish C1 from C2 candidates. The Reading test is longer (60 minutes) with more demanding task types.

How is Aptis Advanced scored?

Each skill is scored 0-50 and mapped to a CEFR level from B1 to C2. The Grammar and Vocabulary component gives a separate 0-50 score, and a four-skill candidate receives a Final Scale Score out of 200 plus an overall CEFR level.

How long does the Aptis Advanced test take?

The full four-skill test takes about 2 hours 35 minutes: Core 25 minutes, Reading 60 minutes, Listening 30 minutes, Writing 45 minutes and Speaking around 10 minutes.

What does the Grammar and Vocabulary core involve?

The Core lasts 25 minutes and has 25 three-option grammar questions plus 25 vocabulary questions covering word matching, word definition, word usage and common collocations.

How much does Aptis Advanced cost?

The fee varies by country because the British Council sets local prices, typically around 80-120 USD (for example 106 EUR in Spain). Check your local British Council test centre for the exact fee.