Second Test Page of the Advanced Dictionary Skills Program

Advanced Dictionary Skills Test 2

This test is for you to test your dictionary skills. The objective is for you to check what you have learned in this program, and to find any weak areas in your skills so that you can study and improve.

If you have not yet completed the first test, Proofreading Skills One, and you wish to do so, click here.

Proofreading skills 2:

This informal letter between friends tests to see if you can identify examples of three major language categories discussed in the Advanced Dictionary Skills material: appropriate register. ( formality), collocation (words that often go together) and idioms (phrases meaning something different from the definitions of the component words). Each phrase is in italics to help you: choose a category from the drop down menu in the box.

	Hong Kong 1^st May
	Dear Ronnie,
1.	How's it going? I'm writing to cordially wish you every success in
2.	your exams next week. I'm sure you'll pass with flying colours
3.	and your family will be over the moon!
4.	Guess what? My bag got ripped off on the MTR last week
5.	so I'm broke. Luckily my diary, mobile phone and I.D card weren't
6.	in it. However I'd be terribly grateful if you could possibly lend
	me $100 until Friday.
7.	Did you see the football on T.V last night? A resounding victory
8.	for Arsenal. It's a crying shame Newcastle aren't doing better
9.	this season: fat chance they have to reach the final. Tickets go on
10.	sale tomorrow and I'm hell bent on getting one.
11.	Have you been notified regarding your application for the post
12.	of technical writer yet? My job in Pertini's was short and sweet,
13.	they gave me the boot after 2 weeks! Oh well, c'est la vie.
14.	It's cold and wet here so I'm off to get a piping hot cup of coffee
15.	and a sandwich from the devilishly handsome canteen
16.	assistant. Keeping my fingers crossed for your exams.
17.	In anticipation of your reply,
18.	Your humble servant,
	Emily xx

Line One:

1.	How's it going? I'm writing to cordially wish you every success in

Line One gives an example of and you chose . "Cordially" is a very formal word.

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Line Two :

2.	your exams next week. I'm sure you'll pass with flying colours

Line Two gives an example of and you chose . "To pass with flying colours" means to pass easily.

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For more practice click here.

Line Three:

3.	and your family will be over the moon!

Line Three gives an example of and you chose . "Over the moon" means very happy.

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For more practice click here.

Line Four:

4.	Guess what? My bag got ripped off on the MTR last week

Line Four gives an example of and you chose . "Ripped off" means stolen.

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For more practice click here.

Line Five:

5.	so I'm broke. Luckily my diary, mobile phone and I.D card weren't

Line Five gives an example of and you chose . "Broke" means very poor.

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For more practice click here.

Line Six:

6.	in it. However I'd be terribly grateful if you could possibly lend me $100 until Friday.

Line Six gives an example of and you chose . "Terribly grateful" is a very polite phrase.

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Line Seven:

7.	Did you see the football on T.V last night? A resounding victory

Line Seven gives an example of and you chose . A "resounding victory" means that a team won by many goals; e.g. 4 - 0 in football, or 105 - 78 in basketball.

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Line Eight:

8.	for Arsenal. It's a crying shame Newcastle aren't doing better

Line Eight gives an example of and you chose . A "crying shame" means that it is very sad.

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Line Nine:

9.	this season: fat chance they have to reach the final. Tickets go on

Line Nine gives an example of and you chose . "Fat chance" means no chance.

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Line Ten:

10.	sale tomorrow and I'm hell bent on getting one.

Line Ten gives an example of and you chose . "Hell bent on..." means to really want something.

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For more practice click here.

Line Eleven:

11.	Have you been notified regarding your application for the post

Line Eleven gives an example of and you chose . "Notified" is a formal verb, more formal than "told" or "informed".

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Line Twelve:

12.	of technical writer yet? My job in Pertini's was short and sweet,

Line Twelve gives an example of and you chose . "Short and sweet" means short and good.

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For more practice click here.

Line Thirteen:

13.	they gave me the boot after 2 weeks! Oh well, c'est la vie.

Line Thirteen gives an example of and you chose . "Gave me the boot" means fired me. "C'est la vie" is a French expression, used by English people to mean, 'That's life.'

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For more practice click here.

Line Fourteen:

14.	It's cold and wet here so I'm off to get a piping hot cup of coffee

Line Fourteen gives an example of and you chose . "Piping hot" means very hot.

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Line Fifteen:

15.	and a sandwich from the devilishly handsome canteen

Line Fifteen gives an example of and you chose . "Devilishly handsome" means extremely handsome. The connotation of "devilish" is that this person may be dangerous.

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Line Sixteen:

16.	assistant. Keeping my fingers crossed for your exams.

Line Sixteen gives an example of and you chose . In English culture crossing your first and middle fingers makes a sign for protection against bad luck.

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For more practice click here.

Line Seventeen :

Line Seventeen gives an example of and you chose . "In anticipation of your reply" is a formal expression. A more modern formal equivalent is "I look forward to hearing from you." As this is an informal letter, "Write soon" or "Write and tell me how you are." is more appropriate.

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Line Eighteen :

LineEighteen gives an example of and you chose . "Your humble servant" is a formal and old-fashioned expression. In modern British English we use "Yours sincerely" or "Yours faithfully" for formal endings, but as this is an informal letter "Best wishes", "Yours" or "Love" are more suitable.

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