Placement test

Lucy Holmes
 Placement test teacher’s
notes and answer key
Administering the Placement test
The questions in the Academy Stars Placement test are all multiple choice and become
progressively more difficult. Each question is worth one mark so the whole test of 60 questions
carries a total of 60 marks. The Placement test is designed to be answered relatively quickly
by the participant. It is expected that more able children will be able to answer all 60 questions
in approximately 30 minutes. For less able children, allow a maximum of ¢5 minutes.
Children should only attempt as many questions as they feel they are able to answer within
the time allowed. They should then be placed according to the scores on the Placement test
and based on the assumption that they have attempted to answer as many of the 60 questions
as they can. Below is a guide to suitable starting marks in Academy Stars, according to scores
achieved.
The Placement test should be taken in a quiet room without any distractions. Children should
be given a pencil and rubber and should answer the questions on their own without the use of
a dictionary, the internet or any other assistance.

Score ranges
The following list of scores and levels is a guide only, so please use your own judgement when
placing children. For example, if a child scores 19, it would make sense to put them in Level 3
rather than Level 2. If a child is only able to answer a few questions or no questions at all, it is
best for them to begin their studies at Starter level.
Score Academy Stars
0–5 Starter level
6–10 Level 1 (equivalent to CEFR Pre-A1 level)
11–20 Level 2 (equivalent to CEFR Pre-A1 level)
21–30 Level 3 (equivalent to CEFR A1 level)
31–¢0 Level ¢ (equivalent to CEFR A1 level)
¢1–50 Level 5 (equivalent to CEFR A2 level)
51–60 Level 6 (equivalent to CEFR Pre-B1 level)

Answer key
1/B 2/B 3/D ¢/A 5/D 6/A 7/A 8/C 9/D 10/B
11/D 12/B 13/B 1¢/B 15/C 16/A 17/D 18/D 19/B 20/C
21/D 22/C 23/A 2¢/D 25/C 26/D 27/C 28/D 29/C 30/B
31/C 32/A 33/A 3¢/B 35/B 36/B 37/A 38/C 39/B ¢0/D
¢1/A ¢2/B ¢3/A ¢¢/A ¢5/A ¢6/C ¢7/B ¢8/A ¢9/B 50/B
51/A 52/B 53/D 5¢/D 55/C 56/C 57/A 58/D 59/C 60/B

Academy Stars Placement test

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 Placement test
1 2
My name is Tom. Is it a bag?

a boy.

A It’s C He’s A No, it is. C No, it isn’t.

B I’m D She’s B Yes, it is. D Yes, it isn’t.

3 4
That’s my Are you
. ?
He’s old.
Yes, we are.

A baby C brother A hungry C cold

B family D grandpa B angry D hot

5 6
A panda can Where are
the paints?
a tree.
They’re

the box.

A jump C catch A in C under

B throw D climb B on D next to

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 Placement test
7 8
My rabbits
have got small What
feet, long A black
ears and two you wear
to school? skirt and a
. white shirt.

A eyes C arms A does C do

B tails D legs B are D is

9 10
There are two I like
in the room. ✓
but I don’t like
bananas.

A wardrobes C lamps A tomatoes C mangoes

B clocks D beds B coconuts D pears

11 12
There are lots of We

in Australia but on Friday.

there aren’t any
pandas.

A bears C wolves A go to school C play basketball

B camels D kangaroos B do gymnastics D have a music lesson

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 Placement test
13 14
Whose Saturday ✓ Kirsty

are these? her grandma on

Saturdays.
They’re Jane’s.

A guitar C camera A visit C don’t visit

B glasses D headphones B visits D doesn’t visit

15 16
What are
John and Is your brother
Kate doing? sleeping?

They No, he
playing in the . He’s
snow. reading a book.

A is C are A isn’t C aren’t

B do D can B don’t D doesn’t

17 18
I like making
a snowman in you like
. some grapes?

Yes, please.

A spring C autumn A Do C Can

B summer D winter B Are D Would

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 Placement test
19 20
Last weekend, I
Last night I was an
at home. I was in art gallery with
the . my mum and dad.
I made a cake
with my mum.

A hall C bathroom A visit C visited

B kitchen D dining room B visits D visiting

21 22
At school We
I’m good at have PE before
. lunch on
We are making Wednesday.
a website in my
class.

A maths C social studies A once C always

B music D computer studies B twice D three times

23 24
I often go to the Last weekend
we
after school. I sad. It was
need to study. raining.

A library C supermarket A is C was

B cinema D swimming pool B am D were

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 Placement test
25 26
There are Dolphins are
of
shops in my city. than sharks.

A some C a lot A nice C worst

B much D many B good D friendlier

27 28
Were there
any windows
Did you Yes, I in the cave?
went to a
a good day restaurant
with my No, there
yesterday? .
friends.

A has C have A are C wasn’t

B had D having B aren’t D weren’t

29 30
We’re going
swimming today.
Don’t forget your you going
. to France on
Yes, I am.
holiday?

A glove C goggles A Do C Can

B trainers D tracksuit B Are D Am

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 Placement test
31 32
Did you
climb this
I
when you went tie my
to Italy? shoelaces when
I was seven.
Yes, we did.

A lake C volcano A could C can

B island D countryside B was D did

33 3¢
Do you like
Remember my cake?
to take your
.
It’s dark outside. Yes, it is

delicious than
mine.

A safety vest C wheel A most C much

B brakes D gears B more D many

35 36
I’ve got a It was my
. mum’s
birthday.
Why
You shouldn’t
talk. you buying
a present?

A earache C broken arm A was C wasn’t

B sore throat D stomach ache B were D weren’t

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 Placement test
37 38
Can I use this for
my smartphone? A fish has
Whose got tiny
is it? .

It’s my uncle’s, but

you can use it.

A charger C mouse A fur C scales

B laptop D screen B petals D feathers

39 40
He
What cleaned his dad’s
car. Now he is
if you put tired.
a marble in
water? It sinks.

A happen C happened A is C was

B happens D happening B did D has

¢1 42
We were having
our English salad when I
lesson when was a child, but
the ambulance I love it now.
.

A I’m not use C I don’t used

to like to like
A came C has come
B I didn’t use D I didn’t used
B comes D was coming to like to like

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 Placement test
¢3 ¢4
Has Tom ever
How long have
before? you been a
?
No, he hasn’t. We
should help him. For about
five years.
A put up a tent C swum with
dolphins
B been A pilot C gardener
kayaking D been in a
hot-air balloon B dentist D paramedic

¢5 ¢6
I like your
Motorbikes new jeans.
aren’t as
Thanks. They are
as planes.
really warm because
they’re made of
.

A fast C fastest A wood C denim

B faster D more fast B metal D leather

¢7 48
I’m learning My mum will
to play the be furious if I
guitar. One day
I call her.
a famous
musician.

A am C am being A don’t C haven’t

B will be D have been B won’t D shouldn’t

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 Placement test
¢9 50
I’m sure
I’m really that man
hungry. I stole my
haven’t eaten But we can’t bag.

today. that he did it at

the moment.

A something C nothing A solve C borrow

B anything D many B prove D behave

51 52
There are I was happy
five different when I got
of to my music
rhino in the world: lesson because
black, white, Javan, my friend
greater one-horned her
and Sumatran. guitar to school.

A species C predators A brought C has brought

B habitats D sanctuaries B had brought D was bringing

53 54
How’s the cake
you made? They
the
beach for hours!
It tastes really They must be
! tired.
I think I put too
much sugar in it.
A cleaned C have cleaned
A sour C bitter
B had cleaned D have been
B salty D sweet cleaning

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 Placement test
55 56
What are Indoor skydiving
you doing on was great,
Saturday? ?

a
Yeah, I want
museum with my
to go again!
grandpa.

A I visit C I’m visiting A was it C wasn’t it

B I will visit D I have visited B didn’t it D doesn’t it

57 58
What’s wrong?
To
All my photos
for the event you
need to have a
certain level of from my laptop
fitness. yesterday. I’m
trying to get
them back.

A qualify C exercise A delete C are deleted

B achieve D persevere B deleted D were deleted

59 60
I loved that film. If I had my
The own money, I
were fantastic.
buy myself a
Yeah, especially smartphone.
the actor who
played the hero.

A set C cast A should C can

B plot D script B would D will

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