Test Your Business English for Free: 25 Questions

This test has 25 questions with 4 multiple choice answers each. Each correct answer is worth 2 points. A perfect score of 100% correct answers = 50 points.

01 – 15 Beginner
16 – 35 Intermediate
36 – 50 Advanced

This test is intended for business English speakers at intermediate and advanced levels.

Instructions: Tick the box with the best definition for each italicized, underlined idiom.

This test should take about 10–15 minutes. All fields are required.

Intro

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Business Level

1. Jan: I’m worried about Brenda. She’s been really wound up lately. Chris: Really? Well, has it been affecting her job performance?

tired
tense
distracted
angry

2. Karen: Did you get the estimate from Acme Corporation yet? Bill: I did, but I’m afraid their offer wasn’t even in the ballpark.

close to our expectations
available by our deadline
relevant to our investment
something I could understand

3. Jordy: We had to draw a line in the sand with our best customer. Sara: Why? Were they becoming difficult to deal with?

set a firm limit
stop working with
go back to the drawing board
hire a mediator

4. Annika: How is the new receptionist doing? Sam: I think he’s still learning the ropes.

filling out his paperwork
figuring out the job
completing his interviews
negotiating his salary

5. Michiel: Did you get back to Hans about the proposal? Yuki: We’re going to touch base on Friday.

sign a document
negotiate an agreement
set up a meeting
get in contact

6. Tom: We have to do something about our advertising. Greta: I agree! The competition is running circles around us.

doing better than we are
catching up with us
copying our advertising
outspending us

7. Sally: You know, we are really ahead of the curve with our use of AI – Artificial Intelligence. Ton: Really? I’m not so sure.

acting intuitively
in trouble
comfortable
the leaders

8. Uji: Our leading competitor was featured on CNN business news today. Annalies: Yeah, they have really cornered the market for Dutch luxury travel.

created a special demand in the market
gone public on the stock market
gotten all the customers in one market sector
succeeded in the stock market

9. Alex: Did you go to the company party? Sofia: Yes, I went after work. When I got there, it was in full swing.

just beginning
a bit uncomfortable
very active
almost finished

10. Albert: Are you going to upgrade the IT system? Mika: It’s really a no-brainer.

decision we must accept
difficult thing to install
decision that can’t be made yet
an easy decision to make

11. Jane: I think we’re going to see eye to eye on this, don’t you? Willem: Yeah, but let’s dig into the details and find out, shall we?

almost entirely agree
have significant disagreements
agree on about half of the points
have well thought-out opinions

12. Marijke: My boss said that when it comes to negotiating with EuroCorp, I really need to take the bull by the horns. Martin: Well, good luck!

be more sensitive
focus on the important points
move more quickly
be the one in charge

13. Selma: Did you hear about the IT company upstairs? Jorge: No. What happened? Selma: They had to be bailed out by the government.

taken to court
financially evaluated
taxed in arrears
financially assisted

14. Willy: During the meeting this morning, taxation was the elephant in the room. Sabrina: Yeah, I’m not surprised.

an issue everyone is thinking about, but not talking about
an unimportant detail that people spend too much time on
the one issue nobody can agree about
the topic that people spend the most time talking about

15. Betsy: How did you hear about the big changes at the head office? Robbert: Word of mouth!

casual conversation among colleagues
a formal announcement in a meeting
a personal appointment with a supervisor
an official message to the entire company

16. Roland: My project is a bit up in the air right now. Gina: Really? I am surprised to hear that

very successful
moving quickly
uncertain
ready to be cancelled

17. Karl: I will have to twist Jack’s arm about working on the report. Helene: Oh, really? What are you going to do?

provide lots of details
give logical reasons
promise big rewards
strongly persuade

18. Eric: If this version does not fly, we will have to go back to the drawing board. Jenny: Well, let’s see just wait and see what the customer says tomorrow.