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Welcome to your first GL 11+ English practice paper! This paper is designed to feel like the real thing. Work through it carefully, then check your answers using the mark scheme at the end.
Read the following passage carefully, then answer the questions below.
The old lighthouse stood on the edge of the cliff, battered by wind and rain. Inside, Thomas climbed the spiral staircase as he had done every evening for thirty years. His boots echoed on the stone steps — one hundred and forty-two of them, though he had long since stopped counting.
At the top, he lit the great lamp. Its beam swept across the dark water like a golden arm reaching out to guide the ships home. Thomas pressed his face to the cold glass and watched the waves crash against the rocks below. On nights like these, when the storm howled and the sea churned white, he knew his light was the only thing standing between the sailors and the jagged reef.
He thought of his father, who had kept this same light before him, and his grandfather before that. Three generations of lighthouse keepers, each one trusting that the flame would hold. Thomas had never wanted any other life. The loneliness did not trouble him — he had the gulls for company in the morning and the stars at night.
But things were changing. The letter from the harbour master sat folded in his pocket. Soon the light would be automatic, controlled by a computer miles away. There would be no need for a keeper. Thomas ran his hand along the brass railing, worn smooth by decades of touch. He wondered what the lighthouse would feel like without a human heart beating inside it.
Q1. How long has Thomas been a lighthouse keeper? (1 mark)
Q2. How many steps are there in the spiral staircase? (1 mark)
Q3. "Its beam swept across the dark water like a golden arm reaching out to guide the ships home."
(a) What technique is used in this sentence? (1 mark)
(b) What effect does this technique have? (2 marks)
Q4. How does the writer show that Thomas is proud of his family tradition? Use evidence from the text. (3 marks)
Q5. "He wondered what the lighthouse would feel like without a human heart beating inside it."
What does this sentence suggest about how Thomas feels about the lighthouse becoming automatic? (3 marks)
Q6. "The loneliness did not trouble him — he had the gulls for company in the morning and the stars at night."
What does this tell us about Thomas's character? (2 marks)
Q7. Choose the word closest in meaning to "churned" as it is used in the passage. (1 mark)
(a) Flowed gently (b) Turned and swirled violently (c) Froze solid (d) Sparkled brightly
Q8. Choose the correct spelling in each sentence. (5 marks)
| Sentence | Options |
|---|---|
| The view was truly ___. | magnificient / magnificent / magnifisent |
| She felt ___ about the test. | anxous / anxious / ancsious |
| The castle was ___. | ancient / aincient / anciant |
| He made a ___ promise. | solem / sollemn / solemn |
| The weather was ___. | dreadful / dredfull / dredful |
Q9. Match each word to its correct definition. (5 marks)
| Word | Options |
|---|---|
| Reluctant | (a) Calm and peaceful (b) Unwilling; hesitant (c) Very careful |
| Abundant | (a) Plentiful; more than enough (b) Full of danger (c) Unwilling |
| Perilous | (a) Plentiful (b) Calm (c) Full of danger |
| Meticulous | (a) Very careful and precise (b) Plentiful (c) Unwilling |
| Tranquil | (a) Full of danger (b) Very careful (c) Calm and peaceful |
Q10. Add the missing punctuation to these sentences. (5 marks)
Q11. Rewrite each sentence in the passive voice. (5 marks)
| Section | Marks available |
|---|---|
| A: Comprehension | 20 |
| B: Vocabulary & Spelling | 10 |
| C: Grammar & Punctuation | 10 |
| Total | 40 |
| Score | What it means |
|---|---|
| 35–40 | Excellent — you are well prepared! |
| 28–34 | Good — review the questions you got wrong |
| 20–27 | Keep practising — focus on your weaker areas |
| Below 20 | Do not worry — go back to the English course lessons and try again |
Parents/guardians: use this section to mark the paper. Keep it separate from the student during the test.
Q1. Thomas has been a lighthouse keeper for thirty years. (1 mark)
Q2. There are one hundred and forty-two steps. (1 mark)
Q3a. A simile — the beam of light is compared to a golden arm using the word "like". (1 mark)
Q3b. The simile makes the light seem warm and protective, as if it is a caring person physically reaching out to help the sailors. This creates a comforting image and suggests that the lighthouse is like a guardian. (2 marks: 1 for identifying the effect, 1 for explaining with reference to the text)
Q4. The writer tells us that Thomas "thought of his father, who had kept this same light before him, and his grandfather before that." The phrase "three generations of lighthouse keepers" suggests a strong family tradition. He also says Thomas "had never wanted any other life", which shows he is proud to follow in their footsteps and sees the role as important. (3 marks: 1 per valid point with evidence)
Q5. This suggests Thomas sees the lighthouse as almost alive — with himself as its heart. By saying it would lose its "human heart", he implies that something important will be lost when the keeper is gone. The lighthouse will still function, but it will lack the care, warmth, and dedication that a human brings. This shows Thomas feels sad and perhaps worried that the lighthouse will become cold and empty. (3 marks: 1 for identifying emotion, 1 for explaining the metaphor, 1 for using evidence)
Q6. This tells us Thomas is content and peaceful. He is comfortable being alone and finds companionship in nature rather than needing other people. It suggests he is a thoughtful, reflective person who appreciates the simple things around him. (2 marks: 1 per valid character trait with explanation)
Q7. (b) Turned and swirled violently — the sea was rough and stormy. (1 mark)
Q8. magnificent, anxious, ancient, solemn, dreadful (1 mark each)
Q9. Reluctant = Unwilling; hesitant. Abundant = Plentiful; more than enough. Perilous = Full of danger. Meticulous = Very careful and precise. Tranquil = Calm and peaceful. (1 mark each)
Q10. (1 mark each)
Q11. (1 mark each)
Well done for completing this practice paper! Every paper you complete makes you stronger.