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BritWise — Life in the UK Test Practice
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First sittings · Test 1 of 24

Life in the UK practice test 1: Start Here

This is the paper to sit first. It runs exactly like the official test — 24 questions, 45 minutes, 18 correct to pass — but nothing here counts against you, so the only thing that matters is what you learn from it.

How to sit this one. Sit this one in practice mode with the clock off, and read the explanation after every question, including the ones you get right.

24 questions in 45 minutes, with 18 correct to pass — the same 75% the official test asks for. Nothing is saved to an account: your progress stays in this browser, so you can close the tab and pick the paper up where you left it.

Questions
24
Time limit
45 minutes
Pass mark
18 of 24 (75%)
How do you want to practise?

Answers and explanations

Every question in paper 1, with the right answer and the handbook section it comes from. Open it after you have had a go.

Show all 24 answers and explanations

  1. 1. What is a constitution?

    • The set of principles by which a country is governed — correct answer
    • A list of every law passed by Parliament
    • The budget the government sets each year
    • An agreement between two countries

    A constitution is the set of principles that says how a country is governed and how power is shared between its institutions. Handbook section 5.2.

  2. 2. Which composer wrote the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, one of which is sung as 'Land of Hope and Glory'?

    • Sir Edward Elgar — correct answer
    • Gustav Holst
    • Henry Purcell
    • Benjamin Britten

    Sir Edward Elgar wrote the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, and the first of them is sung as 'Land of Hope and Glory' at the Last Night of the Proms. Handbook section 4.6.

  3. 3. In which town was William Shakespeare born?

    • Stratford-upon-Avon — correct answer
    • Canterbury
    • Edinburgh
    • Oxford

    William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, where his plays are still performed by the Royal Shakespeare Company. Handbook section 4.7.

  4. 4. Which two of these are well-known British films?

    • Lawrence of Arabia — correct answer
    • Four Weddings and a Funeral — correct answer
    • Gone with the Wind
    • Casablanca

    Lawrence of Arabia and Four Weddings and a Funeral are among the best-known British films, along with Chariots of Fire and Brief Encounter. Handbook section 4.11.

  5. 5. Who normally chooses which candidate will stand for a party in a constituency?

    • The local members of that party — correct answer
    • The monarch
    • The Electoral Commission
    • The sitting MP for the neighbouring seat

    Local party members select their candidate. It is one of the main reasons people join a party. Handbook section 5.7.

  6. 6. What does criminal law deal with?

    • Behaviour that is treated as an offence against society and is punished by the courts — correct answer
    • Disputes between neighbours about a garden fence
    • The rules of political parties
    • Agreements between two businesses

    Criminal law covers conduct the state treats as an offence, such as theft or violence. It is usually investigated by the police and punished by the courts. Handbook section 5.16.

  7. 7. Which body normally decides whether a new building may be put up in your area?

    • The local council — correct answer
    • The House of Lords
    • The Crown Court
    • The Electoral Commission

    Planning decisions are made by the local council, which weighs the application against its plan for the area. Handbook section 5.10.

  8. 8. How long do you have to complete the official Life in the UK test?

    • 45 minutes — correct answer
    • 30 minutes
    • 60 minutes
    • 90 minutes

    The test lasts 45 minutes. In that time you answer 24 multiple-choice questions on screen. Handbook section 1.3.

  9. 9. For whom did Sir Norman Hartnell design clothes?

    • The royal family — correct answer
    • Football clubs
    • The armed forces
    • Pop groups

    Sir Norman Hartnell designed clothes for the royal family, including the Queen's wedding dress and coronation gown. Handbook section 4.9.

  10. 10. Where in the world are the British overseas territories found?

    • In many different parts of the world — correct answer
    • All within Europe
    • All in the Irish Sea
    • All in the English Channel

    There are several British overseas territories scattered around the world, from the South Atlantic to the Caribbean. Handbook section 2.4.

  11. 11. How did the Industrial Revolution change where people lived?

    • Towns emptied and villages grew
    • Many moved from the countryside into growing towns and cities — correct answer
    • Most people moved back to the land
    • People spread evenly across the country

    Work moved into factories, so people moved from the countryside into towns and cities. Britain's cities grew very quickly. Handbook section 3.13.

  12. 12. Which right does a person accused of a crime in the UK have?

    • The right to a fair trial — correct answer
    • The right to choose their own judge
    • The right to leave the country before the trial
    • The right to be tried without a jury

    A right to a fair trial is one of the things the UK offers everyone here. An interpreter can be provided, but a defendant cannot pick the judge. Handbook section 1.2.

  13. 13. What is Sir Roger Bannister remembered for?

    • Being the first person to run a mile in under four minutes — correct answer
    • Winning five Olympic rowing golds
    • Captaining England to the football World Cup
    • Sailing around the world alone

    Sir Roger Bannister was the first person to run a mile in under four minutes, which he did in 1954. Handbook section 4.5.

  14. 14. What is the main role of the opposition in Parliament?

    • To hold the government to account and point out where it is failing — correct answer
    • To run the government departments
    • To appoint judges
    • To approve the monarch's speeches

    The opposition's job is to scrutinise, challenge and offer an alternative. A government that is questioned publicly is one that has to justify itself. Handbook section 5.6.

  15. 15. In which town was William Shakespeare born during the Tudor period?

    • Stratford-upon-Avon — correct answer
    • Canterbury
    • York
    • Oxford

    William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1564. He wrote plays and poems that are still performed today. Handbook section 3.8.

  16. 16. Where should you take an animal that is ill or injured?

    • To a vet — correct answer
    • To a hospital accident and emergency department
    • To the local council offices
    • To a pharmacy

    A vet is the professional who treats sick and injured animals, and every town has a veterinary practice. Handbook section 4.14.

  17. 17. What is local government's place in the way the UK is run?

    • It is part of the constitution, delivering services under powers set by Parliament — correct answer
    • It is a private business owned by residents
    • It is a branch of the courts
    • It operates entirely outside the law

    Local government is one of the institutions that make up the British constitution. Councils act within powers Parliament has given them. Handbook section 5.10.

  18. 18. William Blake is remembered as which kind of artist?

    • A poet — correct answer
    • A film director
    • A footballer
    • An architect

    William Blake is remembered as one of Britain's great poets, and he illustrated much of his own writing. Handbook section 4.17.

  19. 19. What form of government began to take shape after the Glorious Revolution?

    • A constitutional monarchy, in which the monarch rules within limits set by Parliament — correct answer
    • An absolute monarchy
    • A republic with no monarch
    • Direct rule by the Church

    After 1689 Britain became a constitutional monarchy. The monarch stayed as head of state but could only govern within limits set by Parliament. Handbook section 3.11.

  20. 20. Which two royal houses fought the Wars of the Roses?

    • Lancaster and York — correct answer
    • Tudor and Stuart
    • Normandy and Anjou
    • Hanover and Windsor

    The Wars of the Roses were fought between the House of Lancaster and the House of York. Both families claimed the throne of England. Handbook section 3.7.

  21. 21. How did the first people in Britain get their food?

    • They ran large farms
    • They hunted animals and gathered wild plants — correct answer
    • They bought it in markets
    • They imported it from Europe

    The first people in Britain were hunter-gatherers. They hunted animals and collected wild plants, and they moved around to follow the food. Handbook section 3.1.

  22. 22. In which year did India and Pakistan become independent?

    • 1957
    • 1945
    • 1947 — correct answer
    • 1950

    India and Pakistan became independent in 1947. It was the beginning of the end of the British Empire. Handbook section 3.19.

  23. 23. Can a serving civil servant stand for election as an MP?

    • No, civil servants may not stand while they remain in the civil service — correct answer
    • Yes, without any restriction
    • Yes, but only in local elections
    • Yes, if their minister agrees

    Standing for Parliament would conflict with the political neutrality the job requires, so civil servants are barred from doing so while in post. Handbook section 5.11.

  24. 24. What was Sir Alfred Hitchcock famous for?

    • Directing films — correct answer
    • Acting in silent comedies
    • Writing spy novels
    • Composing film music

    Sir Alfred Hitchcock was a film director who made his name in Britain before going on to work in Hollywood. Handbook section 4.11.

What paper 1 asks about

These 24 questions come from 5 chapters of the official handbook. By the difficulty the questions were written at, that is 13 easy, 8 medium and 3 harder.

Chapters in this paper

The topics it leans on most

Revise before the next paper

A mock test tells you where you stand. These pages are where you close the gaps.