Life in the UK Practice Test 3 (2026) — free, with answers
24 original practice questions in the official Life in the UK Test formats — multiple choice, select TWO, TRUE or FALSE and “which statement is correct”. The real test has 24 questions in 45 minutes with a 75% pass mark (18 of 24). Every answer below includes an explanation. Written from the official study material; no log-in, completely free.
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1. Besides English, in which languages can special arrangements be made to take the test?
- Welsh or Scottish Gaelic
- Irish or Cornish
- French or German
- Punjabi or Urdu
Show answer
Answer: A — Welsh or Scottish Gaelic
Special arrangements allow the test to be taken in Welsh or Scottish Gaelic.
2. What must a candidate bring with them on the day of the test?
- Identification and proof of address
- A photograph and a birth certificate
- An ESOL certificate and a bank statement
- Two written references and a photograph
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Answer: A — Identification and proof of address
Without identification and proof of address a candidate will not be allowed to sit the test.
3. Is the statement below TRUE or FALSE? Test questions are based on every part of the official study material except its introduction.
- TRUE
- FALSE
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Answer: B — FALSE
FALSE — EVERY part of the official study material can be tested, the INTRODUCTION INCLUDED.
4. Which of the following statements is correct?
- Candidates will not need to remember dates of birth or death
- Candidates must remember the dates of birth and death of every figure named
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Answer: A — Candidates will not need to remember dates of birth or death
Dates of birth and death are specifically excluded from what candidates must memorise.
5. Which official website is given as the place to find ESOL courses in your area?
- www.gov.uk
- www.lifeintheuktest.gov.uk
- www.gov.uk/browse/visasimmigration
- www.homeoffice.gov.uk
Show answer
Answer: A — www.gov.uk
GOV.UK covers ESOL courses, while the other addresses cover booking the test and the application process.
6. Which four countries make up the United Kingdom?
- England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
- England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland
- England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man
- England, Wales, Ireland and the Channel Islands
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Answer: A — England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
The UK is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with the rest of Ireland a separate country.
7. Is the statement below TRUE or FALSE? Northern Ireland is included in the term 'Great Britain'.
- TRUE
- FALSE
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Answer: B — FALSE
Great Britain excludes Northern Ireland, although 'Britain' and 'British' are used for everyone in the UK.
8. Where does the parliament that governs the UK sit?
- Westminster
- Edinburgh
- Cardiff
- Belfast
Show answer
Answer: A — Westminster
The UK as a whole is governed by the parliament at Westminster.
9. Which TWO of the following have a parliament or assembly of their own with devolved powers?
- Wales
- Northern Ireland
- England
- Cornwall
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Answer: A and B — Wales; Northern Ireland
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have their own parliament or assembly with devolved powers.
10. What is the status of the rest of Ireland, outside Northern Ireland?
- It is an independent country
- It is part of the UK
- It is a Crown dependency
- It is a British overseas territory
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Answer: A — It is an independent country
Only Northern Ireland is part of the UK; the rest of Ireland is an independent country.
11. What name is given to the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man?
- Crown dependencies
- British overseas territories
- Home nations
- Devolved administrations
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Answer: A — Crown dependencies
Closely linked to the UK but outside it, these islands are known as Crown dependencies.
12. Is the statement below TRUE or FALSE? The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are part of the United Kingdom.
- TRUE
- FALSE
Show answer
Answer: B — FALSE
They are closely linked with the UK but are not part of it.
13. Which TWO of the following are British overseas territories?
- St Helena
- The Falkland Islands
- The Isle of Man
- The Channel Islands
Show answer
Answer: A and B — St Helena; The Falkland Islands
St Helena and the Falkland Islands are given as examples of British overseas territories, while the other two are Crown dependencies.
14. Which of the following statements is correct?
- British overseas territories are linked to the UK but are not part of it
- British overseas territories are counted as part of the UK
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Answer: A — British overseas territories are linked to the UK but are not part of it
Like the Crown dependencies, the overseas territories are linked to the UK without forming part of it.
15. How are the Crown dependencies governed?
- They have their own governments
- They are governed directly from Westminster
- They have no government of their own
- They are governed by the Scottish Parliament
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Answer: A — They have their own governments
The Crown dependencies run their own governments rather than being governed from Westminster.
16. Who were the first people to live in Britain?
- Hunter-gatherers
- Farmers
- Bronze metalworkers
- Roman soldiers
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Answer: A — Hunter-gatherers
Britain's earliest inhabitants lived in the Stone Age by hunting and gathering, long before farming began.
17. About how long ago did Britain become permanently separated from the continent by the Channel?
- About 10,000 years ago
- About 6,000 years ago
- About 4,000 years ago
- About 2,000 years ago
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Answer: A — About 10,000 years ago
The land bridge to the continent was lost about 10,000 years ago, leaving Britain an island.
18. Which of the following statements is correct?
- The first farmers arrived in Britain 3,000 years ago.
- The first farmers arrived in Britain 6,000 years ago.
Show answer
Answer: B — The first farmers arrived in Britain 6,000 years ago.
Farming reached Britain 6,000 years ago, well after the first hunter-gatherers.
19. Where did the ancestors of Britain's first farmers probably come from?
- South-east Europe
- Scandinavia
- North Africa
- Central Asia
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Answer: A — South-east Europe
Farming spread into Britain with people whose ancestors probably came from south-east Europe.
20. In which English county does Stonehenge stand?
- Wiltshire
- Dorset
- Suffolk
- Somerset
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Answer: A — Wiltshire
Stonehenge stands in Wiltshire and is a World Heritage Site.
21. Is the statement below TRUE or FALSE? Skara Brae, the best preserved prehistoric village in northern Europe, lies on the Isle of Wight off the south coast of England.
- TRUE
- FALSE
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Answer: B — FALSE
FALSE — Skara Brae is on ORKNEY, off the north coast of SCOTLAND. It shows how people lived near the end of the Stone Age.
22. Which of the following statements is correct?
- Stonehenge was probably a special gathering place for seasonal ceremonies.
- Stonehenge was probably an Iron Age hill fort built to defend a farming settlement.
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Answer: A — Stonehenge was probably a special gathering place for seasonal ceremonies.
Stonehenge is understood as a ceremonial gathering place rather than a defensive site.
23. In the Bronze Age, people buried their dead in tombs called what?
- Round barrows
- Hill forts
- Roundhouses
- Ship burials
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Answer: A — Round barrows
Bronze Age burials were made in round barrows, while roundhouses were where people lived.
24. Which of the following statements is correct?
- A very impressive Iron Age hill fort can still be seen at Maiden Castle in Dorset.
- A very impressive Iron Age hill fort can still be seen at Maiden Castle in Wiltshire.
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Answer: A — A very impressive Iron Age hill fort can still be seen at Maiden Castle in Dorset.
Maiden Castle, one of the most impressive hill forts still visible, is in the county of Dorset.