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Life in the UK Practice Test 40 (2026) — free, with answers

33 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. Which of Henry VIII's wives was the mother of Elizabeth I?

  1. Anne Boleyn
  2. Catherine of Aragon
  3. Jane Seymour
  4. Anne of Cleves
Show answer

Answer: A — Anne Boleyn

Anne Boleyn, Henry's second wife, gave birth to a daughter, Elizabeth — the future Elizabeth I.

2. Which of the following statements is correct?

  1. Anne Boleyn was executed at the Tower of London, accused of taking lovers.
  2. Anne Boleyn died of natural causes shortly after Elizabeth's birth.
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Answer: A — Anne Boleyn was executed at the Tower of London, accused of taking lovers.

Anne Boleyn was unpopular in the country and was accused of taking lovers; she was executed at the Tower of London.

3. Which of Henry VIII's wives gave him the son he wanted?

  1. Jane Seymour
  2. Anne Boleyn
  3. Catherine Howard
  4. Catherine of Aragon
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Answer: A — Jane Seymour

Jane Seymour, Henry's third wife, gave birth to his son Edward — but she died shortly after the birth.

4. Why did Henry VIII marry Anne of Cleves, and what happened to the marriage?

  1. He married her for political reasons and divorced her soon after
  2. He married her for love and stayed married until his death
  3. He married her to unite England and Spain
  4. He married her to secure peace with Scotland
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Answer: A — He married her for political reasons and divorced her soon after

Anne of Cleves was a German princess whom Henry married for political reasons; the marriage ended in divorce soon afterwards.

5. What happened to Catherine Howard, Henry VIII's fifth wife?

  1. She was executed, accused of taking lovers
  2. She outlived Henry and married again
  3. She was divorced and sent back to Germany
  4. She became a nun
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Answer: A — She was executed, accused of taking lovers

Catherine Howard, a cousin of Anne Boleyn, was also accused of taking lovers and executed.

6. Which of Henry VIII's wives survived him?

  1. Catherine Parr
  2. Catherine Howard
  3. Jane Seymour
  4. Anne Boleyn
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Answer: A — Catherine Parr

Catherine Parr, a widow who married Henry late in his life, survived him and married again — but died soon after.

7. Why did Henry VIII establish the Church of England?

  1. The Pope refused to approve his divorce from Catherine of Aragon
  2. He wanted the Church to be run from Rome
  3. Parliament ordered him to do so
  4. He converted to Protestant beliefs after visiting Germany
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Answer: A — The Pope refused to approve his divorce from Catherine of Aragon

Henry needed the Pope's approval to divorce his first wife, and the Pope refused — so Henry established the Church of England with the king, not the Pope, as its head.

8. Which of the following statements is correct?

  1. In the Church of England established by Henry VIII, the king had the power to appoint bishops and order how people should worship.
  2. In the Church of England established by Henry VIII, the Pope kept the power to appoint bishops.
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Answer: A — In the Church of England established by Henry VIII, the king had the power to appoint bishops and order how people should worship.

In the new Church of England the king, not the Pope, was head of the Church, with the power to appoint bishops and order how people should worship.

9. Which TWO of the following were beliefs or practices of the Protestants during the Reformation?

  1. Reading the Bible in their own languages
  2. Believing a person's own relationship with God mattered more than submitting to the authority of the Church
  3. Praying to saints and at shrines
  4. Accepting the authority of the Pope
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Answer: A and B — Reading the Bible in their own languages; Believing a person's own relationship with God mattered more than submitting to the authority of the Church

The Protestants read the Bible in their own languages instead of Latin, did not pray to saints or at shrines, and believed a person's own relationship with God was more important than submitting to the authority of the Church.

10. What was the Reformation?

  1. A movement against the authority of the Pope and the ideas and practices of the Roman Catholic Church
  2. A campaign to reform the English Parliament
  3. A movement to restore Catholicism in England
  4. A reform of the feudal system of land ownership
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Answer: A — A movement against the authority of the Pope and the ideas and practices of the Roman Catholic Church

The Reformation was the 16th-century movement across Europe against the authority of the Pope and the ideas and practices of the Roman Catholic Church; the Protestants formed their own churches.

11. During whose reign did Wales become formally united with England?

  1. Henry VIII
  2. Henry VII
  3. Edward VI
  4. Elizabeth I
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Answer: A — Henry VIII

During Henry VIII's reign the Act for the Government of Wales formally united Wales with England; the Welsh sent representatives to the House of Commons and the Welsh legal system was reformed.

12. What did the Act for the Government of Wales do?

  1. Formally united Wales with England
  2. Gave Wales its own parliament
  3. Made Wales an independent kingdom
  4. United Wales with Ireland
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Answer: A — Formally united Wales with England

Under Henry VIII, the Act for the Government of Wales formally united Wales with England, with Welsh representatives sent to the House of Commons.

13. The Book of Common Prayer was written during the reign of which king?

  1. Edward VI
  2. Henry VIII
  3. James I
  4. Charles I
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Answer: A — Edward VI

Edward VI was strongly Protestant, and during his reign the Book of Common Prayer was written for use in the Church of England — a version is still used in some churches today.

14. How old was Edward VI when he died, and how long had he ruled?

  1. He died at 15, after ruling for six years
  2. He died at 25, after ruling for ten years
  3. He died at 40, after ruling for twenty years
  4. He died at 18, after ruling for one year
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Answer: A — He died at 15, after ruling for six years

Edward VI died at the age of 15 after ruling for just six years, and his half-sister Mary became queen.

15. Which of the following statements is correct?

  1. Queen Mary was a devout Catholic who persecuted Protestants.
  2. Queen Mary was a Protestant who persecuted Catholics.
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Answer: A — Queen Mary was a devout Catholic who persecuted Protestants.

Mary, Edward VI's half-sister, was a devout Catholic and persecuted Protestants during her short reign; she was succeeded by her half-sister Elizabeth.

16. Elizabeth I was the daughter of which couple?

  1. Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn
  2. Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon
  3. Henry VII and Elizabeth of York
  4. James I and Anne of Denmark
Show answer

Answer: A — Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn

Elizabeth I was the daughter of Henry VIII and his second wife, Anne Boleyn — and, like her father, she was head of the Church of England, which she re-established as the official Church.

17. Is the statement below TRUE or FALSE? Elizabeth I, a Catholic, re-established the Church of England as the official Church in England.

  1. TRUE
  2. FALSE
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Answer: B — FALSE

FALSE — Elizabeth I was a PROTESTANT. She did re-establish the Church of England as the official Church; everyone had to attend their local church, but she did not ask about people's real beliefs.

18. What was the Spanish Armada?

  1. A large fleet of ships sent by Spain to conquer England and restore Catholicism
  2. A Spanish trading company operating in the Americas
  3. A treaty between England and Spain
  4. A Spanish army that invaded Ireland
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Answer: A — A large fleet of ships sent by Spain to conquer England and restore Catholicism

In 1588 the English defeated the Spanish Armada, a large fleet sent to conquer England and restore Catholicism — a victory that made Elizabeth I one of the most popular monarchs in English history.

19. In which year did the English defeat the Spanish Armada?

  1. 1588
  2. 1558
  3. 1601
  4. 1546
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Answer: A — 1588

The defeat of the Spanish Armada came in 1588, during the reign of Elizabeth I.

20. What did the predominantly Protestant Scottish Parliament do in 1560?

  1. It abolished the authority of the Pope in Scotland, and Roman Catholic religious services became illegal
  2. It made Scotland formally part of England
  3. It restored Catholicism throughout Scotland
  4. It elected Mary, Queen of Scots as its leader
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Answer: A — It abolished the authority of the Pope in Scotland, and Roman Catholic religious services became illegal

In 1560 the predominantly Protestant Scottish Parliament abolished the authority of the Pope in Scotland, and Roman Catholic religious services became illegal.

21. Which of the following statements is correct?

  1. The Protestant Church of Scotland had an elected leadership and, unlike in England, was not a state Church.
  2. The Protestant Church of Scotland was a state Church headed by the monarch, exactly as in England.
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Answer: A — The Protestant Church of Scotland had an elected leadership and, unlike in England, was not a state Church.

A Protestant Church of Scotland with an elected leadership was established — but, unlike in England, it was not a state Church.

22. How old was Mary, Queen of Scots when she became queen of Scotland?

  1. One week old
  2. Five years old
  3. Fifteen years old
  4. Twenty-one years old
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Answer: A — One week old

Mary Stuart was only a week old when her father died and she became queen; much of her childhood was spent in France.

23. What did Mary, Queen of Scots do when she was suspected of involvement in her husband's murder?

  1. She fled to England, giving her throne to her Protestant son James VI
  2. She raised an army and conquered England
  3. She retired to a convent in France
  4. She confessed and abdicated in favour of Elizabeth I
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Answer: A — She fled to England, giving her throne to her Protestant son James VI

Suspected of involvement in her husband's murder, Mary fled to England and gave her throne to her Protestant son, James VI of Scotland.

24. Is the statement below TRUE or FALSE? Elizabeth I kept her cousin Mary, Queen of Scots prisoner for 20 years, and Mary was eventually executed, accused of plotting against Elizabeth.

  1. TRUE
  2. FALSE
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Answer: A — TRUE

Mary, Queen of Scots was held prisoner in England for 20 years and eventually executed after being accused of plotting against her cousin Elizabeth I.

25. What was the name of Sir Francis Drake's ship?

  1. The Golden Hind
  2. The Mayflower
  3. The Victory
  4. The Endeavour
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Answer: A — The Golden Hind

Sir Francis Drake, one of the commanders in the defeat of the Spanish Armada, sailed the Golden Hind — one of the first ships to circumnavigate the world.

26. Which of the following statements is correct?

  1. The Elizabethan period was a time of growing English patriotism, when English settlers began to colonise the eastern coast of America.
  2. During the Elizabethan period, England withdrew entirely from exploration and overseas trade.
Show answer

Answer: A — The Elizabethan period was a time of growing English patriotism, when English settlers began to colonise the eastern coast of America.

The Elizabethan period saw growing pride in being English; explorers sought new trade routes, and English settlers began to colonise the eastern coast of America.

27. Which TWO of the following are true of William Shakespeare?

  1. He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon
  2. He was a playwright and actor
  3. He wrote only in Latin
  4. He refused to portray ordinary people in his plays
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Answer: A and B — He was born in Stratford-upon-Avon; He was a playwright and actor

Shakespeare (1564–1616) was born in Stratford-upon-Avon and was a playwright and actor; he dramatised great events but was also one of the first to portray ordinary Englishmen and women.

28. The line 'To be or not to be' comes from which of Shakespeare's plays?

  1. Hamlet
  2. Romeo and Juliet
  3. Henry V
  4. Macbeth
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Answer: A — Hamlet

'To be or not to be' is from Hamlet; 'Once more unto the breach' is from Henry V, and 'A rose by any other name would smell as sweet' is from Romeo and Juliet.

29. At which London theatre were Shakespeare's plays performed?

  1. The Globe Theatre
  2. The Royal Albert Hall
  3. The Old Vic
  4. The National Theatre
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Answer: A — The Globe Theatre

Shakespeare's plays were performed at the Globe Theatre; a modern copy of the Globe stands on the south bank of the Thames today.

30. Who became king when Elizabeth I died in 1603?

  1. Her cousin James VI of Scotland, who became King James I of England, Wales and Ireland
  2. Her half-brother Edward VI
  3. Her nephew Philip of Spain
  4. Her son Charles I
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Answer: A — Her cousin James VI of Scotland, who became King James I of England, Wales and Ireland

Elizabeth never married and died with no children of her own; her heir was her cousin James VI of Scotland, who became James I of England, Wales and Ireland — though Scotland remained a separate country.

31. What is the 'Authorised Version' of the Bible also known as?

  1. The King James Bible
  2. The Book of Common Prayer
  3. The Latin Vulgate
  4. The Wycliffe Bible
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Answer: A — The King James Bible

A new translation of the Bible into English was produced during James I's reign — the 'King James Bible', also known as the 'Authorised Version'. It was not the first English Bible, but a version still used in many Protestant churches today.

32. 'The Swinging Sixties' is a name given to which decade?

  1. The 1960s
  2. The 1950s
  3. The 1970s
  4. The 1940s
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Answer: A — The 1960s

The 1960s became known as 'the Swinging Sixties' — a decade of real social change, with British fashion, cinema and popular music booming.

33. Is the statement below TRUE or FALSE? During the Swinging Sixties, British fashion, cinema and popular music were booming.

  1. TRUE
  2. FALSE
Show answer

Answer: A — TRUE

The Swinging Sixties was a decade of significant social change in which British fashion, cinema and popular music all boomed.

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