Test (noun): an examination or procedure used to assess someone's knowledge, ability, or the quality of something. Test (verb): to examine or try something in order to discover information about it or check whether it meets a required standard.
What Does Test Mean?
Test is one of the most frequently used words in everyday English. As a noun, it refers to any structured examination — from a classroom spelling test to a medical blood test. As a verb, it describes the act of trying or examining something to learn more about it or to verify its quality.
The word appears at A2 level and is essential vocabulary for any learner. Grasping both its noun and verb uses — and knowing how they behave differently in collocations — will significantly improve your accuracy in academic, professional, and everyday English.
Etymology
The word test derives from Old French test and Latin testum, meaning an earthenware pot used in assaying (testing the purity of) precious metals. Gold or silver was heated in such a vessel to check its quality. By the 16th century, the English word had broadened to mean any critical examination or trial. This metalworking origin explains why we still speak of something being "put to the test" — the image is of metal being proven under heat.
Example Sentences by CEFR Level
| Level | Sentence | Usage note |
|---|---|---|
| A2 | She revised the vocabulary list before the test on Friday morning. | noun — school context, past simple |
| B1 | The mechanic tested the brakes before we drove the car on the motorway. | verb — practical examination |
| B1 | He passed his driving test on the second attempt. | noun — driving test collocation |
| B2 | The engineers are running tests on the new software to identify any remaining bugs. | noun plural — technical/professional context |
| C1 | The crisis will truly put the government's crisis management capabilities to the test. | idiom — put to the test |
Collocations
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| take a test | All applicants must take a written test. |
| pass a test | She passed her driving test first time. |
| fail a test | He failed the maths test and had to resit it. |
| sit a test | Students will sit the test in the main hall. |
| carry out a test | Doctors carried out a series of blood tests. |
| a driving test | She booked her driving test for next month. |
| a blood test | The GP ordered a blood test to check his cholesterol. |
| a spelling test | The teacher gave the class a surprise spelling test. |
| put to the test | The new policy will soon be put to the test. |
| test the water(s) | She tested the waters before committing to the new project. |
Usage Notes
Noun vs Verb Patterns
As a noun, test typically appears after verbs such as take, sit, pass, fail, carry out, do, give, set and before nouns such as paper, results, score, centre.
As a verb, test takes a direct object: test something or test someone (on something). For example: "The teacher tested us on irregular verbs." The preposition for is used when you test to find a specific thing: "They tested the water for lead."
In British English, sit a test / sit an exam is preferred in formal and academic writing. Take a test is common in both British and American English and is always acceptable.
The adjective testing means challenging or difficult: "It has been a testing week." Do not confuse this with the gerund (Testing the product took several weeks).
Common Mistakes
Watch Out For
I made the test yesterday.
I took / sat the test yesterday. (Use take or sit, not make, with test as a noun.)
She tested good in all subjects.
She did well in all tests. / She tested well across all subjects. (After test as a verb, use an adverb, not an adjective.)
The doctor did a test to me.
The doctor carried out a test on me. / The doctor tested me for anaemia. (Use on for procedures performed on a person, or test someone for something.)