Adult ESL/ELL Beginner Quiz: Home And Housing Questions
10 questions · exam conditions
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Home And Housing QuestionsQuestion 1 of 10

Ana pays $950 every month for her apartment. Her landlord tells her that rent will go up by $75 next month.

Ana's friend asks her, 'How much will your rent be next month?' What should Ana say?

My rent will be $950 next month because I just signed my lease.
My rent will be $1,025 next month because my landlord raised it by $75.
My rent will be $1,075 next month because my landlord raised it a lot.
My rent will be $875 next month because my landlord lowered it by $75.
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Adult ESL/ELL Beginner Quiz

Adult ESL/ELL Beginner Quiz: Home And Housing Questions

Practice Home And Housing Questions in Adult ESL/ELL Beginner with focused quiz questions that help you check what you know, review explanations, and build confidence with test-style prompts.

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Home And Housing Questions, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for Adult ESL/ELL Beginner.

How to use this quiz

Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

All questions

Question 1

Ana pays $950 every month for her apartment. Her landlord tells her that rent will go up by $75 next month.

Ana's friend asks her, 'How much will your rent be next month?' What should Ana say?

  1. My rent will be $950 next month because I just signed my lease.
  2. My rent will be $1,025 next month because my landlord raised it by $75. (correct answer)
  3. My rent will be $1,075 next month because my landlord raised it a lot.
  4. My rent will be $875 next month because my landlord lowered it by $75.
Explanation: When a question gives you a starting number and tells you something increases or decreases by a specific amount, your job is simple: do the math carefully and match the explanation to the result. Here, Ana currently pays $950 per month. Her landlord raises the rent by $75. To find next month's rent, you add: $950+75=1,025950 + 75 = 1{,}025 $ So Ana should tell her friend that her rent will be $1,025. Choice B states exactly this — the correct amount with the correct reason — making it the right answer. Now let's look at why the other choices fail. Choice A says the rent stays at $950 because Ana signed a lease, but the passage clearly states the landlord is raising the rent, so $950 is the old amount, not the new one. Choice C says $1,075, which would mean the rent went up by $125, not $75 — that's a calculation error, likely from adding incorrectly. Choice D says $875, which comes from subtracting $75 instead of adding it — the opposite of what happened. The passage says the rent went up, not down. A useful strategy: when you see words like raised, increased, or went up, that means add. When you see lowered, decreased, or went down, that means subtract. On reading questions like this, always go back to the passage to confirm the direction of the change before doing any math. That one habit will help you avoid the traps in choices C and D every time.

Question 2

A new student named Jin is filling out a form at school. The form asks for his 'home address.' Jin lives at 88 Oak Avenue, Apt. 5, Boston, MA 02115. He is not sure what to write on the line.

What should Jin write on the line labeled 'Home Address'?

  1. Boston, MA 02115
  2. Apt. 5, Boston
  3. 88 Oak Avenue, Apt. 5, Boston, MA 02115 (correct answer)
  4. 88 Oak Avenue, Boston
Explanation: When filling out a form that asks for a "home address," you need to provide the complete address — every piece of information that helps someone locate exactly where you live. Think of it like giving directions: the more complete the information, the easier it is to find you. A full home address in the United States includes four parts: the street number and name, the apartment number (if there is one), the city and state, and the zip code. Jin's complete address is 88 Oak Avenue, Apt. 5, Boston, MA 02115, so answer C is correct. It includes every part needed to identify his exact location. Here is why the other choices fall short. A (Boston, MA 02115) only gives the city, state, and zip code — it tells someone what city Jin lives in, but not which street or building. That is like saying "I live in Boston" without saying where. B (Apt. 5, Boston) is missing the street name, state, and zip code, so it is far too incomplete — many buildings have an "Apt. 5." D (88 Oak Avenue, Boston) leaves out the apartment number and zip code, which means mail or visitors might never find the right unit. A helpful tip: when a form asks for "home address," always look for the answer choice that includes all of the following — street address, apartment number (if any), city, state, and zip code. If any piece is missing, that answer is likely a trap.

Question 3

A social worker asks a new immigrant, 'Do you rent or own your home?' The immigrant pays a landlord every month to live in an apartment.

Which answer CORRECTLY and completely responds to the social worker's question?

  1. I own my home. I live in an apartment and I pay every month to stay there.
  2. I rent my apartment. I pay my landlord every month to live there. (correct answer)
  3. I do not have a home right now, but I am looking for an apartment to buy.
  4. I rent and own my home because I pay money to my landlord each month.
Explanation: When someone asks "Do you rent or own your home?" they are asking a simple yes/no-style question with two choices: do you rent (pay money to a landlord to use a place) or do you own (the home belongs to you)? A good answer must do two things: pick the correct word (rent or own) and support it with accurate details from the situation. In the passage, the immigrant pays a landlord every month — this is the definition of renting. Answer B is correct because it uses the right word ("I rent"), names the correct type of home ("my apartment"), and explains the situation clearly ("I pay my landlord every month to live there"). It is complete and accurate. Answer A fails right away by saying "I own my home," which is the wrong choice — owning means the home belongs to you, not that you pay a landlord. Even though the second sentence describes renting, the first sentence gives the wrong answer, so the whole response is incorrect. Answer C is a completely different situation — it says the person has no home and is looking to buy one. Nothing in the passage supports this. This answer ignores the actual facts entirely. Answer D tries to use both words — "I rent and own" — which is confusing and wrong. You cannot rent and own the same home at the same time. Just paying money to a landlord does not mean you own anything. A helpful tip: when answering "either/or" questions like this, always pick one option and support it with specific, matching details. Mixing options or adding facts not in the passage will always lead you to a wrong answer.

Question 4

Fatima's landlord asks her, 'Are there any problems in your apartment that need repairs?' Fatima has a broken door lock, a leaking bathroom faucet, and no problems with her heating.

Which response MOST accurately and completely answers the landlord's question?

  1. Yes, my door lock is broken and my bathroom faucet is leaking. The heat is fine. (correct answer)
  2. Yes, everything in my apartment is broken and needs to be fixed. Please come as soon as possible.
  3. No, there are no problems in my apartment. Everything is working well right now.
  4. Yes, I have a broken lock. I am not sure if there is anything else that needs repair.
Explanation: When someone asks you about problems that need repairs, your job is to report only what is true — not too much, not too little. The best answer is accurate, complete, and honest. Answer A is correct because it matches exactly what Fatima knows: her door lock is broken, her faucet is leaking, and her heat works fine. She confirms there are problems (so she says "yes"), names both problems clearly, and also reassures the landlord that the heat is not an issue. This gives the landlord everything he needs — no more, no less. Answer B is wrong because it says "everything is broken," which is not true. Fatima's heating works fine. Exaggerating or overstating a problem is inaccurate and could cause confusion or distrust. Even if you want help quickly, you should only report what is actually broken. Answer C is wrong because it says there are no problems at all. This is the opposite of the truth. Fatima has two real problems that need fixing, so saying "everything is working well" is completely incorrect. Answer D is wrong because it is incomplete. Fatima mentions only the broken lock and leaves out the leaking faucet entirely. She also says she is "not sure" if there is anything else — but she already knows about the faucet. This answer is dishonest by omission and does not fully answer the landlord's question. A helpful tip: when answering a question about a real-life situation, ask yourself — Is this answer true? Is it complete? Does it match all the facts given? All three must be yes.

Question 5

A landlord says to a tenant: 'Your lease ends on June 30th. You must tell me by June 1st if you want to stay or leave. Today is May 20th.'

The tenant wants to stay. He has NOT told the landlord yet. How many days does he have left to tell the landlord, and what should he say?

  1. He has 10 days left. He should say, 'I want to stay in my apartment. I will renew my lease.'
  2. He has 11 days left. He should say, 'I want to leave my apartment before June 1st.'
  3. He has 40 days left. He should say, 'I will leave on June 30th and find a new place.'
  4. He has 12 days left. He should say, 'I want to stay in my apartment. I will renew my lease.' (correct answer)
Explanation: When a question asks "how many days are left," you need to count carefully from today's date up to and including the deadline — this is called inclusive counting. Today is May 20th, and the deadline is June 1st. Let's count: May has 31 days, so from May 20th to May 31st, that's 11 days remaining in May. Then add June 1st itself, giving you 12 days total (May 20 counts as day 1, May 21 as day 2... June 1 as day 12). The correct answer is D — 12 days, with the message "I want to stay in my apartment. I will renew my lease." Choice A gets the message right but says 10 days — this comes from subtracting 20 from 30, which ignores that May has 31 days and that June 1st itself is included. Choice B says 11 days (a common off-by-one error from stopping at May 31st and forgetting to include June 1st) and gives the completely wrong message — the tenant wants to stay, not leave early. Choice C says 40 days, likely by counting all the way to June 30th (the lease end date), but that is the wrong deadline. The landlord said to respond by June 1st, not June 30th. The message in C is also wrong because the tenant wants to stay. As a study tip: always identify which date is the real deadline in the passage — rental questions often include two dates to trick you into picking the wrong one.

Question 6

Maria just moved to a new apartment. Her neighbor asks her where she lives. Maria wants to give her full address.

Which response gives Maria's neighbor the MOST complete and useful address information?

  1. I live on Main Street in this city near the park.
  2. I live at 245 Main Street, Apartment 3B, Chicago, IL 60601. (correct answer)
  3. I live in a big apartment building with a red door on the corner.
  4. I live close to the bus stop on the north side of town.
Explanation: When someone asks for your address, they need specific, official information that would help them find you — not just a general description of the area. A complete address in the United States follows a standard format: house or building number, street name, unit number (if applicable), city, state, and ZIP code. Keeping this format in mind will help you answer questions like this one. Choice B — "I live at 245 Main Street, Apartment 3B, Chicago, IL 60601" — is correct because it includes every piece of information someone needs to locate Maria exactly: the building number (245), the street (Main Street), the specific unit (Apartment 3B), the city (Chicago), the state abbreviation (IL), and the ZIP code (60601). This is the format used on mail, forms, and official documents. Choice A gives a street name but no building number, unit, city, or ZIP code — a neighbor still wouldn't know which building or apartment Maria lives in. Choice C describes how the building looks (big, red door, on a corner), which might help someone walking nearby but is not a real address and would be useless for sending mail or sharing with others. Choice D mentions a bus stop and "the north side of town," which is vague directional information — not an address at all. A good study tip: when a question asks for the "most complete" or "most useful" response, look for the answer that gives specific, standard information rather than descriptions or directions. Official formats always beat general descriptions.

Question 7

Carlos lives in Apartment 12 at 310 Elm Street. He needs to call a repair service to fix his broken window. The repair service asks for his exact address so they can find his unit.

The repair service asks, 'What is your exact address, including your unit number?' What should Carlos say?

  1. I live at 310 Elm Street. My window is broken and I need help today.
  2. I live in Apartment 12. It is on Elm Street in this neighborhood.
  3. I live on Elm Street near a school. My number is on the mailbox outside.
  4. My address is 310 Elm Street, Apartment 12. Please come to fix my window. (correct answer)
Explanation: When someone asks for your "exact address," they need complete information to find you — that means both the street address (the building number and street name) and the unit number (apartment, suite, etc.). Think of it like giving directions: without both pieces, someone could arrive at the right building but still not know where to go. Choice D is correct because Carlos gives everything the repair service needs in one clear, complete response: "My address is 310 Elm Street, Apartment 12." He also politely states why they are coming. This matches exactly what was asked — a full address including the unit number. Choice A gives the street address but completely leaves out the apartment number. The repair service would arrive at 310 Elm Street and not know which unit to visit. It also adds unnecessary emotional detail ("I need help today") instead of answering the question directly. Choice B gives the apartment number but leaves out the building number. "Elm Street" alone is not enough — there could be many buildings on Elm Street. The service still could not find Carlos. Choice C gives no usable address at all. Saying "near a school" is vague and unhelpful, and telling them the number is "on the mailbox outside" is not how you give someone an address over the phone. A good tip to remember: a complete address in English typically follows this order — building number, street name, apartment or unit number. On questions like this, always check whether the answer includes all the requested information, not just part of it.

Question 8

Rosa calls her landlord and says, 'The heat is not working in my apartment.' The landlord asks, 'When did this problem start?'

Which answer BEST responds to the landlord's question about when the problem started?

  1. The heat is very important in winter and I need it fixed very soon.
  2. Yes, the heat is broken and my apartment is very cold every night.
  3. The heat stopped working two days ago, on Monday morning. (correct answer)
  4. I called you because I have a problem and I want you to come today.
Explanation: When someone asks you a "when" question, they want a time answer — a specific day, date, or period. This question tests whether you can match your response to what was actually asked. The landlord asks, "When did this problem start?" That means the correct answer must include information about time — when the heating stopped working. Choice C does exactly this: "The heat stopped working two days ago, on Monday morning." It directly answers the "when" question with a clear, specific time reference. This is the kind of focused, relevant response that landlords (and anyone asking a question) need to help solve a problem. Choice A talks about why heat is important and asks for a quick fix, but it completely ignores the "when" question. Saying heat is important in winter does not tell the landlord when the problem started. Choice B confirms the heat is broken and the apartment is cold, but again, it never answers when — it describes the situation instead of the timeline. Choice D explains why Rosa called and asks the landlord to come, but like the others, it skips over the "when" entirely and focuses on what Rosa wants instead. A and B and D all contain true and useful information, but they answer different questions — not the one that was actually asked. Study tip: On questions like this, always go back and underline the question word — who, what, when, where, why, how. Then eliminate any answer that doesn't directly address that word. The best answer matches the question type, not just the topic.

Question 9

Tom's lease says his rent is due on the 1st of every month. It is now the 28th. His landlord asks, 'Is your rent paid for next month?'

Tom has NOT paid yet. Which sentence CORRECTLY answers the landlord's question?

  1. No, I have not paid yet. My rent is due on the 1st, which is in three days. (correct answer)
  2. Yes, I paid my rent already. The 1st is almost here and I like to pay early.
  3. No, I cannot pay rent this month. I do not have enough money right now.
  4. Yes, my rent is always due on the 1st and I paid it at the start of the month.
Explanation: When answering a landlord's question, you need to match your response to exactly what was asked. The landlord asked about next month's rent — specifically whether Tom has paid it. Since Tom has NOT paid yet, your answer must say "no" AND explain when the rent is actually due. Keep both pieces of information in mind. Answer A is correct because it does two things well: it honestly says "no, I have not paid yet," and it explains that the rent is due on the 1st, which is three days away. This matches the facts in the passage and directly answers the landlord's question without adding false information. Answer B is wrong because it says "yes, I paid already" — but the question tells you Tom has NOT paid yet. Choosing this answer ignores the key fact given to you. Even though the reason sounds realistic, the core statement is false. Answer C is wrong for a different reason. It says Tom cannot pay because he has no money. The passage never says Tom has a money problem — only that he has not paid yet. This answer introduces a new problem that does not exist in the story, making it inaccurate. Answer D is wrong because it says "yes" and claims Tom paid at the start of the month. Again, Tom has not paid, so "yes" is incorrect. This answer also confuses this month's payment with next month's — the landlord is asking about next month's rent, not a past payment. A helpful strategy: always check that your answer matches every fact given in the passage — the "yes/no," the reason, and the timing all need to line up together.

Question 10

David's landlord calls him and asks, 'What is the problem in your apartment?' David's kitchen sink is broken and water is leaking onto the floor.

Which sentence BEST describes David's repair problem to his landlord?

  1. My apartment has a problem and I need you to come soon.
  2. Something is wrong in the kitchen and it is very bad right now.
  3. The kitchen sink is broken and water is leaking on the floor. (correct answer)
  4. There is water somewhere in my home and I am worried about it.
Explanation: When someone reports a problem to a landlord or repair person, the most helpful description is specific and complete — it tells exactly what is broken and what is happening because of it. Vague information makes it hard for the listener to understand the situation or know what to bring to fix it. Answer C — "The kitchen sink is broken and water is leaking on the floor" — is the best choice because it gives two clear, specific facts: the location of the problem (kitchen sink) and the consequence (water leaking on the floor). This matches exactly what the passage tells us about David's situation. Answer A says "my apartment has a problem and I need you to come soon," but this tells the landlord almost nothing. Which room? What kind of problem? A good report needs details, not just urgency. Answer B is slightly better — it mentions the kitchen — but "something is wrong" and "it is very bad" are still too vague. The landlord still doesn't know what is broken or what the water is doing. Answer D mentions water, but says "somewhere in my home," which is actually less specific than what David knows. David knows exactly where the water is coming from. The key strategy here is to ask yourself: Could someone picture the problem from this sentence? If the description is too general — words like "something," "a problem," or "somewhere" — it probably isn't specific enough. Always look for the answer that includes the exact object that is broken and what it is doing wrong.