Adult ESL/ELL High Beginner Quiz: Verifying Details
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Verifying DetailsQuestion 1 of 9

Read this paragraph from a health class handout:

'Adults should drink about 8 glasses of water per day. One glass is about 8 ounces. Drinking enough water helps your body in many ways. It keeps your skin healthy, helps your kidneys work well, and can reduce headaches. Coffee and soda do not count as water because they can actually cause your body to lose water. Fruit and vegetables also contain water and can help you stay hydrated.'

After reading the handout, a student says: 'We should drink 8 glasses of water a day. Coffee counts toward that total because it is a liquid. Eating fruits and vegetables can also help with hydration.' The student needs to reread the handout to fix one misunderstanding. Which statement was incorrect?

The student said we should drink 8 glasses of water a day, but the handout recommends 10 glasses per day for adults.
The student said one glass is 8 ounces, but the handout states that one glass equals 10 ounces of water.
The student said fruits and vegetables help with hydration, but the handout says only vegetables contain water, not fruit.
The student said coffee counts toward the daily water total, but the handout says coffee can cause the body to lose water and does not count.
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Adult ESL/ELL High Beginner Quiz

Adult ESL/ELL High Beginner Quiz: Verifying Details

Practice Verifying Details in Adult ESL/ELL High 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 Verifying Details, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for Adult ESL/ELL High 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

Read this paragraph from a health class handout:

'Adults should drink about 8 glasses of water per day. One glass is about 8 ounces. Drinking enough water helps your body in many ways. It keeps your skin healthy, helps your kidneys work well, and can reduce headaches. Coffee and soda do not count as water because they can actually cause your body to lose water. Fruit and vegetables also contain water and can help you stay hydrated.'

After reading the handout, a student says: 'We should drink 8 glasses of water a day. Coffee counts toward that total because it is a liquid. Eating fruits and vegetables can also help with hydration.' The student needs to reread the handout to fix one misunderstanding. Which statement was incorrect?

  1. The student said we should drink 8 glasses of water a day, but the handout recommends 10 glasses per day for adults.
  2. The student said one glass is 8 ounces, but the handout states that one glass equals 10 ounces of water.
  3. The student said fruits and vegetables help with hydration, but the handout says only vegetables contain water, not fruit.
  4. The student said coffee counts toward the daily water total, but the handout says coffee can cause the body to lose water and does not count. (correct answer)
Explanation: When a reading question asks you to find a "misunderstanding," your job is to compare what the student said against what the passage actually states — word by word if needed. Look for any place where the student changed, added, or missed information. The student made three claims. Two of them match the handout perfectly: the handout does recommend 8 glasses of water per day, and it does say fruits and vegetables help with hydration. The third claim — that coffee counts toward the daily water total — directly contradicts the passage. The handout clearly states that coffee "does not count as water" and can actually cause your body to lose water. That makes D the correct answer. The student misread or misremembered this key detail. Now let's look at why the other choices are wrong. A is incorrect because the handout does recommend 8 glasses per day — the student got this right, so there is no mistake to fix here. B is a trap: the handout does say one glass equals 8 ounces, and the student never mentioned ounces at all, so this is not the misunderstanding. C is also wrong because the handout says both fruits and vegetables contain water — not just vegetables. This choice tries to trick you by reversing which item was excluded. A useful strategy: when the question says a student has "one misunderstanding," go through each student statement one at a time and match it to the passage. The incorrect statement will directly conflict with something the text says. Train yourself to underline key facts in the passage — like "coffee does not count" — so you catch contradictions quickly.

Question 2

Maria is looking for a new apartment. She reads this ad online:

'2-bedroom apartment for rent. Located on Oak Street, near the bus stop. Rent is $950 per month. Pets are allowed with a $200 deposit. Water and trash are included. Tenant pays electricity. Available starting June 1st. Call Mr. Rivera at 555-3847.'

After reading the ad, Maria tells her friend: 'The apartment costs $950 a month, and I don't have to pay any extra fees. All utilities are included, and I can move in on June 1st.'

Maria made a misunderstanding when she told her friend about the apartment. What detail did she get wrong?

  1. She said the rent is $950 per month, but the ad says the rent is $1,150 per month including all fees.
  2. She said all utilities are included, but the ad says the tenant must pay electricity separately. (correct answer)
  3. She said she can move in on June 1st, but the ad says the apartment is available starting July 1st.
  4. She said pets are allowed, but the ad says no pets are permitted in the apartment.
Explanation: When reading ads or notices, pay close attention to every detail — especially when a question asks what someone "got wrong." Your job is to compare what the ad actually says with what the person claims it says. In this passage, Maria makes a specific error about utilities. The ad clearly states "Water and trash are included" but also says "Tenant pays electricity." This means only some utilities are included — not all. When Maria tells her friend "all utilities are included," she is incorrect. That makes B the right answer: the ad specifically requires tenants to pay electricity separately, which Maria missed entirely. Looking at the other choices helps you understand why they are traps. A is wrong because the ad does say the rent is $950 per month — Maria got that part right. The number $1,150 never appears in the ad at all, so this answer invents false information. C is wrong because the ad clearly states "Available starting June 1st," which is exactly what Maria told her friend — so she got the move-in date correct. D is wrong because the ad does allow pets (with a deposit), and Maria never even mentioned pets to her friend, so this answer is based on a situation that didn't happen in the conversation. A useful strategy: when a question asks what someone "got wrong," read each answer choice and check it directly against the original text, word by word. Distractors often use information that is close to the truth or simply invented — so always go back to the source before choosing your answer.

Question 3

Read this text message conversation:

Luis: 'Hey, are you coming to the soccer game Saturday?' Tom: 'Yes! What time does it start?' Luis: 'It starts at 3:00 p.m. at Greenfield Park. Bring $5 for parking. Oh, and wear your blue jersey if you have one.' Tom: 'Got it. My sister wants to come too. Is that okay?' Luis: 'Of course! The more the better. See you there!'

Tom tells his sister: 'We're going to the soccer game Saturday at 3 p.m. at Greenfield Park. Parking is free, and Luis said to wear a blue jersey.'

Tom's sister decides to reread the messages herself. What detail will she find that Tom reported incorrectly?

  1. Tom said parking is free, but the messages say parking costs $5 at Greenfield Park. (correct answer)
  2. Tom said to wear a blue jersey, but the messages say to wear a red jersey to the game on Saturday.
  3. Tom said the game is at Greenfield Park, but the messages say it is at Riverside Field on the east side of town.
  4. Tom said the game starts at 3 p.m., but the messages say the game starts at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.
Explanation: When you see a question asking you to compare what someone said with what was actually written, your job is to be a fact-checker. Read the original source carefully, then compare each detail the person reported against what the source actually says. In this conversation, Luis clearly tells Tom: "Bring $5 for parking." That's a specific, concrete detail. When Tom summarizes the plan for his sister, he says "parking is free" — which directly contradicts the original message. That makes A the correct answer. Tom got the parking detail wrong. Now let's look at why the other choices don't work. B says the messages mention a red jersey, but that's completely invented — Luis specifically says "blue jersey," which matches exactly what Tom told his sister. There's no error there. C claims the messages say the game is at "Riverside Field," but Luis clearly states the location is Greenfield Park — again, Tom got this detail right. D suggests the messages say 3:30 p.m., but the text clearly reads "3:00 p.m." — another detail Tom reported correctly. Notice that choices B, C, and D all introduce false information that doesn't appear anywhere in the original messages. This is a common trap: the wrong answers try to confuse you by changing details that Tom actually reported correctly. Your strategy: when comparing a report to a source, go line by line through each detail. Don't rely on memory — match every fact in the retelling back to the original text before choosing your answer.

Question 4

Read this notice posted on an apartment building bulletin board:

'IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL RESIDENTS The building's water will be shut off on Wednesday, October 8th from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for pipe repairs. Hot water only will be shut off on Thursday, October 9th from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Please store enough water for your needs on Wednesday. We apologize for the inconvenience. Contact the building manager, Mr. Park, at Apartment 1A with any questions.'

A resident named Grace reads the notice quickly and tells her roommate: 'All the water is being shut off Wednesday AND Thursday. We need to store water for both days. We can talk to Mr. Park in Apartment 1A if we have questions.' What misunderstanding should Grace go back and correct?

  1. She said Mr. Park lives in Apartment 1A, but the notice says Mr. Park lives in Apartment 1B on the second floor.
  2. She said all water is shut off on both days, but only all water is off Wednesday — only hot water is shut off on Thursday. (correct answer)
  3. She said to store water for both days, but the notice says to store water only for Thursday, not for Wednesday.
  4. She said the water shuts off at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, but the notice says the shutdown starts at 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday.
Explanation: When reading notices or instructions, your job is to track each specific detail carefully — small differences in meaning can completely change what you need to do. Grace made a common mistake: she read quickly and over-generalized, treating both days as identical when they are actually different. Look at what the notice actually says: on Wednesday, all water is shut off (8 a.m.–2 p.m.), and residents should store water for that day. On Thursday, only hot water is shut off (9 a.m.–12 p.m.), meaning cold water still works. Grace told her roommate that all water is shut off on both days and that they need to store water for both — but Thursday doesn't require stored water because the cold water supply remains available. Answer B correctly identifies this misunderstanding. Answer A is incorrect because the notice clearly states Mr. Park is in Apartment 1A — Grace got that detail right. Answer C gets the days backwards: the notice says to store water for Wednesday (when all water is off), not Thursday. Answer D is a made-up error — the notice does say 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, exactly as Grace reported. A good strategy for these "reading comprehension" questions is to slow down on words like only, all, some, and specific times or dates — these are precision words that carry critical meaning. When a passage distinguishes between two events, ask yourself: Are these the same, or are they different in an important way? Grace's mistake is a classic example of missing that key difference.

Question 5

Read this email from a doctor's office:

'Dear Mr. Thompson, This is a reminder that your appointment is on Thursday, March 14th at 2:30 p.m. Please arrive 15 minutes early to complete paperwork. Bring your insurance card and a photo ID. If you need to cancel, please call us at least 24 hours before your appointment. Our office is located at 88 Pine Avenue, Suite 3. Parking is free in the back lot. Thank you, Dr. Lee's Office'

Mr. Thompson reads the email and tells his wife: 'My appointment is on Thursday at 2:30. I need to get there by 2:15, bring my insurance card, and I can park for free out front.' What detail does he need to go back and verify because he stated it incorrectly?

  1. He said his appointment is at 2:30, but the email states his appointment time is at 2:45 p.m. on Thursday.
  2. He said he needs to arrive by 2:15, but the email says to arrive 30 minutes early, not 15 minutes early.
  3. He said parking is free out front, but the email states that free parking is in the back lot, not out front. (correct answer)
  4. He said he needs to bring his insurance card, but the email says to bring only a photo ID and leave the insurance card at home.
Explanation: When reading a passage and then checking someone's summary of it, your job is to compare each detail they stated against what the original text actually says — like a fact-checker looking for the one thing that doesn't match. Mr. Thompson got most of the details right, but one slipped through. The email clearly states that free parking is available "in the back lot." Mr. Thompson told his wife the parking is free "out front." That single word — front instead of back — makes his statement incorrect, and C is the answer he needs to verify. Looking at the wrong choices helps sharpen your reading skills. Choice A is a trap that invents false information — the email never mentions 2:45 p.m. The appointment is at 2:30, exactly as Mr. Thompson said, so there is nothing wrong with that detail. Choice B tries to trick you by changing a number — it claims the email says to arrive 30 minutes early, but the email actually says 15 minutes early. Mr. Thompson correctly said 2:15, which is 15 minutes before 2:30, so this detail is accurate. Choice D is also invented — the email specifically asks him to bring both his insurance card and a photo ID, never telling him to leave the card at home. A helpful strategy: when a question asks you to find a mistake in someone's retelling, go through each detail one by one and match it directly to the passage. Wrong answer choices on this type of question often either invent new errors or reverse a detail — like changing "back" to "front" — so slow down and check each word carefully.

Question 6

Read this flyer from a community center:

'FREE ENGLISH CLASSES Who can attend: Adults 18 and older When: Every Tuesday and Thursday, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Where: Room 12, Lincoln Community Center, 400 West Main Street Start date: September 5th (Thursday) To register: Call 555-1200 or visit the front desk Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Note: Class size is limited to 20 students. Register early!'

Pedro reads the flyer and wants to sign up. He tells his neighbor: 'The free English class starts on a Tuesday, September 5th. It meets Tuesday and Thursday evenings. I need to call 555-1200 to register.' Which part of what Pedro said should he go back and reread to correct?

  1. He said the class is free, but the flyer states there is a small registration fee of $10 per session.
  2. He said the class starts on a Tuesday, but September 5th is listed as a Thursday in the flyer, so the first class is on a Thursday. (correct answer)
  3. He said the class meets on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, but the flyer says it meets on Monday and Wednesday evenings.
  4. He said he can call 555-1200 to register, but the flyer says registration is only available in person at the front desk.
Explanation: When you read a flyer or notice, your job is to match the details exactly — dates, times, and facts must line up perfectly. Pedro made a small but important mistake, and this question tests whether you can spot it. Look closely at the flyer's "Start date" line: it says September 5th (Thursday). The flyer even puts "Thursday" in parentheses to make it clear. Pedro told his neighbor the class starts on a Tuesday — but that's wrong. The first class is on a Thursday. This is why B is correct. Pedro needs to go back and reread the start date section. Choice A is incorrect because the flyer clearly says "FREE" at the top. There is no mention of a $10 fee anywhere — this detail was invented to trick you into doubting information that is actually accurate. Choice C is incorrect because Pedro got the days right — Tuesday and Thursday. The flyer does say the class meets on those two days. Pedro's mistake was about the start date, not the meeting days. Choice D is incorrect because the flyer offers two ways to register: call 555-1200 or visit the front desk. Pedro said he would call, which is a perfectly valid option according to the flyer. Strategy tip: When a question asks you to find someone's mistake, check every specific detail — especially numbers, dates, and times — against the original text word by word. Distractors often change a detail that was actually stated correctly, so always verify before eliminating an answer.

Question 7

Read this bus schedule announcement:

'Starting Monday, May 5th, Bus Route 14 will have new hours. On weekdays, the first bus leaves Downtown Station at 5:45 a.m. The last bus leaves Downtown Station at 11:15 p.m. On weekends, the first bus leaves at 7:00 a.m. and the last bus leaves at 10:00 p.m. The bus will still stop at all regular stops. The fare remains $1.75 for adults and $0.85 for seniors and children under 12. Monthly passes are still accepted.'

Rosa reads the announcement and tells her coworker: 'Bus 14 changes starting May 5th. On weekdays, the first bus is at 5:45 a.m. and the last is at 11:15 p.m. On weekends, the last bus is at 10:00 p.m. The adult fare is now $2.00.' Which detail did Rosa state incorrectly and would need to verify by rereading?

  1. She said the adult fare is $2.00, but the announcement states the adult fare remains $1.75, not $2.00. (correct answer)
  2. She said the last weekday bus is at 11:15 p.m., but the announcement says the last weekday bus leaves at 11:45 p.m.
  3. She said the changes start on May 5th, but the announcement says the new schedule begins on June 5th instead.
  4. She said the last weekend bus is at 10:00 p.m., but the announcement says the last weekend bus leaves at 9:30 p.m.
Explanation: When reading informational texts like schedules or announcements, a key skill is comparing what someone says about a text to what the text actually states. Your job here is to act like a fact-checker — find the one detail Rosa reported differently from the original announcement. Go through Rosa's statements one by one and match them to the passage. She correctly stated that the changes begin May 5th, that the first weekday bus is at 5:45 a.m., that the last weekday bus is at 11:15 p.m., and that the last weekend bus is at 10:00 p.m. — all of these match the announcement perfectly. However, Rosa said the adult fare is now $2.00. The announcement clearly states the fare remains $1.75. Rosa not only got the number wrong, she also implied it changed ("now $2.00"), when the passage specifically says the fare stays the same. That makes A the correct answer. Choices B, C, and D are traps because they introduce errors into details that Rosa actually stated correctly. B claims the last weekday bus is at 11:45 p.m. — but both Rosa and the announcement say 11:15 p.m. C invents a "June 5th" start date that appears nowhere in the passage. D claims the last weekend bus is at 9:30 p.m., contradicting both Rosa and the announcement, which both say 10:00 p.m. These wrong answers try to confuse you by changing details that were never the problem. Study tip: When a question asks "what did someone state incorrectly," always return to the original text and compare each detail side by side — don't rely on memory alone.

Question 8

Listen to this voicemail message. (Read the transcript.)

'Hi, this message is for Diane. This is Kevin from Fresh Mart grocery store. You applied for a part-time cashier position. We would like to invite you for an interview this Friday, April 18th, at 10:30 a.m. Please come to the store entrance and ask for the store manager, Sandra. The interview will last about 30 minutes. Please bring two forms of ID and your work history. If you cannot make it, please call us back at 555-7700 by Thursday afternoon. We look forward to meeting you!'

Diane listens to the voicemail and writes down: 'Interview at Fresh Mart — Friday, April 18, 10:30 a.m. Ask for Sandra. Bring one form of ID and my work history. Call 555-7700 if I can't go.' What error did Diane make in her notes?

  1. She wrote the interview is on Friday, April 18th, but the voicemail says the interview is on Thursday, April 18th.
  2. She wrote to ask for Sandra, but the voicemail says to ask for the assistant manager, not the store manager.
  3. She wrote the phone number as 555-7700, but the voicemail states the correct callback number is 555-7007.
  4. She wrote to bring one form of ID, but the voicemail says to bring two forms of ID to the interview. (correct answer)
Explanation: When you take notes from a recorded message, your job is to copy the key details accurately. Questions like this test whether you can catch small but important differences between what was said and what was written down. Compare Diane's notes to the voicemail carefully, detail by detail. The voicemail clearly states: "Please bring two forms of ID and your work history." However, Diane wrote "one form of ID." That's a factual error — she changed the number. This makes D the correct answer. If Diane shows up with only one form of ID, she may have a problem at her interview. Now let's look at why the other choices are wrong. A is incorrect because the voicemail does say "Friday, April 18th" — Diane wrote that correctly. There is no day-of-week error. B is a trap — the voicemail says to ask for "the store manager, Sandra," not the assistant manager. Diane wrote "ask for Sandra," which is accurate enough. The title detail in choice B is fabricated and doesn't appear in her notes at all. C is also a trap designed to make you second-guess the phone number. Both the voicemail and Diane's notes say 555-7700 — there is no difference there. A good strategy: when a question asks you to spot an error in someone's notes, go through each detail in the passage one at a time — time, date, name, number, and instructions. Errors often hide in small words like "one" vs. "two."

Question 9

Anna is listening to a recorded announcement at the library:

'The Riverside Public Library will be closed on Saturday, November 2nd for staff training. We will reopen on Sunday, November 3rd at noon. Our regular Sunday hours are 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. On Monday, we will return to normal hours: 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. If you need to return books while we are closed, please use the drop box at the front entrance. Late fees will not be charged during the closure period.'

After listening to the announcement, Anna says: 'The library is closed Saturday because of training. I can return my books in the drop box. It reopens Sunday at noon and goes back to regular hours — 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. — on Sunday too.' What misunderstanding did Anna make?

  1. She said the library is closed for staff training, but the announcement says it is closed for a special community event.
  2. She said she can use the drop box to return books, but the announcement says the drop box is only for new book requests.
  3. She said the 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. hours return on Sunday, but the announcement says those regular hours return on Monday, not Sunday. (correct answer)
  4. She said the library reopens at noon on Sunday, but the announcement says it reopens at 9 a.m. on Sunday morning.
Explanation: When a passage gives you multiple specific details — times, dates, rules — listening comprehension questions often test whether you can catch small mix-ups between what was actually said and what someone thought they heard. Here, your job is to compare Anna's summary word-by-word against the announcement. The announcement clearly states two separate schedules: Sunday hours are 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Monday is when the library returns to normal hours of 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Anna correctly summarized several details, but she made one critical error — she said the 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. hours return on Sunday, when the announcement specifically says those hours return on Monday. That's the misunderstanding, making C the correct answer. Looking at the distractors: A is wrong because Anna correctly stated the library is closed for staff training — that matches the announcement exactly. B is wrong because Anna correctly understood the drop box is for returning books during the closure — the announcement confirms this. D is the tricky one, because it inverts an actual fact. Anna correctly said the library reopens Sunday at noon — she got that right. Answer D falsely claims she said 9 a.m., which she did not. A useful strategy: when a question asks "what misunderstanding did someone make," go through each detail the person stated and check it against the text one by one. The wrong answers will often describe errors the person didn't make, so your job is to find the one detail that genuinely doesn't match.