year

9
national assessment program
literacy and numeracy

language
conventions 2008

0:45 Time available for students to complete

test: 45 minutes
Use 2B or HB
pencil only

© Curriculum Corporation, on behalf of the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs, 2008.
 YEAR 9 LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS
The spelling mistakes in these texts have been circled.
Write the correct spelling for each circled word in the box provided.

1
Our new comunuty hospital is community

equipped with an operating theatre.

2
Previusly patients had to travel Previously

3
to the city for sergary . surgery

Marcia had always wanted to go to Africa.

4
It was an acheivment when she had achievement

5
saved suficent money for the trip. sufficient

6
Africa had seemed so exsotic in her exotic

7
imaganaton but now she wondered imagination

whether she should buy a car instead.

Many athletes have found that regular

8
training can make a substaintal difference substantial

9
to their level of performence . performance

© MCEETYA 2008


 YEAR 9 LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS
Each sentence has one word that is incorrect.
Write the correct spelling of the word in the box.

10
10 Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar sistem. System

11
11 The guests at the party consummed all the food. consumed

12 The siren sounded and we had to avacuate 12

evacuate
the building.

13
13 Unfortunately the space mission ended in falure. failure

14 The natural environment is a great place 14

recreational
for recreasional activities.

15
15 He was overwelmed by the amount of work.
overwhelmed

16
16 The clock was anteak and very valuable. antique

17
17 The audience aplorded at the end of the show. applauded

© MCEETYA 2008


 YEAR 9 LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS
Each sentence has one word that is incorrect.
Write the correct spelling of the word in the box.

18
18 The recipiants waited to be handed their trophies. recipients

19
vulnerable
19 Rabbits are vunerable to attack from predators.

20
20 The anouncment was made over the radio. announcement

21
21 The accident was caused by my neglegence. negligence

22
22 The satalite is in orbit around Earth. satellite

23
23 Zebras have stripes for camiflarge. camouflage

24 The correspondence was so feignt 24

feign
it was barely visible.

25 The goverment is responsible for funding 25

government
various services.

© MCEETYA 2008


 YEAR 9 LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS
26 Which of the following correctly completes the sentence?
Shade one
bubble.
George to the movies if his mother had let him.

have gone will have gone would not gone would have gone

27 Which of the following has the correct punctuation?

“Who dropped that.” nobody said a word.

“Who dropped that.” Nobody said a word.
“Who dropped that?” Nobody said a word.
“Who dropped that? nobody,” said a word.

28 Which of the following correctly completes the sentence?

Andrew has he likes to call a great talent!

why when who what

29 Which of the following correctly completes the sentence?

She knew she the perfect dress the minute she saw it.

finds will find has found had found

30 Which of the following correctly completes the sentence?

The girl likely to win is a genius.

whos who’s whose whose’

© MCEETYA 2008


 YEAR 9 LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS
31 Which of the following correctly completes the sentence?
Shade one
bubble.
The f ireworks were so exciting I watched them all night.

couldve could’ve could of could’ave

32 Which sentence has the correct punctuation?

Mum said, No swimming without an adult.

Mum said “No swimming without an adult.”
“Mum said” No swimming without an adult.
Mum said, “No swimming without an adult.”

33 Which of the following correctly completes the sentence?

He looked at the photos .

real close real closely really close really closely

34 Which of the following correctly completes the sentence?

It was a beautifully printed picture book with an front cover.

colourful lovely exquisite gorgeous

35 Shade one bubble to show where the missing apostrophe ( ’ ) should go.

Peoples ideas about animals in zoos make me angry.

© MCEETYA 2008


 YEAR 9 LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS
36 Which sentence has the correct punctuation? Shade one
bubble.
The train was really crowded today; I have no idea why.
The train was really crowded, today, I have no idea, why.
The train was really crowded today; I have no idea why?
The train was really crowded today, I have no idea why?

37 Which sentence has the correct punctuation?

“We need to start rehearsing, said Ms Peters so get your skates on.”
“We need to start rehearsing” said Ms Peters “so get your skates on.”
“We need to start rehearsing,” said Ms Peters, “so get your skates on.”
“We need to start rehearsing,” said Ms Peters, “So get your skates on.”

38 Which of the following correctly completes the sentence?

The sign on the door said it was for only.

performer’s performers performers’ performers’s

39 Which sentence has the correct punctuation?

Mum said to obey all the signs, so we went the other way.
Mum said, to obey all the signs, so we went the other way.
Mum said, “to obey all the signs, so we went the other way.”
Mum said “To obey all the signs, so we went the other way.”

40 Which sentence has the correct punctuation?

My little brother Joe is the only one who hasn’t started school yet.
My little brother Joe, is the only one who, hasn’t started school yet.
My little brother, Joe is the only one, who hasn’t started school yet.
My little brother Joe is the only one who hasn’t, started school, yet.

© MCEETYA 2008


 YEAR 9 LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS
41 Which sentence has the correct punctuation? Shade one
bubble.
The man, got out of the car before it burst into f lames and ran away.
The man got out of the car before, it burst into f lames and ran away.
The man got out of the car, before it burst into f lames, and ran away.
The man, got out of the car, before it burst into f lames, and ran away.

42 Which sentence has the correct punctuation?

I remember her, when she was a baby now she’s a company director.
I remember her, when she was a baby, now she’s a company director.
I remember her when she was a baby; now she’s a company director.
I remember her when she was a baby! now she’s a company director.

© MCEETYA 2008


 YEAR 9 LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS
Read Word origins and answer questions 43 and 44.

���� �������
Many of the words in today’s dictionaries have Greek origins. The word
kratia means power or rule. The word ending -cracy denotes a particular
type of government. Autocracy refers to rule by one independent
power, and democracy means, literally, people power. A plutocracy is
government by the wealthy, and the word is derived from the name of
the Greek god of riches, Ploutos.

43 This text is written in the

Shade one
past tense. bubble.

present tense.
future tense.

44 In this text, the word kratia is in italics because it is

a title.
a technical word.
difficult to pronounce.
a word from another language.

© MCEETYA 2008


 YEAR 9 LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS
Read Jacques Cousteau and answer questions 45 to 47.

Jacques Cousteau
French diver Jacques Cousteau was influential in making the general public
aware of the underwater world. Through his documentaries featuring sunken
wrecks and those featuring the natural marine
environment, Cousteau’s film work captivated
people worldwide. His films allowed audiences
to glimpse a new world.

Image: Luiz Baltar / stock.xchng

45 In the first sentence, the word French is used as

Shade one
a verb. bubble.

a noun.
an adverb.
an adjective.

46 This text has been written in the

first person.
second person.
third person.

47 In the last sentence, the word allowed is used as

a verb.
a noun.
an adverb.
an adjective.

© MCEETYA 2008

10
 YEAR 9 LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS
Read Advertising and answer questions 48 to 50.

Advertising
Advertising is an integral part of our lives because we are all consumers of
products, services and ideas. It is so much a part of our lives that we can’t
imagine a world without it. It has become the air we breathe.
Influential advertisers invade our personal space through our computers,
televisions and radios. Free gifts are offered to entice and persuade.
Canny consumers can read between the lines, and so avoid being conned by
the hype.

48 In the opening sentence, the word Advertising is used as

Shade one
a verb. bubble.

a noun.
an adverb.
an adjective.

49 In the third sentence, the air we breathe is an example of

a simile.
a metaphor.
alliteration.
personif ication.

50 In the last sentence, Canny consumers is an example of

a rhyme.
a simile.
alliteration.
exaggeration.

END OF Test
© MCEETYA 2008

11
 YEAR 9 Language Conventions practice questions
The spelling mistake in this sentence has been circled.
Write the correct spelling for the circled word in the box.

P1 We went to scool .

The sentence below has one word that is incorrect.

Write the correct spelling of the word in the box.

P2 We bought sum bread.

P3 Which of the following correctly completes the sentence?

Shade one
bubble.
Do you have pet?

a if he she

P4 Which sentence is correct?

Some people like cats best than dogs.

Some people like cats better than dogs.
Some people like cats more best than dogs.
Some people like cats more better than dogs.

P5 Shade one bubble to show where the missing full stop ( . ) should go.

We arrived at school on time

© Curriculum Corporation, on behalf of the Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs, 2008.