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Year 9 NAPLAN Language

Year 9 NAPLAN Language Conventions Practice — Set 2

This is a second, independent practice set with 10 brand-new questions on register, cohesive devices, advanced punctuation and concise editing for the Year 9 NAPLAN Language Conventions assessment.

Exam Tips for Year 9 Language Conventions

1. Match the register — formal writing avoids slang and casual filler; check that every sentence suits its audience.
2. Track cohesion — connectives like "consequently" and "however" tell you how ideas relate, not just that they're linked.
3. Edit for concision — if a phrase can be cut without losing meaning, the exam wants you to cut it.
4. Punctuation precision — know exactly when to reach for a semicolon, a colon, or a pair of dashes.

What This Test Covers

The Language Conventions test has about 50 questions in 45 minutes. This set focuses on three related areas:

Vocabulary & Style

Commonly confused words, appropriate register and tone for formal writing.

Cohesion & Concision

Linking sentences and paragraphs logically, and editing wordy sentences for clarity.

Punctuation

Semicolons, colons and dashes used precisely in complex sentences.

Common Traps for Year 9 Students

⚠ affect / effect — affect is usually the verb (to influence), effect is usually the noun (a result)
⚠ elicit / illicit — elicit means to draw out, illicit means forbidden or illegal
⚠ Semicolon vs colon — semicolons join two complete sentences; colons introduce an explanation or list
⚠ Register slips — slang and filler words ("like", "stuff", "totally") don't belong in formal writing

Knowledge Check (Set 2)

NAPLAN Style

Answer all 10 questions. This set covers vocabulary, style, cohesion and punctuation just like the real test.

Score: 0 / 0

Question 1 — Vocabulary

Which word correctly completes the sentence? "The new policy will ___ every department within the school."

Question 2 — Vocabulary

Which word correctly completes the sentence? "The detective's questions were designed to ___ a confession from the suspect."

Question 3 — Register

Which sentence is written in a register appropriate for a formal school report?

Question 4 — Cohesion

Which connective best links these two ideas? "Public transport use has increased steadily since 2020. ___, congestion on major roads has fallen by twelve per cent."

Question 5 — Cohesion

Which version most effectively uses cohesive devices to link the ideas below?

Question 6 — Punctuation

Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon?

Question 7 — Punctuation

Which sentence correctly uses a colon?

Question 8 — Punctuation

Which sentence uses a pair of dashes correctly to add a parenthetical aside?

Question 9 — Concision

Which is the most concise and clear version of this idea? "Due to the fact that the weather was extremely cold, the excursion that had been planned for the students was cancelled by the school."

Question 10 — Concision

Which sentence removes unnecessary redundancy while keeping the same meaning?

Key Concepts Summary