YEAR

LANGUAGE
CONVENTIONS

0:45

Time available for students to
complete test: 45 minutes

© Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority

9

Example test

Use 2B or HB
pencil only

 Do not write on this page.

YEAR 9 LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS
The spelling mistakes in these sentences have been circled.
Write the correct spelling for each circled word in the box.
The nineteenth-century bilding was
heritage listed.

1

1

The bravary of our lifesavers at the beach is
legendary.

2

2

Doing daily sit-ups is an excellent way to
strengthen the stummick muscles.

3

3

4

It was the begining of the school year.

Tiny particals of dust were floating in the
sunlight.

5

5

When Kim saw the advertisment on television,
she knew what she wanted for her birthday.

6

6

The hostel was not big enough to
acommidate all the backpackers.

7

7

8

All donations to charities are greatfuly received.

9

Nurses take a consientous approach
to patient care.

4

8

9

© ACARA

3

 YEAR 9 LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS
Read the text The Christmas Island red crab.
The spelling mistakes have been circled.
Write the correct spelling for each circled word in the box.
The Christmas Island red crab
10

Christmas Island is home to many unique
speacies . The most famous of these is the
Christmas Island red crab.

11

Tourists visit the island for the red crabs’
anuell migration to the sea to spawn.

12

At the peak of the migration season, the crabs
cover the island so denssley that they can be
seen from the air.

10

11

12

Read the text Sun protection.
The spelling mistakes have been circled.
Write the correct spelling for each circled word in the box.
Sun protection
13

13

I occasionly wonder about some of my friends.

14

They still go out into the sun without the
appropriet protection.

14

15

They know that this inevitibly causes
skin damage.

15

16

Why do people do this when the damage
is preventibel ?

16

© ACARA

4

 YEAR 9 LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS
Read the text Why do we yawn?
Each sentence has one word that is incorrect.
Write the correct spelling of the word in the box.
Why do we yawn?

17

Imagine you are at a meeting in a crowded
and poorly ventillated room.

17

18

If someone starts yawning, so do you, because
yawning is an infectious and involentry action.

18

19

One suggestion as to why people yawn is
that it elervates the amount of oxygen in their
bloodstream.

20

Extra oxygen might help to alleviate fatige.

19

20

Each sentence has one word that is incorrect.
Write the correct spelling of the word in the box.
The coach made the team watch a vidio of
the previous game.

21

21

The chemical structure of many plastics makes
them flexable.

22

22

23

The detective was sertain of the identity of
the suspect.

23

The volcanic erruption spread lava across the
region.

24

24

© ACARA

5

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

25

The catastrophic storm and subseqent flooding
cost billions.

26

The perimeter of a circle is its circumfrance.

The author has created an admirable character
who has intelligents and curiosity.

27

27

The survey committee was asked to exclude
any irelevent data.

28

28

The persistant winds and associated downpour
caused havoc.

29

29

30

For our health project, we had to record our
kilojul intake for an entire week.

30

25

26

For questions 31 to 57 shade one bubble to show your answer.

31

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

Peoples ideas about animals in zoos make me angry.

© ACARA

6

 YEAR 9 LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS
Read the text Shanaka Fernando. The text has some gaps.
Choose the correct option to fill each gap.
Shanaka Fernando

32

In 2007, Melbourne’s Shanaka Fernando was
awarded the Australia’s Local Hero Award
of his work as the founder of the
not-for-profit restaurants, Lentil as Anything.

33

Shanaka made a speech when he accepted
his award. His comments on the meaning of
being Australian

34

.

“I didn’t know the answer to the question
of what it means to be Australian until quite
,” said Shanaka.

35

“I went out into country Victoria with
refugees for a tree planting weekend, and I
came into contact

I considered an

amazing spirit of community and openness.

36

To be Australian

welcoming of others.

It is to encourage each other to shine and to
reach our full potential.”

for recognising
in recognising
for recognition
in recognition

is interesting
were interesting
was interesting
will be interesting

recently
before
now
soon

with who
with which
with what
with where

is I think to be,
is, I think to be
is I think, to be
is, I think, to be

© ACARA

7

 YEAR 9 LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS
37

Which sentence is correct?
Helen paid for that tickets with my money.
Helen paid for this tickets with my money.
Helen paid for them tickets with my money.
Helen paid for those tickets with my money.

38

Where should the missing apostrophe ( ’ ) go?

The cross-section of a fallen tree shows its growth rings, which indicate

the trees age.

39

Which option correctly completes the sentence?
running out of oil—the backbone of modern economies
and the fuel of western civilisation.
Were

40

We’re

Where

We’are

Which sentence uses speech marks ( “ and ” ) correctly?
“Quietly he asked,” Where did you leave it?”
Quietly he asked, “Where did you leave it?”
“Quietly he asked, where did you leave it?”
Quietly he asked”, where did you leave it?”

© ACARA

8

 YEAR 9 LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS
41

Which word correctly completes the sentence?
Blueback.

The first of Tim Winton’s novels that I read
am

42

are

was

were

Which sentence is correct?
Regarding Nell, my tennis skills are quite basic.
In regards to Nell, my tennis skills are quite basic.
Comparing with Nell’s, my tennis skills are quite basic.
In comparison with Nell’s, my tennis skills are quite basic.

43

How could this sentence be rewritten correctly with the same meaning?
“Does Jacinta want to use the computer this morning?” Ben asked his dad.
Ben asked his dad did Jacinta want to use the computer this morning.
Ben asked Jacinta if she wanted to use the computer this morning.
Ben asked Jacinta that she wants to use the computer this morning.
Ben asked his dad whether Jacinta wanted to use the computer this morning.

44

Which words correctly complete the sentence?
, are now widely used.

Digital cameras,
since considering expensive technology
once considered expensive technology

which once considered expensive technology
in spite of considering expensive technology

© ACARA

9

 YEAR 9 LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS
Read the text Aaron and answer questions 45 and 46.
Aaron
Walking over a hill, Aaron saw that the thin bitumen road levelled out below
to wind through the low land like a struggling eel. He stood for a minute,
taking it all in: grey cloud, green ground, patches of sunlight, the lake.

45

In the first sentence, the word struggling is used as
a verb.
a noun.
an adverb.
an adjective.

46

In the second sentence, a colon ( : ) is used to
introduce an idea.
introduce a list.
separate items in a list.
separate two complete ideas.

47

Which word in this sentence is a pronoun?
They stayed away for a while, blunted and dormant.

Text on this page adapted from Stony Heart Country by David Metzenthen, Penguin Books, reproduced with
permission by Penguin Group (Australia), 1999.
© ACARA

10

 YEAR 9 LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS
48

Which word correctly completes the sentence?
The ten warmest years have all occurred
within

49

since

about

1990.
during

Which sentence is correct?
The packaging of the boxes has to be strong enough
to protect the goods that is being transported.
The packaging of the boxes have to be strong enough
to protect the goods that is being transported.
The packaging of the boxes has to be strong enough
to protect the goods that are being transported.
The packaging of the boxes have to be strong enough
to protect the goods that are being transported.

50

Which word correctly completes the sentence?
vibrate, and each produces

Plucking the strings of a guitar makes
a different range of notes.
it

51

them

that

those

Which sentence has the correct punctuation?
“Sorry I’m late, he apologised, but my car wouldn’t start.”
“Sorry I’m late” he apologised “but my car wouldn’t start.”
“Sorry I’m late,” he apologised, “but my car wouldn’t start.”
“Sorry I’m late,” he apologised, “But my car wouldn’t start.”

© ACARA

11

 YEAR 9 LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS
52

Which words correctly complete the sentence?
sustained, a rainforest requires a rainfall
of at least 1500 millimetres a year.
If they have
In order to be
So that they can
Therefore being

53

Which option correctly completes the sentence?
on Monday.

Council plans for the new pool were approved
last Friday: work will begin
last Friday, work will begin
last Friday; work will begin
last Friday! work will begin

54

Which punctuation mark should be used in both spaces in this sentence?
The three sports

cricket, netball and tennis

were played

enthusiastically by the family.
— (dash)

: (colon)

… (ellipsis)

; (semicolon)

END OF TEST

© ACARA

12