What is the NAPLAN spelling test?
Spelling is assessed within Conventions of Language, before the grammar and punctuation section. Official online questions can use text entry, selected responses and other interactions. Once a student moves into the second section, the spelling section is locked.
Use the official demonstration site to explore the actual controls and audio. The written questions below are learning activities, rather than a reproduction of audio dictation or a complete test.
Official guidance: NAP: What’s in the tests · NAP: Public demonstration tests
How to use the questions and answers
The year groups are starting points for choosing an activity. They are not official word lists or difficulty ratings. Use a learner’s reading and writing to decide which words need attention.
- Read the sentence and write the corrected word before opening the answer.
- Compare the spelling letter by letter. Identify the part that changed.
- Explain a useful pattern, word family or meaningful word part.
- Write a new sentence using the word, then try recalling it later.
- If the word is unfamiliar, discuss its meaning as well as its spelling.
Year 3 spelling practice: familiar words and endings
Read, correct and explain
Correct the misspelled word: “The puppy was sleepping beside the door.”
Show answer and explanation
sleeping
Keep the base word “sleep” and add -ing. The p is not doubled: sleeping.
Correct the misspelled word: “My freind helped me carry the books.”
Show answer and explanation
friend
The middle letters are ie. Say the word, check the letter sequence and practise retrieving it in a different sentence.
Correct the misspelled word: “We were playying in the shade.”
Show answer and explanation
playing
Add -ing to “play” without doubling the y: play + ing = playing.
Year 5 spelling practice: suffixes and word families
Notice how an ending changes a word
Correct the misspelled word: “Her happyness was easy to see.”
Show answer and explanation
happiness
In “happy”, the y follows a consonant. Change it to i before adding -ness: happiness.
Correct the misspelled word: “The race was begining.”
Show answer and explanation
beginning
The final syllable of “begin” is stressed and ends in a single vowel followed by a single consonant. Double the n before -ing.
Correct the misspelled word: “We will definately return tomorrow.”
Show answer and explanation
definitely
Connect the spelling to “definite”, then add -ly. The middle of the base word contains i, rather than a.
Year 7 spelling practice: prefixes and stressed endings
Break a longer word into useful parts
Correct the misspelled word: “The team became more independant.”
Show answer and explanation
independent
The ending is -ent. The related word “dependent” helps you check the spelling of the word family.
Correct the misspelled word: “The change occured after lunch.”
Show answer and explanation
occurred
Double the final r of “occur” before -ed. The stress falls on the final syllable.
Correct the misspelled word: “The extra trip was unecessary.”
Show answer and explanation
unnecessary
Build the word from un- and “necessary”. Keep both n letters where the parts meet; “necessary” has one c and two s letters.
Year 9 spelling practice: precise longer words
Check the complete word, not just its sound
Correct the misspelled word: “The camp provided accomodation.”
Show answer and explanation
accommodation
The word has two c letters and two m letters. Chunking it and checking both doubled consonants can help.
Correct the misspelled word: “Solving the problem required perserverance.”
Show answer and explanation
perseverance
Connect it with “persevere”. Remove its final e before adding -ance: perseverance. Keep the base sequence persever- without inserting an extra r.
Correct the misspelled word: “They accepted responsability for the equipment.”
Show answer and explanation
responsibility
The related adjective is “responsible”. Its -ible ending changes to -ibility in the noun, giving responsibility.
Build a useful spelling list from actual work
Keep a short list of words a learner has needed in reading or writing. Group them by a meaningful connection, such as a shared base word or suffix, instead of treating every error as a separate fact to memorise.
After practising a pattern, try an unfamiliar example and ask for an explanation. Check a dictionary when a word does not follow the pattern you expected. English spelling includes exceptions, so a useful strategy includes knowing when to verify.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an official NAPLAN spelling word list to memorise?
The words on this page are original practice choices, not an official test list or predictions. Use the official demonstration for format familiarisation and develop spelling knowledge through reading, writing and explicit teaching.
Do these spelling questions have answers?
Yes. Each of the 12 questions includes a corrected word and an explanation. Attempt it before opening the answer. No account is needed.
Should I only use the questions labelled with my child’s year?
Start there, then adjust to the learner. These are teaching examples without an official difficulty calibration. Choose words and patterns that match the learning need.
Can students return to spelling after starting grammar and punctuation?
In the official Conventions of Language test, the spelling section is locked when a student moves into grammar and punctuation. Read the transition instructions carefully.
Check the official guidance.
Reviewed by TestHero on . Official facts are drawn from the sources below. Examples, prompts and learning suggestions are original TestHero material.
TestHero is an independent practice product. Practice results are not official NAPLAN scores. Check the school and current official guidance for administration details.