Free NAPLAN practice test
No sign-up, no account, no card. Try free NAPLAN practice questions written in the current test format — Reading, Conventions of Language and Numeracy across Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 — plus a writing prompt. Every question is worked out for you, so each try teaches something.
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Written and reviewed by the Hootbrook education team · Last reviewed 30 August 2026
NAPLAN practice questions
A set of exemplars across Numeracy, Reading and Conventions of Language, spread from Year 3 to Year 9. Choose an answer to see how each one is worked out. A wrong pick is never marked with shame — just a gentle nudge and the full explanation.
These are illustrative questions we have written in the current NAPLAN format — not real past papers. For the genuine ones, see the note below.
The sample questions and writing prompt below are shown in English — NAPLAN itself is sat in English.
Mia has three $2 coins and four $1 coins. How much money does she have altogether?
Choose an answer to see how it’s worked out.That’s it.
Close — count the $2 coins and the $1 coins separately, then add.
Three $2 coins are 3 × $2 = $6, and four $1 coins are $4. Together that is $6 + $4 = $10. Sorting the coins by value before adding keeps the count tidy.
Look at the number pattern: 3, 6, 9, 12, ☐. What number belongs in the box?
Choose an answer to see how it’s worked out.Yes — nicely spotted.
Close — work out how much the pattern jumps each time.
The pattern counts up by 3 each time (3, 6, 9, 12), so the next number is 12 + 3 = 15. Finding the step between two numbers is the key to continuing a pattern.
There are 24 students in a class. Three-quarters of them walk to school. How many students walk to school?
Choose an answer to see how it’s worked out.Exactly.
Close — find one quarter first, then take three of them.
One quarter of 24 is 24 ÷ 4 = 6, so three quarters is 6 × 3 = 18. Finding one part first, then scaling up, works for any fraction of an amount.
A rectangular garden is 8 metres long and 5 metres wide. What is its perimeter — the distance all the way around?
Choose an answer to see how it’s worked out.That’s it.
Close — add up all four sides, not just two.
Perimeter is the distance around the outside: 8 + 5 + 8 + 5 = 26 metres, or 2 × (8 + 5). The trap here is 40, which is the area (8 × 5) — perimeter adds the sides, area multiplies them.
A jacket costs $80. In a sale it is reduced by 25%. What is the sale price?
Choose an answer to see how it’s worked out.Well reasoned.
Close — 25% is the amount taken off, not the new price.
25% of $80 is one quarter, which is $20. That is the discount, so the sale price is $80 − $20 = $60. Work out the discount first, then subtract it from the original price.
If 3n + 4 = 19, what is the value of n?
Choose an answer to see how it’s worked out.Exactly right.
Close — undo the +4 before you divide.
Subtract 4 from both sides: 3n = 15. Then divide both sides by 3: n = 5. Undoing the operations in reverse order isolates n and keeps the equation balanced.
“Tom pulled his coat tight and hurried down the street. Above him the sky had turned grey, and the first cold drops were beginning to fall.” What was the weather like?
Choose an answer to see how it’s worked out.That’s it.
Close — look at what Tom does and what the sky is doing.
The grey sky, the “cold drops” starting to fall and Tom pulling his coat tight all point to cold, rainy weather. Reading questions ask you to gather the clues a writer gives, rather than guess.
“Bees may be small, but they do a giant job. As they move from flower to flower collecting nectar, they carry pollen with them. This pollen helps plants make seeds and fruit, so without bees many of the foods we eat would be far harder to grow.” What is the main idea of this paragraph?
Choose an answer to see how it’s worked out.Yes — that’s the big idea.
Close — that’s one detail, not what the whole paragraph is about.
Every sentence builds toward one point: bees help plants — and our food — grow. Collecting nectar is a supporting detail, not the main idea. The main idea is the umbrella that the other sentences sit under.
“The scientist was reluctant to share her results until she had checked them a second time.” In this sentence, the word reluctant most nearly means —
Choose an answer to see how it’s worked out.That’s it.
Close — she waits before sharing, so how does she feel about it?
She holds back until she has checked her results again, so she is unwilling — hesitant — to share them yet. The surrounding words show that “reluctant” is the opposite of eager. Nearby clues usually reveal a word’s meaning.
“By the time the final whistle blew, the stadium had emptied of all but a few loyal supporters, their voices now thin against the vast concrete stands.” What does this description suggest about the match for the home team?
Choose an answer to see how it’s worked out.Well read.
Close — think about why nearly everyone has already left.
A stadium emptied except for a few fans, whose voices sound “thin against the vast stands,” paints a picture of disappointment — most supporters have gone home. Writers often show a mood through detail instead of stating it outright.
“The politician’s speech was long on promises but short on detail.” What is the writer suggesting about the speech?
Choose an answer to see how it’s worked out.Exactly.
Close — notice the two things the phrase sets against each other.
“Long on promises but short on detail” balances many promises against little explanation — a quiet criticism. Recognising this kind of contrast helps you hear a writer’s real opinion beneath the words.
Which word is spelt correctly?
Choose an answer to see how it’s worked out.That’s it.
Close — remember the rule about the letters i and e.
The correct spelling is receive. It follows the “i before e, except after c” guide — because the letter before is c, the e comes first: rec-ei-ve. A few reliable spelling rules help with tricky words like this.
Which word is spelt correctly?
Choose an answer to see how it’s worked out.Nicely done.
Close — look for a smaller word hidden in the middle.
The correct spelling is separate — it hides the word “a rat” in the middle (sep-a-rat-e). Finding a smaller word inside a tricky one is a handy way to remember its spelling.
Choose the word that correctly completes the sentence: “The list of ingredients ☐ printed on the back of the packet.”
Choose an answer to see how it’s worked out.That’s it.
Close — find the true subject of the sentence first.
The subject is “the list,” which is singular, so it takes “is.” The plural word “ingredients” sits inside a describing phrase and can tempt you toward “are” — but the verb must match the real subject, not the nearest noun.
Which sentence is punctuated correctly?
Choose an answer to see how it’s worked out.Well punctuated.
Close — where does the opening phrase end and the main sentence begin?
A comma belongs after an opening phrase that sets the scene — “After the storm passed” — and before the main part of the sentence starts. It marks the natural pause and keeps the meaning clear.
Which sentence uses punctuation correctly?
Choose an answer to see how it’s worked out.Exactly right.
Close — a spoken question keeps its question mark inside the quotes.
The words actually spoken sit inside the quotation marks, and a spoken question keeps its question mark inside them too: “Are you coming with us?” The question mark also does the job the comma would otherwise do before “asked Priya.”
Sample prompt (persuasive). “Every student should learn to cook at least one meal.” Write to persuade a reader to agree with you. In NAPLAN, the writing type — narrative or persuasive — is the same for every year level and is revealed on the test day.
What markers look for in a strong response:
- • A clear position, stated early and held to the end.
- • Reasons backed by real examples, not just an opinion repeated.
- • Paragraphs that each carry one main idea.
- • Persuasive language — strong verbs, a well-placed question — used with control.
- • Accurate spelling, punctuation and grammar, even under time pressure.
NAPLAN writing is marked by trained markers against a national marking guide. A few minutes spent planning before you write is time well spent.
A note on real past papers
Unlike the OC and Selective tests, ACARA does publish genuine NAPLAN past papers — but only for the years 2012 to 2016, alongside online public demonstration tests of the current format. Those are worth using. Be wary of anyone selling “latest real papers” beyond them. Every question on this page is written by us in the current format — so your child practises the real thing, not a leak.
What NAPLAN is (and what it isn’t)
NAPLAN — the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy — is Australia’s national check of literacy and numeracy, sat by students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. It assesses four areas: Reading, Writing, Conventions of Language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and Numeracy.
It is a national snapshot, not a competition. NAPLAN is not a pass/fail exam and it is not used to select students for any school — so there is nothing to “get into” and no score to reach. Practising simply helps the format feel familiar and calm on the day.
Want the full picture — how it is run, when it is held and how results work? Read our complete NAPLAN guide.
More free practice
NAPLAN is nationwide and low-stakes. If your child is also aiming at a selective place, these free practice pages are written the same honest way.
NAPLAN practice — frequently asked
Is this NAPLAN practice test really free?
Yes — completely free, with no sign-up, no account and no card. Every question here is free to try, and each one comes with a worked explanation you can read straight away.
Are these real NAPLAN past papers?
No. These are illustrative questions we have written in the current NAPLAN format. ACARA does publish genuine past papers, but only for the years 2012 to 2016 — everything shown here is written to match the style of the current test, not copied from a real paper.
What does NAPLAN practice cover?
NAPLAN assesses four areas: Reading, Writing, Conventions of Language (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and Numeracy. The questions here cover Reading, Conventions of Language and Numeracy, with a separate writing prompt to try, since writing is marked by hand.
Which year levels is this practice for?
NAPLAN is sat in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9. The questions here are spread across those levels — from early-primary counting to Year 9 algebra — so you can pick the ones that suit your child.
Can you fail a NAPLAN practice test?
No. NAPLAN is a snapshot of how a child is going against national standards, not a pass/fail exam, and it is not used to get into any school. Practice is simply a calm way to make the format feel familiar before the day.
How should my child use these questions?
Try a few at a time, read the worked answer for each, and keep it light — little and often beats long, stressful sessions. For a full free assessment across reading, writing and numeracy, start the free assessment.
See where your child stands today
Start with the free assessment. It finds your child’s true level across reading, writing and numeracy, so any practice begins from the truth — not a guess. No sign-up needed to try.