Free Year 7 Evaluative language — connotation Practice | Skillo
Year 7 students facing their third NAPLAN need to be confident with evaluative language — connotation. Recognise language used to evaluate texts; word choice carries positive or negative connotation that can be substantiated by reference to other words. Skillo has targeted practice questions for this exact skill, mapped to the Australian Curriculum v9.0, free and ready to go.
Start Free Practice →What is tested: Evaluative language — connotation
- ✓Recognise language used to evaluate texts; word choice carries positive or negative connotation that can be substantiated by reference to other words.
- ✓Questions test identification and correction of errors
- ✓Both Australian English conventions and sentence structure are assessed
Sample questions
Question 1 — Easy
Read the review below. Which underlined word carries a negative connotation that is supported by other words in the sentence? 'Priya's performance was captivating, her voice was melodic, her stage presence was commanding, but her interpretation of the final scene was __jarring__.'
Answer: In evaluative language, connotation is the positive or negative feeling a word evokes. 'Jarring' means abrupt and unpleasant, carrying a negative connotation that is confirmed by the contrasting conjunction 'but', which signals a shift away from the preceding praise. 'Captivating', 'melodic', and 'commanding' all carry clearly positive connotations aligned with praising a performer.
Question 2 — Medium
The documentary described the invasive cane toad as a prolific, adaptable, destructive, and resilient species that has spread across northern Australia.
Answer: Connotation refers to the emotional or evaluative associations a word carries beyond its literal meaning. 'Destructive' carries a clearly negative connotation, implying harm and ruin to the environment. 'Prolific', 'adaptable', and 'resilient' all carry positive or neutral connotations — they suggest productivity, flexibility, and strength — even though in this ecological context they describe a pest species.
Question 3 — Hard
The wildlife documentary described the dingo as a cunning, resilient, adaptable and parasitic predator of the Australian outback.
Answer: Connotation refers to the emotional or evaluative associations a word carries beyond its literal meaning. 'Parasitic' carries a clearly negative connotation, implying harmful exploitation of others, which is supported by the broader critical framing of the sentence. 'Cunning', 'resilient' and 'adaptable' all carry positive or neutral connotations in this context, suggesting survival skill and versatility.
How to use Skillo for Year 7 Grammar
- Select Year 7 and Grammar on the home screen
- Use Quick Practice — questions on evaluative language — connotation will appear as part of the session
- Check the Skill Breakdown on your profile to track your accuracy on evaluative language — connotation specifically
- Review explanations after each question to understand the reasoning behind correct answers
Skillo is free, requires no email or account details, and is built specifically for Australian students. Every question is mapped to the Australian Curriculum v9.0 and filtered by skill so your child practises exactly what they need.
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