Each worksheet starts with two easy questions and finishes with two hard ones, so most Year 7 children can begin on their own and will have to think by the end. The harder questions often give a short piece of writing to read first. The answers print on a separate page, with a short explanation for every question, so you can mark it together.
A good habit: for two or three answers, ask your child to point to the word or sentence that told them. If they can't find it, the explanation shows where to look.
On this page
- Verb groups and tense
- Greek and Latin roots
- Time and place in texts
- Narrative with craft
- Sentence length
Verb groups and tense
Verb groups and tense: worksheet 1
Name Date Score / 10
The questions get harder as you go. Circle the letter of your answer, or write it on the line.
- 1
Which word is the helping verb in "Sam is reading"?
- Ais
- BSam
- Creading
- 2
Which is the main verb in "They have eaten lunch"?
- Ahave
- Beaten
- Clunch
- 3
What is the verb group? "The baby has been sleeping."
- Abeen sleeping
- Bhas been sleeping
- Cbaby has
- 4
Choose the helping verb: "Look! The kites ___ flying high."
- Aare
- Bis
- Cwas
- 5
Choose the verb group: "Next week we ___ to Taupō."
- Awill travel
- Bhad travelled
- Ctravelled
- 6
Which sentence about the runners is correct?
- AThe runners is getting tired.
- BThe runners was getting tired.
- CThe runners were getting tired.
- 7
Choose the verb group: "When the bell rang, the students ___ their books away."
- Awere putting
- Bwill put
- Care putting
- 8
Which sentence about the letter is correct?
- AShe have written a letter.
- BShe has written a letter.
- CShe has wrote a letter.
- 9
Choose the verb group: "By next June, my grandparents ___ married for fifty years."
- Ahad been
- Bwere
- Cwill have been
- 10
Which sentence about the match keeps the tense consistent?
- AAs the crowd is cheering, Tara kicked the winning goal.
- BAs the crowd was cheering, Tara kicked the winning goal.
- CAs the crowd was cheering, Tara kicks the winning goal.
Answers: Verb groups and tense: worksheet 1
- A: is Reading is the main verb and is helps it, so is is the helping verb.
- B: eaten Eaten tells the action, so it is the main verb. Have is the helper.
- B: has been sleeping Sleeping is the main verb, and has and been are both helpers, so the verb group is has been sleeping.
- A: are It is happening now and there is more than one kite, so we use are.
- A: will travel Next week is in the future, so we use will travel.
- C: The runners were getting tired. Runners means more than one, so the helper is were.
- A: were putting Rang is past, so we need a past verb group: were putting.
- B: She has written a letter. After has, we use written, not wrote. She goes with has, not have.
- C: will have been By next June looks ahead to the future and back over the fifty years, so we use will have been.
- B: As the crowd was cheering, Tara kicked the winning goal. Was cheering and kicked are both past tense, so the tense is consistent.
Greek and Latin roots
Greek and Latin roots: worksheet 1
Name Date Score / 10
The questions get harder as you go. Circle the letter of your answer, or write it on the line.
- 1
What does the root "aud" mean?
- Abuild
- Bsee
- Chear
- Dcarry
- 2
Which word has the root "chron", meaning time, in it?
- Achocolate
- Bcrown
- Cchorus
- Dchronicle
- 3
"The rainforest has great biodiversity." This means it has...
- Avery tall trees
- Bmany rocks and rivers
- Cmany different kinds of living things
- Da lot of rain
- 4
"The museum shows a chronology of New Zealand history." A chronology is...
- Aa map of the country
- Ba list of events in time order
- Ca list of famous people
- Da collection of paintings
- 5
Use this table. What does a telescope help you do?
- Ahear sounds far away
- Bsee very small things
- Cwrite messages far away
- Dsee things far away
- 6
Geo means earth and graph means write or draw. Geography is about...
- Adescribing the earth and its places
- Bthe history of time
- Cwriting stories about animals
- Ddrawing pictures of people
- 7
De can mean undo or down. A destructive storm is one that...
- Abuilds new things
- Bbreaks things down
- Clasts a long time
- Dis very loud
- 8
Im means in and ex means out. A ship carries New Zealand kiwifruit to Japan. From Japan's point of view, the kiwifruit is...
- Aexported
- Breported
- Csupported
- Dimported
- 9
Jai says portrait must mean carry because it has the letters p, o, r, t. Why is Jai's thinking not safe?
- ASharing letters does not prove a word shares a root. The meaning must fit too.
- BPort can only mean a harbour for ships.
- CWords from Latin roots are never used for art.
- DRoots only appear at the end of words, never at the start.
- 10
Micro means small, bio means life and logy means the study of. A microbiologist studies...
- Asmall rocks and crystals
- Btiny machines
- Cvery small living things, like bacteria
- Dthe history of life on Earth
Answers: Greek and Latin roots: worksheet 1
- C: hear Aud means hear, as in audio and audience.
- D: chronicle Chronicle has chron in it. A chronicle is a record of events in the order they happened.
- C: many different kinds of living things Bio means life and diversity means variety, so biodiversity is a variety of living things.
- B: a list of events in time order Chron means time, so a chronology puts events in the order they happened.
- D: see things far away Tele means far and scope means see, so a telescope helps you see things far away.
- A: describing the earth and its places Geo (earth) + graph (write or draw) means describing or mapping the earth and its places.
- B: breaks things down De (undo or down) + struct (build) means undoing what was built, so a destructive storm breaks things.
- D: imported The wheat is carried into Japan, and im (in) + port (carry) means carried in. So for Japan it is imported.
- A: Sharing letters does not prove a word shares a root. The meaning must fit too. A portrait is a picture of a person, and nothing is carried. A word only belongs to a root family if the meaning fits as well as the letters.
- C: very small living things, like bacteria Micro (small) + bio (life) + logy (study of) means the study of tiny living things such as bacteria.
Time and place in texts
Time and place in texts: worksheet 1
Name Date Score / 10
The questions get harder as you go. Circle the letter of your answer, or write it on the line.
- 1
Which of these is made to reach a wide audience, like other media texts?
- Aa TV advertisement
- Ba birthday card to Nan
- Cyour maths homework
- 2
An ad says the price is "£6/10/-". What does this tell you?
- AIt was made last year.
- BIt was made before New Zealand had dollars and cents.
- CIt was made in the future.
- 3
A made-up ad in the style of 1958: "NEW! The Glide-o-Matic. Every modern housewife needs one. Your husband's shirts will be crisp in a jiffy! Only £6/10/-" Who is the ad talking to?
- Achildren
- Bshop owners
- Chusbands
- Dhousewives
- 4
A made-up ad from today, seen on a phone: "SteamPro. Crease-free in minutes. Ironing made easy for everyone at home. Scan the code for 10% off." Who is this ad talking to?
- Ahousewives only
- Beveryone at home
- Chusbands only
- 5
A made-up car ad in the style of 1970: "The Roadmaster 6. Room for the whole family, and a big ashtray in the back for Dad!" What does "a big ashtray in the back for Dad" show about 1970?
- ADad was the only one allowed in the car.
- BCars had no back seats.
- CMany people thought smoking in the car was normal.
- DAshtrays were used to store money.
- 6
A made-up school report card, 1952: "Margaret is a neat and quiet girl. She will make a fine wife and mother." What does the report card suggest about ideas in 1952?
- AMargaret was failing school.
- BMargaret wanted to be a teacher.
- CTeachers in 1952 wrote very long reports.
- DMany people expected girls to grow up to be wives and mothers, not to have careers.
- 7
A made-up report from the Riverton Gazette, 1975: "The girls put on a plucky show on Saturday, and several of them even managed to kick a goal! Afterwards, the ladies served a lovely afternoon tea." Which sentence best explains how the report reflects its time?
- AThe report is old.
- BThe girls played on Saturday.
- CWords like plucky and even managed, and ending with afternoon tea, show that many people in 1975 didn't take women's sport seriously.
- DThe report is about football.
- 8
A made-up 1964 newspaper report: "Work begins this week on the new six-lane highway through Kurri Swamp. Mayor Holt says the swamp is useless land, and the road will bring progress." A made-up 2024 report: "Volunteers planted 5,000 reeds this weekend to bring back the Kurri Wetland, home to frogs and rare birds." What does Mayor Holt's phrase "useless land" reveal?
- AIn 1964, many people valued land mainly for what could be built on it.
- BThe mayor was a scientist.
- CThe swamp had no animals living in it.
- DHighways were not allowed in 1964.
- 9
A made-up ad in the style of 1958: "NEW! The Glide-o-Matic. Every modern housewife needs one. Your husband's shirts will be crisp in a jiffy! Only £6/10/-" A made-up ad from today, seen on a phone: "SteamPro. Crease-free in minutes. Ironing made easy for everyone at home. Scan the code for 10% off." Which sentence best compares the two ads and explains why they differ?
- ABoth ads sell irons.
- BToday's ad is better because it is newer.
- CThe 1958 ad is cheaper.
- DThe 1958 ad speaks only to housewives, while today's speaks to everyone at home, because ideas about who does housework have changed.
- 10
A made-up 1975 school book says, "Explorers discovered the river in 1840." A made-up 2025 school book says, "In 1840, settlers first saw the river, which Māori had known and cared for over many hundreds of years." What does the change show?
- AToday's book includes the point of view of the people who already knew the river.
- BThe 1975 book gives more details.
- CMāori first saw the river in 1840.
- DThe river was found in 2025.
Answers: Time and place in texts: worksheet 1
- A: a TV advertisement A TV advertisement. Media texts are made to reach a wide audience, like ads, news and films.
- B: It was made before New Zealand had dollars and cents. It was made before New Zealand had dollars and cents. Pounds, shillings and pence were used until 1967.
- D: housewives Housewives. The ad says every modern housewife needs one.
- B: everyone at home Everyone at home. Today, most people think housework should be shared.
- C: Many people thought smoking in the car was normal. Many people thought smoking in the car was normal. Today we know smoking harms health, especially for children nearby.
- D: Many people expected girls to grow up to be wives and mothers, not to have careers. Many people expected girls to grow up to be wives and mothers, not to have careers. The teacher praises being neat and quiet, not her learning.
- C: Words like plucky and even managed, and ending with afternoon tea, show that many people in 1975 didn't take women's sport seriously. Words like plucky and even managed, and ending with afternoon tea, show that many people in 1975 didn't take women's sport seriously. It uses evidence from the text.
- A: In 1964, many people valued land mainly for what could be built on it. In 1964, many people valued land mainly for what could be built on it. The 2024 report shows the wetland is now valued for its frogs and birds.
- D: The 1958 ad speaks only to housewives, while today's speaks to everyone at home, because ideas about who does housework have changed. The 1958 ad speaks only to housewives, while today's speaks to everyone at home, because ideas about who does housework have changed. It compares and explains.
- A: Today's book includes the point of view of the people who already knew the river. Today's book includes the point of view of the people who already knew the river. Discovered leaves them out; the newer book includes them.
Narrative with craft
Narrative with craft: worksheet 1
Name Date Score / 10
The questions get harder as you go. Circle the letter of your answer, or write it on the line.
- 1
What is the main advantage of writing about one strong moment instead of a long plot?
- AYou have room to show detail, feelings and tension.
- BYou don't need a problem.
- CYou can fit in more events.
- 2
Which line is a simile?
- AShe spoke quickly.
- BHer voice was as sharp as a whip-crack.
- CHer voice was loud.
- 3
Which detail is the most precise?
- Aa rusted blue esky
- Bsome stuff
- Can old thing
- 4
“‘I don’t need help,’ Max said, as the box slipped from his arms.” What does this reveal about Max?
- AHe is very strong.
- BHe is proud and won't admit he needs help.
- CHe is happy to ask for help.
- 5
Which description is restrained?
- AThe huge, giant, massive, enormous hall was totally and completely silent.
- BThe hall was so quiet, silent, hushed, still and noiseless.
- CThe hall was silent except for a cough at the back.
- 6
“‘Course I finished my homework,’ Jai said, sliding his book under a cushion.” What can the reader infer?
- AJai is tidying the lounge room.
- BJai finished his homework early.
- CJai probably hasn't finished his homework.
- 7
Which line shows, without stating it, that Grandpa misses his wife?
- A‘I miss my wife,’ Grandpa said sadly.
- B‘Pass the salt,’ said Grandpa.
- C‘Your nan always made this soup,’ Grandpa said, and stirred it slowly for a long time.
- 8
Which revision of “The beautiful, bright, gorgeous, shining sun rose.” is vivid but restrained?
- AThe beautiful, bright, gorgeous, shining, golden sun rose.
- BThe sun rose, gold on the wet paddocks.
- CThe sun rose.
- 9
Read the extract. “Nobody spoke on the drive home. Dad kept both hands on the wheel, the way he did in storms, though the sky was clear. In the back, Lily held the cricket trophy so it wouldn’t rattle.” What does the detail about Dad's hands suggest?
- AA storm is about to start.
- BDad is tense or upset, even though the weather is fine.
- CThe car's steering is broken.
- DDad is a relaxed, happy driver.
- 10
Read the extract again. “Nobody spoke on the drive home. Dad kept both hands on the wheel, the way he did in storms, though the sky was clear. In the back, Lily held the cricket trophy so it wouldn’t rattle.” Why does Lily stop the trophy from rattling?
- AShe doesn't want to break the silence or draw attention to the trophy.
- BShe wants everyone to look at it.
- CThe trophy is broken.
- DShe is cold.
Answers: Narrative with craft: worksheet 1
- A: You have room to show detail, feelings and tension. With one moment, you can slow down and make it matter, instead of rushing through events.
- B: Her voice was as sharp as a whip-crack. It compares her voice to a whip-crack using as. That's a simile.
- A: a rusted blue esky Rusted, blue and esky give the reader an exact picture.
- B: He is proud and won't admit he needs help. He says he doesn't need help at the very moment he clearly does.
- C: The hall was silent except for a cough at the back. One small sound makes the silence feel real, without piling on words.
- C: Jai probably hasn't finished his homework. Hiding the book while saying he finished suggests he is not telling the truth.
- C: ‘Your nan always made this soup,’ Grandpa said, and stirred it slowly for a long time. The memory and the slow stirring show his sadness without naming it.
- B: The sun rose, gold on the wet paddocks. It cuts the pile of adjectives and adds one precise image.
- B: Dad is tense or upset, even though the weather is fine. He drives as if there is a storm when the sky is clear, so the storm is in his mood, not the weather.
- A: She doesn't want to break the silence or draw attention to the trophy. Nobody is speaking and Dad is tense, so a rattle would be the only sound, drawing attention to the win.
Sentence length
Sentence length: worksheet 1
Name Date Score / 10
The questions get harder as you go. Circle the letter of your answer, or write it on the line.
- 1
Which sentence is complex?
- AIf it rains, we will stay inside.
- BIt rained, so we stayed inside.
- CWe stayed inside.
- 2
Which word joins the two main clauses? “The surf was flat, so we went fishing.”
- Asurf
- Bwent
- Cso
- 3
Which sentence about the closed shop is compound-complex?
- ABecause the shop was closed, we went home and Dad made pancakes.
- BBecause the shop was closed, we went home.
- CWe went home and Dad made pancakes.
- 4
How many main clauses are in this sentence? “While Nan watered the garden, I fed the chooks and my brother collected the eggs.”
- 5
Which part is the dependent clause? “The kids cheered because the canteen was selling icy poles, and the teachers laughed.”
- Athe teachers laughed
- Bbecause the canteen was selling icy poles
- CThe kids cheered
- 6
What type of sentence is this? “Ava finished her homework, but Leo was still working when Mum got home.”
- Acomplex
- Bcompound-complex
- Ccompound
- Dsimple
- 7
Which sentence is NOT compound-complex?
- AThe swimmers left the water because the siren sounded, and the lifeguards raised the flags.
- BWhen the siren sounded, the swimmers left the water and the lifeguards raised the flags.
- CThe swimmers left the water, and the lifeguards raised the flags.
- 8
“The council fixed the footpath. Many people had complained. Now prams can pass easily.” Which is the best compound-complex combination?
- AThe council fixed the footpath and many people had complained and now prams can pass easily.
- BMany people had complained, so the council fixed the footpath.
- CBecause many people had complained, the council fixed the footpath, and now prams can pass easily.
- 9
Read the paragraph. (1) The storm had been building all afternoon. (2) Dark clouds rolled in from the west, the wind tore leaves from the gums, and the first fat drops hit the tin roof as Grandpa hurried the horses into the shed. (3) Then the lightning struck. Which sentence is compound-complex?
- Asentence 3
- Bsentence 2
- Csentence 1
- 10
In the same paragraph, why is sentence 3 (“Then the lightning struck.”) so short?
- Ato explain why the storm happened
- Bto list what Grandpa did
- Cto land a sudden turning point after the long build-up
Answers: Sentence length: worksheet 1
- A: If it rains, we will stay inside. If it rains is a dependent clause and we will stay inside is the main clause.
- C: so So joins The surf was flat and we went fishing, and shows the result.
- A: Because the shop was closed, we went home and Dad made pancakes. Because the shop was closed is a dependent clause, and we went home and Dad made pancakes are two main clauses.
- 2 I fed the chooks and my brother collected the eggs are main clauses. While Nan watered the garden is a dependent clause.
- B: because the canteen was selling icy poles It starts with because and can't stand alone. The kids cheered and the teachers laughed are main clauses.
- B: compound-complex Ava finished her homework and Leo was still working are main clauses, and when Mum got home is a dependent clause.
- C: The swimmers left the water, and the lifeguards raised the flags. It has two main clauses but no dependent clause, so it is compound.
- C: Because many people had complained, the council fixed the footpath, and now prams can pass easily. It keeps all three ideas, shows the cause with because, and joins the result with and.
- B: sentence 2 Sentence 2 has three main clauses (dark clouds rolled in, the wind tore leaves, the first fat drops hit the roof) and a dependent clause (as Grandpa hurried the horses into the shed).
- C: to land a sudden turning point after the long build-up After the long, detailed sentence 2, the short sentence feels sudden, just like a lightning strike.
The full set for Year 7
With a subscription you can print up to three worksheets for each of the 20 Year 7 English topics from Grown-ups > Worksheets. Every sheet has its own answer page. These are the topics:
Grammar and punctuation
- Verb groups and tense
- Sentence length
- Keeping tense consistent
- Cohesion
- Colons and brackets
- Academic vocabulary
- Language and identity
- Abstract nouns
- Relative clauses
- Active and passive voice
Spelling
- Greek and Latin roots
Reading
- Time and place in texts
- Text structure
- How ideas are organised
- Close reading
- Shaping the reader
- Images, angles and sound
- Building character
Writing
- Narrative with craft
- Persuasive writing