OLNA Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield OLNA facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. What does this sentence need for the intention to be clear? “My main hobbies are cycling swimming cooking cats and dogs.” → Commas
2. Which sentence is grammatically correct and avoids a run-on error? → The storm raged all night. The power went out for three hours.
3. A word's 'connotation' refers to: → The emotional feeling or association it carries beyond its literal meaning
4. Which reading strategy best helps a reader make an inference? → Combining text clues with prior knowledge
5. In informative writing, which of the following should be avoided? → Using biased or one-sided language to influence the reader
6. A text says: 'The athlete's hands shook as she approached the starting blocks. She took a slow, deep breath.' What can be inferred? → She is nervous but trying to calm herself
7. Which of the following is a sentence fragment? → Running through the park on a sunny afternoon.
8. The main idea of a paragraph is not always stated directly in one sentence. In such cases, it is said to be... → implied.
9. A paragraph describes a scientist who 'has published over 50 peer-reviewed papers and received two international awards.' What conclusion can be drawn? → The scientist is highly experienced and respected
10. In the OLNA Writing assessment, which of the following will most improve the overall quality of your response? → Planning your response before writing to ensure it is organised and on topic
11. A smartphone is on sale for 20% off its original price. If the original price was $850, what is the sale price? → $680
12. A student writes an informative text about climate change. Which of the following improvements would make it more effective? → Adding subheadings to organise different aspects of the topic
13. In a bag of 50 marbles, 15 are red. What percentage of the marbles are red? → 30%
14. Tina is t years old. Lisa is 6 years older than Tina. Together their ages total 26. Which equation represents the girls’ age structure? → 2t + 6 = 26
15. When drawing a conclusion from a text, a reader should ensure the conclusion is: → Supported by evidence from the text
16. A cartoon depicts a politician with an exceptionally long nose, similar to Pinocchio. What is the cartoonist most likely implying? → The politician is being dishonest.
17. Quentin’s licence permits him to drive trucks and buses with a Gross Vehicle Mass more than 8 tonnes, and with up to 3 axles. Which licence does Quentin have? → HR
18. Which structural feature is commonly used in both persuasive and informative writing? → An introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion
19. A flyer reads: 'Attendance is compulsory. Contact us in advance if you cannot attend.' What can be inferred? → Missing the event without notice is unacceptable
20. Which of the following is an example of using 'inclusive language' in persuasive writing? → We all have a responsibility to protect our environment.
21. Which type of context clue involves the author directly explaining the meaning of a word? → Definition clue
22. A bag contains 15 marbles: 6 are red, 5 are blue, and 4 are green. If one marble is drawn at random, what is the probability that it is blue? → 1/3
23. A standard EPIRB has a location accuracy of approximately: (paragraph 3) → 5 kilometres
24. In persuasive writing, what is the function of a 'call to action'? → To urge the reader to do something specific
25. Which of the following has a similar meaning to the word ‘monstrous’? (paragraph 1) → All of the above
26. Read the following sentence: 'The citys main attraction, the old clock tower, is currently under repair.' Which word contains a punctuation error? → citys
27. Read this sentence: 'After the heavy rain, the river was turbulent, with waves crashing against the banks.' What does 'turbulent' most likely mean? → Wild and unsteady
28. In the OLNA Reading component, making inferences requires a student to: → Read between the lines using text evidence and reasoning
29. A recipe says: 'This dish is best served immediately after cooking.' What can you infer about the dish if it is left to sit for an hour? → Its quality will likely decrease
30. The story in this text is being told to: (second last line) → The grandchild