Which word goes with the picture? “bus”
Read and Choose a Word · ELPAC Grade 1 reading. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
The student reads three words and chooses the one that matches a picture.
Read image description
Something big and yellow stops in front of a school. It has many windows. A door folds open. Children walk up the steps and get on.
The question
Read the three words. Choose the word that goes with the picture.
Which word goes with the picture?
- bed
- box
- busCorrect answer
Why “bus” is correct
All three choices begin with 'b' and have different middle and final sounds, so the child has to decode three short words rather than compare first letters. The description is deliberately written without the word itself. Read it aloud, ask the child to name what is being described, and only then look at the three words.
Why the other answers are wrong
- bed — 'Bed' begins with the same letter but names furniture, and nothing in the picture is a place to sleep.
- box — 'Box' also begins with 'b'. The picture has doors, windows and steps, which a box does not.
Practice more of this
More reading practice for Grade 1, or see the ELPAC practice test for grade 1. For other grades, see free ELPAC practice tests by grade.
This is an independent study resource. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the California Department of Education or the official ELPAC program. All questions here are original practice material written to match the published task formats.