The internship pays very little. ______, it offers experience that employers in the field actually recognize.
Vocabulary and Grammar in Context · ELPAC Grades 11–12 reading. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
Extra practice, not a separate task on the real test: a sentence with one word missing, testing the vocabulary and grammar the passages assume.
The question
Read the sentences. Choose the word that best completes them.
The internship pays very little. ______, it offers experience that employers in the field actually recognize.
- Therefore
- NeverthelessCorrect answer
- Similarly
Why “Nevertheless” is correct
This item tests transition words that signal concession. The first sentence admits a drawback, low pay, and the second states a benefit that holds in spite of it, which is exactly what 'Nevertheless' marks. A useful check with an older student is to ask whether the second sentence results from the first, matches it, or pushes back against it; only the third relationship fits.
Why the other answers are wrong
- Therefore — 'Therefore' signals a result, but low pay is not the cause of the internship being valuable.
- Similarly — 'Similarly' signals that two statements point the same way, and these two point in opposite directions.
Practice more of this
More reading practice for Grades 11–12, or see the ELPAC practice test for grades 11–12. 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.