Mr. Whitfield asked each group to support its conclusion with ______ from the experiment rather than with guesses.
Vocabulary and Grammar in Context · ELPAC Grades 6–8 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 sentence. Choose the word that best completes it.
Mr. Whitfield asked each group to support its conclusion with ______ from the experiment rather than with guesses.
- equipment
- evidenceCorrect answer
- instructions
Why “evidence” is correct
This tests an academic word that students meet constantly in middle-school science and history. The contrast at the end of the sentence — 'rather than with guesses' — is the clue: whatever fills the blank must be the opposite of a guess, which is evidence. All three choices are words that belong in a laboratory, so the student has to use the contrast rather than the setting.
Why the other answers are wrong
- equipment — 'Equipment' is what a group uses to run an experiment, not what it offers to back up a conclusion.
- instructions — 'Instructions' tell a group what to do; they come before the work rather than supporting the result.
Practice more of this
More reading practice for Grades 6–8, or see the ELPAC practice test for grades 6–8. 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.