Which letter comes first in this word? “sun”
Read-Along Word with Scaffolding · ELPAC Kindergarten reading. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.
With help from the test examiner, the student gives the letter names and the first letter sound of a word.
Sit with your child. Point at the word below and read it aloud, then read the question and all three answers aloud. Your child does not have to read anything alone.
The question
Point at the word and read it aloud. Then read this question and the three answers aloud to your child.
Which letter comes first in this word?
- n
- sCorrect answer
- u
Why “s” is correct
This one wants a letter name rather than a sound, so it is really testing whether your child knows that print runs left to right. Slide your finger under the word as you read it, then stop your finger on the very first letter and ask again. Children this age often name the letter they recognize best rather than the one on the left, so where your finger lands does more work here than repeating the question does.
Why the other answers are wrong
- n — The letter n is at the end of "sun". Sliding a finger left to right and stopping on the first letter usually clears this up in one try.
- u — The letter u sits in the middle. A child who picks it is often naming a letter they know rather than tracking the order.
Practice more of this
More reading practice for Kindergarten, or see the ELPAC practice test for kindergarten. 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.