Which sound does this word start with? “fan”

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.

The question

Point at the word and say it slowly. Then read this question and the three answers aloud to your child.

Which sound does this word start with?

• Athe /n/ sound, like in nut
• Bthe /a/ sound, like in apple
• Cthe /f/ sound, like in foxCorrect answer

Why “the /f/ sound, like in fox” is correct

This asks for the first sound, so stretch the start of the word — fffff-an — and let your child feel the air on their lip. /f/ is a sound you can hold for as long as you like, which makes it one of the easier first sounds to hear. If your child gives the letter name "ef", accept it and then say "the letter is ef, and the sound it makes is /f/".

Why the other answers are wrong

• the /n/ sound, like in nut — The /n/ sound is at the end of "fan". Ending sounds are often the ones a young child notices first.
• the /a/ sound, like in apple — The /a/ sound is the vowel in the middle. Saying the word in slow motion — f-a-n — shows it comes second.

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.