Which letter comes first in this word? “top”
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?
- tCorrect answer
- o
- p
Why “t” is correct
This asks for a letter name, so it checks whether your child knows that we read from left to right. Slide your finger under the word as you say it, then stop on the first letter and ask again. The t at the start of "top" is both the first letter and the first sound, so a child who says the word slowly can also hear it.
Why the other answers are wrong
- o — The letter o is in the middle. Children often name the round letter they know best rather than the one on the left.
- p — The letter p is at the end. A child who starts from the right is reading in the wrong direction, which is common at five and fixed by moving a finger left to right.
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.