Where should the students put the colored pencils?

Understand Spoken Words and Language Structures · TELPAS Grades 4–5 listening. The correct answer, and the reasoning behind it.

Reporting category 1: follow spoken directions and understand words and phrases as they are used in speech. On the real test some of these ask the student to click on a picture.

The question

Choose the best answer.

Where should the students put the colored pencils?

• AIn the blue box on the top shelf, by the door
• BOn the bottom shelf by the window, beside the blue box
• CIn a box under the window, on the floor
• DIn the blue box on the bottom shelf, by the windowCorrect answer

Why “In the blue box on the bottom shelf, by the window” is correct

This item tests position words used in a spoken direction: in, on, bottom, next to. Every choice uses some of the right words, so the student has to hold the whole location in mind: in the blue box, which is on the bottom shelf, which is next to the window. Practice by giving two-step directions at home with the same kinds of words.

Why the other answers are wrong

• In the blue box on the top shelf, by the door — Ms. Garza says the bottom shelf, not the top shelf, and she says the window, not the door.
• On the bottom shelf by the window, beside the blue box — The pencils go in the box, not next to it. "In" and "beside" mean different places.
• In a box under the window, on the floor — The box is on a shelf next to the window, not under the window on the floor.

Practice more of this

More listening practice for Grades 4–5, or see the TELPAS practice test for 4th and 5th grade.