Alphabetic Principle is defined as

• A. The understanding that print conveys meaning through words.
• B. An understanding that letters and letter patterns represent the sounds of spoken words.
• C. The ability to identify punctuation marks.
• D. The skill of recognizing words by sight alone.

Answer: (B)

The main idea being tested is how written letters and their patterns correspond to the sounds in spoken language. The Alphabetic Principle says that letters (and letter combinations) map onto sounds, and by blending those sounds, you read words—learning that letters represent sounds allows decoding of unfamiliar text. For example, a, t, and the letter b each make their sounds, and when combined they form a word you can pronounce. This principle also covers fun details like digraphs (such as sh or th) that represent a single sound.

Other reading skills like understanding that print carries meaning, recognizing punctuation, or seeing words by sight are important, but they don’t define the Alphabetic Principle. This principle specifically focuses on the link between written symbols and spoken sounds.