This study examined the effect of reading ability and frequency of object association on picture-verification latency in a group of 40 fifth graders. Subjects received sets of two slides each, the first of which was a sentence in which the subject and object were in either frequent or infrequent association. When the children had read and had understood the slide, they pressed a button which stopped a clock. The second slide, a picture of the objects described either in the relation suggested by the sentence or in a different relation, was then presented. Subjects responded with "same" or "different," according to the match between sentence and picture. In addition, sentences used to provide the informational context were stated in propositional form ("The horse 'can' jump the fence") or indicative form ("The horse 'is' jumping the fence"). According to an assessment of the time it took subjects to respond to the pictures, reading ability and degree of subject/object relationship, as well as interaction of verb form and response type, were significant. Results indicate that pictures consistent with relational presuppositions can be more quickly verified than those in which relational presuppositions cannot be made. (Author/KS)