The purpose of this paper was to test the hypothesis set forth by Farnham-Diggory (1967) and Denner (1970) that problem readers lack representational and syntactic competence. A random sample of 72 first graders, stratified by sex and social class, was given the Gates-MacGinitie Reading Test and the Farnham-Diggory tasks. An analysis of variance showed no significant differences between sexes and social classes on the Farnham-Diggory tasks. Low, although significant, correlations were found between symbol synthesis scores and scores on the reading achievement test. These results were in contrast to Denner's findings of a deficit in a group of first grade problem readers who had been selected and classified by their teachers rather than randomly chosen. The results failed to support strongly the hypothesis of an important relationship between representational and syntactic competence, as measured by the Farnham-Diggory tasks, and achievement in beginning reading. (Author/RB)