Verbal Ability (English) · Lesson 6 of 8 · Updated ·
Sentence Ordering (Para Jumbles) and Sentence Completion
In sentence ordering (para jumbles), 4–6 sentences are mixed up and you must find the logical order. The sentences are connected by small clues — follow the links.
1. Find the opening sentence
The first sentence usually:
- introduces the topic or a person by full name ("A user reported…", "Rahul Sharma started…")
- does not start with a pronoun (he, she, it, this, they) or a connector (however, therefore, also)
2. Follow the links
| Link | Points to |
|---|---|
| Pronouns: he, she, it, they, this, these | a noun in an earlier sentence |
| "The" + noun: the crash, the company | something already introduced with "a" |
| Connectors: however, but | a contrast with the previous sentence |
| therefore, so, as a result | a result of the previous sentence |
| also, moreover, in addition | adds to the previous point |
| Time words: first, then, later, finally, in 2015 → in 2020 | time order |
Example 1
P: She fixed the bug and added a test. Q: A user reported that the app crashed on login. R: The developer reproduced the crash on her phone. S: The next release worked for everyone.
- Opening: Q (introduces the problem, no pronoun).
- "The crash" in R refers to Q → Q R.
- "She" in P = the developer in R → R P.
- S is the result → last.
- Order: QRPS.
3. Use pairs (mandatory pairs)
Often you can't find the whole order at once. Find two sentences that must be together (a pronoun and its noun), then check which option contains that pair. This eliminates most options quickly.
Example 2
A: However, the price was too high for most families. B: The company launched a new electric scooter. C: Sales were slow in the first year. D: It had a long battery life and a modern design.
- B introduces the topic. "It" in D = the scooter → BD.
- "However" in A contrasts with good features → DA.
- C is the result of the high price → AC.
- Order: BDAC.
4. Sentence completion
Fill one or two blanks so the sentence is correct and makes sense.
- Grammar first: does the blank need a noun, verb or adjective? Singular or plural?
- Then meaning: look for contrast words (although, but → opposite idea) or support words (and, because → similar idea).
Example 3
"Although the questions were ___, most students finished the test on time."
"Although" signals contrast with "finished on time" → the questions were difficult / lengthy.
Common mistakes
- Starting with a sentence that begins with "This" or "However".
- Ignoring "the" vs "a" clues.
- Picking an order from the options without checking every link.
Quick recap
- Opening sentence: introduces the topic, no pronoun or connector.
- Follow pronouns, "the + noun", connectors and time words.
- Find mandatory pairs to eliminate options.
- Sentence completion: grammar first, then meaning (contrast or support).