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Question

Direction: Sentences of a paragraph are given below in jumbled order. Arrange the sentences in the correct order to form a meaningful and coherent paragraph.

A. He used to commit one theft a year on average. The stolen money lasted for the year.

B. He chose the house at Shotover Grange to commit his next burglary. He studied the design of the house carefully for a fortnight.

C. He found that the family had gone to London and the servants to the movie. He broke into the house one afternoon.

D. He hoped to get fifteen thousand pounds worth of jewels from the safe.

This question was previously asked in
SSC CGL 2023 (Tier-II) Paper 1 Previous Year Paper (26-Oct-2023) (Shift-1)
The correct answer is ABCD

Understanding Paragraph Coherence and Sentence Arrangement

Arranging jumbled sentences to form a coherent and meaningful paragraph is a crucial skill that tests your understanding of logical flow and sequence in writing. To solve such questions, you need to read all the sentences carefully and identify the connections between them. Look for introductory sentences, concluding sentences, cause-and-effect relationships, chronological order, or general-to-specific descriptions.

Analysing the Jumbled Sentences

Let's look at the provided sentences:

  • A. He used to commit one theft a year on average. The stolen money lasted for the year.
  • B. He chose the house at Shotover Grange to commit his next burglary. He studied the design of the house carefully for a fortnight.
  • C. He found that the family had gone to London and the servants to the movie. He broke into the house one afternoon.
  • D. He hoped to get fifteen thousand pounds worth of jewels from the safe.

Step-by-Step Arrangement Logic

We need to find the sequence that creates a smooth narrative. Let's consider the flow:

  1. Sentence A introduces the character and his general habit or routine regarding theft. This often serves as a good starting point for a paragraph, providing context. It tells us about his frequency of theft and what he does with the money.
  2. Sentence B talks about a specific future event: choosing a house for his "next burglary". This naturally follows the description of his general habit (Sentence A). If he commits theft regularly, talking about the next one makes sense. It also details his preparation for this specific event.
  3. Sentence C describes the actual act of breaking into the house mentioned in Sentence B. It provides the circumstances that allowed the break-in ("family had gone... servants to the movie"). This action logically follows the preparation described in B.
  4. Sentence D states his goal or expectation for this specific burglary. He broke into the house (C) because he hoped to get the jewels (D). Stating the goal (D) after the action (C) or closely following the preparation (B) fits the narrative. In this sequence, placing it after the action in C makes sense as it explains the motive behind the specific break-in.

Therefore, the sequence ABCD follows a logical progression:

  • General habit (A) →
  • Planning for the next specific instance (B) →
  • Executing the action (C) →
  • Stating the objective/hope for the action (D).

Constructing the Coherent Paragraph (ABCD)

Combining the sentences in the ABCD order gives the following paragraph:

He used to commit one theft a year on average. The stolen money lasted for the year. He chose the house at Shotover Grange to commit his next burglary. He studied the design of the house carefully for a fortnight. He found that the family had gone to London and the servants to the movie. He broke into the house one afternoon. He hoped to get fifteen thousand pounds worth of jewels from the safe.

This paragraph reads smoothly and makes complete sense, detailing the burglar's routine, his specific plan for a particular house, the execution of the plan, and his expected gain.

Revision Table: Evaluating Other Options

Let's briefly consider why other options are less suitable:

Option Sequence Why it is Less Coherent
DCBA D, C, B, A Starts with the hope (D) before mentioning the action (C) or preparation (B), and ends with the general habit (A) after discussing a specific event. Illogical flow.
BDAC B, D, A, C Starts with specific preparation (B), then goal (D), then general habit (A), then action (C). The general habit (A) is out of place after discussing a specific event (B, D), and the action (C) should logically follow preparation (B).
BCDA B, C, D, A Starts with specific preparation (B), then action (C), then goal (D), but ends with the general habit (A). Similar to BDAC, the general habit feels tacked on at the end rather than providing initial context.

Based on the analysis of the logical flow, the ABCD sequence forms the most meaningful and coherent paragraph.

Additional Information: Tips for Sentence Arrangement

Here are some tips to help you arrange jumbled sentences effectively:

  • Read all sentences: Get a general understanding of the topic and content.
  • Identify the opener: Look for sentences that introduce a topic, person, or setting. These often don't start with transition words like 'but', 'therefore', 'also', or pronouns like 'he', 'she', 'it', unless the preceding sentence is implied.
  • Look for connections: Find links between sentences based on ideas, pronouns referring to nouns in previous sentences, or transition words indicating sequence, contrast, or cause-effect.
  • Establish chronological order: If the sentences describe events, arrange them in the order they happened.
  • General to specific: Often, a paragraph starts with a general statement and then provides specific details or examples.
  • Cause and effect: Identify if one sentence describes a cause and another describes its effect.
  • Trial and error: Once you have a potential sequence, read the sentences in that order to see if it forms a smooth, logical paragraph.
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Similar Questions

  1. Sentences of a paragraph are given below in jumbled order. Arrange the sentences in the correct order to form a meaningful and coherent paragraph.

    A. But she has no idea an aunt and uncle are waiting for her.

    B. 'The Strange Child' is the story of a young girl who believes she is the only one on the planet.

    C. Her parents simply vanished into thin air one day.

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  2. Sentences of a paragraph are given below in jumbled order. Arrange the sentences in the correct order to form a meaningful and coherent paragraph.

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  4. Sentences of a paragraph are given below in jumbled order. Arrange the sentences in the correct order to form a meaningful and coherent paragraph.

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  5. Direction: Sentences of a paragraph are given below in jumbled order. Arrange the sentences in the correct order to form a meaningful and coherent paragraph.

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  6. Sentences of a paragraph are given below in jumbled order. Arrange the sentences in the correct order to form a meaningful and coherent paragraph.

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  7. Sentences of a paragraph are given below in jumbled order. Arrange the sentences in the correct order to form a meaningful and coherent paragraph.

    A. Due to tight deadlines for delivery and increased focus on performance outcomes, many employees are unable to enjoy a proper work life.

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    D. To add to this, the current economy has impacted many companies' revenues and profits which, in effect, have put many jobs at risk resulting in the frequency of counselling support and guidance going up significantly.

  8. Sentences of a paragraph are given below in jumbled order. Arrange the sentences in the correct order to form a meaningful and coherent paragraph.

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Important Questions from Para Jumbles

  1. Rearrange the 4 disorganized sentences P, Q, R and S to form a meaningful paragraph.

    P : cricket is a religion in India and

    Q : most of the other sports suffer

    R : due to the extra importance given to cricket as a game

    S : it is known to all

    Proper order is

    A. PQSR

    B. PSQR

    C. QSPR

    D. SPRQ

  2. Rearrange the 4 disorganized sentences P, Q, R and S to form a meaningful paragraph.

    P : is mostly produced in rural farms

    Q : India is a leading producer of

    R : milk is the most important of them and

    S : dairy products by volume

    Proper order is

    A. SRPQ

    B. QSPR

    C. QPSR

    D. QSRP

  3. Rearrange the 4 disorganized sentences P, Q, R and S to form a meaningful paragraph.

    P: mostly decided by the market conditions

    Q: Sometimes, a United States dollar is worth only 12 pesos in Mexico

    R: the rates of exchange between them vary from time to time

    S: and some other time it can be 100 pesos

    Proper order is -

    A. PRSQ

    B. QPRS

    C. QSRP

    D. QSPR

  4. Directions: Given below are four jumbled sentences. Out of the given options select the one that gives their correct order.

    A. Anush was very afraid of stray dogs.

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  5. Sentences of a paragraph are given below in jumbled order. Arrange the sentences in the right order to form a meaningful and coherent paragraph.

    A. In arid regions it may form an almost erect shrub.
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    C. Small greenish flowers, in clusters, precede the fruit, which varies in colour from almost black to green, red and amber.
    D. The edible leaves are alternate, palmately lobed and always tooth-edged.

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