Words Dictionary Order Explained

This question requires us to arrange a list of words in alphabetical order, just like they appear in a dictionary. After sorting, we need to identify the word that comes second from the end of the list.

Listing the Given Words

Here are the words provided in the question:

• Spastic
• Spasmatic
• Spasticity
• Spastically
• Spasmodical

Sorting the Words Alphabetically

To sort these words, we compare them letter by letter from the beginning.

Step 1: Initial Comparison

All words start with "Spa". We look at the fourth letter:

• Spasmatic
• Spasmodical
• Spastic
• Spastically
• Spasticity

Since 'm' comes before 't' in the alphabet, the words starting with "Spasm" will come before the words starting with "Spastic".

Step 2: Sorting "Spasm" Words

We compare "Spasmatic" and "Spasmodical":

• Spasmatic
• Spasmodical

Comparing the sixth letter, 'a' comes before 'o'. So, the order is:

1. Spasmatic
2. Spasmodical

Step 3: Sorting "Spastic" Words

We compare "Spastic", "Spastically", and "Spasticity":

• Spastic (ends here)
• Spastically
• Spasticity

When one word is a prefix of another (like "Spastic" is part of the other two), the shorter word comes first. So, "Spastic" is the first among these three.

Now, compare "Spastically" and "Spasticity" starting from the 8th letter:

• Spastically
• Spasticity

Comparing the 8th letter, 'a' comes before 'i'. So, the order is:

1. Spastic
2. Spastically
3. Spasticity

Step 4: Combining the Groups

Based on Step 1 ('m' before 't'), we combine the sorted groups:

1. Spasmatic
2. Spasmodical
3. Spastic
4. Spastically
5. Spasticity

Identifying the Second Word from the Last

Now, let's look at the final sorted list:

1. Spasmatic
2. Spasmodical
3. Spastic
4. Spastically
5. Spasticity

The word at the last place (5th) is "Spasticity".

The word at the second place from the last (4th) is "Spastically".

Therefore, "Spastically" will come in the second place from the last when the words are arranged according to the dictionary.