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Question

Select the option that indicates the correct arrangement of the given words in the order in which they appear in an English dictionary.

1. Languish

2. Larder

3. Lantern

4. Languid

5. Lapse

This question was previously asked in
SSC Stenographer 2023 Previous Year Paper (13-Oct-2023) (Shift 3)
The correct answer is

41352

Understanding Dictionary Order Arrangement

To arrange words in the order they appear in an English dictionary, we need to compare them letter by letter, starting from the first letter. If the first letters are the same, we move to the second letter, and so on, until we find a difference. The word with the letter that comes earlier in the alphabet will appear earlier in the dictionary.

Let's look at the given words and their corresponding numbers:

  1. Languish
  2. Larder
  3. Lantern
  4. Languid
  5. Lapse

Step-by-Step Word Comparison for Dictionary Order

We will compare the words letter by letter to determine their correct dictionary order.

Comparing the first letter:

  • Languish (L)
  • Larder (L)
  • Lantern (L)
  • Languid (L)
  • Lapse (L)

All words start with 'L'. We move to the second letter.

Comparing the second letter:

  • Languish (a)
  • Larder (a)
  • Lantern (a)
  • Languid (a)
  • Lapse (a)

All words have 'a' as the second letter. We move to the third letter.

Comparing the third letter:

  • Languish (n)
  • Larder (r)
  • Lantern (n)
  • Languid (n)
  • Lapse (p)

Now we see differences: 'n', 'r', 'p'. According to the alphabet, 'n' comes first, then 'p', then 'r'.

This means the words starting with 'Lan' will come first, followed by the word starting with 'Lap', and finally the word starting with 'Lar'.

Let's order the words starting with 'p' and 'r':

  • Lapse (5) - Lap...
  • Larder (2) - Lar...

'p' comes before 'r', so Lapse (5) comes before Larder (2).

Current partial order: (Words starting with Lan), 5, 2.

Now let's order the words starting with 'Lan':

  • Languish (1)
  • Lantern (3)
  • Languid (4)

We compare the fourth letter:

  • Languish (g)
  • Lantern (t)
  • Languid (g)

'g' comes before 't'. So, Lantern (3) will come after Languish (1) and Languid (4). We need to compare Languish and Languid further.

Current partial order: (Words starting with Lang), 3, 5, 2.

Now let's order the words starting with 'Lang':

  • Languish (1)
  • Languid (4)

We compare the fifth letter:

  • Languish (u)
  • Languid (u)

Both are the same. We move to the sixth letter.

Comparing the sixth letter:

  • Languish (i)
  • Languid (i)

Both are the same. We move to the seventh letter.

Comparing the seventh letter:

  • Languish (s)
  • Languid (d)

Now we see a difference: 's' and 'd'. According to the alphabet, 'd' comes before 's'.

So, Languid (4) comes before Languish (1).

Final Dictionary Order

Combining all the comparisons, the correct alphabetical order is:

  1. Languid (4)
  2. Languish (1)
  3. Lantern (3)
  4. Lapse (5)
  5. Larder (2)

The numerical arrangement corresponding to this dictionary order is 41352.

Word Number Dictionary Order
Languid 4 1st
Languish 1 2nd
Lantern 3 3rd
Lapse 5 4th
Larder 2 5th

Therefore, the sequence representing the correct arrangement of the given words in dictionary order is 41352.

Revision Table: Key Dictionary Order Concepts

Concept Explanation
Alphabetical Comparison Words are ordered based on the position of their letters in the alphabet.
Letter-by-Letter Comparison starts from the first letter and proceeds to the next until a difference is found.
Shorter vs. Longer Words If one word is a prefix of another (e.g., 'car' vs. 'carpet'), the shorter word comes first in dictionary order. (Not applicable to this specific problem, but a general rule).

Additional Information: Improving Vocabulary and Dictionary Skills

Practicing dictionary order helps improve your vocabulary skills and understanding of alphabetical sequencing. Here are some tips:

  • Regularly use a physical or online dictionary to look up words.
  • Pay attention to the guide words at the top of dictionary pages.
  • Practice arranging lists of words alphabetically.
  • Learn common prefixes and suffixes, though they don't change the core dictionary ordering rules based on letter comparison.

Mastering dictionary order is a fundamental skill for language learning and effective use of reference materials.

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