The question below consists of a set of labelled sentences. Out of the four options given, select the most logical order of the sentences to form a coherent paragraph. They were quite A- I was fluent in English B- fascinated, and were quick to C- remark that they were surprised
BCA
Understanding Sentence Ordering and Paragraph Coherence
Sentence ordering questions test your ability to arrange jumbled sentences into a logical and coherent paragraph. The goal is to find the sequence that makes the most sense contextually and grammatically.
We are given a starting phrase and three labelled sentences:
- Starting phrase: They were quite...
- A: I was fluent in English
- B: fascinated, and were quick to
- C: remark that they were surprised
We need to find the correct order of A, B, and C that, when combined with the starting phrase, forms a meaningful sentence.
Evaluating the Options for Logical Order
Let's combine the starting phrase with each option and see which one creates a coherent sentence.
Option 1: BAC
Combining "They were quite..." with BAC gives: "They were quite I was fluent in English fascinated, and were quick to remark that they were surprised." This sequence does not form a logical or grammatically correct sentence.
Option 2: ACB
Combining "They were quite..." with ACB gives: "They were quite I was fluent in English remark that they were surprised fascinated, and were quick to." This sequence also lacks coherence.
Option 3: BCA
Combining "They were quite..." with BCA gives: "They were quite fascinated, and were quick to remark that they were surprised I was fluent in English." Let's examine the flow:
- "They were quite fascinated..." sets the initial reaction.
- "...and were quick to remark that they were surprised..." describes their immediate action and feeling.
- "...I was fluent in English." explains the reason for their surprise.
This sequence forms a complete, grammatically correct, and logically flowing sentence.
Option 4: ABC
Combining "They were quite..." with ABC gives: "They were quite I was fluent in English fascinated, and were quick to remark that they were surprised." This sequence does not make sense.
Summary of Option Evaluation
| Option | Sequence | Combined Sentence (They were quite + Sequence) | Coherent? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BAC | They were quite I was fluent in English fascinated, and were quick to remark that they were surprised. | No |
| 2 | ACB | They were quite I was fluent in English remark that they were surprised fascinated, and were quick to. | No |
| 3 | BCA | They were quite fascinated, and were quick to remark that they were surprised I was fluent in English. | Yes |
| 4 | ABC | They were quite I was fluent in English fascinated, and were quick to remark that they were surprised. | No |
Step-by-Step Logical Ordering (BCA)
- The starting phrase "They were quite" needs a descriptive adjective or phrase to follow. Sentence B, "fascinated, and were quick to", fits well, leading to "They were quite fascinated, and were quick to...".
- Following "quick to", we expect an action they were quick to perform. Sentence C, "remark that they were surprised", provides this action, extending the sentence to "They were quite fascinated, and were quick to remark that they were surprised...".
- Finally, the reason for their surprise is needed. Sentence A, "I was fluent in English", explains what surprised them. Adding A completes the sentence logically: "...surprised I was fluent in English."
Thus, the most logical order of the sentences is BCA, forming the complete sentence: They were quite fascinated, and were quick to remark that they were surprised I was fluent in English.
Revision Table: Key Skills for Sentence Ordering
| Skill Area | Importance | How it Applies Here |
|---|---|---|
| Contextual Understanding | Grasping the overall meaning and relationships between parts. | Understanding how fascination, being quick to react, surprise, and English fluency connect. |
| Identifying Connectors | Recognizing words/phrases that link ideas (e.g., "and", "quick to", "that"). | Using "and were quick to" and "remark that" to guide the sequence. |
| Checking Grammatical Flow | Ensuring the combined sentences form correct grammatical structures. | Verifying that "quite fascinated", "quick to remark", and "surprised I was fluent" are valid phrases in context. |
Additional Information: Achieving Paragraph Coherence
Coherence in a paragraph means the ideas are connected and flow smoothly, making it easy for the reader to follow. Besides logical ordering, coherence is enhanced by:
- Transitions: Using transition words and phrases (like therefore, however, in addition, etc.) to signal relationships between sentences.
- Repetition and Synonyms: Repeating key terms or using synonyms to remind the reader of the main subject.
- Pronoun Consistency: Using pronouns correctly and ensuring they clearly refer to their antecedents.
- Consistent Point of View: Maintaining a consistent perspective (e.g., first person, third person).
Practicing sentence ordering questions helps develop an intuition for these elements, improving both reading comprehension and writing skills.
Important Questions from Sentence Jumbles
The following question consists of six sentences of a passage. The first and the sixth sentences are given in the beginning as S1 and S6. The middle four sentences in each have been jumbled up and labelled P, Q, R and S. You are required to find the proper sequence of the four sentences and mark your response accordingly.
S1: Egypt lies in the north-east corner of Africa.
S6: The whole country depends on the water of the Nile.
P: Most of it is desert or semi-desert.
Q: It has very little rainfall.
R: It is four times as big as Great Britain in size.
S: Only a twenty-fifth of the total area is cultivable.
The correct sequence should beThe following question consists of six sentences of a passage. The first and the sixth sentences are given in the beginning as S1 and S6. The middle four sentences in each have been jumbled up and labelled P, Q, R and S. You are required to find the proper sequence of the four sentences and mark your response accordingly.
S1: In mechanical efforts, you improve by perpetual practice.
S6: There is neither excuse nor temptation for the latter.
P: He cannot go on shooting wide or falling short, and still fancy that he is making progress.
Q: This is so because the object to be attained is a matter of actual experiment in which you either succeed or fail.
R: He must either correct his aim or persevere in his error with his eyes open.
S: If a man aims at a mark with a bow and arrow, he must either hit it or aim it.
The correct sequence should be
The following question consists of six sentences of a passage. The first and the sixth sentences are given in the beginning as S1 and S6. The middle four sentences in each have been jumbled up and labelled P, Q, R and S. You are required to find the proper sequence of the four sentences and mark your response accordingly.
S1: Isaac’s mother married again.
S6: He had a set of little tools and saw of various sizes made by himself.
P: But he was known to be very clever at making things.
Q: She sent him to school.
R: Isaac was left to the care of his good old grandmother.
S: In his early years Isaac did not appear to be a very bright student.
The correct sequence should be
The following question consists of six sentences of a passage. The first and the sixth sentences are given in the beginning as S1 and S6. The middle four sentences in each have been jumbled up and labelled P, Q, R and S. You are required to find the proper sequence of the four sentences and mark your response accordingly.
S1: The examination system must be regarded as the chief wrecker of young nerves.
S6: If I become a Vice-Chancellor, my first act would be to abolish all examinations in my university.
P: It makes me jump out of the bed, all in a sweat.
Q: It does this by building up a tension, for a part of the year, all through one’s youth.
R: And after four decades, the same nervousness sometimes recurs to me in nightmares.
S: I remember the desperate nervousness that used to grip me from January to April every year.
The correct sequence should be
The following question consists of six sentences of a passage. The first and the sixth sentences are given in the beginning as S1 and S6. The middle four sentences in each have been jumbled up and labelled P, Q, R and S. You are required to find the proper sequence of the four sentences and mark your response accordingly.
S1: History is a subject that is so little valued today that it is almost impossible to win world fame as a historian, yet that is exactly what Toynbee was able to.
S6: Among the civilizations that he studied was that of India.
P: We usually think of history as a chronological account of the development of various states and empires under the ruler.
Q: Toynbee’s view of history was different.
R: He tries to find the pattern behind the birth, growth and decay of civilization.
S: Though he used the recorded history of mankind, he was interested not merely in the chronology of single states or group but in the rise and fall of whole civilizations.
The correct sequence should be
