Understanding Sentence Reordering Questions

Sentence reordering questions require you to arrange a set of labelled fragments into a logical sequence to form a coherent sentence or paragraph. The key is to identify the connections between the fragments and determine the flow of ideas.

The given question starts with the phrase "On inquiry at the" and provides three labelled fragments:

• A: that there were several through
• B: railway station we were informed
• C: trains to Dehradun every day

We need to find the most logical order of these fragments (A, B, C) to complete the sentence starting with "On inquiry at the".

Step-by-Step Analysis for Logical Order

1. The sentence begins with "On inquiry at the...". We need to figure out where this inquiry took place. The most logical place to inquire about trains would be a railway station. Fragment B says "railway station we were informed". This connects perfectly with the starting phrase.
   • Connecting: "On inquiry at the" + B (railway station we were informed)
   • Partial Sentence: "On inquiry at the railway station we were informed..."
2. Following "we were informed", we need to know what information was given. Fragment A says "that there were several through". This seems like the start of the information received at the railway station.
   • Connecting: "...we were informed" + A (that there were several through)
   • Partial Sentence: "On inquiry at the railway station we were informed that there were several through..."
3. After "that there were several through", we need to know what kind of "through" things are being referred to. Fragment C says "trains to Dehradun every day". This logically completes the information about what was several through.
   • Connecting: "...several through" + C (trains to Dehradun every day)
   • Complete Sentence: "On inquiry at the railway station we were informed that there were several through trains to Dehradun every day."

Putting the fragments together in the order determined gives us B then A then C.

Verifying the Order BAC

Let's assemble the complete sentence using the fragments in the order BAC after the initial phrase:

• Starting Phrase: On inquiry at the
• Fragment B: railway station we were informed
• Fragment A: that there were several through
• Fragment C: trains to Dehradun every day

Combining them: On inquiry at the railway station we were informed that there were several through trains to Dehradun every day.

This forms a grammatically correct and logically coherent sentence.

Comparing with Options

The logical order derived is BAC. We compare this with the given options:

The order BAC is the only one that creates a meaningful sentence.

Conclusion on Sentence Order

Based on the logical flow and grammatical correctness, the fragments should be arranged in the order BAC to form a coherent sentence starting with "On inquiry at the". The completed sentence is "On inquiry at the railway station we were informed that there were several through trains to Dehradun every day."

Revision Table: Sentence Reordering Practice

Additional Information: Tips for Sentence and Paragraph Reordering

Sentence and paragraph reordering questions are common in verbal ability sections. Here are some additional tips:

• Look for the opening sentence: This often introduces the main idea and might not start with conjunctions (like 'and', 'but', 'therefore') or pronouns referring to something not yet mentioned. In this case, the starting phrase was given.
• Identify connecting words: Look for pronouns (he, she, it, they, this, that), conjunctions (and, but, so), transitional phrases (therefore, however, in addition, for example), and repeated nouns or ideas that link one sentence to the next.
• Follow the flow of ideas: Look for cause and effect, chronological order, general to specific, or specific to general patterns.
• Check for closing sentences: Sometimes, a sentence concludes the idea or provides a summary.
• Eliminate options: Once you have identified a definite link between two fragments or the starting/ending sentence, look at the options and eliminate those that don't follow your sequence.
• Read the combined paragraph: After selecting an option, read the complete paragraph (or sentence) aloud to see if it makes sense and flows smoothly.