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. It was winter, and on A-cup of coffee was what B-that cold day a hot C-I needed desperately
BAC
Understanding Sentence Rearrangement for Logical Order
Sentence rearrangement questions require you to place a set of labelled sentences or fragments in the most logical and coherent order to form a meaningful paragraph or sentence. The key is to look for connections between the fragments, such as pronouns, conjunctions, articles, and the natural flow of ideas.
Analyzing the Given Sentence Fragments
We are given an introductory phrase and three labelled fragments:
- Initial phrase: "It was winter, and on"
- A: cup of coffee was what
- B: that cold day a hot
- C: I needed desperately
We need to find the correct sequence of A, B, and C that logically follows the initial phrase.
Evaluating the Options for Logical Flow
Let's test each option by combining the initial phrase with the proposed order of fragments:
- Option 1 (ACB): "It was winter, and on A cup of coffee was what C I needed desperately B that cold day a hot." This sequence does not make grammatical or logical sense.
- Option 2 (ABC): "It was winter, and on A cup of coffee was what B that cold day a hot C I needed desperately." This sequence is also grammatically incorrect and illogical.
- Option 3 (CBA): "It was winter, and on C I needed desperately B that cold day a hot A cup of coffee was what." This sequence is confusing and lacks coherence.
- Option 4 (BAC): "It was winter, and on B that cold day a hot A cup of coffee was what C I needed desperately." Let's read this combined sentence: "It was winter, and on that cold day a hot cup of coffee was what I needed desperately." This forms a grammatically correct, meaningful, and logical sentence.
Determining the Correct Sentence Order
By testing the options and considering the meaning, the arrangement BAC creates a clear and sensible sentence that naturally follows the initial phrase. The phrase "on that cold day" (B) logically follows "It was winter, and on". Then, "a hot cup of coffee was what" (A) specifies what was needed on that day. Finally, "I needed desperately" (C) completes the thought about the need.
Therefore, the most logical order of the sentences to form a coherent paragraph (in this case, a single complete sentence) is BAC.
| Order | Combined Sentence | Logical? |
|---|---|---|
| Initial + ACB | It was winter, and on cup of coffee was what I needed desperately that cold day a hot. | No |
| Initial + ABC | It was winter, and on cup of coffee was what that cold day a hot I needed desperately. | No |
| Initial + CBA | It was winter, and on I needed desperately that cold day a hot cup of coffee was what. | No |
| Initial + BAC | It was winter, and on that cold day a hot cup of coffee was what I needed desperately. | Yes |
Revision Table: Sentence Rearrangement Practice
To improve your sentence rearrangement skills, consider the following points:
- Read all fragments carefully to understand the context.
- Look for linking words like conjunctions (and, but, so), relative pronouns (who, which, that), and adverbs (then, however, therefore).
- Identify the subject and verb of potential sentences.
- Find the opening sentence (often introduces the main topic).
- Find the concluding sentence (often summarizes or provides a final thought).
- Look for pronoun references (he, she, it, they) and ensure the noun they refer to appears earlier.
- Pay attention to chronological order or cause-and-effect relationships.
Additional Information: Cohesion and Coherence
A coherent paragraph or sentence flows smoothly because its parts are logically connected. Cohesion refers to the linguistic links that tie sentences or clauses together (like pronouns, conjunctions, repetition of keywords). Coherence refers to the overall sense and meaning of the text, how all the ideas fit together logically to make sense to the reader. In sentence rearrangement questions, you are testing your ability to identify and create both cohesion and coherence.
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
