Sometimes the sentences of a paragraph are given in scattered manner or in disorder way and we are asked to rearrange them in correct and logical order to make a meaningful paragraph. It is called Reordering. This exercise involves rearranging a set of scrambled words or phrases into a coherent and grammatically correct sentence. It tests comprehension, grammar, and logical thinking, making it a common feature in language assessments, competitive exams, and everyday communication.
Mastering jumbled sentences sharpens linguistic precision and cognitive flexibility. Whether for exams, professional writing, or everyday clarity, this skill fosters effective communication. Regular practice, attention to grammar rules, and contextual awareness are key to proficiency. By systematically approaching sentence re-ordering, anyone can enhance their language mastery.
Sentence Rearrangement Exercises 1
1. It is indeed an activity that characterises all mankind. This is one way of saying that man is a social animal, possessing the faculty of speech. Humans, it is said, are talking animals. Men and women everywhere spend a large part of their time in conversation. Conversation is an important part of social life.
2. The results of many thousands of student vocabulary tests show that students with the best vocabulary do the best work in school or college. The word is the only vehicle upon which a thought can travel. The vocabulary tests are the best available measure of general intelligence. Mastery of the words has a cash value. Your vocabulary is the measure of your mind.
3. However, the fact is that the PM is badly in need of a rest. The local media in Lucknow, in particular, felt this was just an excuse to avoid a meeting. Officials in the PMO are baffled a lot these days. After all, he is only human. Despite his own clarification, the media refuses to believe that Vajpayee is suffering from a bad throat.
4. Soon the moon rose out of the sea. We hired a boat and started at about 7 o’clock. The sky and the sea seemed to meet together in the distant horizon. The weather was fine. We were proceeding towards it.
5. She searched for such a house in vain. Buddha asked her to bring him a handful of mustard seed from a house where none had ever died. Buddha asked her not to grieve, because death is inevitable. She came to Buddha. Once a woman lost her only child. She prayed him to restore the dead child to life. She was overwhelmed with bereavement. Buddha was moved by her great sorrow.
Sentence Rearrangement Exercises 2
6. Go to the post office and give your letter to the person at the registration counter. He will weigh your letter and advise you to buy stamps of required amount. Hand over the envelope to him after sticking the stamps on it and he will give you a receipt. Put your letter into an envelope and close it with gum. Write the name and address of the person to whom you are sending the letter.
7. Apply two coats of paint, allowing the first to dry before applying the second. Wipe it clear with a dry cloth. Allow to dry. Apply a coat of metal primer. Remove old paint and rust from the trunk by using a sand paper.
8. When your token number is called, present token to the cashier and receive cash. Present the form and the passbook at the counter. Fill in the form. Obtain withdrawal form from the counter. Obtain a token in return. Count the money before leaving the counter.
9. The line is through and you can talk to the person. When you hear the dialing tone, wait for the response from the other end. If you hear the engaged signal, replace the receiver and repeat the process again. Lift the receiver and listen to the dialing tone.
10. Pour rice into the boiling water and allow it to boil for some more time till the rice turns soft. Put some water in a pot and heat it till the water boils. Wash the rice well and soak it in water for some time. Drain off the water from the pot. Now rice is ready.
Sentence Rearrangement Exercises 3
11. The pulpy mass is then cleaned and bleached. Bark is removed from the logs. Water is removed until the pulp can be made into a bundle. The logs are shredded into fibres. The bundles are sent to the paper mill for processing.
12. Knead the dough till it becomes soft. Take already scarped coconut and fry it with sugar and spices. Deep fry in refined oil till they are red. Now the Kakra pitha is ready. Use the fried coconut as filling. Roll the dough into circles like puris. Put the filling and wrap them. Take the required among of maida and add oil, water and salt as required.
13. Fill in the form properly. Pay ten rupees at the counter and collect a receipt. Put the form in the box kept for the purpose. Attach attested copy of the marksheet. Show the receipt to the admission clerk and collect a form.
14. Life-like dummies of wood-cutter, honey-collectors and fishermen, that give a shock when touched, have been set up in selected places in the forest. When a tiger attacks a dummy, it gets a 230 volt shock, and villagers have seen a shocked tiger roar with pain. To prevent the tiger from becoming a man-eater and to tame the man-eater, a novel experiment is being conducted in the Sundarbans. The aim is to see how long the impact of the shock lasts on the tiger.
Sentence Rearrangement Exercises 4
15. The problem is made worse by the climate in Calcutta, which has very high humidity, but little wind. This is caused by fog in winter. Some solution must be found as soon as possible in order to improve the health of the inhabitants. Pollution is a serious and urgent problem in Calcutta. As a result, fifty percent of the population of Calcutta suffer from respiratory diseases.
16. The movement of the traffic was severely disrupted. The mob was angry over the boy’s death. A truck laden with timber knocked down a boy who was crossing the road. A large crowd chased the truck and stopped it. The boy met with instant death. It set fire to the truck and put up a barricade on the National Highway.
17. It seems as if he can speak if given a chance. He is larger than any dog I have ever seen and he is more like a wolf. He has huge paws with jointed fingers and retractable claws. Achilles isn’t an ordinary dog. But the most incredible characteristic is his face which looks sad and solemn.
Understanding Jumbled Sentences or Re-Ordering
A jumbled sentence consists of words or phrases that are not in their correct order. The objective is to rearrange these components to form a grammatically correct and logically sound sentence. For example, given the words “quickly / the / ran / dog / away,” the correct reordering would be “The dog ran away quickly.”
The complexity of jumbled sentences can vary. Some may involve simple structures with a clear subject-verb-object arrangement, while others may include modifiers, clauses, or idiomatic expressions that require deeper linguistic analysis.
Importance of Sentence Re-Ordering
Effective communication relies heavily on clarity, coherence, and logical flow. One of the most powerful tools to achieve this is sentence re-ordering—the process of rearranging words, phrases, or clauses within a sentence to enhance readability, emphasize key points, and improve overall comprehension. While often overlooked, sentence re-ordering plays a crucial role in both written and spoken language, influencing how ideas are perceived and understood.
Enhances Grammar – Skills Jumbled sentences require learners to identify parts of speech, subject-verb agreement, and proper sentence construction. By rearranging words into coherent sentences, individuals reinforce their understanding of grammatical rules.
Improves Logical Thinking – Deciphering scrambled sentences demands logical reasoning. Learners must analyze word relationships, contextual clues, and sentence flow to reconstruct meaningful statements.
Boosts Vocabulary – Retention Working with jumbled sentences exposes learners to new words and phrases, reinforcing vocabulary acquisition through repeated exposure and contextual usage.
Develops Reading Comprehension – Since scrambled sentences disrupt natural sentence flow, learners must focus on meaning rather than relying on rote memorization. This strengthens reading comprehension and analytical skills.
Useful for Competitive Exams – Many standardized tests, including language proficiency exams and aptitude tests, incorporate jumbled sentence exercises to evaluate linguistic and cognitive abilities.
Strategies for Sentence Rearrangement Exercises
Sentence rearrangement exercises are a fundamental component of language proficiency tests, competitive exams, and academic assessments. These exercises evaluate a test-taker’s ability to logically organize sentences into a coherent paragraph or passage. Mastering sentence rearrangement requires a combination of linguistic intuition, logical reasoning, and structured strategies. Below, we explore effective techniques to approach these exercises with confidence and accuracy.
Look for Articles and Pronouns – Words like “the,” “a,” “an,” or pronouns (“he,” “she,” “it”) often indicate the beginning of a noun phrase, helping to determine the starting point of a sentence.
Observe Modifiers and Connectors – Adjectives, adverbs, and conjunctions provide clues about relationships between words. For example, “because” suggests a cause-effect relationship, while “however” introduces a contrast.
Check for Tense – Consistency Ensure that all verbs align in tense (past, present, future) to maintain grammatical correctness.
Read Aloud for Flow – After rearranging, reading the sentence aloud helps verify if it sounds natural and coherent.
Types of Jumbled Sentences Exercises
These exercises involve rearranging words or phrases into a meaningful and grammatically correct sentence. They are widely used in language learning, competitive exams, and cognitive development programs. Below are the various types of jumbled sentences exercises, each serving a distinct purpose in enhancing linguistic skills.
Word Jumbles – The simplest form involves rearranging a set of words into a grammatically correct sentence.
For example:
Scrambled: “quickly / the / dog / ran / brown”
Corrected: “The brown dog ran quickly.”
Sentence Formation with Extra Words – Some exercises include additional words that do not belong in the sentence, requiring learners to identify and eliminate irrelevant terms.
Paragraph Reconstruction – More advanced exercises involve rearranging jumbled sentences to form a coherent paragraph, testing both sentence-level and discourse-level comprehension.
Error Identification and Correction – Learners may be given partially scrambled sentences with grammatical errors, requiring them to correct mistakes while rearranging words.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Ignoring Subject-Verb – Agreement Mismatching singular subjects with plural verbs (or vice versa) leads to incorrect sentences.
Misplacing Modifiers – Placing adjectives or adverbs incorrectly can alter meaning.
For example:
Incorrect: “She almost drove her kids to school every day.”
Correct: “She drove her kids to school almost every day.”
Overlooking Prepositions – Prepositions (“in,” “on,” “at”) must correctly link nouns to other sentence elements.
Forgetting Conjunctions – Words like “and,” “but,” or “because” connect clauses and must be positioned appropriately.
Conclusion
Jumbled sentences serve as an invaluable tool for honing linguistic and cognitive abilities. By mastering sentence re-ordering, individuals enhance their grammar, logical reasoning, and comprehension skills, which are essential for academic, professional, and personal growth. Regular practice with varied difficulty levels ensures continued improvement and confidence in handling complex language structures.