Language is a structured system of communication, yet sentences often become disordered due to errors in syntax, grammar, or thought organization. Understanding how to identify, analyze, and rearrange such sentences is essential for clarity in both written and spoken language. Sometimes the steps of the process of something are given in disorder manner or in scattered way and we are asked to write the most suitable, desired and logical sequence point by point. This is called Sequencing or sequence-making.
Example
Rearrange the sentences below, putting them in the correct order. (You need not copy out the sentences. Just write the letters, separated by dashes (b-d-c-e-a) to indicate the desired sequence.
(a) Colour the sky blue and the trees green.
(b) Study the picture on that page.
(c) Write “The End” to show that the task has been completed.
(d) Open the book on page 29.
(e) Copy the picture in your exercise book.
Answer: The most suitable, desired & logical sequence of the given sentences is : d-b-e-a-c
Sentence Structure Exercises
1. The following sentences tell you how to make a cup of tea. The sentences are not in the correct order. Rearrange them in the proper sequence. (Do not copy out the sentences in your answer book. Just write the numbers of the sentences in the desired order ,for example, (c-e-d-a-b).
(a) Pour the tea into cups through a strainer.
(b) When the water has boiled, add the tea leaves. (taking one tea-spoon for each cup)
(c) Boil some water in a pot (taking one cup for each person)
(d) Add milk and sugar according to taste.
(e) Remove the boiling water from the fire and allow the tea to brew for a few minutes in the pot.
2. Rearrange the sentences below, putting them in the correct sequence. You need not copy out of the sentences. Indicate the desired sequence by writing the letters, separated by dashes, e.g. c-e-a-b-d, etc.
(a) The innings ends when all the batsmen are out.
(b) The captains of the two teams take part in the toss.
(c) When a batsman is out, the next batsman replaces him.
(d) The captain who wins decides if his team will bat or field.
(e) The two opening batsmen start the innings.
3. Arrange the following sentences in proper order so as to make a meaningful paragraph.
(a) Suppose, I am going to catch a train.
(b) I at once stop.
(c) Belief in superstition often puts us into great loss.
(d) A house-lizard emits its peculiar clacking cry.
(e) Because the cry to lizard is regarded inauspicious for a journey.
(f) I am very much likely to miss the train.
4. Arrange the following sentences in proper order so as to make a meaningful paragraph.
(a) Tall trees, towers and electric poles are uprooted.
(b) Houses are drowned too.
(c) When cyclone occurs, wind blows at a great speed, often beyond 300 kilometers per hour.
(d) It often causes high sea waves which rush at the sea shore.
(e) These sea waves often pass over many villages about 30 kms. away from the sea.
5. Arrange the following sentences in their right sequence.
(a) It will be a very useful trip for me to know the outside world.
(b) A batch of forty students are going with our History lecturer in this tour.
(c) The Historical Society of our school has arranged a tour for a few historical places inside the state in the first week of December.
(d) The Secretary of the Society has specially requested the principal to go with the students.
(e) I will never miss it.
6. The group of sentences below make up paragraph, but they are not in the proper order. Rewrite them in their correct order to form a coherent paragraph.
(a) The day is not far off when there will be regular space flights to these planets.
(b) He is now planning to travel to Venus and back.
(c) Man has already been to the moon.
Techniques for Rearranging Disordered Sentences
1. Identify the Core Subject and Verb – Every sentence must have a clear subject performing an action.
2. Use Punctuation Correctly – Commas, semicolons, and periods help separate ideas.
3. Reorder Phrases Logically – Time, cause-effect, and spatial relationships should follow natural sequences. – Disordered: “He left after the meeting ended angry.” – Corrected: “After the meeting ended, he left angrily.”
4. Break Down Complex Ideas – Long sentences should be split for clarity. – Disordered: “The project was delayed due to budget constraints which frustrated the team because they had worked hard.” – Corrected: “The project was delayed due to budget constraints. This frustrated the team because they had worked hard.”
5. Read Aloud for Fluency – Hearing the sentence can reveal awkward phrasing.
Tips for Practical Exercises
1. Sentence Reconstruction – Take disordered sentences and rewrite them correctly. – Exercise: Rearrange: “The cake was eaten by the children quickly.” – Answer: “The children quickly ate the cake.”
2. Error Identification – Spot and correct mistakes in given passages. – Exercise: Find the error: “Walking to school, the bus passed by.” – Answer: “While I was walking to school, the bus passed by.”
3. Parallel Structure Practice – Rewrite sentences to ensure consistency. – Exercise: Correct: “She enjoys reading, to write, and jogging.” – Answer: “She enjoys reading, writing, and jogging.”
Conclusion
Well-structured sentences enhance readability, prevent misunderstandings, and convey ideas effectively. Whether in academic writing, professional communication, or everyday conversation, proper sentence arrangement ensures that thoughts are expressed logically and coherently. By recognizing common errors and applying correction techniques, anyone can improve their linguistic precision and communication skills.
Mastering the arrangement of disordered sentences is not merely a grammatical exercise but a fundamental aspect of effective expression. Through practice and attention to detail, clarity in language becomes an attainable and invaluable skill.
