Para Jumbles: Arranging Sentences into a Clear Paragraph

Step 2: Look for pairs

Some sentences clearly go together:

• Pronoun links: "The scientist ..." followed by "She ...".
• Connectors: "However" follows a positive sentence, "Therefore" follows reasons.
• Question and answer.
• Definition and example.

Build mini-chains like B–D or A–C.

Step 3: Understand the flow

Common orders:

Structure	Pattern
General to specific	idea, then details
Chronological	events in time order
Problem and solution	issue, then response
Cause and effect	reason, then result

Step 4: Check the ending

The last sentence often concludes, summarises or looks forward.

Step 5: Check the options

Use your chains to eliminate options. If A must come before C, discard any option putting C first.

Clues to remember

Clue	Meaning
Pronouns (he, she, it, they)	refer to a noun in an earlier sentence
"This", "these", "such"	refer back to something already mentioned
"Also", "moreover"	add to a point already begun
Dates and numbers	suggest a time order
Articles	"a" often introduces, "the" often follows

Example

Sentences:

• A) He built his first telescope in 1609.
• B) Galileo was an Italian scientist.
• C) With it, he observed the moons of Jupiter.
• D) This discovery changed how people saw the universe.

Order: B, A, C, D.

• B introduces Galileo.
• A uses "He" and describes the telescope.
• C uses "it" for the telescope.
• D uses "This discovery", referring back to the observation.

Tips

• Don't try all possible orders. Build chains and use options.
• Read your final order aloud to hear the flow.
• Practise regularly, since the skill builds with experience.

Practice

Try two or three para jumbles a day, and review why the correct order works.

Practise with Online Exam Question & Answer →