60-second revision
- The opening sentence introduces the topic and depends on nothing before it.
- A sentence that starts with a pronoun (he, it, this, they) or a connector (however, so) rarely comes first.
- A pronoun or 'these/such + noun' points back to a sentence that names the noun.
- Connectors show the relationship: however and but contrast; so, hence, therefore and as a result conclude.
- Time markers set sequence: first, then, the next morning, later, finally.
- Build one or two certain pairs, then test only the options that contain them.
- In sentence-part questions, start with the part holding the subject (often the capital letter).
Formats you will meet
- SSC: four sentences or sentence parts labelled P, Q, R, S, sometimes with the first and/or last sentence fixed. Options give four orders.
- SSC CHSL lists two forms separately: shuffling of sentence parts (one sentence broken into chunks) and shuffling of sentences in a passage.
- Bank exams: five or six sentences, often with questions on which sentence comes first, last or at a given position, and sometimes an odd sentence that does not belong.
Method
- Read all sentences once to find the topic.
- Find the opener: a sentence that introduces a person, thing or idea without referring back to anything.
- Find the closer: summing-up words (thus, hence, in this way, therefore) or a final result.
- Build mandatory pairs using pronouns, articles, connectors and time words.
- Look at the options. Keep only those that contain your pairs; usually one survives.
- Read the full order once to confirm it flows.
Clues and what they tell you
| Clue | What it tells you | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Pronoun (he, she, it, they) | the noun must appear earlier | 'It was built in 1890.' needs a sentence naming the building. |
| this / these / such + noun | points to something just described | 'These steps' needs the steps listed before. |
| the + noun on second mention | a + noun came first | 'A stray dog...' then 'The dog...' |
| however, but, yet, on the other hand | contrast with the previous sentence | a good result, then however a problem |
| so, hence, therefore, as a result | consequence of the previous sentence | cause first, result next |
| also, moreover, besides | adds to an earlier point | comes after the first point |
| first, then, next, finally | clear sequence | process descriptions |
| for example, for instance | follows a general statement | general idea, then example |
Worked example (fresh)
Sentences: (P) It was built by the residents themselves over two summers. (Q) Today it hosts cricket matches every weekend. (R) Our colony once had no place where children could play. (S) Then the residents decided to turn an empty plot into a ground.
R has no pronoun and sets up the problem, so it opens. 'It' in P needs a noun, and the ground first appears in S, so S comes before P. 'Today' in Q signals the present-day result, so Q closes. Order: R S P Q.
Bank-exam variants
Bank papers often give five or six sentences and ask several questions on one set: which sentence comes first, which comes third, which is last. Solve the full order once, write it on your rough sheet, and answer every question from it. Some sets add a sentence that does not belong: it shares words with the others but drifts to a different topic, and removing it leaves a clean chain.
When the first and last sentences are fixed (an SSC favourite), use both ends: the sentence that follows the opener usually picks up its last idea, and the sentence before the closer usually sets up its conclusion.
Sentence parts
- The part with a capital letter or the subject normally begins the sentence.
- A relative clause (which, who, that) sits right after the noun it describes.
- Pairs must stay together: not only ... but also, either ... or, so ... that, no sooner ... than.
- Check verb forms: after 'did' or a modal, the verb is in base form (did reduce, can win).
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