CDS English · Teaching notes
Sentence Rearrangement — CDS English
Sentence Rearrangement has 432 past-year questions in CDS English, in all 20 sittings from 2017 to 2026, and more of them are rated hard than in any other English chapter. It comes in two shapes of almost equal size: the jumbled parts of one sentence, and a six-sentence paragraph whose middle four sentences are jumbled. Both are solved by clues, not by reading every order: grammar ties the parts of a sentence together, and reference words, linkers and time order tie the sentences of a paragraph. The sentence pages come first because the paragraph pages use the same grammar.
Every subtopic, worked example, formula and trap in one printable document — answers shown, ready to share.
Subtopic notes
Join the subject to its verb
28 PYQsA jumbled sentence is rebuilt around its core: find who or what the sentence is about, join it to the verb that agrees with it, then attach the other parts.
What a verb takes next
22 PYQsMany verbs must be followed by something specific: an object, a that-clause, or to plus a verb. Find the part that supplies it and lock it after the verb.
A preposition needs its object
31 PYQsA part that ends on of, to, in or with is unfinished, so its object must come right after it. A part that starts with of hangs on a noun that must come right before it.
Noun Phrases: Keep the Noun's Words Together
23 PYQsAn article or an adjective at the end of a part (a, the, some of the, modern) points to a noun, and the part that starts with that noun must come next.
Put the describer next to what it describes
35 PYQsWho, which and where clauses, with-phrases and -ing phrases describe the noun right before them, so each must sit beside the noun it is about.
Linking words decide the order
43 PYQsJoining words (and, or, but also, though) and pointer words (it, they, this) fix which parts come together and which part must come first.
Fix the ends, then strike options
31 PYQsDecide which part can start the sentence and which can end it, lock one pair inside, strike the options that break them, and read the one that survives.
Start from the frame: what S1 sets up and what S6 needs
46 PYQsIn a six-sentence passage, S1 and S6 are fixed. Read them first: S1 tells you which sentence can come next, and S6 tells you which sentence must come just before it.
He, she, it, they: a pronoun needs its noun first
22 PYQsA pronoun such as he, it or they stands for a noun already named. The sentence that names the person or thing must come before the sentence that uses the pronoun.
This, these, such: find what the pointing word picks up
34 PYQsThis, these, that, such and there point back to something just said. Find what they pick up, and put that sentence just before.
Linkers: but and however turn; also, so and therefore carry on
26 PYQsA linker at the start of a sentence says how it relates to the sentence before: a turn (but, however) or a carry-on (also, moreover, so, therefore). Find the sentence it relates to.
Order of events: dates, time words, stories and counted lists
38 PYQsMany passages follow time or a count. Put dates on a line, follow time words like then, by then and later, tell a story in the order it happens, and keep a list in the order it was announced.
How an argument moves: general to example, reason, answer, correction
26 PYQsAn argument has a shape: a general claim before its example, a cause before its effect, a question before its answer, and a common view before the writer's correction.
Lock a pair, then strike the options
27 PYQsFind two sentences that must sit together, in a fixed order, then use that pair and one link at a time to strike options until one is left.
Formula & revision sheet
0 formulas · 4 reference tables · 100 gotchas across all subtopics — the exam-eve cheat-sheet
Formula & revision sheet
0 formulas · 4 reference tables · 100 gotchas across all subtopics — the exam-eve cheat-sheet
Join the subject to its verb
Watch out for (7)
- Agreeing with the nearest noun→ A subject needs its verb
- Opening with a verb part→ A subject needs its verb
- Two noun phrases, one subject→ A subject needs its verb
- Stopping after the pair→ A subject needs its verb
- Putting the helping-verb part last→ Is, has, has been: finish the verb
- Taking the wrong word after the helping verb→ Is, has, has been: finish the verb
- there is with a plural noun→ Is, has, has been: finish the verb
What a verb takes next
Reference tables (1)
Verb + to, verb + X as Y6 rows
| Pattern | What follows | In the tested sentence | Sitting |
|---|---|---|---|
| regard X as Y | the thing, then as + what it is seen as | he regarded his major achievements as mere stepping stones for the next advance | 2019 (II) |
| be ordered to + verb | to + the action required | Pepsico was ordered to compensate the woman for refusing her the prize money | 2019 (I) |
| use X as Y | the thing, then as + its role | the camel uses fat as a source of energy during its long journey in the desert | 2022 (II) |
| guidelines to + verb | to + what the guidelines do | ... were notified in 2020, with guidelines to facilitate the present and prospective entrepreneurs | 2025 (II) |
| push someone to + verb | the person, then to + the action | ... shown in a way that may push the viewers to think that they are watching a programme | 2025 (II) |
| be launched to + verb | to + the purpose | Ujjwala 2.0 was launched in 2021 to provide additional one crore LPG connections | 2025 (II) |
A part ending on to needs a plain verb next. With use and regard, the thing comes before as.
Watch out for (9)
- A phrase between the verb and its object→ A doing verb takes its object
- An object that fits the grammar but not the meaning→ A doing verb takes its object
- Missing a verb at the end of a long part→ A doing verb takes its object
- Splitting the verb from its that-clause→ Said, found, suggested: the that-clause follows
- Leaving the that-clause unfinished→ Said, found, suggested: the that-clause follows
- Reading every that as reporting→ Said, found, suggested: the that-clause follows
- as before the thing→ Verb + to, verb + X as Y
- Something other than a plain verb after to→ Verb + to, verb + X as Y
- A part ending on to placed last→ Verb + to, verb + X as Y
A preposition needs its object
Watch out for (6)
- Leaving a preposition at the end→ A part that ends in of, to, with: its object comes next
- A noun that fits the shape but not the sense→ A part that ends in of, to, with: its object comes next
- A plain verb after a preposition→ A part that ends in of, to, with: its object comes next
- Opening with an of-part→ A part that starts with of: its noun comes before
- Attaching the of-phrase to the wrong noun→ A part that starts with of: its noun comes before
- Missing the verb inside the of-part→ A part that starts with of: its noun comes before
Noun Phrases: Keep the Noun's Words Together
Watch out for (3)
- Ending on an article or adjective→ An adjective or article needs its noun
- The wrong number→ An adjective or article needs its noun
- Joining the adjective to the wrong noun→ An adjective or article needs its noun
Put the describer next to what it describes
Watch out for (9)
- Grammatical but about the wrong person→ Who, which, where follow their noun
- who for things, which for people→ Who, which, where follow their noun
- Cutting the clause short→ Who, which, where follow their noun
- Two grammatical orders→ Describing phrases sit beside their noun
- A dangling -ing phrase at the start→ Describing phrases sit beside their noun
- Splitting a phrase from its noun→ Describing phrases sit beside their noun
- A time phrase next to the wrong event→ Time, manner and agent phrases: where they cannot mislead
- A limiting word in the wrong slot→ Time, manner and agent phrases: where they cannot mislead
- Choosing an order that can be misread→ Time, manner and agent phrases: where they cannot mislead
Linking words decide the order
Reference tables (1)
Pairs that travel together13 rows
| Pair | How it works | In the tested sentence | Sitting |
|---|---|---|---|
| not only ... but also | the same kind of item follows each half | peace is always the only alternative not only during war and turbulent times but also during peaceful times | 2024 (I) |
| not only because ... but also because | two reasons, each a full clause | smallpox was a particularly dreaded disease ... not only because it was often fatal, but also because those who recovered were permanently disfigured | 2017 (I) |
| not merely ... but also | the second half adds a wider claim | capitalism is sometimes treated not merely as an economic system but also as an ideology in its own right | 2023 (II) |
| not merely ... nor | a second denial, with the verb before the subject after nor | the equality provisions ... are not merely anti-discriminatory ... nor are they confined to individuals as bearers of rights | 2023 (II) |
| so ... as | so + adjective, then as + the thing compared | nothing is so easy and inviting as the retort of abuse and sarcasm | 2022 (I) |
| as ... as | as + adjective (+ noun) + as: two equal things | a free press is as essential a limb of democracy as a parliament freely elected by the people | 2018 (II) |
| more ... than | more + quality, then than + the thing compared | you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do | 2019 (II), 2024 (II) |
| better than | better, then than + the other person or thing | she who has been in trouble would know the trouble better than the one who has been troubling | 2024 (I) |
| enough ... that | enough + that + the result | there must be something important enough that everyone should learn it | 2018 (II) |
| if ... then | the if-clause first, then the result | if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure don't deserve me at my best | 2019 (II) |
| it is not that ... it is that | rejects one reason, then gives the real one | it is not that he is a fool, it is that he does not think ... | 2022 (II) |
| because ... and not because | the true reason first, then the false one | it's because they do not come within my subject and not because they are lightly esteemed by me | 2022 (I) |
| one thing ... another | one thing, then another for its contrast | irony is a figure of speech where you say one thing while you mean another | 2022 (II) |
The first half always comes first. A part holding the second half cannot open the sentence.
Watch out for (12)
- Ending on and→ And and or join like with like
- Joining unlike things→ And and or join like with like
- The wrong first item→ And and or join like with like
- The second half first→ Pairs that travel together
- Mixing two pairs→ Pairs that travel together
- Unequal halves→ Pairs that travel together
- A linker with the wrong signal→ Though, as soon as, if: finish the clause the linker opens
- Cutting into the main clause→ Though, as soon as, if: finish the clause the linker opens
- though ... but→ Though, as soon as, if: finish the clause the linker opens
- The pointer before its noun→ It, they, the two, this: the noun comes first
- The wrong number→ It, they, the two, this: the noun comes first
- Two nouns, one pointer→ It, they, the two, this: the noun comes first
Fix the ends, then strike options
Watch out for (6)
- Ignoring the fixed opening→ Continue the given opening
- Missing what the opening ends on→ Continue the given opening
- Stopping after the first part→ Continue the given opening
- Building the sentence from scratch→ No opening given: find the first and last part
- Missing the punctuation→ No opening given: find the first and last part
- Trusting the ends alone→ No opening given: find the first and last part
Start from the frame: what S1 sets up and what S6 needs
Watch out for (6)
- Opening with a sentence that leans back→ Find the sentence S1 sets up
- Picking the sentence that sounds like a beginning→ Find the sentence S1 sets up
- Marking after one link→ Find the sentence S1 sets up
- Ignoring S6→ Find the sentence S6 needs before it
- Matching a word instead of the reference→ Find the sentence S6 needs before it
- A conclusion that is not the fourth sentence→ Find the sentence S6 needs before it
He, she, it, they: a pronoun needs its noun first
Watch out for (6)
- Two people, one 'he'→ A pronoun points back to a named noun
- Ruling out a pronoun that points at S1→ A pronoun points back to a named noun
- Wrong number→ A pronoun points back to a named noun
- 'The' that looks harmless→ Name a thing before 'the' or 'its' points at it
- Two sentences about the same thing→ Name a thing before 'the' or 'its' points at it
- Forgetting that S1 counts→ Name a thing before 'the' or 'its' points at it
This, these, such: find what the pointing word picks up
Watch out for (6)
- Searching for the exact word→ 'This X' repeats or rewords a noun just used
- Singular and plural→ 'This X' repeats or rewords a noun just used
- Starting a chain in the middle→ 'This X' repeats or rewords a noun just used
- Pointing at the last noun instead of the whole idea→ Bare 'this', 'that', 'these', 'there' sum up the sentence before
- Treating 'There is' as a pointer→ Bare 'this', 'that', 'these', 'there' sum up the sentence before
- Reaching too far back→ Bare 'this', 'that', 'these', 'there' sum up the sentence before
Linkers: but and however turn; also, so and therefore carry on
Reference tables (1)
Linkers that add, conclude or sum up23 rows
| Linker | Job | Needs just before it | In the passage | Sitting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| also | Adds | A first fact about the same subject | They also provide a sense of order and predictability. | 2019 (II) |
| also | Adds | The first point of disagreement, and the questions 'such matters' refers to | They also disagree about how such matters should be resolved ... | 2020 (II) |
| also | Adds | A first step taken by the same companies | They have also adopted new management approaches ... | 2023 (I) |
| also | Adds | The scheme's main aim | It also aims to spread insurance awareness among the rural population. | 2024 (I) |
| also | Adds | The biggest influence, named first | Circadian rhythms are also affected by food intake, stress ... | 2026 (II) |
| as well | Adds | A first loss (the pond shrinking) | ... led to a rapid drop in the groundwater table as well. | 2026 (II) |
| In addition | Adds | Earlier points about idioms | In addition, idioms often have a stronger meaning than non-idiomatic phrases. | 2019 (II) |
| Moreover | Adds | A first protection the law gives | Moreover, the law protects me from robbery and violence. | 2018 (I) |
| Moreover | Adds | A first reason for his dislike | Moreover, with his profound pedagogic sensitivity he could see the damaging effect of colonial education. | 2022 (II) |
| moreover | Adds, and goes further | A short-term harm named first | Prolonged disruption, moreover, can cause long-term damages ... | 2026 (II) |
| Besides | Adds one more | Objections already listed | Besides, with this kind of education, one could not appreciate the dignity of manual labour. | 2022 (II) |
| At the same time | Adds a second point running alongside | A first change in the same period | At the same time there has been a significant reduction in product life cycles ... | 2023 (I) |
| At the same time | Adds the reverse direction | What institutions do to people | At the same time, institutions themselves can be transformed by the politics they produce ... | 2019 (II) |
| In other words | Restates | The idea it says again | In other words, you have to be the perfect teacher to create a new society ... | 2018 (II) |
| So | Result | The reason: he was in a hurry | So he forgot to look to the left or right as he always did. | 2017 (I) |
| As a result of this | Result | The cause it names: his carelessness | As a result of this carelessness, he met with an accident. | 2017 (I) |
| therefore | Result: an action | The problem that led to the action | He therefore decided to go on a pilgrimage to India to collect further material. | 2017 (II) |
| Therefore | Conclusion | The general truth it draws a duty from | Therefore you, who are the seeker of truth, have to be both the pupil and the teacher. | 2018 (II) |
| Thus | Sums up | The example it sums up | Thus in disputes between man and man, right has taken the place of might. | 2018 (I) |
| Therefore | Conclusion (in S6) | The fact it concludes from | Therefore, various schemes of PLI and RPLI are very popular amongst eligible clients. | 2024 (I) |
| Hence | Conclusion | The facts that lead to it | Hence, land is of great significance for all nations. | 2025 (I) |
| therefore | A further result | The conclusion just drawn | It is therefore an important asset that needs to be used with care ... | 2025 (I) |
| In consequence | Sums up all the results | All the points before it | In consequence to all of these, careful planning of land use assumes the utmost significance. | 2025 (I) |
Adding linkers need a first point; result linkers need the cause; restating linkers need the idea they repeat.
Watch out for (6)
- A turn word in first place→ A turn word needs the opposite idea just before it
- Turning from the wrong sentence→ A turn word needs the opposite idea just before it
- Reading 'still' as 'even now'→ A turn word needs the opposite idea just before it
- 'Also' in the first point→ Linkers that add, conclude or sum up
- Result before cause→ Linkers that add, conclude or sum up
- Moreover is not however→ Linkers that add, conclude or sum up
Order of events: dates, time words, stories and counted lists
Reference tables (1)
Dates and time words fix the order16 rows
| Time marker | What it tells you | In the passage | Sitting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Since then | Points back to the date just before it | It was introduced ... by the British in the 1800s. / Since then, it has spread over six lakh square kilometres ... | 2026 (I) |
| By then | Points back to the time just named | By the end of the seventeenth century, money was widely used ... / By then a large section of the people received their income in the form of wages ... | 2020 (I) |
| Before that | Steps back to an earlier time | Before that, for countless generations, nearly all humans had lived as hunters and gatherers ... | 2026 (I) |
| Much later / Then / In this century | Moves forward step by step | Much later, the first industrial revolution was based on ... coal. / Then steam was used to produce electricity. | 2017 (II) |
| Then | The next stage after a long earlier period | Then, between 10,000 and 4,500 years ago, people ... learnt to domesticate certain plants and animals. | 2020 (I) |
| Thereafter | Follows the event just told | The Treaty of Paris (1763) brought an end to the Seven Years War. / Thereafter, the European continent had been free from bloody conflicts ... | 2023 (II) |
| Within a few years | Measures time from an event just told | In the immediate aftermath ... there was apprehension. / Within a few years, however, the beneficial impact ... became manifest. | 2022 (II) |
| Hitherto ... Now | Past first, then present | Hitherto he had been backward. / Now with scientific knowledge ... he has done what was impossible. | 2021 (I) |
| During the Middle Ages ... In the middle of the fifteenth century | Centuries in rising order | During the Middle Ages the coming of Science was hindered by the Church. / In the middle of the fifteenth century, however, the Turks captured ... Constantinople. | 2017 (II) |
| From the sixteenth century onwards | Later than the early civilisations | The early civilisations of Egypt, India, China ... made vital contributions. / From the sixteenth century onwards, great strides were also made in science in Europe. | 2026 (I) |
| In July 1898 ... 1901 | Dates in rising order | In July 1898, Manson described Ross's results ... / Ross was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1901. | 2017 (II) |
| 1953 ... 1954 ... During the Civil War ... After the War | A life told year by year | He received a BA ... in 1953 ... / He joined the Nigerian Broadcasting Company ... in 1954 ... / After the War, he was appointed Senior Research Fellow ... | 2020 (I) |
| fourteenth century ... In its heyday ... In 1565 | Rise, height, fall | The empire was founded in the fourteenth century. / In its heyday, it stretched from the river Krishna ... / In 1565, the city was destroyed ... | 2023 (I) |
| 33 AD ... After Pakhangba ... 1819-1826 ... Then ... 1891 | A long history in rising order | The political history of Manipur could be traced back to 33 AD ... / After Pakhangba, a number of kings ruled ... / Then, Manipur came under the British rule in 1891. | 2023 (I) |
| 1959 ... In 1975 | The next date in an institution's history | The National School of Drama (NSD) was set up ... in 1959. / In 1975, it became an autonomous organisation. | 2024 (II) |
| began around 1929 ... ended in 1935 | Start before end | It began around 1929 and lasted till the mid-1930s. / The Depression ended in 1935 and led to major political initiatives. | 2025 (I) |
Build the timeline first. A pointer like 'by then' or 'since then' stays next to its date; 'before that' steps back.
Watch out for (9)
- Ordering by numbers alone→ Dates and time words fix the order
- Splitting a pointer from its date→ Dates and time words fix the order
- 'Today' too early→ Dates and time words fix the order
- Ordering by importance→ A story runs in the order things happen
- Telling the cause before it is found out→ A story runs in the order things happen
- Skipping a needed step→ A story runs in the order things happen
- 'The other' too early→ Announced lists and counted pairs: first, second; one, the other
- Splitting a member from its detail→ Announced lists and counted pairs: first, second; one, the other
- Missing a middle announcement→ Announced lists and counted pairs: first, second; one, the other
How an argument moves: general to example, reason, answer, correction
Watch out for (9)
- An example with no marker→ General statement first, example after
- Breaking off the example→ General statement first, example after
- Two general sentences→ General statement first, example after
- An answer before its question→ Cause before effect, question before answer
- A result with no cause→ Cause before effect, question before answer
- Explanation before the fact→ Cause before effect, question before answer
- Taking the common view as the writer's view→ The common view first, then the writer's correction
- A correction with nothing to correct→ The common view first, then the writer's correction
- Stopping after the first correction→ The common view first, then the writer's correction
Lock a pair, then strike the options
Watch out for (6)
- The right pair in the wrong order→ Two sentences that must sit together
- A pair that is only likely→ Two sentences that must sit together
- Missing the third member→ Two sentences that must sit together
- Solving fully before looking at the options→ Use the options: test one link at a time
- Testing what the options share→ Use the options: test one link at a time
- Striking on a feeling→ Use the options: test one link at a time
PYQ weightage by concept
33 concepts · 432 PYQs — where the marks actually sit, so you know what to drill first
PYQ weightage by concept
33 concepts · 432 PYQs — where the marks actually sit, so you know what to drill first
Join the subject to its verb28 PYQs · 6%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| A subject needs its verb | 21 | 5% |
| Is, has, has been: finish the verb | 7 | 2% |
What a verb takes next22 PYQs · 5%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| A doing verb takes its object | 10 | 2% |
| Said, found, suggested: the that-clause follows | 6 | 1% |
| Verb + to, verb + X as Y | 6 | 1% |
A preposition needs its object31 PYQs · 7%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| A part that ends in of, to, with: its object comes next | 23 | 5% |
| A part that starts with of: its noun comes before | 8 | 2% |
Noun Phrases: Keep the Noun's Words Together23 PYQs · 5%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| An adjective or article needs its noun | 23 | 5% |
Put the describer next to what it describes35 PYQs · 8%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Describing phrases sit beside their noun | 17 | 4% |
| Who, which, where follow their noun | 14 | 3% |
| Time, manner and agent phrases: where they cannot mislead | 4 | 1% |
Linking words decide the order43 PYQs · 10%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| And and or join like with like | 21 | 5% |
| Pairs that travel together | 12 | 3% |
| Though, as soon as, if: finish the clause the linker opens | 7 | 2% |
| It, they, the two, this: the noun comes first | 3 | 1% |
Fix the ends, then strike options31 PYQs · 7%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| No opening given: find the first and last part | 21 | 5% |
| Continue the given opening | 10 | 2% |
Start from the frame: what S1 sets up and what S6 needs46 PYQs · 11%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Find the sentence S6 needs before it | 26 | 6% |
| Find the sentence S1 sets up | 20 | 5% |
He, she, it, they: a pronoun needs its noun first22 PYQs · 5%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| A pronoun points back to a named noun | 15 | 3% |
| Name a thing before 'the' or 'its' points at it | 7 | 2% |
This, these, such: find what the pointing word picks up34 PYQs · 8%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 'This X' repeats or rewords a noun just used | 24 | 6% |
| Bare 'this', 'that', 'these', 'there' sum up the sentence before | 10 | 2% |
Linkers: but and however turn; also, so and therefore carry on26 PYQs · 6%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| A turn word needs the opposite idea just before it | 13 | 3% |
| Linkers that add, conclude or sum up | 13 | 3% |
Order of events: dates, time words, stories and counted lists38 PYQs · 9%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Dates and time words fix the order | 16 | 4% |
| Announced lists and counted pairs: first, second; one, the other | 14 | 3% |
| A story runs in the order things happen | 8 | 2% |
How an argument moves: general to example, reason, answer, correction26 PYQs · 6%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| General statement first, example after | 15 | 3% |
| Cause before effect, question before answer | 8 | 2% |
| The common view first, then the writer's correction | 3 | 1% |
Lock a pair, then strike the options27 PYQs · 6%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Two sentences that must sit together | 17 | 4% |
| Use the options: test one link at a time | 10 | 2% |
Test yourself on Sentence Rearrangement
20 past CDS questions from this chapter, timed at 20 minutes and marked the way the exam marks it. You see your score and every answer the moment you finish. Free to start.