CDS English · Sentence Rearrangement
Order of events: dates, time words, stories and counted lists
Many 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.
Why this matters
History, biography and process passages are common in this format, and they reward a simple habit: build the timeline first. The traps are a sentence that steps back in time ('Before that'), a pointer like 'By then' that must sit next to its date, and a list member ('The other', 'Secondly') placed before the first one.
Concept 1 of 3: Dates and time words fix the order
If the sentences carry dates or time words, put them on a timeline before you look at the options. Dates usually rise from earliest to latest. Time words tell you more: 'then' and 'later' move forward from the event just told, and 'by then' and 'since then' point back to a time just named.
Definition
The terms:
- Time marker: a date or a phrase that places an event in time.
How to use them:
- Dates and centuries: put them in rising order, earliest first.
- 'Then', 'later', 'much later', 'thereafter', 'within a few years': the event comes after the one just told.
- 'By then', 'since then', 'after that': they point back to a date or event in the sentence just before, so they cannot be split from it.
- 'Before that': steps back in time. The sentence comes later in the paragraph, but its event is earlier.
- 'Hitherto ... now', 'For a long time ... however, with': a past-and-present pair. The past sentence comes first.
- 'Today' and 'now': present-day sentences usually come last, just before S6.
| 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.
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
CDS · 2026 · CDS (I) 2026 — English · Q38Moderate
Example 1 · Sentence Rearrangement · Time Order and Lists
Directions: In this section each item consists of six sentences that comprise a passage. The first and sixth sentences are given in the beginning as S1 and S6. The sequence of the four sentences in the middle, labelled as P, Q, R and S, has been jumbled. You are required to find the proper sequence of the four jumbled sentences and mark your response on the Answer Sheet accordingly.
S1: The lantana plant is not native to India.
S6: However, eradicating lantana is a long and arduous process which can only be carried out with a lot of technical expertise and financial commitment.
P: Since then, it has spread over six lakh square kilometres, covering fifty percent of the country's natural areas.
Q: Research also shows that the lantana has invaded most pasture lands in the country.
R: It was introduced in the country as an ornamental plant by the British in the 1800s.
S: A 2020 estimate by researchers shows that the plant occupies forty percent of forests, including tiger reserves.
Directions: In the following question, the first and the last sentences of the passage are numbered S1 and S6. The rest of the passage is split into four parts named P, Q, R and S. These four parts are not given in their proper order. Read the passage and find out which of the four combinations is correct.
Ordering by numbers alone
A sentence with an early date can come later in the paragraph if 'Before that' marks the step back. Read the time word, not only the number.
Splitting a pointer from its date
'By then' and 'since then' stand for the time in the sentence just before. An option that puts another sentence between them breaks the link.
'Today' too early
In a history passage, a present-day sentence usually comes last, just before S6. An option that puts 'Today ...' in the middle of the past is usually wrong.
Concept 2 of 3: A story runs in the order things happen
In a story or a process there may be no time words at all. You still know the order, because each action needs the one before it: you cannot open a letter before it reaches you.
Definition
The terms:
- Narrative order: events told in the order they happen.
- Process order: steps told in the order they are done.
The method:
- For each middle sentence, ask: what must already have happened for this to be possible?
- Chain the sentences so that each one's 'must already have happened' is told before it.
- In a story, keep the order in which the person finds things out: they see the result before they learn the cause.
- In a process, an object must exist before 'them' or 'it' can be used: you crush the spices before you put them in the pan.
Worked example
S1: Ajay reached the station ten minutes before his train.
P: When he reached for some money, he found that his wallet was not in his pocket.
Q: He went to the counter to buy a platform ticket for his brother.
R: Just then a porter came running up, holding the wallet.
S: Ajay had dropped it near the entrance.
S6: Ajay thanked him and caught his train with a minute to spare.
(a) QPRS (b) PQRS (c) RSQP (d) QRPS
Practice this conceptself-check · 3 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
CDS · 2017 · CDS (II) 2017 — English · Q15Moderate
Example 2 · Sentence Rearrangement · Time Order and Lists
Directions: order six-sentence passage; S1 and S6 fixed, order P,Q,R,S
S1: Mr. and Mrs. Robert went home late last night.
S6: Mr. Robert rushed to the police station immediately.
P: Somebody had broken open the lock.
Q: To their dismay they found all their things missing.
R: They got into the house with a lot of fear.
S: When they reached home they found the front door open.
Ordering by importance
The most dramatic sentence is not always last, and the calmest is not always first. Order by when each event happened.
Telling the cause before it is found out
In a story told through one person's eyes, keep the order of discovery. They notice the damage first and learn how it happened later, even though the cause happened earlier.
Skipping a needed step
If a sentence needs an earlier action (you cannot go in before you reach the house), that action must sit before it. Check each sentence for what it takes for granted.
Concept 3 of 3: Announced lists and counted pairs: first, second; one, the other
When a sentence says 'three dangers' or 'two schools of thought', it promises a list. The members then come in order: the first, the second, the third. Pairs work the same way: 'Some ... Others', 'One ... The other'.
Definition
The terms:
- Announced list: a sentence that gives a number or says 'different forms', 'several ways'. The members follow it.
- Counted pair: two linked openers: one ... the other; some ... others; firstly ... secondly; the first school ... the second.
The method:
- Find the announcement. It may be in S1 or in a middle sentence; if it is in a middle sentence, it comes before the list.
- Put the members in order: first, second, third; one before the other; some before others.
- Keep each member next to the sentence that explains it, before the next member begins.
- A closing pointer such as 'all three' or 'both' comes after the whole list.
Worked example
S1: Soldiers in the desert face three main dangers.
P: The second is the cold at night, which can fall close to freezing.
Q: The first is the heat of the day.
R: The third, and the hardest to see coming, is the sandstorm.
S: It can raise the body temperature to a dangerous level within hours.
S6: Good training prepares a soldier for all three.
(a) QSPR (b) QPSR (c) PQSR (d) QPRS
Practice this conceptself-check · 4 quick reps
The same idea in a real exam question:
CDS · 2026 · CDS (II) 2026 — English · Q32Moderate
Example 3 · Sentence Rearrangement · Time Order and Lists
Directions: In this section each item consists of six sentences that comprise a passage. The first and sixth sentences are given in the beginning as S1 and S6. The sequence of the middle four sentences has been jumbled up and labelled as P, Q, R and S. You are required to find the proper sequence of the four sentences and mark your response accordingly on the Answer Sheet.
S1: For much of history, surnames, or last names, were not considered necessary.
S6: These two pieces of medieval bureaucracy meant that virtually everyone had to settle on a definite and fixed surname.
P: The other was the enactment of the Statute of Additions in 1413, which required that all legal documents to contain not just the person's given name, but also his or her occupation and place of abode.
Q: One was the introduction of a poll tax in 1379, which led the government to collect the name of every person aged sixteen or over.
R: But sometimes, the process was accelerated such as in England where two events gave a boost to the adoption of surnames.
S: The business of acquiring surnames was a long one that evolved over centuries rather than years.
Find the proper sequence of the four jumbled sentences (P, Q, R and S) and mark your response on the Answer Sheet accordingly.
'The other' too early
'The other', 'Others' and 'Secondly' can never come before 'One', 'Some' and 'First'. Options that break this are the quickest to strike.
Splitting a member from its detail
A sentence that explains a member ('It can...', 'This means...') must stay next to that member, before the next member starts.
Missing a middle announcement
The count is not always in S1. If a middle sentence says 'two events' or 'in three ways', it must come before the members, even if it does not look like an opening sentence.
Summary — formulas & gotchas at a glance
A revision cheat-sheet for the formulas and gotchas above. Click any concept name to jump back to its full explanation.
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
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.