Two Exam Techniques for Word Order Questions (English): How to Answer Any Word Order/Jumbled Words Questions with Grade 12 Entrance Questions
Overview
This material presents 2 smart exam techniques that enable students to answer any word order questions!
- Key words technique
- Taking and checking technique
It has 3 sections:
- Exam Technique-1: Key words technique
- Exam Technique-2: Taking and checking technique
- Application of the Techniques
- Brief Explanations
- Detail/Additional Explanations
- Brief Rules
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1. Exam Technique-1: Key Words Technique
Most of questions about word order/jumbled words could be answered in simple ways using 'key words technique'!
Key words technique is the process of looking for some key words and using them as clues; then, eliminating wrong choices!
When you are asked questions about word order/jumbled words, look for some 'key words'; think about them (how they are used). Then, using them as clues, eliminate all the wrong choices!
As 'key words', we can use conjunctions, prepositions, pronouns, verbs, wh-words...
Key words technique is simple, saves time and enables students to be 100% sure on their answers!
Look the next explanations!
Q. in/ the/ science/ laboratory/teacher/ and/ students/ both/ together/ working the/are/the. (G-12 Entrance: 2017/2025)
A. The students and the teacher together are both working in the science laboratory.
B. The students are working and both the teacher together in the science laboratory.
C. Both in the science laboratory are working together the teacher and the students.
D. Both the teacher and the students are working together in the science laboratory.
Explanation-1
Brief Explanation
By applying 'key word technique', the above question can be answered in one/two simple steps using the word 'both' as clue! Based on rules (see below), the word 'both' is followed by plural noun. Now, look each of the above choices; then, eliminate all the choices in which the word 'both' hasn't been followed by plural noun. As a result, all the choices must be eliminated except choice D.
Ans. D
Additional Explanation:
Look each of the above choices:
- Choice A is wrong; because the word 'both' is followed by 'working': (singular).
- Eliminate choice A:
choice A! - Now, your probability of getting increased from 25--33%!
- Choice B is wrong; because the word 'both' is followed by 'the teacher': (singular).
- Eliminate choice B:
choice B! - Now, your probability of getting increased from 33--50%!
- Choice C is wrong; because the word 'both' is followed by 'science laboratory': (singular) but followed by plural verb 'are'!(singular).
- Eliminate choice C:
choice C! - Now, your probability of getting increased from 50--100%!
- 100% sure that choices A, B and C are wrong and eliminated!
- If you are 100% sure that 3 choices (3/4) are wrong, you can be 100% sure that the rest choice is correct answer!
Have you seen how powerful 'elimination technique' is?
Brief Rules
- both + plural noun + plural verb (if verb is needed)
- both + singular noun + and + singular noun + plural verb (if verb is needed)
- The above given sentence is 'simple' and 'declarative' sentence.
- 'Simple sentence' is a sentence that contains only one subject and one verb (see note below).
- 'Declarative sentence is a sentence that gives fact/information/opinions... and closed by full stop.
Note:
- If two or more noun/phrases are joined by both/and/or... and used only once, they are considered as one subject.
- If 'auxiliary verb + main verb' are used only one time, they are considered as one verb.
2. Exam Technique-2: Taking and Checking Technique
In addition to 'key words technique', you could use 'taking and checking technique'!
- 'Taking and checking technique' is process of taking the first 3 or 4 or 5 words of each choice and checking their correctness; then, eliminating wrong or meaningless word orders!
- Rather than reading the whole sentence/words and checking, take some words from the beginning part and check the correctness.
- Then, eliminate all the choices with wrong orders. For example, look the next explanations!
Q. I did not anything about her unusual notice at first. (G-12: Entrance: 2004)
A. About her I did not notice anything unusual at first.
B. I did not notice anything unusual about her at first.
C. Anything unusual about her I did not notice at first.
D. At first anything unusual about her I did not notice.
Explanation-2
Brief Explanation
The above question and other word order/Jumbled word questions could be answered using 'taking and checking technique'!
Look the first 3 or 4 or 5 words of each choice. Take the first 3 or 4 words of each choice and check their order! The first 3 or 4 words on choices A, C and D are meaningless: they don't give meaning: choices A, C and D must be eliminated.
Ans. B
Additional Explanation
Look the first 3 or 4 or 5 words on choices A, C and D. They are wrong: they are meaningless.
- A. About her I did not notice anything unusual at first.
- Eliminate choice A.
- Your probability of getting increased 25-->33%!
- C. Anything unusual about her I did not notice at first.
- Eliminate choice C.
- Your probability of getting increased 33-->50%!
- D. At first anything unusual about her I did not notice.
- Eliminate choice D.
- Your probability of getting increased 50-->100%!
Ans. B
3. Applications of the Techniques
Dear students/anyone reading this material, in previous two sections, two smart exam techniques have been presented with examples. Here, in this section, I am going to show how to apply these two smart exam techniques by giving explanations for G-12: Entrance Word Order Questions!
Q. who/a/clever/ teacher /in/school/our/Ato Tadesse/got /has /a/ scholarship/is. (G-12 Entrance: 2017/2025)
A. Ato Tadesse, in our school, has got a scholarship who is a clever teacher.
B. Ato Tadesse, who is a clever teacher in our school, has got a scholarship.
C. Ato Tadesse is a clever teacher in school who has got our a scholarship.
D. Ato Tadesse has got a scholarship, who is a clever teacher, in our school.
Explanation-3
Brief Explanation
This question can be answered using the relative pronou 'who' as a clue: by applying 'key words technique'! Based on rules, the relative pronou 'who' describes person by coming immediately/directly after the person it describes. Now, look each choice; then, eliminate all the choices in which the relative pronoun 'who' hasn't come immediately/directly after Ato Tadesse!
Therefore, all the above choices must be eliminated except B.
Ans. B
Additional Explanation:
Look each of the above choices:
- Choice A is wrong; because the relative pronoun 'who' hasn't come immediately/directly after Ato Tadesse: it comes after "scholarship"!
- Eliminate choice A: choice A :33% probability!
- Choice C is wrong; because the relative pronoun 'who' hasn't come immediately/directly after Ato Tadesse: it comes after "school"!
- Eliminate choice C: choice C :50% probability!
- Choice D is wrong; because the relative pronoun 'who' hasn't come immediately/directly after Ato Tadesse: it comes after "scholarship"!
- Eliminate choice D: choice D :100% probability!
Brief Rules:
Rule-1: How to Use Relative Pronouns
Rules-2: 'Complex' and 'declarative sentence'
The above given sentence is 'complex' and 'declarative sentence'.
- 'Complex sentence' is type of sentence (based on structure) that contains dependent and independent clauses. For example:
- "Who is a clever teacher in our school" is dependent clause.
- "Ato Tadesse has got a scholarship" is independent clause.
- 'Declarative sentence' is type of sentence (based on functions) which is used to express facts/opinions...
Q. am/as/think/l/not/l/you/stupid/am/as. (G-12 Entrance: 2017/2025)
A. I am not as I think am stupid as you.
B. As you think I am not stupid as I am.
C. I am not as you think as I am.
D. I am not as stupid as you think I am.
Explanation-4
The above question can be answered using the expressions 'as ... as' as clues. Based on rules, we use the structure "as + adjective/adverb/phrase + as". In this question, you are given the adjective 'stupid'. Now, look each choice; then, eliminate all the choices in which the adjective 'stupid' hasn't been used in between 'as' and 'as'! So, all the choices must be eliminated except D.
Ans. D
Brief Rules: As/so... as
- as + adjective/adverb/phrase + as (for positive idea)
- not as/so + adjective/adverb/phrase + as (for negative idea)
Q. how are these much T-shirts? (G-12: Entrance: 2004)
A. How much T-shirts are these?B. These are how much T-shirts?C. How much are these T-shirts?D. These are T-shirts how much?
Explanation-5
Brief Explanation
The above question and other related questions could be answered using "wh-words or interrogative pronouns" as clues. Based on the given question mark, it is clear that the above sentence is interrogative sentence; specifically, about wh-word question. Interrogative sentence/wh-word question or interrogative pronouns begins with wh-words and followed by auxiliary verb. For these reasons, all the above choices must be eliminated except C.
Ans. C
Additional Explanation
Look again the above choices:
Choices B and D are grammatically wrong; because they didn't begin with wh-word 'how much': eliminate them.
- Choice A is grammatically wrong for two reasons.
- The demonstrative pronoun "these" must come before the noun it describes 'T-shirts'.
- Second, the wh-word or interrogative pronoun 'how much' hasn't been followed by the auxiliary verb 'are': eliminate choice A.
Brief Rules: Interrogative sentence
Interrogative sentence: Common Forms
- Wh-word questions: Wh-word + auxiliary verb + subject + main verb (if any)...?
- Yes/no questions: auxiliary verb + subject + main verb (if any)...?
- Tag questions: Statement, auxiliary verb + subject?
- If the given statement is positive, the tag is negative.
- If the given statement is negative, the tag is positive.
Q. not to training have helped does seem. (G-12: Entrance: 2004)
A. Training does not seem to have helped.
B. To seem training does not have helped.
C. Training does seem to not have helped.
D. Not to have helped training does seem.
Explanation-6
Brief Explanation
This question could be answered by using 'taking and checking technique'.
Look the first 3 or 4 or 5 words of each choice. Take the first 3 or 4 words of each choice and check their order! For examle, the first 3 or 4 words on choices B, C and D are meaningless: they don't give meaning: choices B, C and D must be eliminated.
Ans. A
Additional Explanation
Look carefully the first 3 or 4 words on choices B, C and D; they are meaningless: they don't give meaning: choices B, C and D must be eliminated.
- A. Training does not seem to have helped.
- B.
To seem trainingdoes not have helped. - C. Training
does seemto not have helped. - D.
Not to havehelped training does seem.
Ans. A
Q. is on he the by the standing window chair. (G-12: Entrance: 2004)
A. He is by standing the chair on the window.
B. He is on the window standing by the chair.
C. He is standing on the chair by the window.
D. By standing the chair he is on the window.
Explanation-7
The above question can be answered using the prepositions 'on' and 'by' as clues. In this context, 'on' is used with 'chair': 'on chair'; the word 'by' is used with 'window'. Thus, eliminate all the choices in which the word 'on' hasn't been used with 'chair'. All the above choices must be eliminated except C.
Ans. C
Q. world I the sail to around want (G-12: Entrance: 2005)
A. To sail around the world I want.
B. I want around the world to sail.
C. I want to sail around the world.
D. Around the world I want to sail.
Explanation-8
This question can be answered by using 'taking and checking technique'! Look the first 4 or 5 words on each choice.
The first 4 or 5 words on choices A, B and D are wrong: meaningless.
- A. To sail around the world I want.
- Want what?; not clear!
- 'Want' must be followed by to + verb1.
- B. I want around the world to sail.
- 'Want' must be followed by to + verb1.
- C. I want to sail around the world.
- D.
Around the world I want to sail. - Want to sail where?
Ans. C