Reading: Reorder Paragraph: Tips and Strategies
Evaluating your understanding of the passage, the third question type - Reorder Paragraph requires you to correctly order the sentences of a paragraph so that they make sense. Being one of the important questions of the Reading module, it contributes greatly to your score. You may come across 2-3 Reorder paragraphs in this section.
Understand Reorder Paragraphs
Prompt length: Text up to 150 words
Skills assessed: Reading
Time to attempt: Not applicable (You are given 29-30 minutes to complete the whole Reading section)
Attempting the question: You can use two ways to move the text from the left panel to the right:
- 1. Left-click on a box to select it, hold the left mouse button down, and drag it to the desired location towards the right.
- 2. Left-click on a box to select it, then left-click on the left and right arrow buttons to move it across. On the right panel, you can also use the up and down arrow buttons to re-order the boxes.
To deselect a box, left-click elsewhere on the screen.
Scoring: If all the sentences are put in the correct order, a full score is provided, while partial credit is given when there are incorrect answers. However, there is no negative marking.
Tips and strategies to answer Reorder Paragraph
- 1. Skim the text: Read all the sentences quickly to get a basic idea of the text.
- 2. Understand the structure: Try and find a logical flow of information such as the introduction, body, and conclusion.
- 3. Look for the topic sentence: The topic sentence clearly states the topic and can stand alone, helping you select your first sentence. It does not contain any pronouns or connectors like conjunctions.
- 4. Check for pronouns: Pronouns like ‘it’,and ‘they’ refer to something mentioned earlier, helping to establish a link between sentences.
- 5. Find keywords: Words like ‘however’, ‘furthermore’, and ‘concludes’ can help you find a clear sequence of sentences.
- 6. Eliminate obvious outliers: If a sentence doesnot connect to others in any way, there are chances that it is the beginning or the end.
- 7. Practice: The more you practice, the more comfortable you will get in answering this question type. Attempt sample questions with various styles and structures.
- 8. Manage your time: Be mindful about how you spend your time across various questions. If you are stuck somewhere, move ahead and return later.
For more tips and strategies, you can register with SGES Education.
