01
The Do's and Don'ts
Find the Independent Sentence FirstThis is your anchor. It introduces the topic without referring back to anything else — no pronouns, no 'the,' no transition words.
Build PairsDon't try to solve the whole paragraph at once. If you know B follows A, lock that pair in and work outward.
Look for Time MarkersDates, years, and words like initially, then, later, and eventually provide a clear chronological map.
Read the Final ResultOnce you've moved the boxes, read the paragraph top to bottom. If it sounds choppy, a link is likely missing.
Don't Start with a PronounSentences beginning with He, She, It, They, This, or Those almost always need an antecedent mentioned in a prior sentence.
Don't Ignore 'The' vs. 'A/An'Topics are introduced with 'a/an' (e.g., a festival) and referred to later with 'the' (e.g., the festival).
Don't Spend Too Much TimeIf stuck after 2 minutes, arrange as logically as possible and move on. Partial credit means even a mostly-correct order earns points.
Don't Ignore Full Names vs. AcronymsA sentence using a person's full name comes before one using just their last name. Full terms come before their acronyms.
02
Tips & Tricks
The Topic Sentence Test
A true topic sentence is a standalone statement. If you read it and ask 'Who?' or 'Which one?', it is likely not the first sentence.
General to Specific
Paragraphs move from a broad opening statement to specific details. If a sentence contains a statistic or example, it is rarely the first.
Transition Word Clues
However/But → contrast · Therefore/Thus → result · Moreover/Furthermore → addition · Initially/Then/Finally → sequence
03
Standardized Solving Protocol
1
The Independent Sentence Search
Scan for the sentence with no pronouns, no 'the,' and no transition words. This is your Sentence 1.
2
Find the Logical Follow-up
Does Sentence 1 mention a noun? Find the sentence that uses a pronoun or 'the + noun' to refer back to it.
3
Connect the Remaining Links
Look for sequence clues — dates, firstly/secondly, however. Match remaining sentences into logical pairs.
"Another connection…" implies a first connection was already mentioned — place after that first one.
4
The Final Cohesion Check
Read the reordered boxes as a single paragraph. Ensure the conclusion (Thus, Finally, Ultimately) is at the very end.