Last reviewed 22 Sept 2026 · 5 min read
Words from a word
"Which of these cannot be formed from the letters of EXAMINATION?"
- Every letter of the candidate word must appear in the given word.
- A letter may be used only as many times as it appears there.
So from EXAMINATION (A twice, I twice, N twice, and one each of E, X, M, T, O) the word MINATION is possible but MOTION is not — it needs two O's and only one exists.
The fast method is to write the given word's letters with their counts once, then check the candidate word letter by letter, striking off as you go.
Jumbled letters
A word's letters are scrambled and must be restored. Three habits find it quickly:
- Look for a common ending: -ING, -TION, -MENT, -NESS, -ABLE, -ENCE.
- Pair the awkward letters: Q almost always takes U; H follows C, S, T or W; a lone vowel string suggests a diphthong.
- Count the vowels: a seven-letter word with two vowels has a consonant cluster, which narrows the possibilities sharply.
A common follow-up asks for the middle letter or the third letter from the left of the restored word, so restore it fully before answering.
Dictionary order
Words are compared letter by letter from the left; the first position at which they differ decides. If one word is a prefix of another, the shorter word comes first: car before card before care.
Compare the first letters of all the words first and group them; only then look at second letters within a group. Comparing whole words in pairs is where errors creep in.
Papers also ask which word comes fourth if all are arranged in dictionary order, or which would appear last — read the question before sorting, and sort completely rather than guessing the position.
Jumbled sentences
Five or six sentences labelled P, Q, R, S, T must be arranged into a paragraph.
- Find the opening sentence: it introduces the subject by its full name, and contains no pronouns referring backwards ("it", "this", "such a step").
- Follow the links: a sentence beginning with however, therefore, but, moreover or this must follow the sentence it refers to.
- Find the closing sentence: usually a conclusion or a consequence.
- Check the chain end to end before choosing an option — and use the options themselves, since only a few orders are offered.
Worked examples
Which cannot be formed from the letters of TRANSPORTATION? (a) STATION (b) PORTION (c) TRAITOR (d) PRINTER
Solution. TRANSPORTATION has one N, one I, one P, two R's, three T's, two A's, two O's, one S. PRINTER needs two R's and one E — there is no E → (d).
Can BANANA be formed from the letters of ABANDONMENT?
Solution. BANANA needs three A's; ABANDONMENT has two → no.
Rearrange GNIDAER into a meaningful word and give its middle letter.
Solution. The -ING ending and the vowel run give READING; of its seven letters the fourth is D.
Rearrange NOITCA into a meaningful word.
Solution. The -TION ending gives ACTION; its third letter is T.
Arrange in dictionary order: Cart, Card, Care, Carbon.
Solution. Compare the fourth letters: b, d, e, t → Carbon, Card, Care, Cart.
Which comes first: Sun, Sunday, Sundry?
Solution. Sun — a shorter word that is a prefix of the others comes first; then Sunday, then Sundry (a before r).
If Book, Blank, Black, Blue are arranged in dictionary order, which is third?
Solution. Black, Blank, Blue, Book → the third is Blue.
Arrange: (P) It was opened to traffic last month. (Q) The new bridge spans the river near the old ferry. (R) Since then, travel time has fallen by an hour.
Solution. Q introduces the bridge by name, P refers to "it", R begins "since then" → Q, P, R.
Which of these opens a paragraph? (a) This has changed the way people commute. (b) The metro line was extended to the airport in June.
Solution. (b) — (a) begins with "This", which must refer back to something already said.