Build a Sentence — six original reorder drills · Construye una oración — seis ejercicios originales de reordenamiento
A polite question can contain a statement-order clause
- “Could you tell me when the workshop begins?” contains an outer question and an inner clause. Identify both structures before ordering the cards.
ETS describes Build a Sentence as arranging words or phrases into a complete, grammatical sentence or question. The six original campus sentences below let you practise that skill with reorder cards. They are site practice, not ETS questions, and their card layout may differ from the test screen.
First find a subject and a finite verb. In The registrar / sent / the revised timetable / to every student, the person doing the action is the registrar and the past-tense verb is sent. The thing sent follows the verb; the recipient phrase follows the thing. Reading isolated cards in their shuffled order will not reveal this structure.
Build the shortest grammatical core first: The registrar sent the timetable. Then attach details without separating a verb from what it needs.
If the verb goes missing, the sentence may need a search party.
Arrange the cards into one complete sentence about a campus timetable. · Ordena las tarjetas para formar una oración completa sobre un horario universitario.
The registrar is the subject; sent is the verb; the revised timetable is the object; the final phrase names the recipients. · El registrador es el sujeto; envió es el verbo; el horario revisado es el objeto; la frase final nombra a los destinatarios.
Keep a dependent clause attached to its main clause
Although the library was closed sets up a contrast, but it cannot finish a sentence on its own. The main clause must say what happened despite the closure: the return box remained available outside. A comma after the opening clause helps show the boundary.
An if clause works similarly. If the laboratory reopens tomorrow describes a condition. The main clause supplies the consequence: the class will meet there. Do not mistake the time word tomorrow for a reason to put will in both clauses; the ordinary future condition is if + present, then will + verb.
Arrange the contrast clause and the main clause. · Ordena la cláusula contrastante y la cláusula principal.
Although creates an incomplete contrast. The return box remained available outside supplies the main claim despite the closure. · Aunque crea un contraste incompleto. La caja de devolución permaneció disponible afuera aporta la afirmación principal a pesar del cierre.
Arrange a possible future condition and its result. · Ordena una posible condición futura y su resultado.
The if-clause states the condition in the present tense; the main clause uses will meet for the consequence. · La cláusula con if expresa la condición en tiempo presente; la cláusula principal usa will meet para la consecuencia.
A question can contain a statement-order clause
Compare · Comparar When does the workshop begin? with Could you tell me when the workshop begins? The whole second sentence is a question, so Could you comes first. Inside it, when the workshop begins has statement order: the workshop begins, not does the workshop begin. The outer question mark does not turn every clause inside it into a question.
This matters when a speaker asks politely for information. Find the question's outer frame, then place the embedded clause inside it. Try reading the completed sentence aloud; an extra does · hace often sounds wrong once the full sentence is assembled.
Arrange a polite question with an embedded clause. · Ordena una pregunta educada con una cláusula incrustada.
Could you is the outer question. Inside it, when the workshop begins uses statement order, with no extra does. · ¿Podrías es la pregunta externa. Dentro de ella, cuándo comienza el taller utiliza orden de afirmación, sin does adicional.
Do not let a description steal the verb
In The samples that were collected yesterday are stored in a locked cabinet, the subject is the samples. That were collected yesterday identifies which samples; it is a relative clause inside the subject phrase. The main verb is are stored. The nearby past verb were collected belongs to the description, so it does not force the main verb into the past tense.
The same check helps with agreement. In The list of students is ready, list controls is, even though students is closer to the verb. Ask which noun the sentence makes its main claim about.
Arrange a sentence whose subject contains a relative clause. · Ordena una oración cuyo sujeto contiene una cláusula relativa.
That were collected yesterday modifies samples. The main claim is that the samples are stored in a locked cabinet. · Que fueron recolectadas ayer modifica muestras. La afirmación principal es que las muestras están almacenadas en un gabinete seguro.
Make the final read a meaning check
When the cards look right, read the whole sentence once for a sensible timeline and once for punctuation. The tutor asked whether the draft had been submitted reports a question, but it is itself a statement, so it ends with a period. Had been submitted places the possible submission before the tutor's past question.
For each exercise, identify the core, add clauses and details, then read the completed line as one piece of English. The exercise checker expects the intended order of the cards; a well-formed sentence you can justify is more valuable than a lucky shuffle.
Task description checked on 23 September 2026: ETS TOEFL iBT Writing section.
Arrange the report of a tutor's question. · Ordena el reporte de una pregunta de un tutor.
This is a statement reporting a question, so it ends with a period. Had been submitted locates the possible action before the asking. · Es una afirmación que reporta una pregunta, por lo que termina con punto. Había sido enviado sitúa la acción posible antes del momento de preguntar.
An inner clause keeps its own word order
- “Could you tell me when the workshop begins?” is a question as a whole. Inside it, the workshop begins uses statement order. The outer could does not require another does.
- Compare the direct question “When does the workshop begin?” and the statement “I know when the workshop begins.” Clause structure explains the change better than memorising one shuffled card set.
- A sentence can contain more than one finite verb. Identify which clause each belongs to before assuming the first verb is the whole sentence’s main verb.
- Build the core, identify clause boundaries, attach details and read the complete message.
- Try the transfer checks below before returning to the explanation. These are original self-checks, with no official score conversion.
Match the three distinctions from the worked case.
Compare the direct question “When does the workshop begin?” and the statement “I know when the workshop begins.” Clause structure explains the change better than memorising one shuffled card set.
Which phrase fits “Could you tell me…”?
“Could you tell me when the workshop begins?” is a question as a whole. Inside it, the workshop begins uses statement order. The outer could does not require another does. Compare the direct question “When does the workshop begin?” and the statement “I know when the workshop begins.” Clause structure explains the change better than memorising one shuffled card set.
Complete the worked-case label: Direct question → ____. Use the phrase in the diagram.
Build the core, identify clause boundaries, attach details and read the complete message.