Build a Sentence — six original reorder drills · Construire une phrase — six exercices de réordering originaux
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 · Construire une phrase 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. · Organisez les cartes en une phrase complète sur un horaire de campus.
The registrar is the subject; sent is the verb; the revised timetable is the object; the final phrase names the recipients. · The registrar est le sujet ; sent est le verbe ; the revised timetable est l'objet ; la dernière phrase nomme les destinataires.
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 · si 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. · Organisez la proposition de contraste et la proposition principale.
Although creates an incomplete contrast. The return box remained available outside supplies the main claim despite the closure. · Although crée un contraste incomplet. The return box remained available outside fournit l'affirmation principale malgré la fermeture.
Arrange a possible future condition and its result. · Organisez une condition future possible et son résultat.
The if-clause states the condition in the present tense; the main clause uses will meet for the consequence. · The if-clause exprime la condition au présent ; la proposition principale utilise will meet pour la conséquence.
A question can contain a statement-order clause
Compare · Comparer 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 · fait often sounds wrong once the full sentence is assembled.
Arrange a polite question with an embedded clause. · Organisez une question polie contenant une proposition subordonnée.
Could you is the outer question. Inside it, when the workshop begins uses statement order, with no extra does. · Could you est la question principale. À l'intérieur, when the workshop begins utilise l'ordre statement, sans does supplémentaire.
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. · Organisez une phrase dont le sujet contient une proposition relative.
That were collected yesterday modifies samples. The main claim is that the samples are stored in a locked cabinet. · That were collected yesterday modifie samples. L'affirmation principale est que les échantillons sont stockés dans un armoire fermée à clé.
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. · Organisez le rapport d'une question d'un tuteur.
This is a statement reporting a question, so it ends with a period. Had been submitted locates the possible action before the asking. · Ceci est une phrase déclarative rapportant une question, donc elle se termine par un point. Had been submitted situe l'action possible avant la demande.
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.