Step 1 — Find the opening sentence
An opening sentence introduces the topic. It does not begin with a pronoun (he, it, this, they), a connector (however, therefore, also) or "the" referring to something unexplained.
Step 2 — Find linked pairs
| Clue | What it links |
|---|---|
| Pronouns — he, she, it, they, this, these | Back to the noun they replace |
| Connectors — however, but, therefore, as a result | To the idea they contrast with or follow from |
| Articles — "a" introduces, "the" refers back | "A scientist…" before "The scientist…" |
| Time order — first, then, later, finally | Into chronological order |
| General → specific | A claim, then its example |
A worked example
- P: However, most of them never reach the people who need them.
- Q: Every year, the government announces dozens of welfare schemes.
- R: This gap between announcement and delivery is the real problem.
- S: The reason is usually poor awareness at the village level.
Q is the only sentence that introduces the topic without pointing back — it opens. P ("However… them") follows Q (them = schemes). S gives the reason for P. R ("This gap") sums up — it closes. Order: QPSR.
Ordering of words (CDS and NDA)
CDS and NDA also ask you to arrange parts of a single sentence (P, Q, R, S). Find the subject and its verb first, then attach the object and the phrases that describe them. Prepositions travel with their objects: "in the morning" moves as one unit.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest way to solve para jumbles?
Find the opening sentence (one that introduces the topic and has no pronoun or connector pointing back), then find one linked pair, and eliminate options that contradict either.
Which exams ask para jumbles?
Bank exams (IBPS and SBI PO and Clerk, RBI Assistant), CDS and NDA (ordering of sentences and of words), and SSC (sentence rearrangement).