IMO Practice Test — Sentence Reordering
8 Questions • 15 min • Olympiad level
15:00
Question 1 of 8
Reorder: 'so / tired / was / he / that / asleep / fell / he'
He was so tired that he fell asleep.
He so tired was that he fell asleep.
So tired he was that fell asleep he.
He fell asleep so tired that he was.
Explanation: 'so … that …' result structure with correct S-V order.
Question 2 of 8
Order: (P) Soon, dark clouds gathered. (Q) The travellers set out at dawn. (R) They hurried to find shelter. (S) Within an hour, it began to rain.
Q → P → S → R
P → Q → R → S
Q → R → P → S
S → P → Q → R
Explanation: Set out → clouds gather → rain → hurry for shelter (time order).
Question 3 of 8
Reorder: 'never / such / I / a / have / seen / sight'
I have never seen such a sight.
Never I have seen such a sight.
Such a sight I have never seen.
I never have seen such a sight.
Explanation: S + aux + 'never' + V + object.
Question 4 of 8
Which sentence is the closer? (a) Hard work, therefore, always pays. (b) Many students doubted him. (c) Ravi practised for hours daily. (d) Eventually, he won the championship.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
Explanation: A general concluding statement with 'therefore' rounds off the paragraph.
Question 5 of 8
Reorder (formal inversion): 'had / hardly / sat / I / down / when / rang / the / bell'
Hardly had I sat down when the bell rang.
I hardly had sat down when the bell rang.
Hardly I had sat down when the bell rang.
Had hardly I sat down the bell rang when.
Explanation: Negative-adverb inversion: 'Hardly had I sat down when …'.
Question 6 of 8
Order: (1) This habit improved his health. (2) Arjun decided to wake up early. (3) He started jogging every day.
2 → 3 → 1
1 → 2 → 3
3 → 2 → 1
2 → 1 → 3
Explanation: Decision → action → result.
Question 7 of 8
Reorder: 'the / which / book / I / bought / interesting / was'
The book which I bought was interesting.
The book was which I bought interesting.
Which I bought the book was interesting.
Interesting was the book which I bought.
Explanation: Noun + relative clause + verb + complement.
Question 8 of 8
Which is the most logical opening? (about a discovery)
As a result, the world changed.
However, doubts remained.
In 1928, Alexander Fleming made a surprising discovery.
It saved millions of lives.
Explanation: It introduces the topic with a clear subject and time, no back-reference.