CLAT 2024: Basics of Para Jumbles

Para jumbles are jumbled paragraphs. They are a set of connected statements in random order, which, when unjumbled create a meaningful paragraph. 

The name also knows para jumbles of Sentence Rearrangement.

• In some Para jumbles, the candidates are given the first or the opening sentence of the Jumbled paragraph, and they’re required to unjumble the remaining sentences and put them in the correct sequence to make a meaningful paragraph.
• In some Para jumbles, the closing/ending sentence is provided, and the candidates are required to use that sentence to rearrange and unjumble the remaining sentences to make a meaningful paragraph.
• In some Para jumbles, both the introductory and closing (concluding) sentences are given, and the candidates are required to set the remaining sentences or the middle part of the para in the correct sequence. These are considered as the easiest Para jumbles to solve.
• At last in some cases, neither the introductory nor the closing(ending) sentences are given. The candidates are required to unjumble and organize them in a proper sequence. 

A lot of the information in para jumbles questions is irrelevant to the task at hand, which is to sort the sentences.

Here are a few tips to solve para jumbled:

1. Read the Para jumble.

Take a quick scan of the Para jumbled sentences and try to understand what the para is all about. This will help you find out the central theme of the para jumble and build the sequence of the given statements around it in the correct order.

2. Look for an Introductory Sentence.

In a Paragraph, the introductory sentence usually introduces a person/place/topic or idea and establishes a scene around it. An opening sentence is the one that gives the details. On the other hand, a closing sentence is the one that has a conclusion. You could also try to find the closing sentence; this sentence will generally be a concluding statement which usually starts with words like ‘therefore’ ‘hence’ etc. The closing sentence will conclude what has already been mentioned in the paragraph.

3. Connecting the Sentences

Once, you have spotted the introductory and closing sentences, try connecting and teaming up the given jumbled sentences based on various factors.

POINTS TO KEEP IN MIND:

ACTION:

Some para jumbles discuss specific actions or activities. Understanding the sequence of events will assist you in deciphering the text. Begin by determining the initial event, which will allow you to construct a sequence and answer the question.

ACRONYMS AND SHORT FORMS:

We come across full forms and short names in para jumbles, as well as acronyms for various terms or institutions. Some para jumbles have a full-form sentence and another sentence (s) with its abbreviations. The full-form sentence appears first, followed by the acronym-filled sentence. In the previous sentences, abbreviations are always introduced with their full form.

EXAMPLES AND IDEAS:

Ideas or concepts mentioned in the statements always precede the examples. Some Para jumbles contain ideas and examples of those ideas. Thus, the examples always follow the ideas.

CONNECTIVES:

Connectives are words that connect two sentences. Some connectives are: After, When, Because, Alternatively, Although, Though, Yet, Until, Since, besides, yet, then, consequently, notwithstanding, meanwhile etc. The sentence which contains these connectives are never the opening sentences; they always talk about something already mentioned in the previous sentence.

TIME SEQUENCE:

Sometimes Para jumbles contain a time sequence, i.e., words indicating a time sequence, such as dates, years, or locutions like, before, later, after, when, etc. These words can help you rearrange the sentences according to the right time sequence when a given set of statements contains a reference to time-based events, make sure to maintain a particular order that is past-present-future or vice-versa.

ELIMINATION TECHNIQUE:

In case of hurry, when you have spotted the correct opening and closing sentences of the paragraph, you can always turn to the elimination technique and eliminate the given option which contains the incorrect opening and closing sentence sequence. 

This will help you solve the Para jumbles Quickly and efficiently. 

CONCLUDING

Concluding sentences generally start with words like in conclusion, hence, thus, and usually they are suggestion or summaries. By knowing this, you can easily conclude the para jumbled questions. 

Para jumbles Exercise:

(1)

1. Reading the text's characters or letters is not the same as reading the text in its whole.
2. At a young age, this simple method of reading becomes completely automatic. B. You'll often discover yourself instinctively reading words or characters when your mind is preoccupied with something else.
3. This can be done without paying attention.
4. I can't call it reading if all I'm doing is extracting the narrative component of a text from the rest for the sake of entertainment.

(A) BACD  

(B) DCBA 

(C) ADCB 

(D) CBDA

(2)

1. Including some that cause the common cold to some 
2. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses,
3. That cause major diseases such as the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)
4. And the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). 

OPTIONS: 

1. BCDA
2. CADB
3. BACD
4. DABC

(3).

1. Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who was sworn in. 
2. Proved his majority in the Assembly on Tuesday.
3. As the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh on Monday night
4. The Bharatiya Janta Party leader (BJP),

OPTIONS:

1. DCAB 
2. DACB
3. ABCD 
4. ACDB

Answer: 

1. The word “neither” in Sentence D will tell you that there is something additional that the writer wishes to discuss. Sentences 1, A, B and C all talk about the same idea. Therefore, Sentence D should be the last sentence. So, option (a) is the answer.  
2. The opening sentence gives the introduction to the context. Therefore, Sentence B becomes the first sentence. Sentence A should be next in the sequence telling us about the types of viruses. Sentence C points out the types of diseases those viruses can cause that's why it should be next in the sequence. Lastly sentence D finishes the paragraph. Thus, option (3), i.e. BACD, is the correct answer.
3. Sentence D will be first in the sequence as it is giving an introduction to the context. Next comes Sentence A mentioning the name of the minister, then sentence C, and last sentence B. Thus, Option B, Sequence DACB is correct.