Dictionary Order
In what order do words appear in a dictionary? First 'apple', then 'ball', then 'cat' — that is, by the first letter A, B, C…. Dictionary-order questions test this alphabetical order.
Definition: In these questions, some words are given and you must arrange them in exactly the order they would appear in an English dictionary.
🧠 Recall: With which letter does the comparison of words in a dictionary begin?
The Golden Rule: Compare Letter by Letter
- First look at the first letter of each word — the one that comes earlier in the alphabet comes first.
- If the first letter is the same, look at the second letter; then the third… and so on.
- If one word is the beginning of another (like 'car' and 'card'), the shorter word comes first.
Example: Book, Bat, Ball, Bag
- All start with B — same.
- Second letter: Ba…, Ba…, Ba…, Bo… → Book comes last (o after a).
- Third letter (Bag, Ball, Bat): g, l, t → order: Bag, Ball, Bat, Book.
Mnemonic: Alphabet Positions
Remember A=1, B=2, C=3 … Z=26 (EJOTY: E=5, J=10, O=15, T=20, Y=25). This instantly settles "which letter comes first".
🧠 Recall: Between 'car' and 'card', which comes first in a dictionary?
The Examiner's Trap
⚠️ Trap 1 — looking only at the first letter: When the first letters are the same, you must compare the second/third letters.
⚠️ Trap 2 — shorter vs longer word: Between 'car' and 'care', 'car' comes first, because there is no letter after it (the shorter word comes first).
⚠️ Trap 3 — hurrying: Misreading even one letter's position spoils the whole order.
Review this after 2 days.