Alphabetical order

If these words were put in alphabetical order, which would come second? decide delivery derive delete demand

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The answer is D. All five begin with DE, so look further along each word. In order: decide before delete (3rd letters c and l); delete before delivery (4th letters e and i); delivery before demand (3rd letters l and m); demand before derive (3rd letters m and r). That gives decide, delete, delivery, demand, derive, so the second word is delete. When the first letters match, move on to the second letter, then the third.

If these words were put in alphabetical order, which would come last? wheel whose whatever when which

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The answer is B. All five begin with WH, so look further along each word. In order: whatever before wheel (3rd letters a and e); wheel before when (4th letters e and n); when before which (3rd letters e and i); which before whose (3rd letters i and o). That gives whatever, wheel, when, which, whose, so the last word is whose. Check the question again before you answer: it might ask for second, third or last.

If these words were put in alphabetical order, which would come fourth? loss loudly logical less likewise

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The answer is A. All five begin with L, so look further along each word. In order: less before likewise (2nd letters e and i); likewise before logical (2nd letters i and o); logical before loss (3rd letters g and s); loss before loudly (3rd letters s and u). That gives less, likewise, logical, loss, loudly, so the fourth word is loss. Write the words in order on scrap paper before you choose. It takes seconds and saves marks.

If these words were put in alphabetical order, which would come fourth? exchange exclude exercise exist extra

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The answer is D. All five begin with EX, so look further along each word. In order: exchange before exclude (4th letters h and l); exclude before exercise (3rd letters c and e); exercise before exist (3rd letters e and i); exist before extra (3rd letters i and t). That gives exchange, exclude, exercise, exist, extra, so the fourth word is exist. When the first letters match, move on to the second letter, then the third.

If these words were put in alphabetical order, which would come second? exchange escape early expect entries

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The answer is E. All five begin with E, so look further along each word. In order: early before entries (2nd letters a and n); entries before escape (2nd letters n and s); escape before exchange (2nd letters s and x); exchange before expect (3rd letters c and p). That gives early, entries, escape, exchange, expect, so the second word is entries. Check the question again before you answer: it might ask for second, third or last.

If these words were put in alphabetical order, which would come last? explicit extent earlier economic ease

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The answer is B. All five begin with E, so look further along each word. In order: earlier before ease (3rd letters r and s); ease before economic (2nd letters a and c); economic before explicit (2nd letters c and x); explicit before extent (3rd letters p and t). That gives earlier, ease, economic, explicit, extent, so the last word is extent. Write the words in order on scrap paper before you choose. It takes seconds and saves marks.

If these words were put in alphabetical order, which would come fourth? internal invalid insist into infinite

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The answer is D. All five begin with IN, so look further along each word. In order: infinite before insist (3rd letters f and s); insist before internal (3rd letters s and t); internal before into (4th letters e and o); into before invalid (3rd letters t and v). That gives infinite, insist, internal, into, invalid, so the fourth word is into. Write the words in order on scrap paper before you choose. It takes seconds and saves marks.

If these words were put in alphabetical order, which would come last? risk regular read rewrite rain

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The answer is A. All five begin with R, so look further along each word. In order: rain before read (2nd letters a and e); read before regular (3rd letters a and g); regular before rewrite (3rd letters g and w); rewrite before risk (2nd letters e and i). That gives rain, read, regular, rewrite, risk, so the last word is risk. Write the words in order on scrap paper before you choose. It takes seconds and saves marks.

If these words were put in alphabetical order, which would come last? stood staff story store state

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The answer is C. All five begin with ST, so look further along each word. In order: staff before state (4th letters f and t); state before stood (3rd letters a and o); stood before store (4th letters o and r); store before story (5th letters e and y). That gives staff, state, stood, store, story, so the last word is story. Write the words in order on scrap paper before you choose. It takes seconds and saves marks.

If these words were put in alphabetical order, which would come last? connect cover complete core compute

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The answer is B. All five begin with CO, so look further along each word. In order: complete before compute (5th letters l and u); compute before connect (3rd letters m and n); connect before core (3rd letters n and r); core before cover (3rd letters r and v). That gives complete, compute, connect, core, cover, so the last word is cover. Saying the alphabet quietly from the shared letters onwards makes the order easier to hear.

If these words were put in alphabetical order, which would come second? moment money modify modern mouth

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The answer is C. All five begin with MO, so look further along each word. In order: modern before modify (4th letters e and i); modify before moment (3rd letters d and m); moment before money (3rd letters m and n); money before mouth (3rd letters n and u). That gives modern, modify, moment, money, mouth, so the second word is modify. Check the question again before you answer: it might ask for second, third or last.

If these words were put in alphabetical order, which would come third? real resource readable removal replies

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The answer is D. All five begin with RE, so look further along each word. In order: readable before real (4th letters d and l); real before removal (3rd letters a and m); removal before replies (3rd letters m and p); replies before resource (3rd letters p and s). That gives readable, real, removal, replies, resource, so the third word is removal. When the first letters match, move on to the second letter, then the third.

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Alphabetical order

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