Sequencing Sentences

Directions: Putting information in order is crucial to the writing process. Sometimes when we edit, we decide to change sentences around to better fit the meaning we wish to convey. In the following groups of sentences, one sentence is out of place. Where does it belong? Be ready to share your answers and explain your thoughts! Let's try the first one together!

1. a. She suddenly found a wallet containing hundreds of dollars; it was on the sidewalk close to her house.
    b. Mary needed money to pay her bills; she had been out of work for months due to the pandemic.
    c. Mary decided to take a walk around her neighborhood to get some fresh air and exercise.
    d. She knew keeping the money would be the answer to her prayers, but she also knew the wallet was not hers to keep.
    e. Mary picked up the wallet and took out her cellphone to call the police; it was truly the right thing to do.

If you could only make one change, which of the following would you select:

The sentences are fine in the order in which they appear.
Sentence a should come after Sentence b.
Sentence e should come after Sentence a.
Sentence c should go before Sentence a.

Now it is your turn!

2. a. It was a stormy evening; snow was falling rapidly to the ground.
    b. Tomas started to worry about his snowblower--would it continue to work in a storm like this?
    c. He knew the snowblower had been fine during most of the previous storm, but it had suddenly shut down towards the end.
    d. Tomas decided to call his friend Issa, an MDC worker who had offered to help Tomas in the past.
    e. This particular storm had been predicted to last all evening and well into the following day.
    f. As Tomas had hoped, Issa was available and ready to help him dig out of the snow; thank goodness for a friend like Issa!

Which change would you make? 

The sentences are fine in the order in which they appear.
Sentence a should go after Sentence f.
Sentence e should go after Sentence a.
Sentence f should go before Sentence c.
Sentence d should go before Sentence b.

3. a. Rikki enjoyed working with his hands.
    b. He had always been talented in carpentry and was proud of the results each time.
    c. One day, Rikki was offered a job with a technology company; he would have to sit at a desk for 8 to 10 hours each day.
    d. The CEO of the company even told Rikki that his salary would double by the following year.
    e. Rikki knew that even though he would make much more money, this would not be the job for him.
    f. He politely declined the offer and went back to his latest woodworking design feeling sure he had made the right decision.

Which change would you make:

The sentences are fine in the order in which they appear.
Sentence a should go after Sentence b.
Sentence c should go before Sentence a.
Sentence f should go before Sentence c.
Sentence e should go after Sentence c.