Understand sequences of events and relationships among ideas.
Use order words to place events in the right sequence.
Core Idea
Order words do the work. Terms like "before," "after," "then," and "only after" tell you how events or ideas are arranged.
Understanding
Sequence questions are detail questions with structure attached. Mark what happens first, what changes next, and which event depends on an earlier one.
Use a quick timeline check:
- Signal words: underline words like "before," "after," "then," or "only after."
- Order: match each event to its place in the sequence.
- Prompt focus: answer the exact sequence question, such as what happened first or what happened immediately before something else.
A wrong answer often names a real event from the passage but puts it in the wrong slot.
Step by Step
- Underline words like before, after, then, and only after.
- Match each event to its place in the sequence.
- Answer the exact timing question asked by the stem.
Worked Example
Excerpt: "After surveyors marked a route to the harbor, the town paved the road. Within a year, trade increased. Only after trade increased did local families begin opening boardinghouses for travelers." According to the excerpt, what happened immediately before local families began opening boardinghouses?
Select an answer to see the explanation