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Word Bank — click or drag words

How to play Unjumble

A scrambled sentence is shown with words out of order. Click on the words in the correct sequence to rebuild the sentence, or drag them into the right position. The word tiles snap into place as you arrange them.

Click Check when you think the sentence is correct. If any word is in the wrong position, it will be highlighted. You can rearrange until the sentence is perfect, then move on to the next one.

Why Unjumble improves your English

Unjumble is uniquely effective for grammar acquisition because it requires you to apply multiple grammatical rules simultaneously. To order "He / yesterday / left / early / the office", you must understand adverb placement, subject-verb order, object position, and temporal markers — all at once.

Reconstructing sentences also develops your sensitivity to natural English word order — something that is largely unconscious for native speakers but must be consciously learned by English learners. The more sentences you unjumble, the more these patterns become intuitive.

Grammar tip: Start by identifying the subject and main verb — they almost always come first in English declarative sentences. Then look for the object and any adverbials. Time expressions usually come at the beginning or end; manner adverbs usually follow the verb.

Word order rules practised in Unjumble

  • Subject + Verb + Object: the foundation of English sentence structure (She / reads / books).
  • Adjective before noun: "a beautiful old house" — adjective order is strictly controlled in English.
  • Adverb placement: frequency adverbs (always, never) go before the main verb but after "to be".
  • Question word order: auxiliary verbs invert with the subject in questions (Do you / know / the answer?).
  • Negative structures: "He doesn't like coffee" — the auxiliary carries the negation.

Tips for Unjumble success

  • Find the verb first: Identify the action word early — it anchors the rest of the sentence.
  • Watch for clues: Capital letters indicate sentence-initial words; punctuation indicates the ending.
  • Say it aloud: Even if your sentence looks correct, does it sound natural when spoken?
  • Practice by type: Focus on question-order sentences one session, negatives another.

Related exercises

  • Sequence — arrange events or steps in the correct chronological or logical order.
  • Dialogue Ordering — put conversation lines in the correct order to form a coherent exchange.
  • Complete the Sentence — fill in missing words to complete grammatically correct sentences.
  • Word Magnets — build sentences from magnetic word tiles on a virtual board.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Unjumble work?
A sentence is presented with its words scrambled and displayed as individual tiles. Click on words in the correct order, or drag them into position, to reconstruct the sentence. Press Check to verify your answer — correct words stay in place while errors are highlighted so you can adjust and try again.
How many sentences are in the Unjumble exercise?
The exercise contains 34 sentences in total. Each session randomly selects 10 of these for you to unjumble, so you will encounter fresh sentences on every play-through. Replaying gives you access to sentences you have not yet seen.
What grammar structures does Unjumble cover?
The sentence bank spans A2 to C1 grammar, including present simple, present perfect continuous, past simple, future plans, passive voice, first conditional, wish structures, reported speech, modal verbs, past perfect, gerund as subject, future perfect, double comparatives, inversions (Not only/Had I known), and more. Each sentence is labelled with its grammar point.
Why is sentence reconstruction so powerful for grammar learning?
Reconstructing a sentence forces you to apply several grammatical rules simultaneously — word order, tense, agreement, and collocations all at once. Unlike gap-fill exercises that test a single feature, unjumbling requires holistic understanding of how a clause fits together. Research in language acquisition shows that productive manipulation of grammar (as opposed to passive recognition) leads to far deeper internalisation.
What CEFR levels is Unjumble appropriate for?
Unjumble is graded from A2 to C1. Simpler sentences cover present simple and basic past tense (A2–B1), while harder ones include inversions, double comparatives, and complex reported speech (B2–C1). The hint system — which displays the grammar label for each sentence — helps lower-level learners approach harder items systematically.
Is there a hint feature in Unjumble?
Yes — each sentence displays a grammar hint label (for example, "Past perfect vs past simple" or "Third conditional — inversion") above the word bank. This contextual clue helps you identify which rule to apply, making the exercise a guided learning activity rather than just a test.
How is scoring calculated in Unjumble?
You earn 10 points for every correctly ordered sentence. The exercise runs 10 questions per session, giving a maximum of 100 points. Skipped sentences score zero. Your best result is saved as a high score so you can try to beat it on future visits.
How is Unjumble different from the Sequence exercise?
Unjumble focuses on word order within a single sentence — you rearrange individual words to form a grammatically correct clause. Sequence focuses on ordering whole sentences or events in logical or chronological order. Unjumble builds micro-level grammar knowledge; Sequence builds macro-level discourse and writing structure awareness.
What tips help with solving unjumble puzzles quickly?
Start by identifying the subject (who) and main verb (what action), as these almost always appear early in English declarative sentences. Then look for the object and any adverbials. Capital letters mark the sentence start; punctuation marks the end. Read the grammar hint label first — knowing the structure type makes the correct order much more predictable.
Can Unjumble be used for exam writing preparation?
Absolutely. Because the sentence bank includes advanced structures like inversions (Not only did he arrive late…), double comparatives (The harder she tried…), and complex conditionals, regular Unjumble practice builds familiarity with the high-scoring sentence types examiners reward in IELTS, Cambridge FCE/CAE, and TOEFL writing sections. Reconstructing these patterns trains you to produce them naturally in your own writing.
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