Information Focus in Formal Prose

Study the questions and tasks

Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.

Practice level

C2. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.

Question formats

Sentence reordering

How to approach this practice

Read the complete context. Check both the meaning and the grammar, including word forms, collocations and links between sentences.

1. Question 1 · Sentence reordering

   Arrange these parts into the correct sentence.

   Put the chunks in order to make one complete sentence. Keep the capitalised opening first and the punctuated ending last.

   Sentence parts

   • It is
   • is in dispute.
   • not its sincerity,
   • that
   • the scope of the undertaking,
   Check answers and explanations

   Correct order

   It is the scope of the undertaking, not its sincerity, that is in dispute.

   The cleft gives exclusive contrasting focus to scope.

2. Question 2 · Sentence reordering

   Arrange these parts into the correct sentence.

   Put the chunks in order to make one complete sentence. Keep the capitalised opening first and the punctuated ending last.

   Sentence parts

   • What
   • is
   • the committee has yet to establish
   • the exception is necessary.
   • whether
   Check answers and explanations

   Correct order

   What the committee has yet to establish is whether the exception is necessary.

   The what-clause is the subject; whether introduces the unresolved issue.

3. Question 3 · Sentence reordering

   Arrange these parts into the correct sentence.

   Put the chunks in order to make one complete sentence. Keep the capitalised opening first and the punctuated ending last.

   Sentence parts

   • Only after
   • did
   • disappear.
   • the apparent contradiction
   • the competing readings were made explicit
   Check answers and explanations

   Correct order

   Only after the competing readings were made explicit did the apparent contradiction disappear.

   Only after triggers did-subject inversion.

4. Question 4 · Sentence reordering

   Arrange these parts into the correct sentence.

   Put the chunks in order to make one complete sentence. Keep the capitalised opening first and the punctuated ending last.

   Sentence parts

   • So
   • it left
   • narrowly circumscribed was the concession
   • that
   • the central claim untouched.
   Check answers and explanations

   Correct order

   So narrowly circumscribed was the concession that it left the central claim untouched.

   Fronted so plus adjective triggers inversion and a result clause.

5. Question 5 · Sentence reordering

   Arrange these parts into the correct sentence.

   Put the chunks in order to make one complete sentence. Keep the capitalised opening first and the punctuated ending last.

   Sentence parts

   • Under no
   • a provisional finding
   • as an irrevocable conclusion.
   • be presented
   • circumstances should
   Check answers and explanations

   Correct order

   Under no circumstances should a provisional finding be presented as an irrevocable conclusion.

   The negative fronted phrase triggers modal inversion.

6. Question 6 · Sentence reordering

   Arrange these parts into the correct sentence.

   Put the chunks in order to make one complete sentence. Keep the capitalised opening first and the punctuated ending last.

   Sentence parts

   • The very
   • is
   • on which the argument depends.
   • point that remains unproven
   • the one
   Check answers and explanations

   Correct order

   The very point that remains unproven is the one on which the argument depends.

   The first relative defines point; the final preposition-relative defines one.

7. Question 7 · Sentence reordering

   Arrange these parts into the correct sentence.

   Put the chunks in order to make one complete sentence. Keep the capitalised opening first and the punctuated ending last.

   Sentence parts

   • Had
   • have been avoided.
   • might
   • the distinction been acknowledged,
   • the misunderstanding
   Check answers and explanations

   Correct order

   Had the distinction been acknowledged, the misunderstanding might have been avoided.

   The past counterfactual condition pairs with an uncertain perfect passive result.

8. Question 8 · Sentence reordering

   Arrange these parts into the correct sentence.

   Put the chunks in order to make one complete sentence. Keep the capitalised opening first and the punctuated ending last.

   Sentence parts

   • What
   • but its bearing on the central premise.
   • gives the objection its force
   • is
   • not its tone
   Check answers and explanations

   Correct order

   What gives the objection its force is not its tone but its bearing on the central premise.

   The what-cleft contrasts tone with central relevance.

9. Question 9 · Sentence reordering

   Arrange these parts into the correct sentence.

   Put the chunks in order to make one complete sentence. Keep the capitalised opening first and the punctuated ending last.

   Sentence parts

   • Not until
   • be assessed.
   • could
   • its validity
   • the limits of the claim were specified
   Check answers and explanations

   Correct order

   Not until the limits of the claim were specified could its validity be assessed.

   Not until triggers modal-subject inversion in the main clause.

10. Question 10 · Sentence reordering

    Arrange these parts into the correct sentence.

    Put the chunks in order to make one complete sentence. Keep the capitalised opening first and the punctuated ending last.

    Sentence parts

    • Such
    • both sides
    • claimed it supported them.
    • that
    • was the ambiguity of the wording
    Check answers and explanations

    Correct order

    Such was the ambiguity of the wording that both sides claimed it supported them.

    Such...that expresses the consequence with inversion.

What to review next

Explain why each answer fits the meaning and structure. Record useful phrases and write a new example using each pattern you found difficult.

A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.