PTE Reorder Paragraphs: template, tips & practice
Reorder Paragraphs, officially called Re-order Paragraphs, is a PTE Reading task in both PTE Academic and PTE Core. You are shown four or five text boxes whose sentences have been jumbled, and you drag them into the single logical order the original paragraph followed. It rewards one core skill, spotting how ideas connect, so a repeatable method built around the opening sentence and the links between the boxes beats guessing.
How PTE Reorder Paragraphs is scored
Reorder Paragraphs is scored on adjacent pairs: you earn a point for every pair of boxes that ends up next to each other in the correct order, with no penalty for a wrong arrangement, so you should always submit a full ordering. Getting the first box right and keeping correctly linked boxes together is what banks the points. It contributes to your Reading score.
The PTE Reorder Paragraphs template
- 1Find the opening box first: it introduces the topic, reads naturally on its own, and has no back-reference like "this", "they", "such" or "however" pointing to an earlier idea.
- 2Look for a full name, a definition, or "a/an + noun" as a first mention; that box usually starts the paragraph, while later boxes switch to "the", pronouns or short forms.
- 3Chain the rest with cohesion clues: pronouns (it, they, this), reference words (these, such, the former) and connectors (however, therefore, as a result, for example) must point back to something already placed.
- 4Use time and logic order: chronology, cause then effect, a general statement then its example, or a problem then its solution.
- 5Read your ordered version end to end as one paragraph; it should flow with no broken reference before you submit.
Worked example
Given four boxes about electric cars, the box beginning "Electric vehicles have existed since the nineteenth century" is the opener: it names the subject in full and refers to nothing before it. A box starting "However, their popularity faded once petrol became cheap" must come after a box that first mentions their early popularity, because "However" and "their" both point back. Reading the chain end to end confirms the order holds together.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Starting from a box that opens with a pronoun or "however/therefore"; those always refer back, so they can never be first.
- Ordering by gut feeling instead of tracing the reference words that tie one box to the next.
- Leaving the arrangement incomplete; there is no negative marking, so always place every box.
- Ignoring the adjacent-pair scoring: keeping two correctly linked boxes together earns points even when the whole order is not perfect.
- Not re-reading the finished paragraph; a quick read catches a broken "this" or "they" reference.
PTE Reorder Paragraphs FAQ
How is PTE Reorder Paragraphs scored?
It is scored on adjacent pairs: each pair of boxes placed next to each other in the correct order earns one point, with no penalty for a wrong order. Keeping correctly linked boxes together matters even if the full sequence is not perfect, and you should always submit a complete arrangement.
How do I find the first sentence in Reorder Paragraphs?
The opening box introduces the topic and reads independently. It has no back-references such as "this", "they" or "such" and no connector like "however", and it often uses a full name or "a/an + noun" for the first mention. Boxes that start with a pronoun or a connector always come later.
Is Reorder Paragraphs in both PTE Academic and Core?
Yes. Re-order Paragraphs appears in the Reading section of both PTE Academic and PTE Core, and it is scored the same way in each.
Does Reorder Paragraphs have negative marking?
No. There is no penalty for a wrong order, and scoring is based only on correctly ordered adjacent pairs, so always complete the full arrangement.