TOEFL Build-a-Sentence — Worked Examples & Strategy

Prompt

Build a Sentence presents you with a series of word chunks (sometimes 4-5 chunks per item) inside a chat-style avatar dialog. You drag the chunks into order to form one grammatically correct, logically coherent sentence. The task has 10 items and takes about 6.5 minutes total. There is no preparation time.

Item 1 example chunks (presented in random order):
  • "the lecture"
  • "because of the storm"
  • "was postponed"
  • "by Professor Khan"

Item 2 example chunks:
  • "in the lab"
  • "a small note"
  • "to her supervisor"
  • "the student left"
  • "before leaving"

Item 3 example chunks:
  • "despite"
  • "the heavy traffic"
  • "the conference"
  • "started on time"

Instructions: For each item, arrange the chunks into one grammatically correct sentence with a clear meaning. Each sentence is scored 0 (incorrect) or 1 (correct). The task is graded on accuracy across all 10 items.

Sample response

Item 1 — Correct order:
"The lecture was postponed by Professor Khan because of the storm."
  • Subject: 'the lecture'
  • Verb: 'was postponed' (passive)
  • Agent: 'by Professor Khan'
  • Reason: 'because of the storm'
  • The 'because of' clause goes last because it explains the postponement and is parenthetical to the main action.

Item 2 — Correct order:
"Before leaving the lab, the student left a small note to her supervisor."
  • Subordinate clause: 'before leaving the lab'
  • Subject: 'the student'
  • Verb: 'left'
  • Direct object: 'a small note'
  • Indirect object: 'to her supervisor'
  • The subordinate time clause must come at the start (or after the main clause with a comma); embedding it after the verb breaks the sentence.

Item 3 — Correct order:
"Despite the heavy traffic, the conference started on time."
  • Concession: 'despite the heavy traffic'
  • Subject: 'the conference'
  • Verb phrase: 'started on time'
  • 'Despite' is a preposition that takes a noun phrase; it cannot directly attach to 'the conference started' without 'the heavy traffic' between them.

What works in this response

• Identify the verb first. Once you know the main verb, the subject must come before it (in declarative sentences) and any adverbials (time, reason, manner) attach around it.
• Look for connectors: 'because', 'although', 'despite', 'before', 'after', 'while'. These usually introduce subordinate clauses and tell you which chunk has to be the subordinate clause.
• Watch for agents in passive constructions. 'By + person' must follow a passive verb ('was postponed by Professor Khan').
• Subordinate time clauses (e.g. 'before leaving') typically attach at the start of the sentence with a comma, or after the main clause without a comma — never embedded in the middle of the verb phrase.
• Concessive prepositions ('despite', 'in spite of') take a noun phrase, not a clause. 'Despite the storm' works; 'despite the storm came' does not.

How to push higher

Build-a-Sentence is binary per item — correct or incorrect. To maximise your score: (1) Read all chunks before placing the first one. The wrong first chunk wastes time on a guaranteed-wrong arrangement. (2) Identify the main verb in under 5 seconds. Adverbials and modifiers cluster around the main verb predictably once you've found it. (3) If two arrangements seem grammatically correct, pick the one with the more natural information flow — given/known information first, new information last (the 'theme/rheme' principle in academic English). (4) Don't second-guess once you've placed a chunk. Each item is timed within the 6.5-minute total; rearranging twice often costs you a later item.

Common mistakes at lower bands

The most common error pattern is mis-attaching subordinate clauses. Students place 'before leaving' or 'because of the storm' inside the main clause where they don't belong, producing sentences that are technically parsable but ungrammatical in standard English. The second most common pattern is reversing subject and agent in passive constructions ('Professor Khan was postponed by the lecture' is wrong even though every chunk is in a position that 'works').