In dictionaries, words are listed according to their first letter. When you are looking for the word ‘abacus’, you have to start from ‘a’ at the top of the page of the dictionary. Then you have to turn over the page having ‘a b’, then’ ‘a b a’, ‘a b a c’, abacus respectively. This is called the alphabetical order.

Example:
assize, assist, ass, assign, associate, assimilate, assign, assume, assure, assonance, assault, assert, asset, aside, assonance, asteroid, astride , assess, aspire, aspect

Here, letters ‘as’ are common in all words. So, when you are arranging in alphabetical order look third letter that is after ‘as’ here is the letter that comes first, then p, s, ……………etc. In this way;

The correct order is:
aside, aspect, aspire, ass, assault, assert, assess, asset assign, assimilate, assist, assize, associate, assort, assume, assure, asteroid , astray, astride.

Examples:

1. Arrange in alphabetical.
from, form, firm, film, flimsy, fine, fin, fun, for, far, fee, flee, free, foam, farm, freeze, frenzy, flame, fame, France

Answers:
fame, far, farm, fee, film, fin, fine, firm, flame, flee, flimsy, foam, for, form, France, free, freeze, frenzy, from, fun

2. Complete the following sentences by writing a correct letter in each space.

(a) Choice comes before choose because…..comes before……….in the alphabet.
(b) Deference comes before ‘different because…..comes before….in the alphabet.
(c) Examination comes before ‘examine’ because ….comes before ..in the alphabet.
(d) Disappear comes before disappoint because …comes before…..in the alphabet.
(e) ‘Mainly’ comes before ‘many’ because…..comes before ……in the alphabet.

Answers:
(a)Because ‘i’ comes before ‘o’ in the alphabet.
(b)Because ‘e’ comes before ‘i’ in the alphabet.
(c)Because ‘a’ comes before ‘i’ in the alphabet.
(d)Because ‘e’ comes before ‘o’ in the alphabet.
(e)Because ‘i’ comes before ‘n’ in the alphabet.

3. Arrange the following words in alphabetical order:
pole, poky, polka, poker, poke, polaroid

Answers: poke, poker, poky, Polaroid, pole, polka,

Exercises:

1. Put the following words in alphabetical order.
Phone, picture, piece, picnic, phrase, pirate

2. Arrange the following words in alphabetical order:
misery, missing, mistake, miserable, missionary, mishap, mislead, missing.

3. Put the following words in alphabetic order:
Choir, Choice, Chocolate, Cholera, Chock, Chop.

4. Arrange the following words in alphabetical order:
Neutralize, Notorious, narcotic, Nebula, Neutral

Note: Remember that in case of a person’s name, surname comes first not the first name.
Example: Ghale, Pushpa not Pushpa Ghale.