In this sentence rearrangement question, arrange the parts P, Q, and R to form a coherent sentence: "An engineer building a bridge P-find easy to comprehend Q-picks the best plan R-and not the one that motorists".

Difficulty: Medium

Correct Answer: QRP

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:

This question tests your ability to rearrange jumbled parts of a sentence into a grammatically correct and meaningful order. You are given an initial phrase, "An engineer building a bridge", followed by three labelled parts P, Q, and R. The task is to decide the sequence in which P, Q, and R should appear after the introductory phrase so that the full sentence is logical and clear. Sentence rearrangement is a common test of both grammar and meaning in English exams.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Starting fragment: "An engineer building a bridge".
  • P: "find easy to comprehend".
  • Q: "picks the best plan".
  • R: "and not the one that motorists".
  • You must choose among four sequences: RQP, RPQ, PRQ, and QRP.


Concept / Approach:

The core idea of the sentence is that an engineer selects bridge plans based on engineering criteria rather than on what motorists find easy to understand. The natural structure in English after the subject phrase "An engineer building a bridge" is a verb phrase such as "picks the best plan". Then we expect a contrasting clause introduced by "and not the one that ...". Finally, we complete that clause by specifying who finds it easy to comprehend. So we need to place the verb phrase first, the contrast phrase second, and the completion of that contrast phrase last. This guides us toward a sequence of Q, R, then P.


Step-by-Step Solution:

Step 1: Identify the main verb phrase. Q, "picks the best plan", clearly acts as the main predicate after "An engineer building a bridge".Step 2: Look for a phrase that begins a contrast or adds extra information. R, "and not the one that motorists", introduces such a contrast.Step 3: Notice that R is incomplete by itself because it needs something that motorists do. P, "find easy to comprehend", naturally completes the idea: "the one that motorists find easy to comprehend".Step 4: Combine them to form the full sentence: "An engineer building a bridge picks the best plan and not the one that motorists find easy to comprehend."Step 5: The order of segments is therefore Q followed by R followed by P, which corresponds to option QRP.


Verification / Alternative check:

Test other orders quickly. If you start with P, you get "... find easy to comprehend", which cannot follow the subject without a clear reference and does not begin the main verb phrase. Starting with R gives "and not the one that motorists", which is a conjunction fragment and cannot stand immediately after the subject. Starting with Q is the only choice that yields a complete and meaningful continuation of "An engineer building a bridge". After Q, R and P combine neatly into a relative clause about the preference of motorists. This analysis confirms that QRP is the only fully coherent order.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:

RQP starts with a conjunction "and", which requires prior information to contrast with, so it cannot directly follow the subject phrase. RPQ also begins with an incomplete contrast and then adds "find easy to comprehend" without a clear grammatical link to "motormen" or "motorists". PRQ begins with "find easy to comprehend", which lacks a subject and leaves the sentence ungrammatical. None of these sequences produce a smooth, well structured sentence.


Common Pitfalls:

Students sometimes rely on purely grammatical clues like verb forms without considering logical meaning. They may also overlook that "and not the one that motorists" clearly expects a completion such as "find easy to comprehend". A reliable strategy is to first identify the main clause that can follow the subject, then add modifying or contrasting clauses in a way that preserves both logic and grammar.


Final Answer:

The correct order of parts is QRP, giving: "An engineer building a bridge picks the best plan and not the one that motorists find easy to comprehend."

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