Word formation – From the letters A, D, R, W, how many meaningful English words can be formed using all four letters exactly once in each word?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Two

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
Classic alphabet-test items ask for the count of meaningful English words that can be made from a given set of letters with constraints such as “use each letter once” or “use all letters.” Here, we have ADRW, and we must form 4-letter real English words using each letter exactly once. The focus is both combinational (permutations) and lexical (dictionary validity).



Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Letter multiset: {A, D, R, W}.
  • Use all letters; no repetitions.
  • “Meaningful English words” implies standard dictionary recognition.


Concept / Approach:
Generate plausible anagrams and test dictionary validity. With four distinct letters, there are 4! = 24 permutations; only some are valid words. Common candidates with ADRW include “WARD” and “DRAW.” Both are standard English words (noun/verb senses for “ward”; verb/noun for “draw”).



Step-by-Step Solution:
List likely patterns: WARD, DRAW, WARD ←→ DRAW (reversals), and check others like DRA W (no space), DAWR (not standard), ARDW (no), AWDR (no).Confirm “WARD” (to guard; hospital section) and “DRAW” (to pull; also a tie) are valid words.Count of valid anagrams using all letters once = 2.



Verification / Alternative check:
Consulting a standard dictionary or a curated word list verifies both terms. Note that “DRAW” and “WARD” are not proper nouns here; they are everyday lexical items with multiple senses.



Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • None/One: Under-count; they ignore one of the two valid anagrams.
  • Three/Four: Over-count; additional permutations like “DAWR,” “ARWD,” etc., are not accepted standard words.


Common Pitfalls:
Treating abbreviations, acronyms, or rare proper nouns as valid; the test expects mainstream dictionary words. Also, do not include partial-letter arrangements; the condition requires all four letters.



Final Answer:
Two

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