Order alphabetically: challenge
Key Notes:
To put words in alphabetical order, use the alphabet.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
First, put the words in order by their first letters.
| bed | pie | ran |
|---|
If words share the first letter, then use the second letter to put them in order.
| bed | born | brown |
|---|
If words share the first and second letters, then use the third letter, and so on.
| bed | bell | best |
|---|
If one word is shorter, and there are no more letters to compare, then the shorter word comes first in alphabetical order.
| be | bed |
|---|
Learn with an example
👍Put the words in alphabetical order.
- usual
- useful
- overhead
Look at the first letters of the words.
| usual | useful | overhead |
|---|
In alphabetical order, the first letters are o and u. So, word No 1 is the o word, and words No 2 and No 3 are the u words.
Start with the o words. The only o word is overhead, so that is word No 1.
| No 1 | No 2 | No 3 |
|---|---|---|
| overhead |
Finally, work with the u words. Look at the second letters of the u words.
| usual | useful |
|---|
The second letters are both s, so keep looking. Look at the third letters of the us- words.
| usual | useful |
|---|
In alphabetical order, the third letters are e and u. So, word No 2 is the use- word, and word No 3 is the usu- word.
| No 1 | No 2 | No 3 |
|---|---|---|
| overhead | useful | usual |
👍Put the words in alphabetical order.
- guess
- gull
- lying
Look at the first letters of the words.
| guess | lying | gull |
|---|
In alphabetical order, the first letters are g and l. So, words No 1 and No 2 are the g words, and word No 3 is the l word.
Start with the g words. Look at the second letters of the g words.
| guess | gull |
|---|
The second letters are both u, so keep looking. Look at the third letters of the gu- words.
| guess | gull |
|---|
In alphabetical order, the third letters are e and l. So, word No 1 is the gue- word, and word No 2 is the gul- word.
| No 1 | No 2 | No 3 |
|---|---|---|
| guess | gull |
Finally, work with the l words. The only l word is lying, so that is word No 3.
| No 1 | No 2 | No 3 |
|---|---|---|
| guess | gull | lying |
👍 Put the words in alphabetical order.
- rally
- an
- antenna
Look at the first letters of the words.
| rally | an | antenna |
|---|
In alphabetical order, the first letters are a and r. So, words No 1 and No 2 are the a words, and word No 3 is the r word.
Start with the a words. Look at the second letters of the a words.
| an | antenna |
|---|
The second letters are both n, so keep looking. Look at the third letters of the an- words.
| an_ | antenna |
|---|
The word an doesn’t have a third letter. It is shorter than antenna, so it comes earlier in alphabetical order. So, word No 1 is an, and word No 2 is antenna.
| No 1 | No 2 | No 3 |
|---|---|---|
| an | antenna |
Finally, work with the r words. The only r word is rally, so that is word No 3.
| No 1 | No 2 | No 3 |
|---|---|---|
| an | antenna | rally |
Let’s practice!
