Select the option that represents the correct order of the given words as they…
2023
Select the option that represents the correct order of the given words as they would appear in an English dictionary: (i) Manuscript (ii) Minor (iii) Melody (iv) Malicious (v) Memory
Answer: A. (iv), (i), (iii), (v), (ii) — ConceptDictionary order compares words from left to right, one letter at a time. At the first position where two words differ, the word whose letter comes…
- A.
(iv), (i), (iii), (v), (ii)
- B.
(iv), (i), (v), (ii), (iii)
- C.
(i), (iii), (iv), (v), (ii)
- D.
(i), (iv), (iii), (v), (ii)
Attempted by 11 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Concept
Dictionary order compares words from left to right, one letter at a time. At the first position where two words differ, the word whose letter comes earlier in the alphabet is placed first.
If all compared letters are identical and one word ends, the shorter word comes first. Continue the same comparison within each shared prefix group.
Application
Group the words by their opening letters: Ma—Malicious and Manuscript; Me—Melody and Memory; Mi—Minor. Alphabetically, Ma comes before Me, and Me comes before Mi.
Within the Ma group, Malicious and Manuscript first differ at the third letter: l comes before n. Therefore, Malicious precedes Manuscript.
Within the Me group, Melody and Memory first differ at the third letter: l comes before m. Therefore, Melody precedes Memory.
Combining the ordered groups gives Malicious → Manuscript → Melody → Memory → Minor.
Cross-check
The leading comparison pattern is Ma-l, Ma-n, Me-l, Me-m, Mi-n. These prefixes increase alphabetically from left to right, so the order is internally consistent.
Result
The dictionary order is Malicious → Manuscript → Melody → Memory → Minor, represented by (iv), (i), (iii), (v), (ii).