Choose the fourth word when the following words are arranged in English…
2021
Choose the fourth word when the following words are arranged in English dictionary order.
Let, Lazy, Lesson, Length, Lenient
Answer: B. Lesson — ConceptDictionary order compares words from left to right. At the first position where two words differ, the word with the alphabetically earlier letter comes…
- A.
Let
- B.
Lesson
- C.
Length
- D.
Lenient
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Concept
Dictionary order compares words from left to right. At the first position where two words differ, the word with the alphabetically earlier letter comes first; if one word is a complete prefix of another, the shorter word comes first.
Application
Compare the first letters: all five words begin with L, so move to the second letter.
Compare the second letters: Lazy has a, while the other words have e; therefore Lazy comes first.
Among the Le... words, compare the third letters: Length and Lenient have n, Lesson has s, and Let has t. Since n comes before s, which comes before t, the Len... words precede Lesson and Let.
Compare Length and Lenient after their shared prefix Len: g comes before i, so Length precedes Lenient.
The complete order is Lazy, Length, Lenient, Lesson, Let. Therefore the fourth word is Lesson.
Cross-check
Rank | Word | Deciding comparison |
|---|---|---|
1 | Lazy | Second letter a comes before e |
2 | Length | Within Len..., fourth letter g comes before i |
3 | Lenient | Within Len..., fourth letter i follows g |
4 | Lesson | Third letter s follows n and precedes t |
5 | Let | Third letter t follows s |
Result: Lesson is the fourth word in dictionary order.