Word Formation, Jumbled Letters and Logical Order of Words
Word Formation, Jumbled Letters and Logical Order of Words
Word-formation questions check whether the letters of a given word can make another word, which counts each letter as many times as it appears. Jumbled-letter questions ask for the meaningful word hidden in a set of letters, and logical-order questions ask for the natural sequence of steps or stages. A quick letter tally settles most of them.
1. Method Box
| Type | Method |
|---|---|
| Word that cannot be formed | Tally the letters of the given word; a word fails if it needs a letter, or more copies of a letter, than are available |
| Meaningful word from jumbled letters | Start with likely beginnings and endings (TR-, -ING, -TION, -Y) |
| Logical order of words | Follow time, process or size: earliest or smallest first |
| Letters staying in place after sorting | Sort the letters alphabetically and compare position by position |
Counting letters: EXAMINATION has A × 2, I × 2, N × 2 and one each of E, X, M, T, O
In a logical order, look for a natural starting word (seed, birth, admission) and a natural end (fruit, death, job)
✗ MOTION can be formed from EXAMINATION, since every letter of MOTION is in it | ✓ MOTION needs two O's, and EXAMINATION has one
✗ Logical order follows the order the words are given | ✓ Rearrange them by the real-world sequence
हिंदी नोट: शब्द-निर्माण में दिए गए शब्द के अक्षरों की गिनती कीजिए; जिस शब्द में किसी अक्षर की ज़रूरत उपलब्ध से अधिक हो, वह नहीं बन सकता। तार्किक क्रम में समय या प्रक्रिया का स्वाभाविक क्रम देखिए।
Exam Pointer: These patterns had no verified NTPC shift in our check (the pages found were from other exams) and are tagged syllabus-based. Word formation and logical order are part of the NTPC reasoning syllabus.
Pariksha Pattern: Every Way NTPC Asks This Topic
Pattern 1: Word that cannot be formed
[Pattern: syllabus-based, PYQ-style]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Which word cannot be formed from the letters of EXAMINATION? (a) NATION (b) MOTION (c) EXAM (d) ANIMATION
EXAMINATION has one O. MOTION needs two O's. The others fit: ANIMATION needs A × 2, N × 2, I × 2, M, T and O, all available.
Answer: (b) MOTION
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Which word cannot be formed from the letters of RAILWAY STATION? (a) TRAIN (b) SALTY (c) NATIONS (d) WAIST
RAILWAY STATION has one N (in STATION) and one S. NATIONS needs two N's. TRAIN, SALTY and WAIST all fit the tally.
Answer: (c) NATIONS
Pattern 2: Meaningful word from jumbled letters
[Pattern: syllabus-based, PYQ-style]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Arrange R, A, T, I, N into a meaningful word. What is its first letter?
The letters make TRAIN.
Answer: T
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Arrange A, I, R, L, A, W, Y into a meaningful word. What are its fourth and last letters?
The letters make RAILWAY. Its fourth letter is L and its last is Y.
Answer: L and Y
Pattern 3: Logical order of words
[Pattern: syllabus-based, PYQ-style]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Arrange in a logical order: 1. Seed 2. Fruit 3. Plant 4. Flower.
A seed grows into a plant, the plant flowers, and the flower becomes fruit.
Answer: 1, 3, 4, 2
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Arrange in a logical order: 1. Admission 2. Examination 3. Result 4. Study 5. Job.
Admission first, then study, the examination, its result and finally a job.
Answer: 1, 4, 2, 3, 5
Pattern 4: Letters that keep their place after sorting
[Pattern: syllabus-based, PYQ-style]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. If the letters of FORMAT are arranged in alphabetical order, how many letters stay in the same position?
Sorted: A F M O R T. Compare F O R M A T with A F M O R T: only T (6th) matches.
Answer: 1
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. If the letters of PLANET are arranged in alphabetical order, which letters stay in the same position?
Sorted: A E L N P T. Compare P L A N E T with A E L N P T: N (4th) and T (6th) match.
Answer: N and T
60-Second Revision
- Tally letters, including repeats, before testing a word.
- Look for common beginnings and endings in jumbled letters.
- Logical order follows the real sequence, not the given order.
- Sort the letters and compare position by position.
Next Step: Alphabet and Word Formation done. Practise the alphabet set in the ExamAtlas RRB NTPC 2026 mock tests; EJOTY and the 27 − n rule answer most position questions in seconds.