Build a Sentence

What Is Build a Sentence?

Arrange the supplied words or phrases into a grammatically correct sentence that fits the context. Identify clause structure before trying random word orders.

Detail	Study reference
Exam	TOEFL iBT (2026 format)
Response	Arrange the supplied language
Timing	Writing section timer and task instructions
Primary skill	Syntax, clause boundaries and word order

How It Is Scored

The completed sentence must satisfy the task’s grammar and meaning. This is a constrained reconstruction task: do not treat it as an opportunity to replace the supplied language with your own paraphrase.

Official Video

Watch the official TOEFL explanation of the updated Writing section, then apply it to this task using the notes below. This video covers the section as a whole.

Technical Foundations

Clause skeleton

Find the subject and finite verb first. Then attach objects, complements and modifiers. In The book that I borrowed is missing, is is the main verb; borrowed belongs inside the relative clause.

Embedded questions

Direct questions use inversion: Where is the office? Embedded questions usually use statement order: Could you tell me where the office is? Copying direct-question order inside the embedded clause produces an error.

Verb patterns and attachment

Some verbs take an infinitive, others an -ing form or a that-clause. Keep multiword units together. Place a modifier next to what it describes so the sentence expresses the intended relationship.

Step-by-Step Approach

Step	Action and purpose
1	Read the preceding context and determine whether the response is a statement or question.
2	Find the subject, finite verb and any auxiliary.
3	Build the main clause, then attach dependent clauses and modifiers.
4	Read the full sentence for word order, agreement and contextual meaning.

Worked Examples

These are original teaching examples, not official ETS questions. Suggested practice timings are study targets, not extra test time.

Example 1

Arrange these chunks after Could you tell me: the seminar / when / starts.

Explanation / model: Could you tell me when the seminar starts? The embedded clause uses subject + verb: the seminar starts. When starts the seminar would incorrectly apply direct-question order.

Example 2

Arrange: the report / that / you requested / is / on the desk.

Explanation / model: The report that you requested is on the desk. The subject is the report, the relative clause is that you requested, and is agrees with the singular subject.

Example 3

Arrange: has / the deadline / been / extended.

Explanation / model: Has the deadline been extended? The auxiliary has precedes the subject in this direct question. Been extended forms the passive present perfect.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Mistake	Why it fails	Correction
Guessing from neighboring words	A locally plausible pair may break the clause.	Build the subject-verb skeleton first.
Inverting embedded questions	Indirect questions use a different order.	Keep the embedded subject before its verb.
Separating phrase units	A preposition or auxiliary can lose its complement.	Treat connected chunks as units.

Practice Routine

Write ten sentences containing relative clauses, passives and embedded questions. Split each into chunks and reconstruct it a day later. For every error, name the grammatical rule rather than merely copying the correct order. Increase speed only after you can identify the main clause consistently.

Quick Reference

Check	Reminder
Before answering	Read the preceding context and determine whether the response is a statement or question.
Before submitting	Read the full sentence for word order, agreement and contextual meaning.
Review focus	Syntax, clause boundaries and word order

Sources and Format Check

Format checked on 22 October 2026 against ETS TOEFL guidance. Explanations, examples, routines and time allocations within tasks are teaching guidance. Follow the instructions and timer on your test screen.