TOEFL Build a Sentence: how to put the chunks in order

Build a Sentence looks like the easiest Writing task and is often the least well prepared. There is no essay and no typing: you drag words and phrases into order. But the order has to be exactly right, and the sentence has to answer the line before it. Ten of these make up most of the Writing section, so they are worth a method.

What is the Build a Sentence task?

ETS describes it this way: test takers see one intact sentence followed by another sentence with words or phrases in the wrong order. The two sentences form an exchange between speakers. You move the words and phrases to form a grammatical sentence that is an appropriate reply in the context. ETS says the task measures command of sentence structures.

What does ETS's own sample look like?

ETS's sample shows the other speaker asking, "What was the highlight of your trip?" Your reply begins with the printed word "The" and ends with the printed word "fantastic", with six blank slots between them. The chunks on offer are: were, the, was, old city, showed us around, who, tour guides.

ETS's sample high-level response is "The tour guides who showed us around the old city were fantastic."

Notice two things. The chunks are phrases as well as single words, so "showed us around" and "old city" move as units. And there are seven chunks for six slots: "was" is left over. ETS does not say how often an item has a spare chunk, so check whether every chunk is needed instead of assuming it is.

How is Build a Sentence scored?

ETS's blueprint lists it as machine scored, which it defines as rule-based algorithms using exact matches or predefined scoring logic. The blueprint sets a maximum of one point per item. Write an Email and Write for an Academic Discussion are the AI-scored Writing tasks; Build a Sentence is not. ETS's overview and blueprint do not describe partial credit, so treat each item as right or wrong.

How long do you get for Build a Sentence?

ETS's overview gives a time for Write an Email (7 minutes) and for Write for an Academic Discussion (10 minutes), but none for Build a Sentence. The Writing section has 12 items and an approximate base time of 23 minutes, and it is linear, so everyone on a given form gets the same tasks. When you practise, set your own limit per item. Under a minute for most items is a sensible first benchmark. That figure is ours, not ETS's.

What is the best method for putting the chunks in order?

1. Read the other speaker's line first. It sets the topic, and it tells you what kind of reply is needed: an answer, a question back, an opinion.
2. Look at the printed words. In ETS's sample, "The" at the start tells you the reply opens with a noun phrase, and "fantastic" at the end tells you the sentence needs a verb and a subject that can be described that way.
3. Sort the chunks by job. Find the subject candidates, the verb candidates, the linking words (who, which, that, if, because, how) and the phrases that must stay together.
4. Build the main clause first. Subject plus verb gives you the skeleton. Then attach the relative clause, the condition or the embedded question.
5. Check for a spare. If a chunk will not fit grammatically, it may be the one left over.
6. Say the finished sentence in your head. Check agreement, tense and word order, then check that it answers the line.

Which grammar patterns come up most?

These patterns are worth practising. They come from ETS's sample and from the structures in our own bank, not from an ETS list:

• Embedded questions. After "Do you know" or "I wonder", the question word is followed by statement order: "what time the museum opens", not "what time does the museum open".
• Relative clauses. "Who", "which" and "that" attach directly after the noun they describe, as in "the tour guides who showed us around".
• Subject-verb agreement. A plural subject takes "were", and a singular one takes "was". The spare chunk may be the wrong one of the two.
• Conditions. "Only if", "unless" and "as long as" introduce a clause that normally follows the main clause.
• Cleft and "what" sentences. "What surprised me most was how quickly it ended" begins with a noun clause acting as the subject.

What mistakes cost the most marks?

• Ignoring the context line. Your sentence must be an appropriate reply, not merely a grammatical one.
• Using question word order inside a statement. This is the commonest slip with embedded questions.
• Splitting a phrase. Prepositions stay with their nouns, and "old city" or "showed us around" are units.
• Attaching a relative clause to the wrong noun. Check which noun the clause describes.
• Forcing every chunk in. If a chunk will not fit, it may not belong.

Build a Sentence practice items

Practice items from the ScoreFluent bank (not real exam questions). Five items, ordered from easiest to hardest by our own difficulty rating. Each shows the other speaker's line and the chunks. Try to build the reply before you open the answer. In our bank every chunk is used, so there is no spare, unlike ETS's sample.

Item 1

Other speaker: We're thinking of visiting the city this Saturday.

Build your reply from these chunks: know what · time the · do you · museum opens

Answer

Do you know what time the museum opens?

The embedded question keeps statement order: "what time the museum opens", not "what time does the museum open".

Item 2

Other speaker: Was there anything unexpected at the budget meeting?

Build your reply from these chunks: quickly the · what surprised the · proposal passed · committee most · was how

Answer

What surprised the committee most was how quickly the proposal passed.

A "what" clause acts as the subject: "What surprised the committee most" is the subject, and "was how quickly the proposal passed" completes it.

Item 3

Other speaker: Could I borrow that novel from Sara for the weekend?

Build your reply from these chunks: lend you · she will · it soon · you return · only if · the book

Answer

She will lend you the book only if you return it soon.

"Only if" introduces the condition, and the condition clause follows the main clause.

Item 4

Other speaker: How did people in town react when the bridge was announced?

Build your reply from these chunks: few of · would change · the residents · much the · their commute · realized how · new bridge

Answer

Few of the residents realized how much the new bridge would change their commute.

"How much" is followed by statement order: "how much the new bridge would change their commute".

Item 5

Other speaker: Have you read anything interesting in your field this month?

Build your reply from these chunks: climate policy · who taught · paper about · the professor · an influential · seminar published · last year's

Answer

The professor who taught last year's seminar published an influential paper about climate policy.

The relative clause "who taught last year's seminar" sits directly after "the professor" and before the main verb "published".

How do you practise Build a Sentence on ScoreFluent?

Build a Sentence is free on ScoreFluent, because it is a word-ordering check against a key and not a report. New accounts also start with 40 free credits, which pay for examiner reports and mock tests. Credits never expire and there is no subscription. Start practising TOEFL free →

Where do these facts come from?

Task description, item count, scoring and times come from the ETS Updated TOEFL iBT Test Overview, the ETS TOEFL iBT Writing page and the 2026 Test Blueprint and Specifications. Checked 15 and 16 October 2026. ETS notes that the blueprint was subject to minor revisions until launch, so treat item counts as ETS's design and check ets.org before test day. ScoreFluent is not affiliated with or endorsed by ETS, and the scores we give are practice estimates, not official results.

Keep going with the rest of the Writing section: Write an Email and Write for an Academic Discussion. Sentence control also helps in Complete the Words. For the whole section, see TOEFL Writing, or return to the TOEFL hub.