Hi everyone, today let’s work on the Build a Sentence task in the TOEFL Writing section.
On the test, you’ll have about 6 to 8 minutes total for up to 12 questions, which means roughly 45 seconds per question.
What we’re using today is an official ETS sample exercise from Teacher Resource Set 4 (#6). There are 10 questions in total.
As we solve these together, I want you to focus on how to use clues, and also start noticing patterns ETS loves — especially indirect question word order.
Make sure you’ve watched my lecture on word order, because once you understand it, this task becomes much faster and much easier.
You’ll see this instruction on the screen:
Move the words in the boxes to create grammatical sentences.
A clock will show you how much time you have, so time management matters.
These are the 10 questions
Alright, let’s dig in.
1. Where did you get your shoes?
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ .
visited / had / it / last month / the shop / a sale / I
2. The workshop yesterday was very informative.
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ soon?
another one / do / there / if / be / you know / will
3. The new restaurant downtown has amazing reviews.
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____?
know / do / if / has / vegetarian options / have / you / they
4. That was a great movie we watched last night.
_____ you _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____?
that / by / director / would / like / another film / to see
5. I’m planning to visit my grandparents next weekend.
_____ you _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____?
to the airport / tell me / you / can / need / a lift / whether
6. The book you lent me was fascinating.
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ written _____ ?
has / you know / have / the author / if / other books / do
7. The new software update looks promising.
On _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ ?
able / which / the download / website / to find / were you
8. The new coffee shop downtown is very popular.
Is _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ ?
that / football matches / you can / on screen / watch / where / the one
9. We had a great time at the concert last night.
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ ?
that band / is performing / when / how / find out / again / can we
10. I really enjoyed the hiking trip last weekend.
_____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ _____ for this month?if / more trips / planned / there are / you / tell me / can
Solutions
1. Where did you get your shoes?
Given words: visited / had / it / last month / the shop / a sale / I
Target Structure: Adjective Clause (with Omitted Relative Pronoun)
Strategy: The core sentence is "The shop had a sale." You must insert the adjective clause "I visited last month" right after "shop" to modify it. Note that the relative pronoun that is omitted (The shop [that] I visited...). (Note: The word it is a common distractor in this specific ETS workbook printing variant and is omitted).
Correct Answer: The shop I visited last month had a sale.
2. The workshop yesterday was very informative.
Given words: another one / do / there / if / be / you know / will
Target Structure: Indirect Question Led by If / Whether
Strategy: Start with the main question phrase Do you know. Follow it with if. Because this is an indirect question, you must use statement word order (Subject + Verb) inside the clause: placeholder subject there followed by the future verb will be.
Correct Answer: Do you know if there will be another one soon?
3. The new restaurant downtown has amazing reviews.
Given words: know / do / if / has / vegetarian options / have / you / they
Target Structure: Indirect Question Led by If / Whether & Noun Clause as Object
Strategy: Set up the main question Do you know. The clause starting with if acts as the noun clause object of the verb know. Match the plural pronoun subject they with the plural verb have (instead of has).
Correct Answer: Do you know if they have vegetarian options?
4. That was a great movie we watched last night.
Given words: that / by / director / would / like / another film / to see
Target Structure: Noun Clause as Object (Infinitive Phrase)
Strategy: Complete the core question layout using Would you like. Follow it with the infinitive phrase object to see another film. The noun phrase is immediately modified by the prepositional phrase by that director.
Correct Answer: Would you like to see another film by that director?
5. I’m planning to visit my grandparents next weekend.
Given words: to the airport / tell me / you / can / need / a lift / whether
Target Structure: Indirect Question Led by If / Whether
Strategy: Create a polite request with Can you tell me. Use the connector whether to introduce the indirect question. Maintain statement word order (you need a lift) rather than question order inside this clause.
Correct Answer: Can you tell me whether you need a lift to the airport?
6. The book you lent me was fascinating.
Given words: has / you know / have / the author / if / other books / do
Target Structure: Indirect Question Led by If / Whether
Strategy: Form the question opener Do you know if. The embedded clause contains a present perfect verb phrase split by the given text (written). Match the singular subject the author with the singular auxiliary verb has to create has written.
Correct Answer: Do you know if the author has written other books?
7. The new software update looks promising.
Given words: able / which / the download / website / to find / were you
Target Structure: Inverted Sentence (Direct Question)
Strategy: Connect the prompt's starting preposition On directly to its relative adjective: On which website. Because this is a direct question rather than an indirect one, you must invert the subject and verb to were you before completing the infinitive phrase.
Correct Answer: On which website were you able to find the download?
8. The new coffee shop downtown is very popular.
Given words: that / football matches / you can / on screen / watch / where / the one
Target Structure: Relative Adverb Clause
Strategy: Start with the direct question clause Is that the one. Use the relative adverb where to kick off the modifying clause. Inside the clause, use standard statement layout: subject you, modal can, verb watch, and object football matches.
Correct Answer: Is that the one where you can watch football matches on screen?
9. We had a great time at the concert last night.
Given words: that band / is performing / when / how / find out / again / can we
Target Structure: Indirect Question Led by Wh-Words & Noun Clause as Object
Strategy: Assemble the main inverted question frame: How can we find out. The wh-word when introduces the noun clause acting as the object of find out. Keep statement word order inside this noun clause (that band is performing again).
Correct Answer: How can we find out when that band is performing again?
10. I really enjoyed the hiking trip last weekend.
Given words: if / more trips / planned / there are / you / tell me / can
Target Structure: Indirect Question Led by If / Whether
Strategy: Start with the polite request template Can you tell me. Link it to the rest of the sentence using if. Arrange the final components into an existential statement format: there are more trips planned.
Correct Answer: Can you tell me if there are more trips planned for this month?
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