Lesson · R.1.6

Interpreting events in a sequence

How signal words and verb tense reveal the order of events in a passage, and how to draw a conclusion from a sequence or notice when a step in it is missing.

ObjectiveR.1.6Read2 minExam weightKey Ideas and Details ≈ 38% of Reading

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What you will be able to do

Use signal words to reconstruct the fixed order of events in a passage.
Read verb tense to spot a flashback or a flash-forward in a passage.
Draw a conclusion from a sequence and notice when a step is missing.

What the lesson concludes

First, next, then, and finally signal a fixed step-by-step order.
Words like today, since, and always, plus verb tense, show timing without necessarily fixing a strict order.
Past perfect tense often marks a flashback, and future tense can mark a flash-forward.
A missing "second" step or an order that does not follow logically signals a gap in the sequence.