English Language Arts
Grade 11
15 min
Order alphabetically: challenge
Order alphabetically: challenge
What you'll learn
- Sort a list of 10 words starting with different letters into correct alphabetical order with 80% accuracy.
- Identify the first two letters of 5 different words and explain which word would come first alphabetically based on those letters.
- Arrange 3 sets of 4 words, where each set contains words starting with the same letter but different second letters, into alphabetical order with 75% accuracy.
- Apply the rule of alphabetical order to determine the correct sequence of 5 words, each with different initial letter and explain the reasoning behind the arrangement.
Tutorial Preview
1
Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Correctly alphabetize a list of literary works, ignoring initial articles (A, An, The).
Accurately sort author names containing prefixes (e.g., Mc, Mac, De, O').
Apply the 'letter-by-letter' and 'word-by-word' sorting conventions to complex entries.
Correctly place entries that begin with numbers or acronyms within an alphabetical list.
Organize a Works Cited or Bibliography page according to MLA/APA standards for alphabetization.
Differentiate and correctly order hyphenated names and compound words.
You're building a Works Cited page for your American Lit paper. Where does Cormac McCarthy go in relation to Herman Melville? What about 'The Great Gatsby'? 🤔 Let's master the rules the pros use.
This tutorial mo...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Filing TitleThe version of a title used for alphabetization, which typically ignores initial articles like 'A,' 'An,' and 'The.'The filing title for 'The Catcher in the Rye' is 'Catcher in the Rye,' so it is alphabetized under 'C'.
Prefix in SurnamesA particle at the beginning of a surname, such as Mc, Mac, O', De, or Van, which can have specific alphabetization rules depending on the style guide.In most modern systems (like MLA), 'McCarthy' is alphabetized as it is spelled, falling between 'Mayer' and 'Mead.'
Letter-by-Letter SystemAn alphabetization method where spaces, hyphens, and punctuation between words are ignored, treating the entire entry as a single long string o...
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Key Rules & Conventions
The Article Rule (MLA/Chicago Style)
Ignore initial articles 'A,' 'An,' and 'The' in titles when alphabetizing.
When sorting a list of works, look at the first significant word of the title. This is the standard for nearly all academic bibliographies and indexes.
The Name Prefix Convention
Alphabetize names with prefixes like Mc, Mac, and St. literally, as they are spelled.
Do not treat 'Mc' as 'Mac' or 'St.' as 'Saint.' File 'McCarthy' after 'Mayer' and before 'McFee.' File 'St. John' under 'S'.
The 'Nothing Before Something' Principle
In word-by-word sorting, a shorter, identical word comes before a longer word that starts with the same le...
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Sign Up Free to ContinueSample Practice Questions
Easy
According to the Article Rule, what is the correct 'Filing Title' for the American novel 'The Great Gatsby'?
A.The Great Gatsby
B.Great Gatsby, The
C.Gatsby, The Great
D.Great Gatsby
Easy
Which of the following author surnames, containing a prefix, would appear first in a correctly alphabetized Works Cited page?
A.McCarthy
B.MacLeish
C.O'Connor
D.St. John
Easy
Which alphabetization method ignores spaces and punctuation, treating an entire entry like a single, continuous string of letters?
A.Word-by-Word System
B.Letter-by-Letter System
C.The Article Rule
D.Numeric Sorting
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What grade level is "Order alphabetically: challenge"?
Order alphabetically: challenge is a Grade 11 English Language Arts lesson on ExcelOS.
What will I learn in Order alphabetically: challenge?
You'll be able to: Sort a list of 10 words starting with different letters into correct alphabetical order with 80% accuracy; Identify the first two letters of 5 different words and explain which word would come first alphabetically based on those….
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How many practice questions are included with Order alphabetically: challenge?
This lesson includes 25 practice questions across multiple difficulty levels, each with instant feedback and explanations.