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Chronological Text Structure Graphic Organizer

Click Here to Take the Interactive Text Structure Practice Quiz

35 comments, hanna gilreath.

Thank you, it was really helpful.

Simplicio Japsay Alovera

Thanks for this lesson. It was awesome.

It is so awesome.

Garinger S Togba

it was great help

Johnny Munoz

Josephine Craig It is basically following the order of everything. For example: “First”, I woke up, “after” that I brushed my teeth. “Second”, I took a shower and “then” I got dressed. “Finally”, I went to work. It’s basically in order, like the routine you do every day, before you go to work. People usually do things step by step. First, then, second, finally, etc

Josephine Craig

I feel I don’t really understand it would be nice to see examples of what a Chronological text structure looks like.

I loved this! SOOOO helpful!!!

i loved it it was so awesome

the video was very short but it explains alot

thanks for this 🙂

Laci Hinshaw

i love e reading worksheets.com its so fun and even has videos to you have to try it out.

What if you describe an issue that develops in four steps. (For example, a deliberate escalation, which is not that uncommon these days.) When you have described the steps you arrive at the issue. When you explain the issue, it seems especially handy to start at the latest point, which seems also most crucial in order to understand what the “issue” is. (Some of the information that has come before can help to prepare it, but it doesn’t necessarily go into details yet.)

Then it seems, starting from the “crucial” point you also refer backwards and explain the steps in detail and also the cross-references of the steps. This seems tricky. Either one simply goes backwards to step one, or one addresses some logical or topical issues inbetween in regard to the cross-references (step 4 says something about step 1 which says something about something else – do you wait till step 1 or do you address it together with step 4?). The latter might make it less chronological but perhaps more impactful in regard to some points.

Also in regards to logical or topical points, one tends to make summary paragraphs, rather than strewing parts of it in different chronological steps. Such logical paragraphs however can be intransparent in some of their chronological reference. It’s not a trivial issue to interweave the two, though I suppose it can be done in most caes.

Another challenge is that when one arrives at the beginning again, one has described the issue in “full” (this far), but is basically back at the latest point again, when the issue is “established”. And perhaps one makes references to this latest point again, which requires some sort of summary sentence but might seem like a jump forwards nonetheless.

An alternative would be to explain all steps in chronological order and in detail. This however presupposes some final “judgment” on each step, which might not be representative of how the steps actually come about. And if you describe the actual development in more detail and then explain the issue, it does not seem that different from what I have described before.

Should I always prefer chronology (either normal or reverse) in a sequence of steps over logic?

To become more clear again, what would be your “basic” ideas on describing a four step issue that becomes crucial at the latest point?

The second paragraph fell off in clarity. I meant either going backwards from the latest point step by step (in reverse chronology), or preferring a purely logical coherence of arguments, though that creates “blocks” which are not necessarily connected or chronological. The issue arises in part out of detail.

If you are organizing the information in your text based on some mode of chronology, regardless of whether it is told from beginning to end in linear order, I would argue that the text is primarily ordered chronologically. It’s important to remember, however, that the structure of a text can vary from paragraph to paragraph. In fact, a single paragraph can use more than one structure. Pragmatically, however, if students are being tested on their ability to recognize patterns of organization, the paragraph on which they will be tested should clearly use a single structure, else the question wouldn’t really be fair. As far as a text that covers “a four step issue,” unless you are telling a story about a time that you followed those four steps, you are probably ordering your text sequentially: you are writing about steps in a sequence removed from time.

Tariq A Majid

Can a narrative be described in reverse chronological order or like in a movie first describe the end and then the beginning?

It sure can. This technique is known as flashback / flash-forward. It’s pretty advanced stuff, however, and I’d make sure that you have a firm grasp on the basic of storytelling before attempting more advanced techniques. Nonetheless, beginning your narrative near the end, then flashing back to the beginning and working your way to the end again is a common, yet sophisticated approach to storytelling.

i got confused about the test not working then realized you have to use chrome. besides that its a pretty cool website, can you please fix the whole website thing where you can only join stuff in chrome.

Thank you. Those activities should work in Chrome, Safari, and IE9+.

Best wishes.

like da program

Good stuff and a very valuable resource.

Though I guessed the correct answer, I’m a bit unclear what the intended distinction is between Sequence and chronological order.

They way that I teach it:

sequential order does not occur at a specific time, like directions to the mall or a recipe for pizza dough.

Chronological order, on the other hand, occurs at a specific time and place, like a story about my trip to the mall or when my mother and I made brownies.

Best wishes!

that was very helpful. Thanx.

greatest website ever

Thank so much! This is the best one i have ever know about this field!

thank you very much for this useful lessons.

DOREAN JEFFERSON

THANKS now i know whats going on now…!!

plzs add more interactive fun games

I’m working on it as we correspond.

Denise Mims Thomas

Great and easy to understand.

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9.3 Organizing Your Writing

Learning objectives.

  • Understand how and why organizational techniques help writers and readers stay focused.
  • Assess how and when to use chronological order to organize an essay.
  • Recognize how and when to use order of importance to organize an essay.
  • Determine how and when to use spatial order to organize an essay.

The method of organization you choose for your essay is just as important as its content. Without a clear organizational pattern, your reader could become confused and lose interest. The way you structure your essay helps your readers draw connections between the body and the thesis, and the structure also keeps you focused as you plan and write the essay. Choosing your organizational pattern before you outline ensures that each body paragraph works to support and develop your thesis.

This section covers three ways to organize body paragraphs:

  • Chronological order
  • Order of importance
  • Spatial order

When you begin to draft your essay, your ideas may seem to flow from your mind in a seemingly random manner. Your readers, who bring to the table different backgrounds, viewpoints, and ideas, need you to clearly organize these ideas in order to help process and accept them.

A solid organizational pattern gives your ideas a path that you can follow as you develop your draft. Knowing how you will organize your paragraphs allows you to better express and analyze your thoughts. Planning the structure of your essay before you choose supporting evidence helps you conduct more effective and targeted research.

Chronological Order

In Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” , you learned that chronological arrangement has the following purposes:

  • To explain the history of an event or a topic
  • To tell a story or relate an experience
  • To explain how to do or to make something
  • To explain the steps in a process

Chronological order is mostly used in expository writing , which is a form of writing that narrates, describes, informs, or explains a process. When using chronological order, arrange the events in the order that they actually happened, or will happen if you are giving instructions. This method requires you to use words such as first , second , then , after that , later , and finally . These transition words guide you and your reader through the paper as you expand your thesis.

For example, if you are writing an essay about the history of the airline industry, you would begin with its conception and detail the essential timeline events up until present day. You would follow the chain of events using words such as first , then , next , and so on.

Writing at Work

At some point in your career you may have to file a complaint with your human resources department. Using chronological order is a useful tool in describing the events that led up to your filing the grievance. You would logically lay out the events in the order that they occurred using the key transition words. The more logical your complaint, the more likely you will be well received and helped.

Choose an accomplishment you have achieved in your life. The important moment could be in sports, schooling, or extracurricular activities. On your own sheet of paper, list the steps you took to reach your goal. Try to be as specific as possible with the steps you took. Pay attention to using transition words to focus your writing.

Keep in mind that chronological order is most appropriate for the following purposes:

  • Writing essays containing heavy research
  • Writing essays with the aim of listing, explaining, or narrating
  • Writing essays that analyze literary works such as poems, plays, or books

When using chronological order, your introduction should indicate the information you will cover and in what order, and the introduction should also establish the relevance of the information. Your body paragraphs should then provide clear divisions or steps in chronology. You can divide your paragraphs by time (such as decades, wars, or other historical events) or by the same structure of the work you are examining (such as a line-by-line explication of a poem).

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph that describes a process you are familiar with and can do well. Assume that your reader is unfamiliar with the procedure. Remember to use the chronological key words, such as first , second , then , and finally .

Order of Importance

Recall from Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” that order of importance is best used for the following purposes:

  • Persuading and convincing
  • Ranking items by their importance, benefit, or significance
  • Illustrating a situation, problem, or solution

Most essays move from the least to the most important point, and the paragraphs are arranged in an effort to build the essay’s strength. Sometimes, however, it is necessary to begin with your most important supporting point, such as in an essay that contains a thesis that is highly debatable. When writing a persuasive essay, it is best to begin with the most important point because it immediately captivates your readers and compels them to continue reading.

For example, if you were supporting your thesis that homework is detrimental to the education of high school students, you would want to present your most convincing argument first, and then move on to the less important points for your case.

Some key transitional words you should use with this method of organization are most importantly , almost as importantly , just as importantly , and finally .

During your career, you may be required to work on a team that devises a strategy for a specific goal of your company, such as increasing profits. When planning your strategy you should organize your steps in order of importance. This demonstrates the ability to prioritize and plan. Using the order of importance technique also shows that you can create a resolution with logical steps for accomplishing a common goal.

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph that discusses a passion of yours. Your passion could be music, a particular sport, filmmaking, and so on. Your paragraph should be built upon the reasons why you feel so strongly. Briefly discuss your reasons in the order of least to greatest importance.

Spatial Order

As stated in Chapter 8 “The Writing Process: How Do I Begin?” , spatial order is best used for the following purposes:

  • Helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it
  • Evoking a scene using the senses (sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound)
  • Writing a descriptive essay

Spatial order means that you explain or describe objects as they are arranged around you in your space, for example in a bedroom. As the writer, you create a picture for your reader, and their perspective is the viewpoint from which you describe what is around you.

The view must move in an orderly, logical progression, giving the reader clear directional signals to follow from place to place. The key to using this method is to choose a specific starting point and then guide the reader to follow your eye as it moves in an orderly trajectory from your starting point.

Pay attention to the following student’s description of her bedroom and how she guides the reader through the viewing process, foot by foot.

Attached to my bedroom wall is a small wooden rack dangling with red and turquoise necklaces that shimmer as you enter. Just to the right of the rack is my window, framed by billowy white curtains. The peace of such an image is a stark contrast to my desk, which sits to the right of the window, layered in textbooks, crumpled papers, coffee cups, and an overflowing ashtray. Turning my head to the right, I see a set of two bare windows that frame the trees outside the glass like a 3D painting. Below the windows is an oak chest from which blankets and scarves are protruding. Against the wall opposite the billowy curtains is an antique dresser, on top of which sits a jewelry box and a few picture frames. A tall mirror attached to the dresser takes up most of the wall, which is the color of lavender.

The paragraph incorporates two objectives you have learned in this chapter: using an implied topic sentence and applying spatial order. Often in a descriptive essay, the two work together.

The following are possible transition words to include when using spatial order:

  • Just to the left or just to the right
  • On the left or on the right
  • Across from
  • A little further down
  • To the south, to the east, and so on
  • A few yards away
  • Turning left or turning right

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph using spatial order that describes your commute to work, school, or another location you visit often.

Collaboration

Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

Key Takeaways

  • The way you organize your body paragraphs ensures you and your readers stay focused on and draw connections to, your thesis statement.
  • A strong organizational pattern allows you to articulate, analyze, and clarify your thoughts.
  • Planning the organizational structure for your essay before you begin to search for supporting evidence helps you conduct more effective and directed research.
  • Chronological order is most commonly used in expository writing. It is useful for explaining the history of your subject, for telling a story, or for explaining a process.
  • Order of importance is most appropriate in a persuasion paper as well as for essays in which you rank things, people, or events by their significance.
  • Spatial order describes things as they are arranged in space and is best for helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it; it creates a dominant impression.

Writing for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

chronological order assignment

10 Engaging Ways to Create Timelines

  • Differentiation , Engagement , Planning , Reading , Social Studies

Teaching about timelines is a skill that crosses into language arts, science, and social studies, at the very least. It is often found as a graphic source in nonfiction texts that helps students understand the material better, and students are often asked to create a timeline at some point during their schooling. So, why not get creative and make it engaging?

Do your students have to create timelines to meet academic standards? Check out these 10 different timelines that are sure to engage and motivate your students during social studies with this important reading skill!

When most teachers think of timelines, they are likely thinking of just a traditional number line with increments displaying dates and an event. *YAWN*  While this is indeed a timeline, it’s less likely to engage a student, motivate them, and help them remember the content. That’s why I have 10 – YES, 10! – different timelines to share with you that your students can make!

Wait, what’s that? Ten timelines isn’t enough?

Okay, I’ll compromise: to keep this blog post from reaching novel-like proportions, I’ll only write about ten different timelines. However, if you’re in need of more timeline goodness, check out this bundle of TWELVE timeline activities !

I know, I know–now the ten different timelines aren’t nearly as appetizing, huh? Still, give ’em a read-through–I guarantee you’ll be able to save your timeline hunger here! Let’s get started.

The 10 Different Timelines

All of the timelines below share the same important information as a traditional timeline. They share the date of the event, along with what happened, and some even ask why it is important. Many request an illustration and, of course, require students to present them in chronological order. Teachers could even ask who was involved, where it happened, and so much more! The ideas are limitless!

1.)  The Puzzle Timeline.   Provide each student with one puzzle piece per event on the timeline. Inside the puzzle piece, have them illustrate the event along the top half and describe it along the bottom half. Include the date. Then, piece the puzzle pieces together into one long row. I would then glue them along a piece of construction paper for an adorable display. Then, you’ll end up with something like this:

Do your students have to create timelines to meet academic standards? Check out these 10 different timelines that are sure to engage and motivate your students during social studies with this important reading skill!

2.)  The Chain Link Timeline.   Provide each student with a strip of paper for each event (or construction paper, if you wish), and have students write about the event on the strip. If desired, you can have students illustrate the event, too. Then, have students link each chain event together to create a timeline chain.

Do your students have to create timelines to meet academic standards? Check out these 10 different timelines that are sure to engage and motivate your students during social studies with this important reading skill!

3.)  A Chain of Events Timeline.   If you don’t like the idea of an actual chain, but want the concept that they are all linked together, then have students write each event and date on a card and what happened at that event on another. Then, have students actually draw chains that link the cards together. See the picture below for a better understanding of what I’m trying to say. Haha.

Do your students have to create timelines to meet academic standards? Check out these 10 different timelines that are sure to engage and motivate your students during social studies with this important reading skill!

4.)  A Storyboard Timeline.   I love storyboards. Take a piece of paper and fold it into the number of boxes you need (based on the number of events). Then, in each box, write about that event. I always have my students include an illustration and a heading for each box. Since it is a storyboard, I try to have my students tell it in a story form, but they still must stick to facts. It can be very interesting. I have also gotten very creative, and we have used our fingerprints with this timeline. You can read about our fingerprint storyboards in this blog post .

Do your students have to create timelines to meet academic standards? Check out these 10 different timelines that are sure to engage and motivate your students during social studies with this important reading skill!

5.)  The Folded Cards Timeline.   Provide each student with an index card (or the like) for each event. Have them fold it in half and glue the back to a sheet of construction paper in a row (see the picture below). Then, on the outside, write the name of the event and the date. You can also have your students include an illustration if you wish. Then, on the inside, have students write about the event. It makes a cute display!

Do your students have to create timelines to meet academic standards? Check out these 10 different timelines that are sure to engage and motivate your students during social studies with this important reading skill!

6.)  The Old Fashioned Scroll.   I have students take a piece of paper and fold it in half “hot dog” style. Then, we glue it end-to-end so it is one really long piece of paper. On each end, we glue straws (though you can glue wooden dowels, Popsicle sticks, or any other materials) and leave a little space for rolling. After that, throughout the paper, we create our timeline. Sometimes we draw a traditional timeline, sometimes we use arrows;  it really just depends on our level of creativity!

Do your students have to create timelines to meet academic standards? Check out these 10 different timelines that are sure to engage and motivate your students during social studies with this important reading skill!

7.)  A Step/Layer Foldable Timeline.   I love foldables. I’m always looking for ways to incorporate those into my classroom, so you know I had to have some of them in this post, too!

Do your students have to create timelines to meet academic standards? Check out these 10 different timelines that are sure to engage and motivate your students during social studies with this important reading skill!

8.)  Foldable Timeline.   In this foldable timeline, students have the date on part of the fold, and then under it they can illustrate the event. The description of the event is to the right of the date. It can easily be glued into their notebooks.

Do your students have to create timelines to meet academic standards? Check out these 10 different timelines that are sure to engage and motivate your students during social studies with this important reading skill!

9.)  The Quick Note Timeline.   Each student receives a quick note sheet for each event in their timeline. Then, students complete the quick note, place two holes along the top and string them together for a cute “pennant-like” display.

Do your students have to create timelines to meet academic standards? Check out these 10 different timelines that are sure to engage and motivate your students during social studies with this important reading skill!

10.)  The Road Map Timeline.   In this fun example, students take a poster board or a piece of butcher paper and draw a road. Then, they create street signs to represent the dates and use cars to represent the event. In the example below, we made the cars so they lift up, and under them is where we described the event in detail.

Do your students have to create timelines to meet academic standards? Check out these 10 different timelines that are sure to engage and motivate your students during social studies with this important reading skill!

All in all, these timelines make for an exciting and engaging way to practice this important skill while motivating students. And, let’s face it, an adorable display!

Want to save some time teaching timelines?

While you can teach/make each one of these types of timelines in your classroom on your own, I created a Timelines Collection resource that includes ready-to-print directions and images, along with additional tips for you for not just the 10 mentioned above, but for TWELVE different engaging timelines. This low-cost resource is designed to save you a ton of time – whether you want to teach one timeline a month, have the students pick a timeline version as a project to present, or use it as center work. These are good for small group work, individual projects, or enrichment activities.

chronological order assignment

What are you waiting for? Grab your copy and let’s make timelines engaging again!

chronological order assignment

  • Engagement , Reading , Social Studies

2 Responses

Tammy, I love this post and your blog! So many fantastic ideas and resources. I’m in several FB groups with you. Hope to get to know you better!

Hi Susan! Thank you so much! I’d love to get to know you better too! 🙂

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Chronological Order In Essay Writing

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Table of contents

  • 1 What Is a Chronological Order Essay
  • 2 Chronological Order vs. Sequential Order
  • 3 Importance of Correct Historical Occurrences
  • 4 How to Write a Chronological Paragraph?
  • 5.1 Pick an Idea and Make a Plan
  • 5.2 Use a Variety of Sentence Structures to Keep Your Writing Interesting
  • 5.3 Provide Sufficient Details
  • 5.4 Use Transitional Words and Phrases, Such As “First,” “Next,” and “Then,” to Indicate the Chronological Flow
  • 5.5 Use Headings and Subheadings to Organize Your Essay
  • 5.6 Use Introductory and Concluding Sentences to Signal the Main Points of Each Paragraph
  • 5.7 Use Appropriate Citations and References (Especially for the Historical Essay)
  • 5.8 Maintain a Consistent Timeline and Avoid Jumping Back and Forth in Time
  • 6 Conclusion

Writing a chronological essay is a pure pleasure. This type of university assignment is clear and structured, so knowing the basic requirements, you can easily cope with the task. Essays in chronological order require their author to have deep knowledge of the chosen subject. Not to stray from the course of the story, you need to be a real expert in this niche.

In this article, you will learn what a chronological-order essay is and how to write it. Also, you will find precious tips on making the writing process quick and enjoyable. So here are the milestones of our chronological essay guide:

  • What a chronological order essay is;
  • The difference between chronological and sequential order;
  • Guidelines for chronological paragraph writing;
  • Tips for writing an outstanding chronological essay.

Together we will consider each important point and dispel your doubts about the chronological essays. Without further ado, let’s get it started!

What Is a Chronological Order Essay

A chronological essay is an expository writing that describes historical events or a biography of a specific person. Surprisingly, not only students of the Faculty of History are faced with this type of essay. Whenever you have been given the task of writing about outstanding personalities, talking about your experiences, or presenting a life story or historical event, you will be faced with the need to use chronological order in writing.

This type of narrating writing essay requires you to present information in a logical and structured way. Expository essay writers must state all the events in the order in which they occurred. Moreover, you should dip the reader into the context of the event, explaining to him the background and the outcomes.

Chronological Order vs. Sequential Order

You may think that sequence and chronological order are identical concepts. Don’t worry, you’re not the only one who thinks so. These concepts are strongly related but not identical. Sequential order is based on the order of steps performed and how events occur relative to each other. But what is a chronological order of events?

The chronological timeline tells about the sequence of actions in time-space. Sequential order is well suited for writing step-by-step instructions and listing events. At the same time, the chronological order is excellent for narrating historical events and writing biographies.

Importance of Correct Historical Occurrences

Preliminary research is a solid foundation for your chronological essay. Take information only from reliable and trusted sources respected in science. Avoid unverified facts and loud statements. Make an effort to pre-study to avoid building an essay on false grounds. It may seem that a detailed study will take too much time, but on the contrary, it will save you the effort of rewriting the time order essay.

Check several sources for proof of the integrity of the information you found. Whenever you don’t have enough time for research, consider buying an essay rather than copying random facts from the web. After all, no matter how well you present the events in chronological order, if it does not correspond to reality, then your essay will lose all scientific value.

How to Write a Chronological Paragraph?

You can be assigned to write a chronological paragraph in your paper. This is also a type of chronological writing that you should do right if you need to get a good grade for your essay.

This paragraph should describe the sequence of events that occurred to a specific object or person. These events should be sorted chronologically, from the earliest to the latest. You should present the sequence and make logical transitions between events. This will help readers understand the connections between events and the outcomes of specific things.

You can write about anything interesting, there are almost no topics you should avoid in the essay if they meet the requirements. However, it is better when the subject is interesting to you.

When structuring these paragraphs, students not only present the facts but also explain them as causes and effects. If you don’t see connections between things, you should look closer and do more research.

To write a good chronological paragraph, you need to include crucial elements. Thus, it will be easier to structure the course of events. This guide may not only be used for chronological essays, it’s a rather versatile piece of advice on how to compose a personal statement . Among the integral components are:

  • Topic sentence
  • Important supporting points
  • Chronological progression
  • Coherence of the narrative
  • Summarizing sentence

Topic sentences exist to briefly remind the reader of the main topic of your paper. Give enough detail to put the reader in the context of the chronological sequence essay. Do not jump in time, state all events clearly and unambiguously to maintain logical transitions. End your paragraph by summarizing what has been said so far.

Example of chronological order:

The Second World War was the largest bloody war, in which more than 30 countries participated and left an indelible mark on the history of mankind. (Strong topic sentence.) The prerequisites ( the supporting details ) for this historic event are considered Germany’s course for revenge in the First World War. Events began in September 1939 with the German attack on Poland. ( Chronological progression). The most important event of the Second World War is thought to be the Japanese attack on the United States of America in Pearl Harbor. After six years of fierce fighting, the Nazis were defeated by the Allies, and the war ended with the Japanese surrender on 2nd September 1945. ( Summarizing sentence)

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Tips on Writing a Chronological Essay

You start the writing process by choosing a topic for it. Find an interesting topic that meets your assignment’s requirements, or ask your teacher to give you a topic.

If you are stuck with creating this paper, you can use an essay editing service to prepare it. Its writers have experience working on chronological essays, they can help you with narrative and cause-and-effect paper .

Then you should research and find as much information on your topic as possible. Collect this information in a well-organized format so you can reference any of it if needed, and don’t forget to keep the dates of all events.

Pick an Idea and Make a Plan

If you need to create informative essays about a specific historical event, you should start from the beginning of this event or even with earlier events that lead to it. If a particular group organizes an event, tell the motives of this group, how they got to this idea, and how they started working on it. Then write about each step from the beginning to the conclusion of this event and arrange the events in chronological order.

Use a Variety of Sentence Structures to Keep Your Writing Interesting

If you only use simple sentences or start each sentence with the word «then», your writing will be boring to read. PapersOwl specialists advise studying several chronological ordering examples to understand the linking words and the structuring strategy. Use different stylistic devices as well as different types of complex sentences.

Provide Sufficient Details

Provide your reader with the full context of the story in time-order paragraphs. To understand the course of action of the chronological essay, the reader must be aware of the background and cause of historical events. At the same time, try not to overload your compositions with unnecessary details.

Use Transitional Words and Phrases, Such As “First,” “Next,” and “Then,” to Indicate the Chronological Flow

Sequencers help keep the story logical, they’re keywords for chronological order that make the essay flow smoothly. Use transitional words to direct the reader through the flow of your story. Don’t forget to use different expressions to avoid tautology.

Use Headings and Subheadings to Organize Your Essay

Provide clear divisions so that the paper becomes much more readable. Large arrays of text always repel the reader, so use a proper chronological structure. Also, headings and subheadings will help you further structure your essay.

Use Introductory and Concluding Sentences to Signal the Main Points of Each Paragraph

A thesis statement that summarizes the main message of your chronological essays should be restructured and repeated several times during writing. This technique is used by writers to express the main idea of the essay in the introduction and throughout the text. The thesis proposal should be catchy and memorable.

Use Appropriate Citations and References (Especially for the Historical Essay)

There could be many sources of false information on the Internet. Students should check information and put only proven citations into the chronological expositions. We know it could be challenging to deal with citation norms, so we’re always ready to write your paper for you . Be sure to check the accuracy of the quotes and the veracity of the facts you refer to.

Maintain a Consistent Timeline and Avoid Jumping Back and Forth in Time

When you have the list of essential timeline events, you can arrange the events in the order in which they happened. It helps you to use the correct order in an essay from the earliest events in your story to the latest. You can use simple editors or a spreadsheet for sorting lists.

When you write a chronological essay, nothing may cause you problems if you are well-oriented to the chosen subject. You should carefully choose topics for writing, do not forget about the preliminary study, and double-check the sources you use.

After reading our guide in detail, you will undoubtedly be able to write a decent chronological essay. However, even if you find it difficult to find inspiration for writing, this is not a problem either, as you can resort to exposition editing services. Remember that an experienced team of professionals is always ready to help you with heavy research writing essays.

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chronological order assignment

Teaching Chronological Order with Task Cards

Teaching Chronological Order with Task Cards

Three fun things about teaching chronological order:

  • It’s great for both reading and writing lessons.
  • It’s great for tying your language arts lessons in with other subjects, especially history.
  • There are lots of quick activities that are fun for students to use to practice their skills.

Task cards, of course, are great for quick practices.  It’s so easy to use as few or as many as you wish, and lessons can easily be individualized just by your choice of cards.  Here are some ideas –  all taken from my Chronological Order Task Cards.

Practice with Short Passages

Novels and short  stories are great for working in all types of reading skill practice, but when you just want to teach, or review, a certain skill, short passages are the most efficient materials to employ.  With these cards, students read one very short passage – just a paragraph, follow instructions to list a certain number of events from the passage in chronological order, and identify key words.  Done.  Quick and to the point.

Chronological Order Practice

Identify Key  Words

I like to combine identifying key words with short passage work, as on the card above.  A list of key words for chronological order to keep in their notebooks might be a helpful tool here, or better yet – a list for each text structure!

Arrange Events in Order

This can also be easily done with a short passage.  First students read the passage, and then sort a group of events to put them in the same order that they happened in the passage.  Note that the events can only be put in the correct order after reading the passage; by looking at just the list of events alone, it’s not evident which should go first.

Chronological Order Task Card Practice

List the Steps

To take this one step further, students can write their own lists.  For some students, this is not as easy as it sounds; first they must decide what is important to include, and they must also determine how to separate the story into discrete events.

Write about a Topic

Writing narratives is one of the main types of writing that students are expected to do.  Why not fit it in with reading narratives and studying the chronological text structure – two objectives accomplished at once.  Students can easily practice writing their own narratives while the idea of the sequential text structure is fresh in their minds.

Write from a Picture

A great prompt for a narrative writing assignment is a photo.  Think of all of the front page news stories that hook your interest with a great photograph.

Use a Graphic Organizer

Whether it’s a good old-fashioned timeline, or a newer-looking organizer set up like a flow chart with shapes to fill in, a sequential organizer is a great tool.  It not only requires students to think about the correct order of events, but also requires them to think about what to include and what not to include.  Sometimes students will find that they need to combine two items, or separate one into two parts to fit the structure of the organizer.  Good thinking practice!

Writing a summary is an English class assignment that has been around for a very long time – and with good reason!  A summary is the ultimate way to practice both reading skills (identifying the chronological order of events in a story) and writing skills (writing a narrative).

Multiple Choice Text Structure

When you’re looking for an assignment where students answers are either definitely right or definitely wrong, with no gray areas, multiple choice is the answer.  These questions are, of course, quick and easy to grade, and they also provide important practice for students, since answering multiple choice questions is a skill in itself.

In a Biography

Chronological order is a natural fit with fiction, but to round out your unit, don’t forget about non-fiction as well.  Biographies and memoirs are great here, and so are other sequential informational texts such as news stories, history passages, or even wildlife articles.

Rewrite in Chronological Order

Writers often move forward and backward in time as they tell their tale, for example by using flashbacks or foreshadowing.  A  mystery story with the original event revealed only at the end is a perfect example. Once the mystery is revealed, see if your students can rewrite the story starting with what actually happened first, and discuss how this changes the story.

Other stories, especially novels, sometimes interweave more that one narrative, setting out and solving more than one problem as the story advances.  Some tell the events from the perspective of more that one character.  For more advanced students, sorting out the timelines of a story like this could be a fun and challenging assignment.

Draw a Storyboard

Finally, to end on a fun note, why not have your students create a storyboard to summarize a story.  Basically they will be taking a traditional story and retelling it as a sort of comic strip. This activity has the added benefit of incorporating the story elements of characterization and even setting as students decide what to draw.

If you’d like to take a look, here is a link to my Chronological Order Task Cards,   This is the version on Google slides, and there is also a version that uses TPT’s Easel.  Both sets include the PDF version for easy printing with two cards per page.

Teaching Chronological Order with Task Cards

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chronological order assignment

ESL001: Elementary English as a Second Language

Reading and writing in chronological order.

Much of the text and writing you'll do occurs in chronological order. This means that the events in a story happen in order from beginning to end. Writing in chronological order helps the reader follow what is happening in a story. For example, if a student wants to prepare for an exam, she will first go to class, then study, and finally, take the exam. These events all happen in an order the reader knows.

In this section, you will learn how to use context clues, prediction, and prior knowledge to help figure out the chronological order of a text.

  • Context Clues : Look at a text and see what words are used. Nouns and pronouns can be context dues that help you see the order of sentences. As you learned in Unit 1, a noun needs to be defined before a pronoun can be used. Take this sentence, for example: Anna needed to pick up the car before noon, so she hurried to finish her work. Anna needs to come first to tell us who "she" and "her refers to. If you see a pronoun in a text, make sure the noun it refers to comes first.
  • Prediction : Use the predicting skills you practice in Unit 2 to help understand chronological order. Using the earlier example, if a text tells us Anna needs to go to work in the morning and pick up the car by noon, we know work will come first, and the car will come second.
  • Brainstorming : Think about what you already know about an event In Unit 4, you'll write about your daily routine. You already know how most people will order their day: first wake up, second eat breakfast, third go to work or school, and so on. By thinking through the order as you already know it, you can understand the chronological order of events in a text

As you learned in Unit 2, we use specific words called transitions or connectors to show the chronological order or sequence of events in a text. These transitions are commonly used when giving instructions, and maybe you already noticed them used in the course. Some examples are first, second, next, then, or finally. They help to organize the text in a logical way for the reader.

Complete this activity:

Sometimes a text will use reverse chronological order, or go backwards. If you already know the chronological order that should occur, you'll have an easier time understanding the reading. Knowing the usual chronological order of events is also helpful if a text jumps around or moves out of order When we understand the order things usually occur, we can better comprehend, or understand, a text.

In our own writing, we can often assume that the reader will know the correct chronological order of our events. If we jump around too much, we could confuse the reader and make our writing hard to understand. By thinking through the events we want to use and what order describes them the best, we can help our readers follow our writing easily.

Read the following story and answer the questions that follow. Remember to use context dues or a dictionary to help you learn any new words you see.

One day Nasreddin went to town to buy new clothes. First he tried on a pair of trousers. He didn't like the trousers, so he gave them back to the shopkeeper. Then he tried a robe which had the same price as the trousers. Nasreddin was pleased with the robe, and he left the shop. Before he climbed on his donkey to ride home, the shopkeeper and the shop-assistant ran out. "You didn't pay for the robe!" said the shopkeeper. "But I gave you the trousers in exchange for the robe, didn't I?" replied Nasreddin. "Yes, but you didn't pay for the trousers, either!" said the shopkeeper. "But I didn't buy the trousers," replied Nasreddin. "I am not so stupid as to pay for something which I never bought".

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This chapter is about the importance of organizing a draft with a clear outline. This step is sometimes combined with the previous step in the writing process—developing a thesis statement. Some writers find it helpful to first jot down their main ideas in outline form, and then use that visual to help develop an overarching thesis statement. Ultimately, moving from thesis statement to outline is dynamic: writers often develop an initial hunch, work out the kinds through an outline, and then revise the thesis each point becomes more obviously structured. This chapter, “Organize,” will stress the importance of planning and structure in the writing process.

visual of the writing process

The Importance of Organization

Your prewriting activities and readings have helped you gather information for your assignment. The more you sort through the pieces of information you found, the more you will begin to see the connections between them. Patterns and gaps may begin to stand out. But only when you start to organize your ideas will you be able to translate your raw insights into a form that will communicate meaning to your audience.

When you write, you need to organize your ideas in an order that makes sense. The writing you complete in all your courses exposes how analytically and critically your mind works. In some courses, the only direct contact you may have with your instructor is through the assignments you write for the course. You can make a good impression by spending time ordering your ideas.

Order refers to your choice of what to present first, second, third, and so on in your writing. The order you pick closely relates to your purpose for writing that particular assignment. For example, when telling a story, it may be important to first describe the background for the action. Or you may need to first describe a 3-D movie projector or a television studio to help readers visualize the setting and scene. You may want to group your support effectively to convince readers that your point of view on an issue is well reasoned and worthy of belief.

In longer pieces of writing, you may organize different parts in different ways so that your purpose stands out clearly and all parts of the paper work together to consistently develop your main point.

Methods of Organizing Writing

The three common methods of organizing writing are  chronological order ,  spatial order , and  order of importance . You need to keep these methods of organization in mind as you plan how to arrange the information you have gathered in an outline. An outline is a written plan that serves as a skeleton for the paragraphs you write. Later, when you draft paragraphs in the next stage of the writing process, you will add support to create “flesh” and “muscle” for your assignment.

When you write, your goal is not only to complete an assignment but also to write for a specific purpose—perhaps to inform, to explain, to persuade, or for a combination of these purposes. Your purpose for writing should always be in the back of your mind, because it will help you decide which pieces of information belong together and how you will order them. In other words, choose the order that will most effectively fit your purpose and support your main point.

Table “Order versus Purpose” shows the connection between order and purpose.

For an essay question on a test or a brief oral presentation in class, all you may need to prepare is a short, informal outline in which you jot down key ideas in the order you will present them. This kind of outline reminds you to stay focused in a stressful situation and to include all the good ideas that help you explain or prove your point.

For a longer assignment, like an essay or a research paper, many college instructors require students to submit a  formal outline  before writing a major paper as a way to be sure you are on the right track and are working in an organized manner. A formal outline is a detailed guide that shows how all your supporting ideas relate to each other. It helps you distinguish between ideas that are of equal importance and ones that are of lesser importance. You build your paper based on the framework created by the outline.

Instructors may also require you to submit an outline with your final draft to check the direction of the assignment and the logic of your final draft. If you are required to submit an outline with the final draft of a paper, remember to revise the outline to reflect any changes you made while writing the paper.

Topic and sentence outlines

There are two types of formal outlines: the topic outline and the sentence outline. You format both types of formal outlines in the same way.

  • Place your introduction and thesis statement at the beginning, under roman numeral I.
  • Use roman numerals (II, III, IV, V, etc.) to identify main points that develop the thesis statement.
  • Use capital letters (A, B, C, D, etc.) to divide your main points into parts.
  • Use arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.) if you need to subdivide any As, Bs, or Cs into smaller parts.
  • End with the final roman numeral expressing your idea for your conclusion.

Here is what the skeleton of a traditional formal outline looks like. The indention helps clarify how the ideas are related.

Introduction

Thesis statement

Main point 1 →  becomes the topic sentence of body paragraph 1

Main point 2 →  becomes the topic sentence of body paragraph 2

Main point 3 →  becomes the topic sentence of body paragraph 3

In an outline, any supporting detail can be developed with subpoints. For simplicity, the model shows them only under the first main point.

Formal outlines are often quite rigid in their organization. As many instructors will specify, you cannot subdivide one point if it is only one part. For example, for every roman numeral I, there must be a For every A, there must be a B. For every arabic numeral 1, there must be a 2. See for yourself on the sample outlines that follow.

Topic outlines

A topic outline is the same as a sentence outline except you use words or phrases instead of complete sentences. Words and phrases keep the outline short and easier to comprehend. All the headings, however, must be written in parallel structure.

Here is the topic outline that Mariah constructed for the essay she is developing. Her purpose is to inform, and her audience is a general audience of her fellow college students. Notice how Mariah begins with her thesis statement. She then arranges her main points and supporting details in outline form using short phrases in parallel grammatical structure.

Mariah's outline for her essay

Writing an Effective Topic Outline

This checklist can help you write an effective topic outline for your assignment. It will also help you discover where you may need to do additional reading or prewriting.

  • Do I have a controlling idea that guides the development of the entire piece of writing?
  • Do I have three or more main points that I want to make in this piece of writing? Does each main point connect to my controlling idea?
  • Is my outline in the best order—chronological order, spatial order, or order of importance—for me to present my main points? Will this order help me get my main point across?
  • Do I have supporting details that will help me inform, explain, or prove my main points?
  • Do I need to add more support? If so, where?
  • Do I need to make any adjustments in my working thesis statement before I consider it the final version?

Writing at Work

Word processing programs generally have an automatic numbering feature that can be used to prepare outlines. This feature automatically sets indents and lets you use the tab key to arrange information just as you would in an outline. Although in business this style might be acceptable, in college your instructor might have different requirements. Teach yourself how to customize the levels of outline numbering in your word-processing program to fit your instructor’s preferences.

Exercise 4.1

Using the working thesis statement you wrote in the previous chapter, “Thesis Statements,” and the results of your brainstorming from “Generating Ideas,” construct a topic outline for your essay. Be sure to observe correct outline form, including correct indentions and the use of Roman and arabic numerals and capital letters.

Collaboration

Please share with a classmate and compare your outline. Point out areas of interest from their outline and what you would like to learn more about.

Sentence Outlines

A sentence outline is the same as a topic outline except you use complete sentences instead of words or phrases. Complete sentences create clarity and can advance you one step closer to a draft in the writing process.

Here is the sentence outline that Mariah constructed for the essay she is developing.

An updated sentence outline

The information compiled under each roman numeral will become a paragraph in your final paper. In the previous example, the outline follows the standard five-paragraph essay arrangement, but longer essays will require more paragraphs and thus more roman numerals. If you think that a paragraph might become too long or stringy, add an additional paragraph to your outline, renumbering the main points appropriately.

PowerPoint presentations, used both in schools and in the workplace, are organized in a way very similar to formal outlines. PowerPoint presentations often contain information in the form of talking points that the presenter develops with more details and examples than are contained on the PowerPoint slide.

Exercise 4.2

Expand the topic outline you prepared in the previous execise to make it a sentence outline. In this outline, be sure to include multiple supporting points for your main topic even if your topic outline does not contain them. Be sure to observe correct outline form, including correct indentations and the use of Roman and arabic numerals and capital letters.

Key Takeaways

  • Writers must put their ideas in order so the assignment makes sense. The most common orders are chronological order, spatial order, and order of importance.
  • After gathering and evaluating the information you found for your essay, the next step is to write a working, or preliminary, thesis statement.
  • The working thesis statement expresses the main idea that you want to develop in the entire piece of writing. It can be modified as you continue the writing process.
  • Effective writers prepare a formal outline to organize their main ideas and supporting details in the order they will be presented.
  • A topic outline uses words and phrases to express the ideas.
  • A sentence outline uses complete sentences to express the ideas.
  • The writer’s thesis statement begins the outline, and the outline ends with suggestions for the concluding paragraph.

Write What Matters Copyright © 2020 by Liza Long; Amy Minervini; and Joel Gladd is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Chronological Order

Chronological arrangement has the following purposes:

  • To explain the history of an event or a topic
  • To tell a story or relate an experience
  • To explain how to do or to make something
  • To explain the steps in a process

Chronological order is mostly used in expository writing, which is a form of writing that narrates, describes, informs, or explains a process. When using chronological order, arrange the events in the order that they actually happened, or will happen if you are giving instructions. This method requires you to use words such as first, second, then, after that, later, and finally. These transition words guide you and your reader through the paper as you expand your thesis. For example, if you are writing an essay about the history of the airline industry, you would begin with its conception and detail the essential timeline events up until present day. You would begin with its conception and detail the essential timeline events up until present day. You would follow the chain of events using words such as first, then, next, and so on. Keep in mind that chronological order is most appropriate for the following purposes:

  • Writing essays containing heavy research
  • Writing essays with the aim of listing, explaining, or narrating
  • Writing essays that analyze literary works such as poems, plays, or books

When using chronological order, your introduction should indicate the information you will cover and should also establish the relevance of the information. Your body paragraphs should then provide clear divisions or steps in chronology. You can divide your paragraphs by time (such as decades, wars, or other historical events) or by the same structure of the work you are examining (such as a line-by-line explication of a poem.

Choose an accomplishment you have achieved in your life. The important moment could be in sports, schooling, or extracurricular activities. On your own sheet of paper, list the steps you 25 Return to Table of Contents took to reach your goal. Try to be as specific as possible with the steps you took. Pay attention to using transition words to focus your writing.

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph that describes a process you are familiar with and can do well. Assume that your reader is unfamiliar with the procedure. Remember to use the chronological key words, such as  first,   second ,  then,  and  finally.

  • Order of Importance
  • Order of importance is best used for the following purposes:
  • Persuading and convincing
  • Ranking items by their importance, benefit, or significance
  • Illustrating a situation, problem, or solution

Most essays move from the least to the most important point, and the paragraphs are arranged in an effort to build the essay’s strength. Sometimes, however, it is necessary to begin with the most important supporting point, such as in an essay that contains a thesis that is highly debatable. When writing a persuasive essay, it is best to begin with the most important point because it immediately captivates your readers and compels them to continue reading. For example, if you were supporting your thesis that homework is detrimental to the education of high school students, you would want to present your most convincing argument first, and then move on to the less important points for your case. During your career, you may be required to work on a team that devises a strategy for a specific goal of your company, such as increasing profits. When planning your strategy you should organize your steps in order of importance. This demonstrates the ability to prioritize and plan. Using the order of importance technique also shows that you can create a resolution with logical steps for accomplishing a common goal.

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph that discusses a passion of yours. Your passion could be music, a particular sport, filmmaking, and so on. Your paragraph should be built upon the reasons why you feel so strongly. Briefly discuss your reasons in the order of least to greatest importance.

Writing for College Introduction to College Writing with Grammar Skills Review by Cheryl McCormick; Sue Hank; and Ninna Roth is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Organizational Strategies for Using Chronological Order in Writing

ThoughtCo / Ran Zheng

  • An Introduction to Punctuation
  • Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
  • M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
  • B.A., English, State University of New York

The word chronological comes from two Greek words. "Chronos" means time. "Logikos" means reason or order. That is what chronological order is all about. It arranges information according to time.

In composition  and speech , chronological order is a method of organization in which actions or events are presented as they occur or occurred in time and can also be called time or linear order.

Narratives and process analysis essays commonly rely on chronological order. Morton Miller points out in his 1980 book "Reading and Writing Short Essay" that the "natural order of events — beginning, middle, and end — is narration 's simplest and most-used arrangement."

From " Camping Out " by Ernest Hemingway to "The Story of an Eyewitness: The San Francisco Earthquake" by Jack London , famous authors and student essayists alike have utilized the chronological order form to convey the impact a series of events had on the author's life. Also common in informative speeches because of the simplicity of telling a story as it happened, chronological order differs from other organizational styles in that it is fixed according to the timeframe of events which happened.

How Tos and Who-Done-Its

Because time order is essential in things like "How-To" presentations and murder mysteries alike, chronological order is the preferred method for informative speakers. Take for example wanting to explain to a friend how to bake a cake. You could choose another method to explain the process, but putting the steps in order of timing is a much easier method for your audience to follow — and successfully bake the cake.

Similarly, a detective or officer presenting a murder or theft case to his or her team of police would want to retrace the known events of the crime as they occurred rather than bouncing around the case — though the detective may decide to go in reverse chronological order from the act of the crime itself to the earlier detail of the crime scene, allowing the team of sleuths to piece together what data is missing (i.e., what happened between midnight and 12:05 am) as well as determine the likely cause-effect play-by-play that led to the crime in the first place.

In both of these cases, the speaker presents the earliest known important event or occurrence to happen and proceed to detail the following events, in order. The cake maker will, therefore, start with "decide which cake you want to make" followed by "determine and purchase ingredients" while the policeman will start with the crime itself, or the later escape of the criminal, and work backward in time to discover and determine the criminal's motive.

The Narrative Form

The simplest way to tell a story is from the beginning, proceeding in time-sequential order throughout the character's life. Though this may not always be the way a narrative speaker or writer tells the story, it is the most common organizational process used in the narrative form .

As a result, most stories about mankind can be told as simply as "a person was born, he did X, Y, and Z, and then he died" wherein the X, Y, and Z are the sequential events that impacted and affected that person's story after he was born but before he passed away. As X.J. Kennedy, Dorothy M. Kennedy, and Jane E. Aaron put it in the seventh edition of "The Bedford Reader," a chronological order is "an excellent sequence to follow unless you can see some special advantage in violating it."

Interestingly, memoirs and personal narrative essays often deviate from chronological order because this type of writing hinges more upon overarching themes throughout the subject's life rather than the full breadth of his or her experience. That is to say that autobiographical work, largely due to its dependence on memory and recall, relies not on the sequence of events in one's life but the important events that affected one's personality and mentality, searching for cause and effect relationships to define what made them human.

A memoir writer might, therefore, start with a scene where he or she is confronting a fear of heights at age 20, but then flash back to several instances in his or her childhood like falling off a tall horse at five or losing a loved one in a plane crash to infer to the reader the cause of this fear.

When to Use Chronological Order

Good writing relies on precision and compelling storytelling to entertain and inform audiences, so it's important for writers to determine the best method of organization when attempting to explain an event or project.

John McPhee's article " Structure " describes a tension between chronology and theme that can help hopeful writers determine the best organizational method for their piece. He posits that chronology typically wins out because "themes prove inconvenient" due to the sparsity of occurrences that relate thematically. A writer is much better served by the chronological order of events, including flashbacks and flash-forwards, in terms of structure and control. 

Still, McPhee also states that "there's nothing wrong with a chronological structure," and certainly nothing to suggest it's a lesser form than thematic structure. In fact, even as long ago as Babylonian times, "most pieces were written that way, and nearly all pieces are written that way now."

  • The Sharpe Books in Chronological Order
  • Definition and Examples of Narratives in Writing
  • A Guide to All Types of Narration, With Examples
  • Spatial Order in Composition
  • AP English Exam: 101 Key Terms
  • Graphic Organizers
  • The Difference Between an Article and an Essay
  • Understanding Organization in Composition and Speech
  • How to Write a Narrative Essay or Speech
  • Singing the Old Songs: Traditional and Literary Ballads
  • How to Write a Personal Narrative
  • What Is a Novel? Definition and Characteristics
  • 6 Traits of Writing
  • Using Flashback in Writing
  • 5 Easy Summarizing Strategies for Students

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Humanities LibreTexts

4.7: Outlining

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  • Page ID 31458

  • Athena Kashyap & Erika Dyquisto
  • City College of San Francisco via ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative

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chronological order assignment

Organizing Your Ideas

Your prewriting activities and readings have helped you gather information for your assignment. The more you sort through the pieces of information you found, the more you will begin to see the connections between them. Patterns and gaps may begin to stand out. But only when you start to organize your ideas will you be able to translate your raw insights into a form that will communicate meaning to your audience.

Simply passing your eyes over an article or textbook chapter one time through is not sufficient to learn the material. Organizing information after you read it is the way to make sure you both understand it and remember it, whether for class discussion, for a test, or for an essay assignment. With practice, you will learn to organize what you read in ways that best suit your own learning style and the materials you are reading.

How do I do this?

Review your annotations and class notes and find some of the following information that you may need.

  • Supporting details
  • Information that supports your inferences
  • Information you find interesting or important
  • Information you find confusing
  • Information you could use in your essay

Longer papers require more reading and planning than shorter papers do. Most writers discover that the more they know about a topic, the more they can write about it with intelligence and interest.

When you write, you need to organize your ideas in an order that makes sense. The writing you complete in all your courses exposes how analytically and critically your mind works. In some courses, the only direct contact you may have with your instructor is through the assignments you write for the course. You can make a good impression by spending time ordering your ideas.

Order refers to your choice of what to present first, second, third, and so on in your writing. The order you pick closely relates to your purpose for writing that particular assignment. For example, when telling a story, it may be important to first describe the background for the action. Or you may need to first describe a 3-D movie projector or a television studio to help readers visualize the setting and scene. You may want to group your support effectively to convince readers that your point of view on an issue is well reasoned and worthy of belief.

In longer pieces of writing, you may organize different parts in different ways so that your purpose stands out clearly and all parts of the paper work together to consistently develop your main point.

Methods of Organizing Writing

The three common methods of organizing writing are chronological order, spatial order, and order of importance. Another common way to order your ideas is background/problem/solution. You need to keep these organizational structures in mind as you plan how to arrange the information you have gathered in an outline. An outline is a written plan that serves as a skeleton for the paragraphs you write. Later, when you draft paragraphs in the next stage of the writing process, you will add support to create “flesh” and “muscle” for your assignment.

When you write, your goal is not only to complete an assignment but also to write for a specific purpose—perhaps to inform, to explain, to persuade, or for a combination of these purposes. Your purpose for writing should always be in the back of your mind because it will help you decide which pieces of information belong together and how you will order them. In other words, choose the order that will most effectively fit your purpose and support your main point.

Table 8.1 “Order versus Purpose” shows the connection between order and purpose.

Table 8.1 Order versus Purpose

Chronological Order

Chronological arrangement has the following purposes:

  • To explain the history of an event or a topic
  • To tell a story or relate an experience
  • To explain how to do or to make something
  • To explain the steps in a process

Chronological order is mostly used in expository writing, which is a form of writing that narrates, describes, informs, or explains a process. When using chronological order, arrange the events in the order that they actually happened, or will happen if you are giving instructions. This method requires you to use words such as first , second , then , after that , later , and finally . These transition words guide you and your reader through the paper as you expand your thesis.

For example, if you are writing an essay about the history of the airline industry, you would begin with its conception and detail the essential timeline events up until present day. You would follow the chain of events using words such as first , then , next , and so on.

Writing at Work

At some point in your career you may have to file a complaint with your human resources department. Using chronological order is a useful tool in describing the events that led up to your filing the grievance. You would logically lay out the events in the order that they occurred using the key transition words. The more logical your complaint, the more likely you will be well received and helped.

Choose an accomplishment you have achieved in your life. The important moment could be in sports, schooling, family, or extracurricular activities. On your own sheet of paper, list the steps you took to reach your goal. Try to be as specific as possible with the steps you took. Pay attention to using transition words to focus your writing.

Keep in mind that chronological order is most appropriate for the following purposes:

  • Writing essays containing heavy research
  • Writing essays with the aim of listing, explaining, or narrating
  • Writing essays that analyze literary works such as poems, plays, or books

When using chronological order, your introduction should indicate the information you will cover and in what order, and the introduction should also establish the relevance of the information. Your body paragraphs should then provide clear divisions or steps in chronology. You can divide your paragraphs by time (such as decades, wars, or other historical events) or by the same structure of the work you are examining (such as a line-by-line explication of a poem).

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph that describes a process you are familiar with and can do well. Assume that your reader is unfamiliar with the procedure. Remember to use the chronological key words, such as first , second , then , and finally.

Spatial Order

Spatial order is best used for the following purposes:

  • Helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it
  • Evoking a scene using the senses (sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound)
  • Writing a descriptive essay

Spatial order means that you explain or describe objects as they are arranged around you in your space, for example in a bedroom. As the writer, you create a picture for your reader, and their perspective is the viewpoint from which you describe what is around you.

The view must move in an orderly, logical progression, giving the reader clear directional signals to follow from place to place. The key to using this method is to choose a specific starting point and then guide the reader to follow your eye as it moves in an orderly trajectory from your starting point.

Pay attention to the following student’s description of her bedroom and how she guides the reader through the viewing process, foot by foot.

Attached to my bedroom wall is a small wooden rack dangling with red and turquoise necklaces that shimmer as you enter. Just to the right of the rack is my window, framed by billowy white curtains. The peace of such an image is a stark contrast to my desk, which sits to the right of the window, layered in textbooks, crumpled papers, coffee cups, and an overflowing ashtray. Turning my head to the right, I see a set of two bare windows that frame the trees outside the glass like a 3D painting. Below the windows is an oak chest from which blankets and scarves are protruding. Against the wall opposite the billowy curtains is an antique dresser, on top of which sits a jewelry box and a few picture frames. A tall mirror attached to the dresser takes up most of the wall, which is the color of lavender.

This paragraph incorporates both an implied topic sentence and spatial order. Often in a descriptive essay, the two work together.

The following are possible transition words to include when using spatial order:

  • Just to the left or just to the right
  • On the left or on the right
  • Across from
  • A little further down
  • To the south, to the east, and so on
  • A few yards away
  • Turning left or turning right

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph using spatial order that describes your commute to work, school, or another location you visit often.

Collaboration

Please share with a classmate and compare your answers

Order of Importance

The order of importance is best used for the following purposes:

  • Persuading and convincing
  • Ranking items by their importance, benefit, or significance
  • Illustrating a situation, problem, or solution

Most essays move from the least to the most important point, and the paragraphs are arranged in an effort to build the essay’s strength. Sometimes, however, it is necessary to begin with your most important supporting point, such as in an essay that contains a thesis that is highly debatable. Depending on your audience, when writing a persuasive essay, it is best to begin with the most important point because it immediately captivates your readers and compels them to continue reading.

For example, if you were supporting your thesis that homework is detrimental to the education of high school students, you would want to present your most convincing argument first, and then move on to the less important points for your case.

Some key transitional words you should use with this method of organization are most importantly , almost as importantly , just as importantly , and finally .

During your career, you may be required to work on a team that devises a strategy for a specific goal of your company, such as increasing profits. When planning your strategy you should organize your steps in order of importance. This demonstrates the ability to prioritize and plan. Using the order of importance technique also shows that you can create a resolution with logical steps for accomplishing a common goal.

On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph that discusses a passion of yours. Your passion could be music, a particular sport, filmmaking, and so on. Your paragraph should be built upon the reasons why you feel so strongly. Briefly discuss your reasons in the order of least to greatest importance

Cause and Effect

Cause and effect is best used when you:

  • Want to explain why a problem occurs, or
  • Want to explain a phenomenon (i.e., why tornadoes happen).

It always usually makes sense to discuss and explain the causes before writing about the effects because generally they are chronological in order. Sometimes, however, the logic may be conditional (i.e., under these conditions, this effect occurs). Therefore, when writing about cause and effect, many different logical joiners may be used to indicate the logic. Please see Joining Words . 

Sometimes, however, the effect is what will motivate the reader, especially when that effect is a problem, and it's something you would like the reader to act upon. In this case, sometimes the effect is demonstrated through an example first -- in the introduction. This is a common way that writers of feature articles for newspapers and magazines begin their essays.

A common need for writing at work is to propose alternative or better ways of doing things, whether that be a process or policy improvement (for efficiency or quality control, etc.) These are basically problem/solution "papers" that must show the cause and effect of the "problem" before providing potential solutions. Ordering your writing with the problem before the solution is always best to keep your reader engaged with yoru proposal.

Exercise 5 

On a separate piece of paper, think of a problem in society (yes, there are many from which to choose). This problem is the effect of something. Now think of some of the causes of that problem/effect. While one thing may not be a cause in and of itself, combined with other causes, they may together create an effect that is a problem.  Careful though!   Just because one event occurs before another doesn't mean that the first event caused  the second event. It could just be a concidence. Assuming this is called a fallacy of the consequent (see logical fallacies ). But write downa list of things that may -- together or individually -- help cause the effect. Then think about how those causes relate to each other to create the effect. 

Writing an Outline

For an essay question on a test or a brief oral presentation in class, all you may need to prepare is a short, informal outline in which you jot down key ideas in the order you will present them. This kind of outline reminds you to stay focused in a stressful situation and to include all the good ideas that help you explain or prove your point.

For a longer assignment, like an essay or a research paper, many college instructors require students to submit a formal outline before writing a major paper as a way to be sure you are on the right track and are working in an organized manner. A formal outline is a detailed guide that shows how all your supporting ideas relate to each other. It helps you distinguish between ideas that are of equal importance and ones that are of lesser importance. You build your paper based on the framework created by the outline.

Drafting an Outline

While there are distinct differences between developing and organizing support, and between developing/organizing support and drafting the essay, differentiating these steps can sometimes be difficult – in many cases, they blend into one another. As you develop support, you may find that you are also organizing that support into categories, thus creating a draft in outline form.

If outlining seems logical to your way of thinking and approaching a writing project, know that there are several different kinds of outlines:

  • Roman or Arabic Numeral (highly structured, more formal). You can use this for full sentence outlines.
  • bullet point (less structured, more informal)
  • mind map (less structured, more informal)
  • other methods as appropriate, such as a timeline, PowerPoint slides, or whatever method works for the topic and your own way of thinking about the topic

Instructors may also require you to submit an outline with your final draft to check the direction of the assignment and the logic of your final draft. If you are required to submit an outline with the final draft of a paper, remember to revise the outline to reflect any changes you made while writing the paper.

There are two types of formal outlines: the topic outline and the sentence outline. Format both types of formal outlines in the same way.

  • Place your introduction and thesis statement at the beginning, under roman numeral I.
  • Use roman numerals (II, III, IV, V, etc.) to identify main points that develop the thesis statement.
  • Use capital letters (A, B, C, D, etc.) to divide your main points into parts.
  • Use Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.) if you need to subdivide any As, Bs, or Cs into smaller parts.
  • End with the final roman numeral expressing your idea for your conclusion.

Here is what the skeleton of a traditional formal outline looks like. The indention helps clarify how the ideas are related.

  • Introduction: Thesis statement
  • Supporting detail

chronological order assignment

In an outline, any supporting detail can be developed with subpoints. For simplicity, the model shows them only under the first main point.

Formal outlines are often quite rigid in their organization. As many instructors will specify, you cannot subdivide one point if it is only one part. For example, for every roman numeral I, there must be a II. For every A, there must be a B. For every Arabic numeral 1, there must be a 2. See for yourself on the sample outlines above.

Constructing Topic Outlines

A topic outline is the same as a sentence outline except you use words or phrases instead of complete sentences. Words and phrases keep the outline short and easier to comprehend. All the headings, however, must be written in parallel structure. (For more information on parallel structure, see Chapter 12 “ Grammatical Parallelism ".)

Here is the topic outline that Mariah constructed for the essay she is developing. Her purpose is to inform, and her audience is a general audience of her fellow college students. Notice how Mariah begins with her thesis statement. She then arranges her main points and supporting details in outline form using short phrases in parallel grammatical structure.

1.Writing an Effective Topic Outline

This checklist can help you write an effective topic outline for your assignment. It will also help you discover where you may need to do additional reading or prewriting.

  • Do I have a controlling idea that guides the development of the entire piece of writing?
  • Do I have three or more main points that I want to make in this piece of writing? Does each main point connect to my controlling idea?
  • Is my outline in the best order—chronological order, spatial order, or order of importance—for me to present my main points? Will this order help me get my main point across?
  • Do I have supporting details that will help me inform, explain, or prove my main points?
  • Do I need to add more support? If so, where?
  • Do I need to make any adjustments in my working thesis statement before I consider it the final version?

Bullet Point/Topic Outline

chronological order assignment

Word processing programs generally have an automatic numbering feature that can be used to prepare outlines. This feature automatically sets indents and lets you use the tab key to arrange information just as you would in an outline. Although in business this style might be acceptable, in college your instructor might have different requirements. Teach yourself how to customize the levels of outline numbering in your word-processing program to fit your instructor’s preferences.

Using the working thesis statement you wrote and the reading you did in Section 4.6 “ Prewriting Strategies ”, construct a topic outline for your essay. Be sure to observe correct outline form, including correct indentions and the use of Roman and Arabic numerals and capital letters.

2. Constructing Sentence Outlines

A sentence outline is the same as a topic outline except you use complete sentences instead of words or phrases. Complete sentences create clarity and can advance you one step closer to a draft in the writing process. Here is the sentence outline that Mariah constructed for the essay she is developing.

Thesis statement : E-mail and internet monitoring, as currently practiced, is an invasion of employees’ rights in the workplace.

  • To prevent fraudulent activities, theft, and other workplace related violations.
  • To more efficiently monitor employee productivity.
  • To prevent any legal liabilities due to harassing or offensive communications.
  • There are no federal or state laws protecting employees.
  • Employees may assert privacy protection for their own personal effects.
  • Workplace communications should be about work; anything else is a misuse of company equipment and company time.
  • Employers have a right to prevent misuse by monitoring employee communications.

The information compiled under each Roman numeral will become a paragraph in your final paper. In the previous example, the outline follows the standard five-paragraph essay arrangement, but longer essays will require more paragraphs and thus more roman numerals. If you think that a paragraph might become too long or stringy, add an additional paragraph to your outline, renumbering the main points appropriately.

3. Mind Map Outline

chronological order assignment

Wrapping Up

Whichever type of outline you’ve started with, it can conveniently morph into an essay draft, simply by choosing a portion of the outline as a place to start writing. Start developing that portion with topic sentences, full sentences, complete thoughts, details, examples, facts, opinions, and all appropriate types of support. Remember that an outline identifies the ideas you intend to use in the essay; you develop the actual essay draft by adding support and explanation to those ideas.

One of the many advantages to working from an outline is that you create an idea structure and can see visually how/whether those ideas relate, so you can see what needs to be added or edited. Because outlines capture ideas, they also allow you to begin your draft with whatever section or group of ideas you choose. Pick a section you feel strongly about, and start there. Move around your outline in whatever order you choose, in order to keep the momentum going to develop your essay draft.

PowerPoint presentations, used both in schools and in the workplace, are organized in a way very similar to formal outlines. PowerPoint presentations often contain information in the form of talking points that the presenter develops with more details and examples than are contained on the PowerPoint slide.

Expand the topic outline you prepared to make it a sentence outline. In this outline, be sure to include multiple supporting points for your main topic even if your topic outline does not currently contain them. Be sure to observe correct outline form, including correct indentions and the use of Roman and Arabic numerals and capital letters.

The following video explains a little more about outlining.

Outlines . Authored By: University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill Writing Center. License: All Rights Reserved. License Terms: Standard YouTube License.

Post-Outlining

Some people have to write a complete draft first. If you must do this, you should do a post-outline. The process of writing a post-outline involves going through your very rough draft and writing down the thesis (if there is one -- it may appear at the beginning of the conclusion), the main idea of each paragraph, and the major subpoints of each paragraph in a formal outline form. Then, make sure that each subpoint actually relates to the main idea of each paragraph and that each main idea/topic sentence relates to your thesis. You may find that you need to move some parts of paragraphs to different paragraph or delete some parts of paragraphs that are completely off-topic. Then, do the same thing with the major subpoints and the supporting information. Be sure that each quote or paraphrase supports the major subpoint. If it doesn't, find more appropriate support. This process can take a lot longer than writing an outline before you draft and really only works if you are writing a shorter paper. Do try to write an outline first before drafting longer papers.

Contributors

  • Adapted from English Compostion II . Provided by: Saylor Academy. License: CC BY: Attribution
  • Adapted from Writing for Success. Provided by: The Saylor Foundation. License: CC-NC-SA 3.0

This page most recently updated on June 3, 2020.

  • Literary Terms
  • When & How to Use Chronology
  • Definition & Examples

How to Use Chronology

When writing, establishing a chronology can be relatively easy, especially in fiction, when the timeline of events is completely up to you! Overall, the best way to establish your work’s chro-nology is by creating a timeline of events. Start at the beginning and work your way to the end, being sure not to forget any important dates, events, or occurrences that are relative to your story. After that, you can decide how the timeline fits in with the way you want your audience to un-derstand the story. Ask yourself several questions:

  • Is a sense of time crucial to your work?
  • If so, to what extent—Historical period? Century? Decade? Specific date and time of day?
  • Is the order in which things occurred essential to the plot?
  • Are you trying to share a sequence of linked events?
  • Are you trying to show a chain of cause and effect?
  • Which events in your timeline are relative to the big picture?
  • Are any events not important enough to cover thoroughly, but at least need to be mentioned?

In general, you need to think about context when developing a chronology—what about your timeline is crucial for the audience and your work? What can be left out, and what can’t? Ulti-mately, it is up to you and your creativity to decide how your audience will understand the time-line of your work.

When to Use Chronology

Basically, you always need to at least consider chronology when writing, in one way or another. When you are sharing any type of event or sequence of events, the timeline is important in just about every case, across all genres of both fiction and nonfiction.

Of course, it is particularly important to establish a timeline of events when storytelling—that’s how we ultimately develop a plot! Your readers need some perception of time to follow what is happening, and the easiest way to assure that is by putting things in chronological order. Even if you decide to share events out of order, you as the author need to know when and how they hap-pened so that you can share them with your readers and avoid making mistakes with your story- line or characters . Let’s think back to the baseball player example—if the focus of your story is about how a rookie becomes a star, you could still begin by showing him hitting a home run on the field, and later show the steps it took to get him there. But imagine if in the beginning, your rookie character is also shown as being popular because he’s been partying all summer. Only, during all his practicing, he actually missed all the parties. It would be confusing to your readers and show a conflicting character, instead of a hardworking rookie. But this would be avoided if the timeline is well-developed before the story is composed.

Since the theme is about the player’s road to fame, it’s also crucial to show how one thing causes another—the cause is that the boy is dedicated to practicing and sacrifices all other activities over a period of time, and the effect is that he becomes a great player and finally makes the baseball team. So even when “beginning with the end.” you still need to have an idea about the story’s chronology. What’s more it’s just a great starting point when you’re developing a piece of fiction!

List of Terms

  • Alliteration
  • Amplification
  • Anachronism
  • Anthropomorphism
  • Antonomasia
  • APA Citation
  • Aposiopesis
  • Autobiography
  • Bildungsroman
  • Characterization
  • Circumlocution
  • Cliffhanger
  • Comic Relief
  • Connotation
  • Deus ex machina
  • Deuteragonist
  • Doppelganger
  • Double Entendre
  • Dramatic irony
  • Equivocation
  • Extended Metaphor
  • Figures of Speech
  • Flash-forward
  • Foreshadowing
  • Intertextuality
  • Juxtaposition
  • Literary Device
  • Malapropism
  • Onomatopoeia
  • Parallelism
  • Pathetic Fallacy
  • Personification
  • Point of View
  • Polysyndeton
  • Protagonist
  • Red Herring
  • Rhetorical Device
  • Rhetorical Question
  • Science Fiction
  • Self-Fulfilling Prophecy
  • Synesthesia
  • Turning Point
  • Understatement
  • Urban Legend
  • Verisimilitude
  • Essay Guide
  • Cite This Website

Academic Reviews

Using chronological order in your academic papers effectively.

Chronological Order

  • Chronological order
  • Order of importance
  • Spatial order
  • To explain the history of an event or a topic
  • To tell a story or relate an experience
  • To explain how to do or to make something
  • To explain the steps in a process
  • Writing essays containing heavy research
  • Writing essays with the aim of listing, explaining, or narrating
  • Writing essays that analyze literary works such as poems, plays, or books
  • Persuading and convincing
  • Ranking items by their importance, benefit, or significance
  • Illustrating a situation, problem, or solution

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V. Process and Organization

5.2 Methods of Organizing Your Writing

Kathryn Crowther; Lauren Curtright; Nancy Gilbert; Barbara Hall; Tracienne Ravita; and Terri Pantuso

Now that you’ve identified your topic, it’s time to focus on how to best organize the information. Keep in mind that the method of organization for essays and paragraphs is just as important as content. When you begin to draft an essay or paragraph, your ideas may seem to flow from your mind in a seemingly random manner. However, your readers, who bring to the table different backgrounds, viewpoints, and ideas, need you to clearly organize these ideas to help them draw connections between the body and the thesis . A solid organizational pattern not only helps readers to process and accept your ideas, but also gives your ideas a path that you can follow as you develop your essay (or paragraph). Knowing how you will organize your paragraphs allows you to better express and analyze your thoughts. In addition, planning the structure of your essay before you choose supporting evidence helps you conduct more effective and targeted research. This section covers three ways to organize both essays and paragraphs: chronological order, order of importance, and spatial order.

Chronological Order

Chronological arrangement has the following purposes:

  • To explain the history of an event or a topic;
  • To tell a story or relate an experience;
  • To explain how to do or to make something;
  • To explain the steps in a process.

Chronological order is used mostly in expository writing which is a form of writing that narrates, describes, informs, or explains a process. When using chronological order, arrange the events in the order that they actually happened, or will happen if you are giving instructions. This method requires you to use words such as first , second , then , after that , later , and finally . These transitional words guide you and your reader through the paper as you expand your thesis. For example, if you are writing an essay about the history of the airline industry, you would begin with its conception and detail the essential timeline events up until present day. You would follow the chain of events using words such as first, then, next, and so on.

Keep in mind that chronological order is most appropriate for the following purposes:

  • Writing essays containing heavy research;
  • Writing essays with the aim of listing, explaining, or narrating;
  • Writing essays that analyze literary works such as poems, plays, or books.

When using chronological order, your introduction should indicate the information you will cover and should also establish the relevance of the information. Your body paragraphs should then provide clear divisions or steps in chronology. You can divide your paragraphs by time (such as decades, wars, or other historical events) or by the same structure of the work you are examining (such as a line-by-line explication of a poem).

Order of Importance

Order of importance is best used for the following purposes:

  • Persuading and convincing;
  • Ranking items by their importance, benefit, or significance;
  • Illustrating a situation, problem, or solution.

Most essays move from the least to the most important point, and the paragraphs are arranged in an effort to build the essay’s strength. Sometimes, however, it is necessary to begin with the most important supporting point, such as in an essay that contains a thesis that is highly debatable. When writing a persuasive essay, it is best to begin with the most important point because it immediately captivates your readers and compels them to continue reading.

For example, if you were supporting your thesis that homework is detrimental to the education of high school students, you would want to present your most convincing argument first, and then move on to the less important points for your case. During your career, you may be required to work on a team that devises a strategy for a specific goal of your company, such as increasing profits. When planning your strategy you should organize your steps in order of importance. This demonstrates the ability to prioritize and plan. Using the order of importance technique also shows that you can create a resolution with logical steps for accomplishing a common goal.

Spatial Order

Spatial order is best used for the following purposes:

  • Helping readers visualize something as you want them to see it;
  • Evoking a scene using the senses (sight, touch, taste, smell, and sound);
  • Writing a descriptive essay.

Spatial order means that you explain or describe objects as they are arranged around you in your space, for example in a bedroom. As the writer, you create a picture for your readers, and their perspective is the viewpoint from which you describe what is around you. The view must move in an orderly, logical progression, giving the reader clear directional signals to follow from place to place. The key to using this method is to choose a specific starting point and then to guide the reader to follow your eye as it moves in an orderly trajectory from your starting point.

Pay attention to the following student’s description of her bedroom and how she guides the reader through the viewing process, foot by foot.

Example of Spatial Order Organization

Attached to my back bedroom wall is a small wooden rack dangling with red and turquoise necklaces that shimmer as I enter. Just to the right of the rack, billowy white curtains frame a large window with a sill that ends just six inches from the floor. The peace of such an image is a stark contrast to my desk, sitting to the right of the window, layered in textbooks, crumpled papers, coffee cups, and an overflowing ashtray. Turning my head to the right, I see a set of two bare windows that frame the trees outside the glass like a three-dimensional painting. Below the windows is an oak chest from which blankets and scarves are protruding. Against the wall opposite the billowy curtains is an antique dresser, on top of which sits a jewelry box and a few picture frames. A tall mirror attached to the dresser takes up much of the lavender wall.

The paragraph incorporates two objectives: using an implied topic sentence and applying spatial order. Often in a descriptive essay, the two objectives work together.

The following are possible transition words to include when using spatial order.

Table 5.2.1: Spatial Order Transition Words

Practice Activity

This section contains material from:

Crowther, Kathryn, Lauren Curtright, Nancy Gilbert, Barbara Hall, Tracienne Ravita, and Kirk Swenson. Successful College Composition . 2nd edition. Book 8. Georgia: English Open Textbooks, 2016. http://oer.galileo.usg.edu/english-textbooks/8 . Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License . Archival link: https://web.archive.org/web/20230711203012/https://oer.galileo.usg.edu/english-textbooks/8/

A statement, usually one sentence, that summarizes an argument that will later be explained, expanded upon, and developed in a longer essay or research paper. In undergraduate writing, a thesis statement is often found in the introductory paragraph of an essay. The plural of thesis is theses .

5.2 Methods of Organizing Your Writing Copyright © 2023 by Kathryn Crowther; Lauren Curtright; Nancy Gilbert; Barbara Hall; Tracienne Ravita; and Terri Pantuso is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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How to sort by date in Excel: in chronological order, by month, auto sort

Svetlana Cheusheva

In this article, we will look at different ways to sort dates in Excel. You will learn how to quickly arrange dates in chronological order, sort by month ignoring years, sort birthdays by month and day, and how to auto sort by date when entering new values.

Excel's built-in sort options are powerful and effective tools, but they do not always work correctly when it comes to sorting dates. This tutorial will teach you a few useful tricks to arrange Excel by date in a meaningful way without messing up your data.

How to sort dates in chronological order

Arranging dates in chronological order in Excel is very easy. You just use the standard Ascending Sort option:

  • Select the dates you want to sort chronologically.

Sorting dates in chronological order in Excel

How to sort by date in Excel

The Excel sort options can also be used for re-arranging the whole table, not just a single column. To sort records by date keeping the rows intact, the key point is to expand the selection when prompted.

Here are the detailed steps sort data in Excel by date wise:

  • In your spreadsheet, select the dates without the column header.

Sorting by date in Excel

How to sort by month in Excel

There may be times when you wish to sort dates by month ignoring the year, for example when grouping anniversary dates of your colleagues or relatives. In this case, the default Excel sort feature won't work because it always considers the year, even if your cells are formatted to display only the month or month and day.

The solution is to add a helper column, extract the month number and sort by that column. To get a month from date, use the MONTH function .

In the screenshot below, we extract the month number from the date in B2 with this formula:

Extract the month number to sort data by month.

Please pay attention that our data is now sorted by month, ignoring the years and days within each month. If you'd like to sort by month and day , then follow the instructions from the next example.

How to sort birthdays in Excel by month and day

When arranging dates for a birthday calendar, the optimal solution will be sorting dates by month and day. Consequently, you need a formula that would pull months and days from the dates of birth.

In this case, the Excel TEXT function , which can convert a date to a text string in the specified format, comes in handy. For our purpose, the "mmdd" or "mm.dd" format code will work.

With the source date in B2, the formula takes this form:

=TEXT(B2, "mm.dd")

Sorting birthdays by month and day

The same result can be achieved by using the DATE formula like this:

=DATE(2000, MONTH(B2),DAY(B2))

How to sort data by year in Excel

Sorting data by date in Excel

If for some reason you are not happy with such an arrangement, then you can add a helper column with the YEAR formula that extracts the year from the date:

Sorting data by year, ignoring months and days

Tip. If you'd like to sort dates by day disregarding months and years, extract the day by using the DAY function, and then sort by the Day column:

How to sort by days of the week in Excel

To sort data by weekday, you will also need a helper column like in the previous examples. In this case, we will be populating the helper column with the WEEKDAY formula that returns a number corresponding to the day of the week, and then sorting by the helper column.

For a week that starts from Sunday (1) to Saturday (7), this is the formula to use:

=WEEKDAY(A2)

If your week starts from Monday (1) to Sunday (7), here's is the right one:

=WEEKDAY(A2, 2)

Where A2 is the cell containing the date.

Sorting by days of the week in Excel

How to sort data in Excel by month names (or weekday names)

In case you have a list of month names as text , not as dates formatted to display only months, applying Excel's ascending sort might be a problem - it will arrange the months names alphabetically instead of sorting by month order from January to December. In this case, a custom sort will help:

  • Select the records that you want to sort by month name.
  • On the Data tab, in the Sort & Filter group, click Sort .
  • Under Column , select the name of the column that contains the month names.
  • Under Sort on , choose Cell Values .
  • Under Order , select Custom List .

Using custom sort in Excel

  • Click OK twice to close both dialog boxes.

Data is sorted by month name in chronological order.

How to auto sort by date in Excel

As you have seen, the Excel Sort feature copes with a variety of challenges. The only drawback is that it isn't dynamic. Meaning, you will have to re-sort your data with every change and whenever new information is added. Perhaps you are wondering if there is a way to sort automatically every time a new date is added so that your data is always in order.

Auto sort by date in Excel

Macro 1: Auto sort with every worksheet change

This macro is executed whenever a change occurs anywhere in the worksheet.

It is assumed that your data are in columns A through C, and the dates that you want to sort by are in column C, beginning in C2. It is also assumed that row 1 contains headers (Header:=xlYes). If your records are in different columns, then make the following adjustments:

  • Change the A1 reference to the upper left cell of your target range (including headers).
  • Change the C2 reference to the topmost cell containing a date.

Macro 2: Auto sort when changes are made to a specific range

If you are working with a huge worksheet that contains a lot of information, re-sorting with absolutely any change in the sheet may be troublesome. In this case, it makes sense to limit the triggering of the macro to the changes that occur in a specific range. The following VBA code sorts the data only when a change is made in column C that contains the dates.

How to add the macro to your worksheet

As both macros are run automatically on a worksheet's change, the code should be inserted in the sheet where you want to sort data (Sheet1 in this example). Here's how:

  • Press Alt + F11 to open the VBA Editor.
  • In the Project Explorer on the left, double click the sheet where you want to auto sort.

A macro to auto sort by date in Excel

Auto sort dates with formula

Supposing you have a list of dates and you'd like to have them automatically arranged in chronological order in a separate column, side-by-side with the original list. This can be done with the following array formula :

=IFERROR(INDEX($A$2:$A$20, MATCH(ROWS($A$2:A2), COUNTIF($A$2:$A$20, "<="&$A$2:$A$20), 0)), "")

Where A2:A20 are the original (unsorted) dates, including a few empty cells for possible new entries.

Formula to auto sort dates in Excel

Excel sort by date not working

That's how to sort by date in Excel. I thank you for reading and hope to see you on our blog next week!

Available downloads

You may also be interested in.

  • How to sort columns and rows alphabetically
  • How to sort in Excel by row, column names and in custom order
  • How to filter and sort by cell color in Excel
  • Sort mixed numbers and text / hierarchy numbers in Excel
  • Excel Date functions
  • Calculate days since or until a date

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40 comments

chronological order assignment

Brilliant! =TEXT(B2, "mm dd") Just what i needed. Thanks.

chronological order assignment

Hi, If I use the formula =TEXT(C2,"tt.mm.") for birth dates such as 03/16/2000 for example the result is always that it shows 00 for the month. If I remove the year from the original cell e.g. put 03/16 it works. But then I don't need the formular anymore. Any idea how I can fix this?

chronological order assignment

Hi! The TEXT function in Excel is language-specific. Read more here: Excel TEXT function not working - reasons and solutions . I don't know what regional settings you are using. Select the date format you want and use it in the TEXT function. For more information, please visit: How to change Excel date format and create custom formatting .

chronological order assignment

"In this article, we will look at different ways to sort dates in Excel." -- Different from what? I'm looking for how to do it, not for a nonstandard way to do it. ...Did you mean to say "more than one way"? If so then the word you want is "various". If you search "various vs different" you'll easily find a good explanation.

chronological order assignment

I prepared a table with dates as 01.04.2023, 02.04.2023, 03.04.2023 upto 31.05.2023 and create a Pivoit Table with that table.

But, when i see the pivoit table, in the date colomn, dates are showing like 01.04.2023, 01.05.2023.

I want the data as 01.04.2023, 02.04.2023 contineuosly.

Pls. send the formula for this.

Wtih regards, Gunda Pradeep

Hi! I can't see your data, but you may have been adding a Month field to the pivot table that was created automatically based on your dates.

chronological order assignment

I have data in excel where column A has Month & Year eg: apr -12,feb-13,etc. How do i sort it in chronological order to get jan -12, feb-12...feb-13.

Hi! You can only sort dates, not text. If column A contains dates in mmm-yy format , use the recommendations from the article above. If the dates are written as text, convert the text to dates and write them to column B. For example, multiply by 1: =A1*1 You can see other ways to do this here: Convert text to date and number to date .

chronological order assignment

I am trying to organize an exported spreadsheet, and when I follow the directions and click on sort I can only sort from a to z and not from oldest to newest. Is there anything I can do to fix this? Thank you in advance

chronological order assignment

Hi, one excel sheet 4-5 years all (1,00,000) lac data store. how can i filter data year, month, date to date auto formula set in excel top row, only i click year or month name list than automatic all data filter all Coolum heading wise row by row. pls example with formula provide me. it is very essential for me.

thanks Md. Nazrul Islam

Hi! Unfortunately, without seeing your data it is difficult to give you any advice. I recommend reading this guide: Excel Filter: How to add, use and remove .

chronological order assignment

I have a table of names, with dates in the next column over. Id like to have the names automatically sort in chronological order, when a new date is entered.

The total picture is a auto sorting date of people working overtime with the oldest date on top, I want to than have a column where I can click, Not working, and the rows where that is selected, populate in another table. This would show available names to work a current overtime shift. Thank you

Hello! You can use the FILTER function to select data based on a certain condition. To sort this data in chronological order, use the SORT function . I hope I answered your question. If something is still unclear, please feel free to ask.

chronological order assignment

The VBA Code worked well. But there's a problem when you entered date mistakenly and it get sorted automatically. For the large set of data with entries of around 2000 you are not able to perform UNDO action.

IS there any solution for this. Please Suggest.!

The Code i've used:

Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range) On Error Resume Next

If Not Intersect(Target, Range("C:C")) Is Nothing Then Range("A1").Sort Key1:=Range("C2"), _ Order1:=xlAscending, Header:=xlYes, _ OrderCustom:=1, MatchCase:=False, _ Orientation:=xlTopToBottom End If

chronological order assignment

The array formula works great for our needs but, like James Peters stated in comment #7, if there are two dates that are the same, it leaves a blank cell. Is there any possible workaround for this? I've tried messing with the formula, not making it an array formula, etc. and nothing seems to be working. Thank you for anything you can help with!

Hello! To sort numbers or dates, you can use the SORT function :

=SORT(A2:A20,,1)

Or use the SMALL function and copy this formula down the column:

=IFERROR(SMALL($A$2:$A$20,ROW(A1)),"")

I hope my advice will help you solve your task.

hi..just wanted to sort my data , from the dates between 13th - 31st of each month only…

do you have any formula for that..

thank you in advance

Hello! Get the day from a date into a separate column. To do this, use a condition with the DAY function .

=IF(DAY(A1) < 13,"",DAY(A1))

Then sort by that column as described in this article above. You can also sort by formula using the SORTBY function :

=SORTBY(A1:A8,(DAY(A1:A8) > 13)*DAY(A1:A8),1)

I hope this will help.

chronological order assignment

Is it possible to sort , "From date and time" to "To date and time ".

chronological order assignment

I have an excel (huge date) 8000 + rows i have sorted the data dateA to Z wise, but i also want to sort the date wise keeping the alphabetical list intact

IS IT POSSIBLE ???

chronological order assignment

i have 500 row data of 5 column a,b,c,d,e,f number,date,company name,trade, value

all the date are in ascending position, how can change the date in descending position but keep the same company serial wise.

chronological order assignment

Thank you for all of this. I have dated items (date/month/year) but for some items i do not have a date, only the month and year. Is there a way to get excel to recognise that ?/5/21 is a date in May 2021 and sort these entries accordingly? As it is, all entries with no specific date are moved to the end of the spreadsheet. Many thanks if you can assist.

Hello! You can convert all cells with text to date. Then convert the formulas to values .

=IF(ISNONTEXT(C1),C1,--("1"&C1))

chronological order assignment

I have a spread sheet to keep track of when patients are either due for an appointment or scheduled so I have two columns of dates but data will only be in one column because they either need an appointment (column D) or have an appointment scheduled (column E) is there a way to auto sort the dates when info is deleted from one column and entered into the other i.e. a date is deleted from column D and a new date is entered into column E or vice versa when the date is deleted from column E and a new due date is entered in column D? I would also like Column D to have the conditional formatting color scale of Green Yellow Red where Red are dates that are either past due or due soon. Is this at all possible?

Hello! Automatic sorting is possible using the SORT formula . Sorting through the Data-Sort menu is done manually. Here is the article that may be helpful to you: Excel conditional formatting for dates & time I hope my advice will help you solve your task.

chronological order assignment

Sir,I want sort data by religious(christian, muslim,hindu etc),sub religious(if christian -Roman catholic,Latin catholic etc), from the excel data

chronological order assignment

I tested this formula in a worksheet, and it gets me 99% of the way, but I noticed if I have a duplicated date in the referenced column, it does not display the date in the new column - only creates a blank row and then moves to the next day. Is there a workaround for this?

chronological order assignment

super helpful tips, thanks

chronological order assignment

Mmmh. Mine asks to expand selection before offering to order by date. And then only offers to order A-Z not by date.

chronological order assignment

Hi Alexander, How can I auto sort multiple data fields on one spreadsheet.

For Example using example given. if you split the citrus fruit and the other fruit into to separate data fields. Hope that makes sense.

I believe that is what Matt is asking for above, post 6.

chronological order assignment

I have been searching for hours to find a way of writing dates so that they can be sorted. In spite of reading everything with great care nothing seems to work in the way that it should. Even the simple things, if I write a four figure no. and irrespective of which format I use, Excel accepts that no. as either 2units + 2 decimal places or the decimalised figure rounded up to the next whole no. For example 1785 would be shown as 17.85 or 18. What am I not doing ?

Hello! I’m sorry but your task is not entirely clear to me. Could you please describe it in more detail? 1785 is a number, not a date. Please specify what you were trying to find, what formula you used and what problem or error occurred. Give an example of the source data and the expected result. It’ll help me understand it better and find a solution for you.

chronological order assignment

Is there a way to make the same code but with multiple sort layers?

chronological order assignment

Need help posting a formula that will automatically sort by date after after new entries are made.

0000-00 Smith John Doe 1/1/87 Monday, October 22, 2001 LV

I have 7 columns and I would like it sorted by date or column 6.

Can anyone advise how to accomplish this?

Hello! If the date is inside the text in the cell, then sorting by this date is not possible. You have to extract the date into a separate column. Please have a look at this article — How to convert text to date

NOTHING TO UNDERSTAND

Sort data into student quiz and arrange marks in descending order one example

chronological order assignment

Respected Sir i want short by subject of the student for examples Sr. No. Name Student ID Subject 1. Ram BA20201 Hindi, English, History, 2. Shyam BA20202 Sanskrit, Political Science, History 3. Mohan BSC20192 Music, Drama, History 4. Sohan BCom Hindi, English, Accounting now i want to know how many student has taken Hindi and with hindi which subject taken by all the student those who have take hindi

Hello! To calculate the number of students, use the formula

=COUNTIF(D2:D40,"*Hindi*")

To get a list of subjects, each of them must be recorded in a separate column. Then you can apply this instruction .

chronological order assignment

thanx,do u provide hep in all office tools?

Post a comment

chronological order assignment

How To Read The Witcher Books In Order (Chronological & Release Dates)

  • The Witcher books by Andrzej Sapkowski are popular and follow the adventures of the witcher Geralt, inspiring the Netflix series.
  • There is no definitive order to read the Witcher books, but starting with The Last Wish may be a good option for new fans.
  • Readers can choose between reading the Witcher books in release order for a traditional experience or in chronological order for a different perspective.

The Witcher books are a hugely popular series of fantasy novels written by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski, although the Witcher books in order can be a little confusing. The novels follow the life and adventures of the eponymous witcher, Geralt of Rivia, who uses his supernatural abilities to hunt beasts and protect the people around him from danger. The Witcher was adapted into a successful series on Netflix in 2019, but the show doesn’t exactly follow the events of the Witcher books in order.

Because of the show’s big changes from the Witcher books , it’s difficult to know exactly where new readers should begin. There are five full-length novels in Sapkowski’s main series, but the author also wrote one standalone novel and two short stories that take place in the same universe and advance the overall narrative even further, and readers should definitely include these in their list to understand the full story. There’s no definitive order to read the Witcher books, but there are two methods that will provide the best reading experience.

The Witcher is available to stream on Netflix.

The Witcher Season 4: New Geralt, Cast, Story & Everything We Know

How to read the witcher books in release order, the witcher reading order from the last wish to season of storms.

Reading the Witcher books in order of release is the most obvious method for tackling this dense narrative , and there are plenty of advantages to doing so. Although Andrzej Sapkowski’s original novel, The Witcher , was never released in English, The Last Wish is a great starting point for new fans thanks to its short word count, heavy exposition, and disconnect from the rest of the series. From there, readers will get to experience the development of this universe as it was written, following the story from the perspective of the author.

There is a slight issue with Sword of Destiny since it was released in Polish in 1993 with the title of Ostatnie Zyczenie , but overall, reading the Witcher books in order of release makes a lot of sense for newcomers to the franchise. The release order is slightly different in English than in the original Polish, but the main saga remains the same — meaning readers won’t miss any important information between books.

The Witcher Books, Games & Show Order: A Beginner's Guide

How to read the witcher books in chronological order, andrzej sapkowski’s short story collections & prequel take place much earlier in the timeline.

Reading the Witcher books in chronological order will offer a slightly different experience for first-time readers, particularly due to the position of Andrzej Sapkowski’s two short story collections and his prequel novel. They take place before the original saga, and reading the series in chronological order means exploring the early years of The Witcher universe before beginning the main story of the franchise . It’s a more authentic reader order for those who already intend to read all eight stories, but it’s not completely necessary for those only interested in the main saga.

The events of the books Blood of Elves, Time of Contempt, Baptism of Fire, and The Tower of the Swallow all take place within the same year and cover a few months each, though there is a small amount of overlap.

This order could prove slightly more confusing since Season of Storms was actually written last and presumes that most readers will already be familiar with the events of the main The Witcher saga. It doesn’t ruin the experience, but there are certain elements of Season of Storms that can only be fully enjoyed after reading books such as The Lady of the Lake and The Tower of the Swallow .

The Witcher

Based on the novels by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski and the video games, The Witcher follows the story of Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter who struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts. "Ciri" Cirilla is the Princess of Cintra, who has magical abilities and whose fate has been linked to Geralt's. Yennefer of Vengerberg, a sorceress who trains to become a mage before deserting her duties and going solo, is also a main character in the Netflix series. The show's storylines are intertwined but told throughout different timelines, all of which eventually catch up to Ciri's, whose timeline of events is the most recent. Set on the Continent where men, monsters, and elves exist together, the characters all have separate journeys, though their destinies bring them into each others' orbits.

Cast Therica Wilson-Read, Wilson Radjou-Pujalte, Royce Pierreson, Maciej Musial, Tom Canton, Adam Levy, Eamon Farren, Bjrn Hlynur Haraldsson, Laurence Fishburne, Anna Shaffer, Mimi Ndiweni, Joey Batey, Amit Shah, Anya Chalotra, Freya Allan, Lars Mikkelsen, Jodhi May, MyAnna Buring, Liam Hemsworth, Henry Cavill

Release Date December 20, 2019

Genres Drama, Action, Adventure, Fantasy

Streaming Service(s) Netflix

Franchise(s) The Witcher

Writers Lauren Schmidt Hissrich

How To Read The Witcher Books In Order (Chronological & Release Dates)

Screen Rant

Bad boys movies & tv shows in order.

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The Strangers: Chapter 1 Sets VOD Release After Becoming Horror Hit

Godzilla minus one is the first godzilla movie i've ever seen & i'm worried it's ruined the 70-year-old franchise for me, netflix's hit new thriller with 92% on rotten tomatoes creates a major trend after success 5 months ago.

  • Watch the Bad Boys franchise in release order starting with the original film from 1995 to follow Mike and Marcus' action-packed adventures.
  • The chemistry between Will Smith and Martin Lawrence has kept the series going strong for nearly three decades, with intricate timelines.
  • Explore the buddy cop world of Bad Boys through four feature films and a TV spin-off, finding the best order to enjoy all the action.

The Bad Boys franchise has been going strong for nearly three decades, but what is the best order in which to watch these action-packed movies (and their short-lived TV spin-off)? Created by George Gallo and shepherded to the screen by producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson, Bad Boys is a “buddy cop” franchise revolving around the partnership of two Miami detectives and lifelong friends. Will Smith plays carefree bachelor Mike Lowery opposite Martin Lawrence as family man Marcus Burnett. These characters have headlined a total of four movies, but what order do they go in?

Very few “buddy cop” franchises have enjoyed the longevity of the Bad Boys series . Lethal Weapon ran for four movies, but only across 11 years. Rush Hour had three movies across nine years. It’s a testament to the popularity of the Bad Boys franchise – and the strength of Smith and Lawrence’s chemistry – that the series is still going strong nearly 30 years later. Across its four feature films and one TV spin-off, the Bad Boys series has charted a complicated timeline . What’s the best order to watch all the Bad Boys movies and TV shows?

Bad Boys Movies & TV Show In Release Order

The Bad Boys franchise began when the first film, appropriately titled Bad Boys , was released on April 7, 1995. It was followed by its first sequel, Bad Boys II , eight years later, on July 18, 2003. The series’ first TV spin-off, L.A.’s Finest , revolving around Gabrielle Union’s Bad Boys II character Syd Burnett, premiered on May 13, 2019. After two seasons, L.A.’s Finest ended its 26-episode run on September 9, 2020. The franchise returned to the big screen with Bad Boys for Life on January 17, 2020. Bad Boys: Ride or Die arrived four years later, on June 7, 2024.

Bad Boys Movies & TV Show In Chronological Order

The first Bad Boys movie, released in 1995, gives detective duo Mike Lowery and Marcus Burnett an ultimatum: they have 72 hours to find $100 million worth of heroin or Internal Affairs will shut down their investigation. Mike becomes personally invested in the case when it gets one of his friends killed, and he and Marcus have to switch places to get a crucial witness to comply with the investigation. This movie introduced Mike and Marcus’ ride-or-die friendship , which has since become the backbone of the franchise.

Bad Boys II

The second film, Bad Boys II , released in 2003, sees Mike and Marcus heading up a task force to investigate a recent influx of ecstasy into the Miami drug scene. This case puts them on the trail of Johnny Tapia, a ruthless drug kingpin whose ecstasy operation has sparked an underground war between various groups of drug traffickers. Bad Boys II complicated Mike and Marcus’ friendship by revealing that Mike is secretly involved in a romantic relationship with Marcus’ sister Syd Burnett, played by Gabrielle Union.

L.A.’s Finest

L.A.’s Finest is the first TV show set in the Bad Boys universe . Union reprises her role as Marcus’ sister Syd , an ex-DEA agent now working in the Robbery-Homicide Division of the LAPD. Jessica Alba co-stars as Syd’s new partner, Detective Nancy McKenna. Being set in the Bad Boys world, L.A.’s Finest was a lot more action-packed than the average police procedural show. Besides following Syd’s life post- Bad Boys II , L.A.’s Finest had no overt connections to the larger continuity. Smith and Lawrence never guest-starred, so the series was only tangentially linked to the Bad Boys franchise.

Bad Boys for Life

The long-awaited third Bad Boys film , Bad Boys for Life , was finally released in 2020. The threequel digs into Mike’s troubled past as his ex-lover Isabel Aretas, played by Kate del Castillo, sends her son Armando to assassinate everyone involved in his father’s death – including Mike. Marcus is initially enjoying retirement, but returns to the force when Captain Howard is killed. Armando turns out to be Mike’s illegitimate son, and after the main conflict of the film is resolved, Mike offers Armando a chance at redemption by helping him with a new case he’s working on.

Bad Boys: Ride or Die

The fourth Bad Boys movie, Bad Boys: Ride or Die , released in 2024, sees Mike and Marcus investigating corruption in their own police department when Captain Howard is posthumously accused of colluding with the Romanian Mafia. Mike and Marcus are similarly framed and have to go on the run to clear their names. This marks the first time that Mike and Marcus have had to work outside the law to get to the bottom of an investigation, making the stakes higher than ever before.

Bad Boys: Ride or Die is the fourth installment in the action-comedy film series starring Will Smith and Martin Lawrence. The series centers on hard-boiled Miami detectives Mike Lowery and Marcus Burnett, who take on dangerous drug kingpins and thwart dangerous schemes as they attempt to stop the circulation of illicit drugs in their city.

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How to Watch the  Saw  Movies in Order: From Jigsaw’s First Trap to His Shocking Demise

The 'Saw' franchise is one of the longest-running horror series

Keith Langston is a contributing writer at PEOPLE. He has been working at PEOPLE since 2023. His work has previously appeared in Entertainment Weekly, Insider and Digital Trends.

chronological order assignment

Evolution/Saw Prods Inc/Kobal/Shutterstock ; Lionsgate / Courtesy Everett Collection

2004’s Saw remains one of the most influential horror movies of the modern era.

In the film, a sadistic killer known as Jigsaw kidnaps his victims and forces them to suffer through elaborate traps and games. What made the movie so complex was the revelation that Jigsaw picks his victims based on their terrible past choices which he believes they need to “atone” for.

With a budget of $1.2 million, Saw became a smash hit and grossed over $103 million at the box office. This spurred a series of sequels that ultimately turned the franchise into one of horror’s longest-running series.

Over the years, the Saw franchise has enlisted a bevy of big actors including Chris Rock , Tobin Bell , Shawnee Smith, Danny Glover and Donnie Wahlberg .

The franchise now has 10 films, an 11th on the way in 2025 and even a theme park attraction in England. The movies were released from 2004 to 2023 but their premiere order doesn't follow the same timeline as the story. Instead, the films bounce around in time and connect in compelling ways.

To find out how to watch the Saw franchise in chronological order, keep reading.

How to Watch the Saw Movies in Release Order

How to watch the saw movies in chronological order, jigsaw (2017).

Moviestore/Shutterstock

Saw 3D (2010) was originally deemed “The Final Chapter," which put 2017’s Jigsaw in a unique position to revive a franchise that had been dormant for seven years — not to mention the fact that Jigsaw died in the third film.

Jigsaw cleverly divided its story into two parts, making it both a prequel and a sequel. One half takes place in the modern day after the events of the other movies, with a copycat killer on the loose torturing his victims in traps resembling Jigsaw’s.

The other half is a prequel, revealing one of Jigsaw’s games that took place before the first film.

Evolution/Saw Prods Inc/Kobal/Shutterstock 

The original film reveals Jigsaw's sadistic methods. When fans met the serial killer for the first time his game was to chain two men in a bathroom and force them to compete for survival.

The other trap scenes in the first movie are all flashbacks — including the now-famous “reverse bear trap” worn by Amanda Young (Smith) who became a prominent character throughout the franchise.

The film also starred big names Glover and Monica Potter. Saw was directed by James Wan , who has become a massive name in horror thanks to hits like The Conjuring and Insidious .

Saw X (2023)

Despite being the most recent film released, Saw X surprised viewers by taking place between the first and second movies.

Anthony Stabley, the movie’s production designer, explained the reasoning for this timeline choice. “I think a lot of this comes down to the fact that we love the first two Saw films . We wanted to go back to that world,” he told PEOPLE in 2023.

The movie sees John Kramer (a.k.a. Jigsaw) head to a Mexican medical facility to receive treatment for his advancing cancer. However, upon arrival, he discovers the facility is a con being used to rob the sick. He then works alongside Amanda to teach the criminals what it’s like to fight for their lives.

Saw II (2005)

Twisted Pictures/Kobal/Shutterstock

In Saw II , a group of eight people wake up trapped together. Jigsaw informs them that nerve gas is slowly being pumped in through the vents and will kill them in two hours — unless they can follow the rules and find a way to escape.

One of the victims is Amanda, who, at the start of the movie, reveals she relapsed back into drug use, which is what she thinks Jigsaw is punishing her for this time. However, at the end of the movie, it’s revealed that Amanda was actually part of the game and had been helping the serial killer the entire time.

This time around, 7th Heaven star Beverly Mitchell starred as one of Jigsaw’s victims and Wahlberg starred as detective Eric Matthews.

Saw III (2006)

 Lions Gate Films/Kobal/Shutterstock

Taking place shortly after the events of Saw II , more victims find themselves in more traps, but this time something is different. Many of the traps are rigged and have no actual way for the victims to escape.

It’s later revealed that Jigsaw’s cancer has progressed, pushing him closer to death so Amanda is the one creating the new devices. Because she has been consumed by her rage, Amanda no longer believes in giving the victims a chance to survive the horrific torture machines.

At the end of the movie, both Amanda and Jigsaw are murdered for their crimes. Saw III remains the highest-grossing film in the franchise, raking in over $164 million.

Saw IV (2007)

Lions Gate/Twisted/Kobal/Shutterstock 

Saw IV begins with a medical team performing an autopsy on Jigsaw’s body. Being the sadistic mastermind that he is, it turns out that shortly before his death, Jigsaw swallowed a micro cassette which reveals a message: The games aren’t over. In fact, they’re just beginning.

Like all things Saw , victims once again begin waking up in traps — and we later learn the new killer is Jigsaw’s other apprentice, Detective Mark Hoffman from Saw III .

Despite the original villain being dead, Bell reprises the role through flashback scenes that reveal his tumultuous past and why he started creating these twisted games.

Saw V ( 2008)

Picking up right after the events of the fourth film, Saw V shows Detective Hoffman getting promoted for his work solving the Jigsaw murders, while simultaneously being the one committing them.

Later in the film, a group of five strangers (including characters played by Meagan Good and Julie Benz ) wake up in a sewer and are forced to survive a series of trap-filled rooms.

Saw VI (2009)

Hoffman continues his maniacal rampage in Saw VI , which picks up just days after the events of Saw V . This time around, the main victim is an insurance broker who denied coverage to Jigsaw during his cancer battle.

Intensifying things even further is that Jigsaw had given his ex-wife Jill a task before he died: to place his apprentice Hoffman through a test of his own. Near the end of the movie, Jill ambushes the detective and straps him into a reverse bear trap, which he only narrowly escapes.

Saw 3D (2010)

Lions Gate/Kobal/Shutterstock

Saw 3D , also known as Saw: The Final Chapter , continued the Hoffman and Jill duel while also treating audiences to more gruesome traps and kills. The movie centers around a man who pretends to be a survivor of Jigsaw's games only to find himself actually caught up in one of his traps.

Both main characters are killed by the end of the film, and it’s revealed that one of Jigsaw’s original victims from the first Saw film, Dr. Gordon ( Cary Elwes ), is the new apprentice.

As the seventh Saw movie to be released consecutively, Saw 3D closed out the franchise’s original run.

Spiral: From the Book of Saw (2021)

Lionsgate/Moviestore/Shutterstock

2021’s Spiral doesn’t directly say when it takes place in the Saw timeline, but based on the movie’s plot, it’s certainly sometime after the events of the main series.

In the movie, Detective Zeke Banks (Rock) investigates a series of macabre murders that closely follow the work of Jigsaw. As he digs deeper, alongside characters played by Samuel L. Jackson and Max Minghella, Banks discovers he’s somehow intertwined in the new killing spree.

When speaking to ComicBook.com , director Darren Lynn Bousman said that Spiral was so gorey that it was given an NC-17 rating by the MPA 11 times before finally being edited enough to get an R rating.

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  1. Chronological Order

    Chronological Order. When information in a passage is organized by the time in which each event occurred, it is organized chronologically. Nonfiction passages that are organized chronologically often contains dates. Fiction passages or narratives are more subtle and are organized chronologically but usually have no dates.

  2. 9.3 Organizing Your Writing

    Exercise 3. On a separate sheet of paper, write a paragraph that discusses a passion of yours. Your passion could be music, a particular sport, filmmaking, and so on. Your paragraph should be built upon the reasons why you feel so strongly. Briefly discuss your reasons in the order of least to greatest importance.

  3. Chronological Order Definition & Examples

    Chronological Order Writing Assignment. In this activity, students will review the importance of chronological order to the process of learning by creating scenarios that are out of chronological ...

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    Many request an illustration and, of course, require students to present them in chronological order. Teachers could even ask who was involved, where it happened, and so much more! The ideas are limitless! 1.) The Puzzle Timeline. Provide each student with one puzzle piece per event on the timeline. Inside the puzzle piece, have them illustrate ...

  5. Story Sequence

    Story sequence is the order in which events take place in a narrative. In simplest terms, sequencing a story means identifying the main narrative components — the beginning, middle, and end—as a first step towards retelling the events of the story in logical order. Story sequencing is also a precursor for more sophisticated ways of ...

  6. How to Write a Chronological Essay

    5 Tips on Writing a Chronological Essay. 5.1 Pick an Idea and Make a Plan. 5.2 Use a Variety of Sentence Structures to Keep Your Writing Interesting. 5.3 Provide Sufficient Details. 5.4 Use Transitional Words and Phrases, Such As "First," "Next," and "Then," to Indicate the Chronological Flow. 5.5 Use Headings and Subheadings to ...

  7. Teaching Chronological Order with Task Cards

    A summary is the ultimate way to practice both reading skills (identifying the chronological order of events in a story) and writing skills (writing a narrative). Multiple Choice Text Structure When you're looking for an assignment where students answers are either definitely right or definitely wrong, with no gray areas, multiple choice is ...

  8. ESL001: Reading and Writing in Chronological Order

    This means that the events in a story happen in order from beginning to end. Writing in chronological order helps the reader follow what is happening in a story. For example, if a student wants to prepare for an exam, she will first go to class, then study, and finally, take the exam. These events all happen in an order the reader knows.

  9. Organize

    Writers must put their ideas in order so the assignment makes sense. The most common orders are chronological order, spatial order, and order of importance. After gathering and evaluating the information you found for your essay, the next step is to write a working, or preliminary, thesis statement.

  10. Chronological Order

    Chronological order is mostly used in expository writing, which is a form of writing that narrates, describes, informs, or explains a process. When using chronological order, arrange the events in the order that they actually happened, or will happen if you are giving instructions. This method requires you to use words such as first, second ...

  11. Quia

    Practice for Chronological order assignment. Use your notes, book, quia.com activities, and internet searches to put the following items in the correct chronological order (In the order that they happened). Tools. Copy this to my account; E-mail to a friend; Find other activities; Start over; Help; Mr. Bullock. 7th grade Science Teacher.

  12. Organizational Strategies and Chronological Order

    In composition and speech, chronological order is a method of organization in which actions or events are presented as they occur or occurred in time and can also be called time or linear order. Narratives and process analysis essays commonly rely on chronological order. Morton Miller points out in his 1980 book "Reading and Writing Short Essay ...

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    Chronological order is mostly used in expository writing, which is a form of writing that narrates, describes, informs, or explains a process. When using chronological order, arrange the events in the order that they actually happened, or will happen if you are giving instructions. ... For a longer assignment, like an essay or a research paper ...

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  15. Using Chronological Order in Your Academic Papers Effectively

    According to assignment writing services, this section covers three ways to organize body paragraphs: Chronological order ; Order of importance ; Spatial order ; Chronological Order: Chronological arrangement has the following purposes: To explain the history of an event or a topic; To tell a story or relate an experience

  16. Nonfiction Text Structures: Chronological/Sequential Writing Prompts

    Description. Students practice using chronological and sequential skills through writing prompts. The student completes the center square on the first day and then selects three from the outside boxes to complete throughout the week. Instructions include signal words appropriate for the structure as well as a sample paragraph for the first prompt.

  17. 5.2 Methods of Organizing Your Writing

    Chronological Order. Chronological arrangement has the following purposes: To explain the history of an event or a topic; To tell a story or relate an experience; To explain how to do or to make something; To explain the steps in a process. Chronological order is used mostly in expository writing which is a form of writing that narrates ...

  18. Free Timeline Templates

    Swimlane PowerPoint template that clearly lays out the framework of a project, from scheduling activities to task assignment and resource management. ... Free timeline chart example that outlines the major deliverables of a project in chronological order, helping project planners and managers visually communicate all the critical project ...

  19. Using Organizational Aids Flashcards

    [NOT] - chronological order - random order - order of importance - comparison and contrast - cause and solution. ... chronological order. Lena's assignment is to write about the pros and cons of a shorter school year. She needs to begin her paper with an introduction, follow it with an explanation, and wrap it up with a conclusion.

  20. The History and Arrangement of the Periodic Table Assignment ...

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  21. [Assignments] assignment ordering: "sort chronolog...

    A similar tool would be highly useful for course organization / navigation. Obviously, something built inside Canvas would be better than using an external tool to sort. Previous. 1. 2. 3. Next. on the assignment page next to the group title there is a gear icon representing settings. on that drag down menu bar it would be wonderful - 342461.

  22. How to sort by date in Excel: in chronological order, by month, auto sort

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  23. Technological design Assignment Flashcards

    Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like Use the drop-down menus to put the stages of technological design in chronological order. Implement a solution. Identify a problem or need. Evaluate the solution. Design a solution., Use the drop-down menus to indicate the stage of technological design in which each action would occur. Establish criteria and prepare the initial ...

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