In order of

Yazar

28/12/2025

Return to > Dictionary

1. Definition + Rich Everyday Explanation

In order of (prepositional phrase) = arranged or listed according to a specific criterion, such as importance, size, time, priority, or sequence.

In order of is used when you want to show that things are not random — they follow a clear organizing principle. What comes after the phrase explains the rule you are using: importance, difficulty, age, price, frequency, and so on.

In everyday English, this phrase is very common in explanations, instructions, education, and professional settings. It helps listeners or readers understand how to interpret a list. Without it, a list may feel unclear or confusing.

It is often followed by words like importance, priority, size, difficulty, or chronological order.

Examples from the street:

“List the tasks in order of importance” → start with what matters most
“Students are seated in order of height” → from shortest to tallest
“Events are shown in order of time” → earliest to latest

2. Most Common Patterns

in order of importance → from most important to least
in order of priority → based on urgency
in order of size → smallest to largest or vice versa
in order of difficulty → easiest to hardest
in order of age → youngest to oldest or the opposite
in order of appearance → based on when things appear

3. Phrasal Verbs

Note: There are no common phrasal verbs directly containing “in order of” — these are related expressions about arranging, organizing, or sequencing that native speakers often use instead.

line up → arrange in a sequence
Example: “Please line up in order of height.”
sort out → organize systematically
Example: “Let’s sort the files out by date.”

4. Example Sentences

The topics are arranged in order of importance
→ The most important comes first.
Please rank the options in order of priority
→ Decide what should be done first.
The books are displayed in order of size
→ They go from small to large.
Exercises are listed in order of difficulty
→ They progress from easy to hard.
The students spoke in order of appearance
→ Each spoke when their turn came.
The events are explained in order of time
→ The sequence follows the timeline.
Tasks should be completed in order of urgency
→ The most urgent tasks come first.
The names were read in order of registration
→ Based on when people signed up.
Questions are answered in order of relevance
→ The most relevant are handled first.
The rules are introduced in order of complexity
→ Simple rules come before complex ones.

5. Personal Examples

When planning lessons, I organise activities in order of difficulty
→ Easier tasks help students build confidence.
While studying English, I review vocabulary in order of importance
→ High-frequency words come first.