Meaning & use
pre-sort
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Meanings
verbtransitivebusiness
to arrange things into groups before they are officially handled or processed.
Grammar: Takes an object: pre-sort the mail before delivery.
Patterns
- pre-sort something
- pre-sort something by something
- pre-sort something into something
The company pre-sorts its letters to get a cheaper postage rate.
Please pre-sort the recycling into paper, plastic, and glass.
Workers pre-sort the packages by size before they go on the truck.
adjectivebefore a nounbusiness
already arranged into groups before a later step.
Grammar: Used before a noun: pre-sort bins, pre-sort trays.
Patterns
- pre-sort bins
- pre-sort trays
The pre-sort bins are labeled for different materials.
We use pre-sort trays to keep the documents in order.
Word forms
| third person singular | pre-sorts |
|---|---|
| past tense | pre-sorted |
| past participle | pre-sorted |
| -ing form | pre-sorting |
Common combinations
- pre-sort the mail
- The assistant pre-sorts the mail every morning.
- pre-sort by size
- The app can pre-sort the photos by size.
- pre-sort into categories
- We pre-sort the data into categories before analysis.
- pre-sort the recycling
- Please pre-sort the recycling before you bring it to the center.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
Commonly confused: pre-sort or sort?
pre-sort vs sort
Sort is the general action; pre-sort means to sort before the main sorting or processing happens.
Practice
To save time later, the clerk will ___ the applications by date before they are reviewed.
Choose one answer.
After 'will' we use the base form 'pre-sort'. 'Pre-sorted' is a past form, 'pre-sorting' is an -ing form, and 'pre-sorts' is third person singular, none of which follow 'will'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “pre-sort”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.