# What are some groups of 3 words or more that can be combined in any order to create valid sentences? **URL:** \ **Category:** Thread Games\ **Created:** [May 16, 2023, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-groups-of-3-words-or-more-that-can-be-combined-in-any-order-to-create-valid-sentences/984126 "2023-05-16T16:35:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2023, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-groups-of-3-words-or-more-that-can-be-combined-in-any-order-to-create-valid-sentences/984126/1 "2023-05-16T16:35:04Z")
I was wondering about groups of words which can be combined in any order such that they always make valid sentences. I can think of groups with 2 words, but not groups with 3 words or more. For example, the small group with the words (you, were) can make the sentences “You were.” and “Were you?”. I might think to add the word “there” to the group since it works for “There you were.” and “Were you there?”, but it doesn’t work if it’s in the middle like “You there were.”. Are there any groups of words (non slang words) larger than 2 that can be combined in any order to make valid sentences? ---
**Author:** ![vbob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vbob/32/4439_2.png) [@vbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vbob)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2023, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-groups-of-3-words-or-more-that-can-be-combined-in-any-order-to-create-valid-sentences/984126/2 "2023-05-16T16:47:34Z")
Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo > **[Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_buffalo_Buffalo_buffalo)** > > "Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo" is a grammatically correct sentence in English that is often presented as an example of how homonyms and homophones can be used to create complicated linguistic constructs through lexical ambiguity. It has been discussed in literature in various forms since 1967, when it appeared in Dmitri Borgmann's Beyond Language: Adventures in Word and Thought. > The sentence employs three distinct meanings of the word buffalo: > A semanticall... ---
**Author:** ![tofor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tofor/32/13727_2.png) [@tofor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tofor)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2023, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-groups-of-3-words-or-more-that-can-be-combined-in-any-order-to-create-valid-sentences/984126/3 "2023-05-16T18:23:48Z")
See you there. See there, you! You there, see? You, see there. There, you see? ~~There see you.~~ So close. Look there, you. Look you, there. You there, look. You look there. There you look. There, look you. Pretty close, though some of the constructions are rather old fashioned. The last one is a bit questionable, I admit. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2023, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-groups-of-3-words-or-more-that-can-be-combined-in-any-order-to-create-valid-sentences/984126/4 "2023-05-16T19:46:25Z")
> [@tofor](#): > > There see you. Throw in a comma and it’s a valid statement in poker. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2023, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-groups-of-3-words-or-more-that-can-be-combined-in-any-order-to-create-valid-sentences/984126/5 "2023-05-17T05:20:55Z")
Or hide-and-seek. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2023, 10:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-groups-of-3-words-or-more-that-can-be-combined-in-any-order-to-create-valid-sentences/984126/6 "2023-05-17T10:02:45Z")
Hide and seek. Seek and hide. And seek hide. And hide seek. Seek hide and. Hide seek and. I’m not seeing it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2023, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-groups-of-3-words-or-more-that-can-be-combined-in-any-order-to-create-valid-sentences/984126/7 "2023-05-17T10:14:58Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > I was wondering about groups of words which can be combined in any order such that they always make valid sentences. I can think of groups with 2 words, but not groups with 3 words or more. I was wondering: who watches the watchmen? Who, as it were, polices the police? Police police police. ---
**Author:** ![Stanislaus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stanislaus/32/3391_2.png) [@Stanislaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stanislaus)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2023, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-groups-of-3-words-or-more-that-can-be-combined-in-any-order-to-create-valid-sentences/984126/8 "2023-05-17T10:48:07Z")
Don’t stop now. Don’t, now stop. Now, don’t stop. Now stop…don’t! Stop now, don’t! Stop… don’t… now! Last one’s a bit shaky. Fish rose here Fish here, Rose Here fish rose Here, Rose, fish! Rose, fish here Rose, here - fish! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2023, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-groups-of-3-words-or-more-that-can-be-combined-in-any-order-to-create-valid-sentences/984126/9 "2023-05-17T10:55:07Z")
Mark, pat Chase. ---
**Author:** ![tofor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tofor/32/13727_2.png) [@tofor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tofor)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2023, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-groups-of-3-words-or-more-that-can-be-combined-in-any-order-to-create-valid-sentences/984126/10 "2023-05-17T11:58:50Z")
Three names that are also verbs. Nice. Probably works with any 3 verb names? Chuck Josh, Lance. Chuck Lance, Josh. Lance Chuck, Josh. Lance Josh, Chuck. Josh Chuck, Lance. Josh Lance, Chuck. Yeah, so long as the verb is a thing you can do to a person: - Bill - Buzz (e.g. in an airplane) - Candy (e.g. cook in sugar. Gruesome, but syntactically correct.) - Chase - Chuck - Flip - Harry (harass) - Hector - Jack - Josh - Lance - Mark - Mike - Nick - Pat - Pierce - Rob - Skip - Stew (eww) - Sue - Tip ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2023, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-groups-of-3-words-or-more-that-can-be-combined-in-any-order-to-create-valid-sentences/984126/11 "2023-05-17T17:56:08Z")
> [@Stanislaus](#): > > Stop… don’t… now! > > Last one’s a bit shaky. Perfectly valid command from the skip to the sweepers in curling, on a close shot, telling them to stop sweeping, hold off, and now sweep hard! ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2023, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-groups-of-3-words-or-more-that-can-be-combined-in-any-order-to-create-valid-sentences/984126/12 "2023-05-17T18:01:18Z")
Not where I went with that **at all**. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2023, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-groups-of-3-words-or-more-that-can-be-combined-in-any-order-to-create-valid-sentences/984126/13 "2023-05-17T18:08:15Z")
The more common phrase is: “Hurry! Hurry hard!!” ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2023, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-groups-of-3-words-or-more-that-can-be-combined-in-any-order-to-create-valid-sentences/984126/14 "2023-05-17T18:15:01Z")
That would be three consecutive one-word imperatives, not a single sentence. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2023, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-groups-of-3-words-or-more-that-can-be-combined-in-any-order-to-create-valid-sentences/984126/15 "2023-05-17T18:27:54Z")
> [@vbob](#): > > Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Has that verb ever been used except with buffalo on either side or the movie of the same name? ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2023, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-groups-of-3-words-or-more-that-can-be-combined-in-any-order-to-create-valid-sentences/984126/16 "2023-05-17T19:06:07Z")
“Buffalo Bill? I hardly know him!” ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2023, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-groups-of-3-words-or-more-that-can-be-combined-in-any-order-to-create-valid-sentences/984126/17 "2023-05-17T19:19:12Z")
ChatGPT to the recue! **Me:** Can you think of three words that, when combined in any permutation, still produce a valid sentence? > **ChatGPT:** Certainly! Here are three words that, when combined in any permutation, can produce valid sentences: > > “The” > “cat” > “sat” > Permutations: > > The cat sat. > The sat cat. > Cat the sat. > Cat sat the. > Sat the cat. > Sat cat the. > These combinations can create simple and grammatically correct sentences, regardless of the order in which they appear. [![](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/deja_q_hd_046_resized_6484.jpg) ](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/deja_q_hd_046_resized_6484.jpg) **Me:** That’s not right, is it? > **ChatGPT:** You’re right, and I apologize for the errors. The words I provided earlier do not form valid sentences in all permutations. Here, however, are three words that, when combined in any order, can create valid sentences: > > 1. “I” > 2. “ate” > 3. “an” > > Valid sentence permutations: > > - I ate an. > - I an ate. > - Ate I an. > - Ate an I. > - An I ate. > - An ate I. > > With these three words, you can form valid sentences regardless of the word order. Once again, I apologize for the previous incorrect responses, and I appreciate your patience. [https://www.syfy.com/sites/syfy/files/styles/blog-post-embedded--mobile/public/2020/01/picard-data-the-offspring.jpg](https://www.syfy.com/sites/syfy/files/styles/blog-post-embedded--mobile/public/2020/01/picard-data-the-offspring.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2023, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-groups-of-3-words-or-more-that-can-be-combined-in-any-order-to-create-valid-sentences/984126/18 "2023-05-17T19:36:54Z")
[Hate(s) Trump(s) Love(s)](https://schumanchu.eu/html/l/l_00013permutations.html) ---
**Author:** ![Blindmellowjelly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blindmellowjelly/32/13920_2.png) [@Blindmellowjelly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blindmellowjelly)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2023, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-groups-of-3-words-or-more-that-can-be-combined-in-any-order-to-create-valid-sentences/984126/19 "2023-05-17T19:45:30Z")
Eww, that smell. ---
**Author:** ![vbob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vbob/32/4439_2.png) [@vbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vbob)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2023, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-groups-of-3-words-or-more-that-can-be-combined-in-any-order-to-create-valid-sentences/984126/20 "2023-05-17T22:05:58Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > Has that verb ever been used except with buffalo on either side or the movie of the same name? This is just the latest instance of my unavoidable urge to buffalo my fellow dopers. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-some-groups-of-3-words-or-more-that-can-be-combined-in-any-order-to-create-valid-sentences/984126.md?page=2)