Sally assisted me in buying my … yesterday.

Analyze the question: The blank needs a noun phrase with several modifiers before the noun "dress". The question tests the order of adjectives and the correct use of intensifiers like "very".

Explain the concept:

• "Party" is a noun used as a modifier (a noun adjunct). It forms a compound with the noun, "party dress", and it must sit right next to the noun it describes.
• "Very first" is a fixed expression. "Very" here emphasizes "first", so it must come directly before it ("the very first time").
• Order: emphasizer + ordinal/number + noun adjunct + head noun. That gives very first party dress.

Check each option:

• A. very first party dress: "very" emphasizes "first", and "party" sits next to "dress". ✔
• B. first very party dress: "very" is separated from "first" and wrongly modifies "party". ✘
• C. party very first dress: "party" is detached from "dress", which breaks the compound. ✘
• D. party dress first very: the order is completely jumbled. ✘

Answer: The complete sentence reads: *Sally assisted me in buying my very first party dress yesterday.

Exam tip: Keep the noun adjunct (like "party", "school", "bed") right next to the main noun, as in "party dress", "school bag", "bedroom slipper". Also remember that "very" goes directly before the word it emphasizes: "the very first", "the very best".