We present a Zermelo–Fraenkel ( $\textbf {ZF}$ ) consistency result regarding bi-orderability of groups. A classical consequence of the ultrafilter lemma is that a group is bi-orderable if and only if it is locally bi-orderable. We show that there exists a model of $\textbf {ZF}$ plus dependent choice in which there is a group which is locally free (ergo locally bi-orderable) and not bi-orderable, and the group can be given a total order. The model also includes a torsion-free abelian group which is not bi-orderable but can be given a total order.

Every left-invariant ordering of a group is either discrete, meaning there is a least element greater than the identity, or dense. Corresponding to this dichotomy, the spaces of left, Conradian, and bi-orderings of a group are naturally partitioned into two subsets. This note investigates the structure of this partition, specifically the set of dense orderings of a group and its closure within the space of orderings. We show that for bi-orderable groups, this closure will always contain the space of Conradian orderings—and often much more. In particular, the closure of the set of dense orderings of the free group is the entire space of left-orderings.