Instructions
In each of the following questions, find the letters that best complete the series. The alphabet has been provided to assist you.
Method
To solve this question you look at the relationship between letters in the Alphabet Line. Work out how the first letter of each pair is related to find the first letter of the answer and then work out how the second letters of each pair are related to find the second letter of your answer.
Video Tutorial
Change Cookie Settings
Examples
Constant Step Variation
The step between the first letter of each pair is constant. The step between the second letter of each pair is constant. The first-letter-step and second-letter-step can be the same or different from each other.
Example Question 1:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
JW KS LO MK NG [ ___ ]
Answer: OC
Explanation: first-letter-sequence is +1 +1 +1 +1 and second-letter-sequence is -4 -4 -4 -4
Example Question 2:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
GI, EH, CG, AF, YE, [ ______ ]
Answer: WD
Explanation: first-letter-sequence is -2 -2 -2 -2 -2 and second-letter-sequence is -1 -1 -1 -1 -1
Incrementing / Decrementing Step Variation
The steps between the letters can increase (or decrease).
Incrementing
Example Question 3:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
AB DC HD ME
Answer: SF
Explanation: first-letter-sequence is +3 +4 +5 +6 … and second-letter-sequence is +1 +1 +1 +1 …
Decrementing
Example Question 4:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
EN DS CW BZ
Answer: AB
Explanation: first-letter-sequence is -1 -1 -1 -1 … and second-letter-sequence is +5 +4 +3 +2 …
Sign Flipper Variation
The step between each letter flips between positive and negative (forwards or backwards in the Alphabet Line).
Example Question 5:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
DF, EG, CE, FH, BD
Answer: GI
Explanation: Pattern between both the first and second letters is: +1 -2 +3 -4 i.e. D + 1 = E and F + 1 = G. The next in the pattern would be +5. So, B + 5 = G and D + 5 = I.
Double Sequence Variation
Occasionally you will find a Verbal Reasoning Type 1 question like this…
Example Question 6:
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
BC XW DE UT FG RQ HI
Answer: ON
Explanation: This question can be thought of as containing two sequences in the one question. The easiest way to solve these is to look at every other pair of letters and see if you can find a sequence there. The example above can be broken down into these two sequences.
BC DE FG HI
XW UT RQ
The next pair in the question would logically come from the second sequence.
The pattern is -3 between both first and second letters.
So, R – 3 = O and Q – 3 = N
