Letter Sequences
Completing patterns in series of letters
Explanation
What are Letter Sequences?
Letter sequences are ordered patterns where letters change according to a rule. Your job is to find the rule and identify the next letter(s) in the series.
Basic Patterns
- Skip 1: A, C, E, G, I (+2 each time)
- Skip 2: A, D, G, J, M (+3 each time)
- Reverse: Z, Y, X, W, V (−1 each time)
- Alternating: A, Z, B, Y, C, X (one forward, one backward)
The Alphabet Position Chart
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
Letter–Number Combined Sequences & Key Tips
- A1, B2, C3, D4, ___ → E5 (both increment by 1)
- Z1, Y3, X5, W7, ___ → V9 (letter −1, number +2)
Key Tips
- Convert letters to their position numbers — arithmetic patterns are easier to spot
- Check odd-position and even-position terms separately for alternating sequences
- If the sequence wraps past Z, continue from A (e.g. Y, Z, A, B)
- For two-letter groups (AB, DE, GH...) find the gap between the starting letters
Practice Questions
Test your knowledge of Letter Sequences with a timed quiz. Answers are revealed at the end.
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