Verbal Reasoning: Codes Set 5
Verbal Reasoning: Codes Set 5 is the final and most demanding practice round on letter and number codes in this collection, covering rules that depend on whether a letter is a vowel or a consonant, codes confirmed from two demonstration words at once, and number codes that use a letter's position in the word as part of the arithmetic rule rather than only its alphabet position.
Method
- Read every demonstration word and its code as a pair, and check for a rule that depends on POSITION (1st, 2nd, 3rd letter) before assuming the rule depends only on which specific letter it is.
- Check whether the rule depends on whether each letter is a vowel (A, E, I, O, U) or a consonant, since some codes treat the two groups completely differently.
- Where two demonstration words and their codes are given, check the same suspected rule against both words in turn, since a rule that only matches one word by coincidence will fail on the second.
- For number codes, check whether the arithmetic rule uses a fixed number, or whether it uses the letter's position in the word itself, such as multiplying the alphabet position by the position in the word.
- Apply the confirmed rule methodically to every letter of the new word, writing out each individual calculation rather than trying to do the whole word in your head.
- Once you have your finished code, check it once more against the type of rule you identified, since a single miscounted vowel, consonant or position number will throw off the whole answer.
Worked example
In this code, every vowel (A, E, I, O, U) moves 2 places forward in the alphabet, and every consonant moves 1 place back. If the code for TIGER is SKFGQ, what is the code for CLOUD, using the same rule?
- Check the rule against TIGER: T is a consonant so moves back 1 to S; I is a vowel so moves forward 2 to K; G is a consonant so moves back 1 to F; E is a vowel so moves forward 2 to G; R is a consonant so moves back 1 to Q, giving SKFGQ, which matches.
- Identify each letter of CLOUD as a vowel or a consonant: C consonant, L consonant, O vowel, U vowel, D consonant.
- Apply the rule to the two consonants first: C moves back 1 to B, and L moves back 1 to K.
- Apply the rule to the two vowels: O moves forward 2 to Q, and U moves forward 2 to W.
- Apply the rule to the last consonant, D, moving back 1 to C, and write all five coded letters in order: B, K, Q, W, C. Final answer: BKQWC.
Practice questions
Try each question, then tap to reveal the answer.
Q1In this code, every vowel moves 3 places forward in the alphabet, and every consonant moves 2 places back. If the code for STONE is QRRLH, what is the code for PLAIN, using the same rule? A) NJDLL B) NJDGL C) NJLDL D) NJDLG E) OJDLLShow answer
Answer: A) NJDLL - P(cons,-2)=N, L(cons,-2)=J, A(vowel,+3)=D, I(vowel,+3)=L, N(cons,-2)=L, giving NJDLL.
Q2In this code, DOG is GRJ and CAT is FDW. Using the same rule, what is the code for BOAT? A) ERDW B) EQDW C) FRDW D) ERDV E) DRDWShow answer
Answer: A) ERDW - both demonstration words confirm that each letter shifts forward 3 places, so B+3=E, O+3=R, A+3=D, T+3=W.
Q3In this code, each letter's code number equals its alphabet position multiplied by its position in the word (the 1st letter x1, the 2nd letter x2, the 3rd letter x3, and so on). What is the code for CAB?Show answer
Answer: 3-2-6 - C is the 3rd letter of the alphabet x1=3, A is the 1st letter x2=2, B is the 2nd letter x3=6.
Q4In this code, every vowel's alphabet position is doubled, and every consonant's alphabet position stays the same. Using this rule, which word does the code 6-12-30-7 represent?Show answer
Answer: FLOG - 6 is F (consonant, position stays 6), 12 is L (consonant, position stays 12), 30 is O doubled (O is the 15th letter, 15x2=30), 7 is G (consonant, position stays 7).
Q5If the code for MOUSE is OQWUG, what is the code for RIVER, using the same rule? A) TKXGT B) TKXGU C) SKXGT D) TJXGT E) TKWGTShow answer
Answer: A) TKXGT - every letter moves 2 places forward in the alphabet, so R+2=T, I+2=K, V+2=X, E+2=G, R+2=T.
Q6In this code, every vowel moves 1 place back in the alphabet, and every consonant moves 4 places forward. What is the code for LAMP?Show answer
Answer: PZQT - L(cons,+4)=P, A(vowel,-1) wraps round to Z, M(cons,+4)=Q, P(cons,+4)=T.
Exam-style questions
Written in the style of a 11+ exam paper, with a full mark scheme.
In this code, every vowel moves 2 places forward in the alphabet, and every consonant moves 3 places back. If the code for WATER is TCQGO, what is the code for CANDY, using the same rule? Show your working.
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In this code, PEN is RGP and BAT is DCV. Using the same rule, what is the code for RUN? Explain how the two demonstration words helped you confirm the rule.
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In this code, each letter's code number equals its alphabet position multiplied by its position in the word (the 1st letter x1, the 2nd letter x2, the 3rd letter x3). The code for a 3-letter word is 2-2-12. Work out the word, showing your working for each letter.
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Free printable worksheet
Want more practice on paper? Download the verbal reasoning: codes set 5 worksheet pack - 13 pages of exam-style questions with a full mark scheme. One email opens every download in this browser for 14 days - no account, no card. Print it for personal and classroom use.
This topic is chapter 39 of 11+ Verbal Reasoning Workbook 2, the whole course as one free printable PDF.
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