Letter Series: Practice Set 2
Letter Series: Practice Set 2 is a second practice round for GL Assessment-style letter series questions, using the same core skill of converting each letter to its position in the alphabet (A=1 to Z=26) and tracking how that position changes. It pushes into harder patterns such as series that wrap around past Z back to A, series that alternate between two step sizes, series where the gap itself grows, and two series woven together into one line of letters.
Before you start
Make sure you're comfortable with these topics first:
Method
- Convert every letter shown to its alphabet position (A=1 to Z=26) before hunting for a pattern, rather than counting forward letter by letter under time pressure.
- Find the gap between each consecutive pair of positions and write the gaps down in a row; a constant row of gaps means a simple add or subtract rule.
- If a position runs past 26, subtract 26 to wrap back round to the start of the alphabet; if a position goes below 1, add 26 to wrap back round from the end.
- If the gaps alternate between two different numbers, list them in order to check whether the two-gap pattern itself simply repeats, for example +3, -2, +3, -2.
- If letters are woven together in one line, split them into two separate series first (every other letter) and find the rule for each one on its own.
- Recompute the final answer once more before choosing an option, since wraparound arithmetic is the easiest place to slip under time pressure.
Worked example
Find the letter that continues the series: V, X, Z, B, ( ? )
- Convert each letter to its alphabet position: V=22, X=24, Z=26, B=2.
- Find the gap between each pair: 24-22=2, 26-24=2, and from Z to B the count runs past 26 to 1 (A) then 2 (B), which is also a gap of 2.
- The gap is constant at 2 all the way through, so the rule is add 2 places, wrapping back to A after Z.
- Apply the rule once more to B: position 2 + 2 = position 4, which is D.
- Final answer: D.
Practice questions
Try each question, then tap to reveal the answer.
Q1Find the letter that continues the series: W, Z, C, F, ( ? ) A) H B) G C) I D) J E) FShow answer
Answer: C) I - each letter moves forward 3 places, wrapping from Z back to A
Q2Find the letter that continues the series: B, E, C, F, D, ( ? ) A) G B) A C) H D) F E) IShow answer
Answer: A) G - the series alternates +3 then -2 (B to E is +3, E to C is -2, C to F is +3, F to D is -2, so D to the answer is +3)
Q3Find the letter that continues the series: Z, W, S, N, H, ( ? ) A) A B) C C) B D) E E) FShow answer
Answer: A) A - the amount subtracted grows by 1 each time: -3, -4, -5, -6, then -7 from H wraps round to A
Q4Find the letter that continues the series: C, Y, F, V, I, S, ( ? ) A) L B) K C) M D) P E) NShow answer
Answer: A) L - two series are woven together; the odd positions C, F, I add 3 each time, so the next is I+3=L
Q5These letter pairs follow a pattern where the gap between the pairs grows each time. Find the next pair: AB, DE, HI, ( ? ) A) MN B) LM C) NO D) MO E) NMShow answer
Answer: A) MN - A to D to H grows by 3 then 4, so the next gap is 5, giving H+5=M and I+5=N
Q6Find the letter that continues the series: K, N, J, M, I, ( ? ) A) L B) H C) M D) K E) JShow answer
Answer: A) L - the series alternates +3 then -4 (K to N is +3, N to J is -4, J to M is +3, M to I is -4, so I to the answer is +3)
Exam-style questions
Written in the style of a 11+ exam paper, with a full mark scheme.
Find the next letter in this series, and explain how you handled the wraparound: X, A, D, G, ( ? ) A) H B) I C) J D) K E) G
Show mark scheme
Tick each line you got. Your score builds from the marks on the scheme.
Nothing ticked yet - 2 available
This series alternates between two different jumps. Find the missing letter and state the two gap sizes you used: Y, B, X, A, W, ( ? ) A) Z B) V C) T D) C E) Y
Show mark scheme
Tick each line you got. Your score builds from the marks on the scheme.
Nothing ticked yet - 3 available
Free printable worksheet
Want more practice on paper? Download the letter series: practice set 2 worksheet pack - 9 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 32 of 11+ Verbal Reasoning Workbook 2, the whole course as one free printable PDF.
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