Alphabet series questions test how quickly you can count positions in the alphabet. ASO asked five of them in 2015 and one in 2025. They are among the fastest marks in the paper once the positions are memorised.
Keep the positions ready
A1 B2 C3 D4 E5 F6 G7 H8 I9 J10 K11 L12 M13 N14 O15 P16 Q17 R18 S19 T20 U21 V22 W23 X24 Y25 Z26. Use EJOTY (5, 10, 15, 20, 25) as anchors. Reverse position = 27 − position.
Types
1. Single letters with a fixed or changing gap
V, R, N, J, F, B: −4 each (ASO 2025). Gaps can grow (+1, +2, +3) or alternate (+1, +3).
2. Two series mixed together
Z, L, X, J, V, H, T, F, R, D: Z X V T R and L J H F D, both −2 (ASO 2015).
3. Letter groups
Treat each position as its own series. BD, GI, LN, QS, VX: both letters +5. cx, fu, ir, lo: first letter +3, second letter −3. OTE, PUF, QVG, RWH, SXI: all +1 (ASO 2015).
4. Repeating blocks with blanks
Example: ab_ba_bab_ab. Find the shortest block that repeats (for example "ab" or "abc"), write it under the series, then read off the missing letters. Check your answer by filling it in, because a wrong option usually breaks the repetition somewhere.
Tips
- Going past Z wraps round to A (Y + 3 = B).
- If a letter group looks random, check whether one position moves forward and another moves backward.