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Academy11+

Verbal Reasoning · Topic 1 of 20 · Free lesson

Alphabet positions

Most letter questions are built on the alphabet line. Knowing each letter's position (A = 1, Z = 26) and its mirror letter (A and Z, B and Y) lets you count jumps in seconds instead of chanting from A.

What it is

Most letter questions are built on the alphabet line. Knowing each letter's position (A = 1, Z = 26) and its mirror letter (A and Z, B and Y) lets you count jumps in seconds instead of chanting from A.

Levels 1–3 · Alphabet and codes

Remember

E J O T Y are 5, 10, 15, 20, 25. Say it like a word: 'ejoty'.

Light bulb

Mirror letters always add up to 27. A (1) and Z (26), B (2) and Y (25)… so the mirror of any letter is 27 take away its number.

Getting started (Levels 1–2)

The method

  1. 1Write A to Z across the top of your rough paper before you start.
  2. 2Learn the anchor letters: E is 5, J is 10, O is 15, T is 20, Y is 25.
  3. 3Count on or back from the nearest anchor: R is 3 after O, so R is 18.
  4. 4A letter and its mirror add up to 27: M (13) pairs with N (14).

Worked example

What position is R in the alphabet, and what is its mirror letter?

  1. A
  2. B
  3. C
  4. D
  5. E
  6. F
  7. G
  8. H
  9. I
  10. J
  11. K
  12. L
  13. M
  1. Z
  2. Y
  3. X
  4. W
  5. V
  6. U
  7. T
  8. S
  9. R
  10. Q
  11. P
  12. O
  13. N

Each letter sits over its mirror letter: A and Z, B and Y…

  1. 1.O is 15, and R is 3 more, so R is 18
  2. 2.Mirror letters add up to 27: 27 − 18 = 9
  3. =The 9th letter is I: R = 18, mirror I

Understanding it

Almost every letter question secretly turns letters into numbers. Once A is 1 and Z is 26, a letter puzzle becomes simple adding and taking away. That is why strong children never count from A: they jump to the nearest anchor letter and count a few places on or back.

Think of the alphabet as a number line you can walk along. Moving forward means adding, moving back means taking away, and the mirror letter is the same distance from the other end. Halfway between two letters is just their two numbers added together and halved, like finding the middle of a ruler.

In GL papers you rarely get asked a letter's position on its own. Instead, positions hide inside codes, letter series and letter connections. CEM papers mix letters into other puzzles. Either way, the child who knows the positions by heart saves a few seconds on every question, which adds up to minutes.

Key words

position
A letter's place in the alphabet, counting A as 1.
anchor letter
An easy letter to remember: E, J, O, T or Y.
mirror letter
The letter the same distance from the other end.
jump
One step along the alphabet to the next letter.

Step by step

Which letter is exactly halfway between G and U?

  1. 1.G is 2 after E, so G is 7
  2. 2.U is 1 after T, so U is 21
  3. 3.Add and halve: 7 + 21 = 28, and 28 ÷ 2 = 14
  4. =The 14th letter is N

Common mistakes

  • Counting letters you can see instead of jumps, so D to G becomes 4.

    Count the steps between letters: D to G is 3 jumps.

  • Finding a mirror letter by guessing which looks opposite.

    Take the letter's number away from 27, then find that letter.

  • Chanting from A every time and losing your place.

    Start from the nearest anchor letter, E, J, O, T or Y.

Exam level (Levels 3–4)

Which letter is exactly halfway between D and R?

  1. D1
  2. E2
  3. F3
  4. G4
  5. H5
  6. I6
  7. J7
  8. K8
  9. L9
  10. M10
  11. N11
  12. O12
  13. P13
  14. Q14
  15. R15
  • D → K: +7
  • K → R: +7
  1. 1.D is 4 and R is 18
  2. 2.Halfway: add them and halve: 22 ÷ 2 = 11
  3. =The 11th letter is K

Watch out

Count the jumps, not the letters. From D to G is 3 jumps (to E, F, G), even though you can see four letters.

Exam tip

Write the alphabet with 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 over E, J, O, T and Y as soon as the test starts. It takes 20 seconds and saves minutes.

Quick check

Work each one out, then tap to see the answer.

  1. 1 · Level 1

    What number is H in the alphabet?

    Show the answer

    8

  2. 2 · Level 2

    What is the mirror letter of F?

    Show the answer

    U

  3. 3 · Level 3

    Which letter is 4 places before the mirror letter of C?

    Show the answer

    T

11+ example questions, worked

Real 11+ style questions, solved for you. Read how each one is done.

  1. 11+ example question 1

    If these words were put in alphabetical order, which word would come fourth? smile pass shout skirt ram

    • Ashout
    • Bram
    • Cpass
    • Dsmile
    • Eskirt

    How to solve it: In alphabetical order the words are: pass, ram, shout, skirt, smile. The fourth word is skirt.

  2. 11+ example question 2

    If these words were put in alphabetical order, which word would come fourth? trust taste thick shark view

    • Ataste
    • Bview
    • Cshark
    • Dthick
    • Etrust

    How to solve it: In alphabetical order the words are: shark, taste, thick, trust, view. The fourth word is trust.

Try it

Have a go on your own. We'll mark each one as you go.

5 questions

  1. 1.If these words were put in alphabetical order, which word would come second? waist habit open read said

  2. 2.If these words were put in alphabetical order, which word would come fourth? pine base canoe list hunt

  3. 3.If these words were put in alphabetical order, which word would come second? strip idea woman lucky hope

  4. 4.If these words were put in alphabetical order, which word would come third? prize gold soft fuel image

  5. 5.If these words were put in alphabetical order, which word would come second? dizzy green gap glove frame

Next: Letter sequences
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