Alphabet Test Notes for SSC Exams

The alphabet test is the base of all letter-based reasoning questions: series, coding-decoding, analogy and word arrangement. It tests how fast you can find the position of a letter, its opposite letter and the number of letters between two letters. These alphabet test notes for SSC give the position table, the opposite letter pairs and the tricks with solved examples and practice questions.

Position of Letters

Learn the letters E, J, O, T, Y (EJOTY), which are at positions 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25. From these, you can find any other letter in a few seconds.

Opposite Letters

• The sum of the positions of a letter and its opposite is always 27.
• Position from the right = 27 − position from the left.

Vowels and Consonants

• The five vowels are A (1), E (5), I (9), O (15) and U (21).
• The other 21 letters are consonants.
• The word "VOWEL" is used in the sense of letters that make a sound without help.

Formulas for Counting

Solved Examples

Example 1. Find the 7th letter from the left. The position 7 is G.

Example 2. Find the opposite of K. K is at position 11, so the opposite is at 27 − 11 = 16, which is P.

Example 3. How many letters are between D and M?
D is 4 and M is 13, so 13 − 4 − 1 = 8.

Example 4. Which letter is the 5th to the right of the 12th letter from the left?
12 + 5 = 17, which is Q.

Example 5. If the letters of the word PLANET are arranged in alphabetical order, which letter comes third?
The order is A, E, L, N, P, T, so the third letter is L.

Alphabet Series Facts

• In a series, check whether the letters move forward by the same number of steps.
• After Z, the series starts again from A, so Z + 1 = A.
• Reverse the alphabet to get the opposite order: Z Y X W V U ...

Quick Tips

• Learn the EJOTY letters first; they give the positions of the other letters quickly.
• Use the sum of 27 for opposite letters and positions from the right.
• Write the numbers below the letters in word questions.
• Practise the opposite letter table until you can say it without thinking.

Quick Revision Points

• E, J, O, T, Y are at positions 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25.
• The sum of the positions of a letter and its opposite is 27.
• Letters between two letters = difference − 1.
• Position from the right = 27 − position from the left.
• The vowels are A, E, I, O and U.

Practice Questions With Answers

1. Find the position of the letter R from the left.
   Answer: 18
2. Find the position of the letter R from the right.
   Answer: 9
3. Find the opposite letter of F.
   Answer: U
4. How many letters are there between C and J?
   Answer: 6
5. Which is the 4th letter to the right of M?
   Answer: Q
6. Which is the 3rd letter to the left of T?
   Answer: Q
7. Find the sum of the positions of the letters in the word BAD.
   Answer: 7 (2 + 1 + 4)
8. How many vowels are there in the word EDUCATION?
   Answer: 5 (E, U, A, I, O)
9. Which letter is exactly in the middle of the alphabet (the 13th and 14th)?
   Answer: M and N
10. Arrange the letters of the word SOLAR alphabetically. Which letter is in the middle?
    Answer: L (A, L, O, R, S)

How to Practise This Chapter

Practise ten questions daily and always write the positions of the letters below them. Then attempt timed sets from our practice papers and the previous year papers page. See all topics on the Verbal Reasoning notes page, and also read the Coding-Decoding and Reasoning notes. Read the next topic, Word Formation and Letter Arrangement.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the alphabet test in reasoning?

It is a type of question based on the positions of letters, opposite letters and counting of letters in the alphabet or in a word.

What is the EJOTY trick?

EJOTY are the letters at positions 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25, and they help to find other letter positions quickly.

How do I find the opposite letter?

Subtract the position of the letter from 27, and take the letter at that position.

How do I find the position of a letter from the right?

Subtract its position from the left from 27.

How do I count the letters between two letters?

Subtract the smaller position from the larger position and subtract 1.

What are the vowels in the alphabet?

The vowels are A, E, I, O and U, at positions 1, 5, 9, 15 and 21.

What happens after Z in a series?

The series starts again from A.

Why should I write positions below the letters?

It reduces mistakes in word and series questions.

Is the alphabet test asked in SSC exams?

Yes. Letter-based questions are asked in the reasoning section of SSC exams.

How much time should I take for one question?

Less than 30 seconds, if you know the positions well.

What are common mistakes?

Counting wrongly from the right end and forgetting to subtract 1 while counting the letters between two letters.

How many questions come from this topic in SSC exams?

Usually one or two questions come from letter-based reasoning, but the number changes from year to year.