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Letter sequences

A row of letter pairs follows a rule, and you find the pair that’s missing. Split the pairs into two rows and each one becomes a short, easy sequence.

Rush doesn’t practise letter sequences yet. Sequences practises a related skill.

Start the guide Practise 8 questions

Chapter 1

What are letter sequence questions?

You see a row of letter pairs, like AB, CE, EH, GK, with a question mark where one pair is missing. The letters move along the alphabet by a rule.

The secret is that each pair is two letters doing two different things. The first letters follow one rule and the second letters follow another. Find both, and you can pick the pair that fits.

  1. The pairs. A row of them, in order. Some practice books use single letters instead: that’s just one row.

  2. The question mark. Usually the next pair, sometimes one in the middle.

The exam usually prints the alphabet at the top of the page, so you can count along it. Number the letters (A is 1, Z is 26) and each row becomes a number sequence, so what you know from number sequences works here too.

What comes next?

AB, CE, EH, GK, ?

  • IM
  • IN
  • HN
  • NI
  • JN

Chapter 2

Solve it in 4 steps.

Here’s the question, one step at a time.

The question

What comes next?

AB, CE, EH, GK, ?

  • IM
  • IN
  • HN
  • NI
  • JN

  1. Step 1

    Split the pairs into two rows.

    Write the first letter of every pair in one row, and the second letters in a row under it. Now AB, CE, EH, GK is two short rows: A, C, E, G and B, E, H, K.

    AB CE EH GK ? A C E G ? B E H K ?

    First letters on top, second letters underneath.

  2. Step 2

    Write the step between neighbours.

    +2 means two on, towards Z. −1 means one back, towards A. Count the jumps, not the letters: A to C goes A, B, C, which is two jumps. The top row goes +2 each time, and the bottom row +3.

    +2 +2 +2 A C E G ? +3 +3 +3 B E H K ?

    Each row keeps its own step.

  3. Step 3

    Carry each row on.

    Give each row its own step once more. G +2 is I. K +3 is N: count L, M, N.

    +2 +2 +2 +2 A C E G I +3 +3 +3 +3 B E H K N

    The next letters are I and N.

  4. Step 4

    Join them in order, then check.

    The top row’s letter goes first, so the pair is IN. Cross out every option that doesn’t start with I, then let the second letter choose. Check the step on every pair, not just the first two.

    • IM
    • IN
    • HN
    • NI
    • JN

    Only IM and IN start with I, and N is the right second letter.

Three traps in the options

The mistakeDo this instead
One step for both rows. IM moves both letters 2, like the top row. JN moves both 3, like the bottom row.Find a step for each row: +2 on top, +3 underneath.
Counting the letter you start on. HN comes from saying “G, H” and calling it two. But G to H is one jump.Count the jumps: G to H, then H to I. Two jumps is I.
Swapping the pair. NI has the right letters the wrong way round.The top row’s letter leads: I, then N.

So it’s IN. A, C, E, G, I goes up 2 each time, and B, E, H, K, N goes up 3.

Remember: Two rows, two rules.

Chapter 3

The other rows.

Each row can follow any of these rules, and the two rows of one question often follow different ones. Each card is one kind: what to look for, an example and the trap.

  • +2 +2 +2 +2 D F H J L 0 0 0 0 A A A A A

    One letter stays put

    A letter that never changes is a rule too. Keep it.

    DA, FA, HA, JA, ? is LA. D, F, H, J goes up 2, and the A stays an A all the way along. Trap: LB, from moving the A on as well.

  • +1 +1 +1 +1 C D E F G −1 −1 −1 −1 X W V U T

    One goes on, one goes back

    The two rows can go opposite ways.

    CX, DW, EV, FU, ? is GT. Trap: GV, from sending U forwards. Each pair here adds to 27, like the partner letters in letter codes.

  • +1 +2 +3 +4 B C E H L −2 −2 −2 −2 W U S Q O

    Steps that grow

    +1, +2, +3: each step is one more, so the next is +4.

    BW, CU, ES, HQ, ? is LO. Trap: KO, from using +3 again. A rule that fits the first two pairs isn’t enough: check them all. Steps can shrink too.

  • +3 −1 +3 −1 B E D G F +1 +1 +1 +1 M N O P Q

    Steps that take turns

    On, back, on, back? Two steps are taking turns.

    BM, EN, DO, GP, ? is FQ. B, E, D, G goes +3, −1, +3, so next is −1. Trap: JQ, from +3 again.

  • +2 W 23 X 24 Y 25 Z 26 A 1 B 2

    Past Z, start again at A

    After Z comes A. With numbers, take 26 off anything over 26.

    SR, UO, WL, YI, ? is AF. Y +2 goes Z, then A (25 + 2 = 27, and 27 − 26 = 1). Trap: ZF, which stops at the end, one jump short.

  • 0 +1 0 +1 A A B B C +1 +1 +1 +1 B C D E F

    A letter that waits a turn

    A letter can come twice before it moves on.

    AB, AC, BD, BE, ? is CF. The top row goes A, A, B, B, so B has had its two turns and C comes next. Trap: BF, from giving B a third turn.

A gap in the middle

Find each row’s step from the pairs you can see, and step on from the pair before the gap. Then check your answer leads on to the pair after it. HZ, JX, ?, NT, PR: J +2 is L and X −2 is V. Check: L +2 is N, and V −2 is T. So it’s LV.

+2 +2 +2 +2 H J L N P −2 −2 −2 −2 Z X V T R

Chapter 4

Letter pair analogies.

“AB is to CD as PQ is to ?” The papers ask these too. It’s one step instead of a row, but each letter still moves on its own.

The questionFM is to HL as RT is to ?QVTSPUSTUT

  1. Step 1

    Find the step for each letter.

    Write the first pair over the second and treat its letters one at a time. F to H is +2. M to L is −1.

    +2 −1 F M H L

    F +2 is H, and M −1 is L.

  2. Step 2

    Give the new pair the same steps.

    Keep each step in its place: the first letter gets the first step. R +2 is T, and T −1 is S. So it’s TS.

    +2 −1 R T T S

    The same steps, in the same places.

Three traps in the options

The mistakeDo this instead
Steps on the wrong letters. QV gives R the −1 and T the +2.The first letter always takes the first step.
Going the wrong way. PU takes R back 2 and T on 1.Plus means on, towards Z. Minus means back, towards A.
The pair back to front. ST has the right letters swapped round.Read your answer in order: T, then S.

So it’s TS. R +2 is T and T −1 is S: the same steps that took FM to HL.

Remember: Each letter keeps its step.

Chapter 5

Try it yourself.

Easier ones first. Try each one before you open its answer.

  1. A1
  2. B2
  3. C3
  4. D4
  5. E5
  6. F6
  7. G7
  8. H8
  9. I9
  10. J10
  11. K11
  12. L12
  13. M13
  14. N14
  15. O15
  16. P16
  17. Q17
  18. R18
  19. S19
  20. T20
  21. U21
  22. V22
  23. W23
  24. X24
  25. Y25
  26. Z26
Every letter’s place in the alphabet. E 5, J 10, O 15 and T 20 are good places to count from.

  1. Question 1Level 1

    What comes next?

    B, E, H, K, ?

    • M
    • O
    • L
    • N
    • P
    Show answer

    Answer: N.

    How to answer it

    1. B, E, H, K: each letter is 3 on from the one before.
    2. K +3 is N.
    Why the other answers are wrong
    • MM is only 2 on from K.
    • OO is 4 on from K.
    • LL is the letter straight after K. The gaps are 3.
    • PP is 5 on from K.

  2. Question 2Level 1

    What comes next?

    KM, LN, MO, NP, ?

    • OQ
    • OP
    • PQ
    • QO
    • PR
    Show answer

    Answer: OQ.

    How to answer it

    1. First letters: K, L, M, N, so next is O.
    2. Second letters: M, N, O, P, so next is Q. The answer is OQ.
    Why the other answers are wrong
    • OPP is the last second letter repeated. The second row moves on to Q.
    • PQP is 2 on from N. The first row goes up 1.
    • QOQ and O swapped. O comes from the first row, so it goes first.
    • PRBoth letters moved 2. Each row goes up 1.

  3. Question 3Level 1

    What comes next?

    ZA, YA, XA, WA, ?

    • UA
    • VA
    • VB
    • AV
    • XA
    Show answer

    Answer: VA.

    How to answer it

    1. First letters: Z, Y, X, W. They go back 1, so next is V.
    2. Second letters: A every time. The answer is VA.
    Why the other answers are wrong
    • UAU is 2 back from W. The step is 1.
    • VBThe A was moved on, but it stays A all the way along.
    • AVV and A swapped. Each pair starts with the letter going back: Z, Y, X, W, V.
    • XAX goes the wrong way. The first letters go back through the alphabet, not forward.

  4. Question 4Level 2

    What comes next?

    BY, DW, FU, HS, ?

    • JR
    • IQ
    • JQ
    • KQ
    • QJ
    Show answer

    Answer: JQ.

    How to answer it

    1. First letters: B, D, F, H, up 2. Next is J.
    2. Second letters: Y, W, U, S, back 2. Next is Q.
    3. The answer is JQ.
    Why the other answers are wrong
    • JRR is only 1 back from S. The second row goes back 2.
    • IQI is only 1 on from H. The first row goes up 2.
    • KQK is 3 on from H.
    • QJJ and Q swapped. The letter going up, J, leads each pair.

  5. Question 5Level 2

    What comes next?

    SU, UW, WY, YA, ?

    • ZB
    • AB
    • CA
    • BD
    • AC
    Show answer

    Answer: AC.

    How to answer it

    1. First letters: S, U, W, Y, up 2. Y +2 runs past Z: Z, A. Next is A.
    2. Second letters: U, W, Y, A, up 2, already wrapping from Y to A. Next is C.
    3. The answer is AC.
    Why the other answers are wrong
    • ZBBoth letters moved only 1. Each row goes up 2.
    • ABB is only 1 on from A. The second row goes up 2.
    • CAA and C swapped. A comes from the first row, S, U, W, Y.
    • BDBoth letters moved 3.

  6. Question 6Level 2

    What comes next?

    C, F, E, H, G, ?

    • I
    • J
    • K
    • F
    • D
    Show answer

    Answer: J.

    How to answer it

    1. Write the steps: C to F is +3, F to E is −1, E to H is +3, H to G is −1.
    2. The steps take turns, +3 then −1, so the next step is +3. G +3 is J.
    Why the other answers are wrong
    • II is G +2. The step after a −1 is +3.
    • KK is G +4.
    • FF is G −1. That step has just been used; the steps take turns.
    • DD is G −3. The +3 steps go forwards.

  7. Question 7Level 3

    What comes next?

    AZ, BX, DV, GT, ?

    • JR
    • KS
    • LR
    • KR
    • RK
    Show answer

    Answer: KR.

    How to answer it

    1. First letters: A, B, D, G. The steps are +1, +2, +3, growing by 1, so the next step is +4. G +4 is K.
    2. Second letters: Z, X, V, T, back 2 each time. Next is R.
    3. The answer is KR.
    Why the other answers are wrong
    • JRJ is G +3, the last step used again. The steps grow, so this one is +4.
    • KSS is only 1 back from T. The second row goes back 2.
    • LRL is G +5, one step too far.
    • RKK and R swapped. The first row, A, B, D, G, gives the first letter.

  8. Question 8Level 3

    Which pair is missing?

    EF, GE, ?, KC, MB

    • HD
    • IE
    • JD
    • ID
    • DI
    Show answer

    Answer: ID.

    How to answer it

    1. The gap is in the middle, so use the pairs on both sides. First letters: E, G, ?, K, M. They go up 2, so the missing one is I.
    2. Second letters: F, E, ?, C, B. They go back 1, so the missing one is D.
    3. Check across the gap: G +2 is I and I +2 is K. E −1 is D and D −1 is C. The answer is ID.
    Why the other answers are wrong
    • HDH is only 1 on from G, and H +2 would be J, not K.
    • IEE is the letter before the gap repeated. The second row goes back 1, to D.
    • JDJ is 3 on from G, and J to K is only 1.
    • DII and D swapped. The first letters run E, G, I, K, M.
Next in verbal reasoning Letter codes How to answer 11+ letter code questions: number the alphabet, find the move on one letter, check it on a second, and spot mirror codes that add to 27. Read the guide

For parents.

What parents ask us about letter sequences.

Questions parents ask

What is a letter sequence in verbal reasoning?

A row of letters or letter pairs that changes by a rule, such as two on each time. You find the next item, or one that's missing. The rules are steps along the alphabet, the same idea as a number sequence once the letters are numbered.

How can my child find a letter's place without counting from A?

Learn four landmarks: E5, J10, O15, T20. With A and Z at the ends, every letter except W is within two steps of a landmark, and W is three. A child who knows that R is two before T doesn't have to count from A.

What if both rows are right but the answer is still wrong?

Usually the pair is in the wrong order, or one row was right and the other was off by one. Splitting the pairs into two written rows, then reading the answer back in order, fixes both.

Are letter sequences the same as letter codes?

They use the same skill, moving along the alphabet by a step, but the question is different. A sequence asks what comes next in a row. A code asks you to apply a word's moves to another word.

Practise a related skill in Rush.

  • SequencesNumber the letters and a letter row becomes a number sequence. Sequences practises finding a step, steps that grow, and two steps taking turns.

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