Letter Series | General Test Preparation for CUET UG - CUET Commerce PDF Download

Introduction 

Letter series is a crucial topic in the logical reasoning section of the CUET UG exam. These questions assess a candidate’s ability to identify patterns in sequences of letters and predict the next letter(s) in the series. Mastering this topic requires strong observation and logical deduction skills.

Types of Letter Series Questions

1. Simple Alphabet Series

In these questions, letters follow a straightforward pattern in alphabetical order.

Example 1:

Find the next letter in the series: P, Q, R, S ?

(A) I
(B) H
(C) T
(D) K

Solution: 

Each letter increases by 1 positions: P (+1) → Q (+1) → R (+1) → S (+1) → T

Answer: (C) T

2. Skipping Letters Series

Some letters are skipped following a particular pattern.

Example 2:

Find the next letter in the series: B, E, H, K, ?

(A) N
(B) M
(C) O
(D) P

Solution: 

​The pattern follows an increment of +3: 

B (+3) → E (+3) → H (+3) → K (+3) → N

Answer: (A) N

3. Reverse Letter Series

These questions involve letters arranged in a reverse pattern.

Example 3:

Find the missing term in the series: Z, X, V, T, ?

(A) Q
(B) R
(C) S
(D) O

Solution: 

​The pattern follows -2 decrement: 

Z (-2) → X (-2) → V (-2) → T (-2) → R

Answer: (B) R

4. Mixed Letter Series

A combination of forward and backward patterns is used in this type.

Example 4:

Find the missing letter in the series: A, Z, B, Y, C, ?

(A) W
(B) D
(C) X
(D) E

Solution: 

​Two alternating sequences exist: 1st Sequence: A → B → C → D

​2nd Sequence: Z → Y → X → W

Answer: (A) W

5. Pair Letter Series

Letters are given in pairs following a pattern.

Example 5:

Find the missing term in the series: AB, CD, EF, GH, ?

(A) IJ
(B) JK
(C) KL
(D) LM

Solution: 

​Each pair follows consecutive letters: 

AB → CD → EF → GH → IJ

Answer: (A) IJ

6. Repeated Letter Series

Some letters repeat in a structured manner.

Example 6:

Find the missing term in the series: AA, BB, CC, DD, ?

(A) EE
(B) FF
(C) GG
(D) HH

Solution:

​Each letter is repeated and follows alphabetical order: EE

Answer: (A) EE

7. Alternate Letter Series

These questions involve skipping every alternate letter.

Example 7:

Find the missing term in the series: A, D, G, J, ?

(A) L
(B) M
(C) N
(D) O

Solution:

​Pattern: A (+3) → D (+3) → G (+3) → J (+3) → M

Answer: (B) M

8. Alphanumeric Series

These involve both letters and numbers following a set pattern.

Example 8:

Find the missing term in the series: A1, C2, E3, G4, ?

(A) H5
(B) I5
(C) J5
(D) K5

Solution: 

​Letter sequence: A → C → E → G → I
Number sequence: 1 → 2 → 3 → 4 → 5

Answer: (B) I5

9. Embedded Letter Series

These involve hidden sequences within a longer sequence.

Example 9:

Find the next letter in the sequence: AD, CF, EH, ?

(A) GI
(B) GK
(C) GJ
(D) IL

Solution:

​Pattern follows a +2 rule in both letters: A (+2) → C (+2) → E (+2) → G
D (+2) → F (+2) → H (+2) → J

Answer: (C) GJ

10. Complex Letter Series

These involve multiple transformations.

Example 10:

Find the missing term: BDF, CFI, DHL, ?

(A) EIM
(B) EJO
(C) EJM
(D) FJM

Solution:Each letter follows a pattern: 1st letters: B (+1) → C (+1) → D (+1) → E
2nd letters: D (+2) → F (+2) → H (+2) → J
3rd letters: F (+3) → I (+3) → L (+3) → O

Answer: (B) EJO

Tips & Tricks to Solve Letter Series Questions

1. Observe Letter Positions: Identify alphabetical positions to understand number jumps.

2. Look for Patterns: The series may involve addition, subtraction, or skipping letters.

3. Use Writing Techniques: Writing down the full alphabet can help in solving these quickly.

4. Focus on Pairs and Alternates: Many questions follow alternating patterns.

5. Identify Repeating Sequences: Some series involve repeated sets of letters.

6. Practice Alphanumeric Combinations: Ensure familiarity with sequences involving both numbers and letters.

Conclusion

Letter series is an essential part of the CUET UG logical reasoning section. Practicing different types of patterns regularly can significantly improve accuracy and speed in solving these problems.

By mastering these techniques and solving multiple examples, you can confidently tackle any letter series question in the CUET UG exam.