Alphabet Tests
Alphabet Tests
SSC CGL and RRB NTPC dedicate 3-5 questions to alphabet tests covering letter positions, series completion, dictionary ordering, and word formation. Candidates who memorize the EJOTY anchors solve position questions in under 10 seconds. Series and dictionary-order variants repeat across SSC CHSL and IBPS Clerk papers with minor twists. Mastering all four subtypes turns this into a guaranteed scoring area.
Key Idea
Memorise the EJOTY positions (E=5, J=10, O=15, T=20, Y=25) as anchors — any letter's position can be found in one step using the nearest anchor.
Core Rules
EJOTY Anchor Rule
E=5, J=10, O=15, T=20, Y=25; to find any letter, pick the nearest anchor and count forward or backward (e.g., R = T−2 = 18)
Apply whenever a question asks for the numerical position of any letter instead of counting from A each time.
Nth Letter from Right
Position from right = 27 − (position from left); equivalently, the letter at position n from right is the letter at position (26 − n + 1) from left
Use this formula when a question specifies a position from the right end of the alphabet or a rearranged word.
Dictionary Order Rule
To arrange words alphabetically, compare letter by letter from left to right; the first position where two words differ determines their order
When asked which word comes first/last in dictionary order or to find the 2nd/3rd word in a given list.
Letter Series Gap Pattern
Write down positions of each term; compute the differences between consecutive positions; the pattern (constant gap, alternating gap, increasing gap) reveals the missing term
When asked to find the missing letter in a series like B, E, H, ?, N.
Meaningful Word Formation
When forming words from given letters, check for common 3–5 letter words first; if asked for the second or third letter of the formed word, build the full word before answering
When the question gives shuffled letters and asks if a meaningful word can be formed or what a specific position letter is.
Relevant Exams
Alphabet tests contribute 3–5 questions in SSC CGL Tier-I and RRB NTPC. The EJOTY trick alone reduces average time per question from ~40 seconds to ~10 seconds.