Letter sequences questions appear in almost every GL-style verbal-reasoning paper. Find the next pair in a series like AZ, BY, CX… Like every VR type, they stop being hard the moment your child has a fixed method — here it is.
What the question looks like
Find the next pair in a series like AZ, BY, CX… Papers typically include 3–5 of these per test, worth the same marks as any other question — which makes fast, reliable technique on the common types the highest-value preparation there is.
The method
Write the alphabet out and mark the jumps for each letter position separately — first letters move one way, second letters another. Most sequences use constant steps (+1, −1, +2); harder ones alternate two step sizes.
Worked example
AC, BD, CE, DF, ? — first letters step +1 (A,B,C,D→E), second letters step +1 (C,D,E,F→G). Answer: EG.
The traps
Treating the pair as one unit instead of two independent tracks; miscounting steps across the alphabet's ends.
How to practise this type
Little and often wins: five questions of this type daily for a week beats fifty in one sitting. Our free verbal-reasoning worksheets are organised by exact question type, and the Arena's VR mode gives instant feedback with XP. When the type feels automatic, fold it back into full timed mock papers so pacing develops alongside accuracy. For the full landscape, see the 21 VR types overview.