Letter Pair Questions: The Short Answer
A letter pair question gives a word and asks: how many pairs of letters have as many letters between them in the word as they have between them in the English alphabet? A pair counts when the gap in the word equals the gap in the alphabet. Pairs can run forward (the letters go up the alphabet, like D then G) or backward (they go down, like H then E). Unless the question says forward only, count both.
Key takeaway for SSC: Write the alphabet position under every letter first. Then, for each letter, compare it only with the letters to its right: if the difference of positions equals the number of steps between them in the word, it is a pair. Every example on this page was checked with a program.
This pattern appears in the reasoning sections of SSC CGL, SSC CHSL, SSC MTS, SSC GD and SSC CPO, usually as a one-mark alphabet test question. For position-based questions such as the 7th letter to the right of the 12th letter, see alphabet test and dictionary order questions for SSC.
Alphabet Positions You Need
| A–M | A 1 | B 2 | C 3 | D 4 | E 5 | F 6 | G 7 | H 8 | I 9 | J 10 | K 11 | L 12 | M 13 |
|---|
| N–Z | N 14 | O 15 | P 16 | Q 17 | R 18 | S 19 | T 20 | U 21 | V 22 | W 23 | X 24 | Y 25 | Z 26 |
|---|
Memory aid: EJOTY gives 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 (E 5, J 10, O 15, T 20, Y 25). From these you can reach any letter in one or two steps.
How to Count Letter Pairs (Step by Step)
- Write the word and put the alphabet position under each letter.
- Take the first letter. Compare it with the letter 1 step to its right, then 2 steps, then 3 steps, and so on.
- A pair is valid when difference of alphabet positions = number of steps in the word. Adjacent letters (1 step) count only if they are consecutive in the alphabet, such as S and T.
- Repeat for the second letter, the third letter, and so on. Do not compare a letter with letters on its left; that pair was already checked.
- Add the forward and backward pairs, unless the question limits the direction.
Letter Pair Questions: Solved Examples
Example 1
Word: WHISPER
| Letter | W | H | I | S | P | E | R |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alphabet position | 23 | 8 | 9 | 19 | 16 | 5 | 18 |
- Forward pairs (the later letter in the word is also later in the alphabet): HI, PR
- Backward pairs (the later letter in the word comes earlier in the alphabet): none
- Total pairs = 2
Example 2
Word: BLACKSMITH
| Letter | B | L | A | C | K | S | M | I | T | H |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alphabet position | 2 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 11 | 19 | 13 | 9 | 20 | 8 |
- Forward pairs (the later letter in the word is also later in the alphabet): BI, AH, KM
- Backward pairs (the later letter in the word comes earlier in the alphabet): none
- Total pairs = 3
Example 3
Word: CHAMPION
| Letter | C | H | A | M | P | I | O | N |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alphabet position | 3 | 8 | 1 | 13 | 16 | 9 | 15 | 14 |
- Forward pairs (the later letter in the word is also later in the alphabet): HN
- Backward pairs (the later letter in the word comes earlier in the alphabet): CA, ON
- Total pairs = 3
Letters That Keep Their Place After Alphabetical Arrangement
A related SSC question asks: if the letters of a word are arranged in alphabetical order, how many letters stay in the same position? Write the sorted word under the original and compare position by position.
| Word | Alphabetical order | Letters in the same place | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| NOTICE | CEINOT | none | None |
| PROFIT | FIOPRT | O, T | 2 |
Common Mistakes in Letter Pair Questions
- Counting only forward pairs. If the question says in both directions or says nothing about direction, backward pairs count too.
- Comparing letters with the wrong gap. The gap in the word is the number of steps between positions (positions 2 and 5 are 3 steps apart), not the number of letters in between.
- Skipping adjacent letters. Two neighbouring letters form a pair when they are consecutive in the alphabet, in either order.
- Guessing positions. Write the numbers down; one wrong position spoils every pair that uses that letter.
Letter Pair Practice Questions with Answers
- How many pairs of letters in the word DOMINATE have as many letters between them in the word as in the English alphabet (both directions)? Answer: 2 (OT, IE).
- How many pairs of letters in the word FROSTY have as many letters between them in the word as in the English alphabet (both directions)? Answer: 1 (ST).
- How many pairs of letters in the word JUMBLE have as many letters between them in the word as in the English alphabet (both directions)? Answer: 1 (JE).
- If the letters of the word FROSTY are arranged in alphabetical order, how many letters remain in the same position? Answer: 4 (sorted: FORSTY).
For timed practice, take the SSC CGL Reasoning Mini Mock Test 10 and the SSC CHSL Reasoning Mini Mock Test 10.
Letter Pair Questions FAQs
Do backward pairs count in SSC letter pair questions?
Yes, when the question says both directions, forward and backward, or gives no direction. If it says only in the forward direction, count only pairs whose letters go up the alphabet.
Do the two letters of a pair have to be next to each other?
No. Letters 4 steps apart in the word form a pair when they are also 4 places apart in the alphabet, such as C and G.
How long should a letter pair question take?
About 40 to 60 seconds for a 7 or 8 letter word once you write the positions under the letters.