Introduction
This guide covers the Series Completion topic for All Exams aspirants.
Master the concept, understand the tricks, and then test yourself with 10 practice MCQs.
Series Completion — Concept Guide
Series completion questions present a sequence of letters, numbers, or letter-number combinations and ask you to find the next term(s) or fill in the missing one.
Types of Series
- Alphabetical: Forward (A,C,E...) or backward (Z,X,V...)
- Skipping: Every alternate letter, every 3rd letter, etc.
- Paired: AB, CD, EF... or AZ, BY, CX... (one goes forward, one backward)
- Numeric embedded: A1B, C2D, E3F...
- Repetition: A, BB, CCC, DDDD...
Approach
- Find position of each letter in the alphabet (EJOTY trick: E=5, J=10, O=15, T=20, Y=25).
- Calculate differences between positions.
- Check if numbers follow arithmetic/geometric pattern.
⚡ Shortcuts & Tricks
- Write the alphabet with numbers (A=1 to Z=26) quickly on your rough sheet.
- Use EJOTY as anchor points for fast position finding.
- When series has paired elements (letter + number), track each separately.
- For reverse series: position from end = 27 - position from start.
- Common gaps: +2 (every alternate), +4 (skip 3), +5 (ABCDE skip to FGHIJ).
Practice MCQs — Series Completion (10 Questions)
Now test your understanding with these 10 questions:
Q1. AB, BC, CD, DE, __?
Answer: A — Consecutive letter pairs shifting by 1.
Q2. Z, X, V, T, __?
Answer: A — Every alternate letter backwards. T-2=R.
Q3. A, C, F, J, O, __?
Answer: A — Gaps: +2,+3,+4,+5,+6. O+6=U.
Q4. AZ, BY, CX, DW, __?
Answer: A — First letters A,B,C,D,E; second letters Z,Y,X,W,V.
Q5. 1A, 2B, 3C, 4D, __?
Answer: A — Number and letter both increment by 1.
Q6. AB, EF, IJ, MN, __?
Answer: A — Gaps of 4 between pairs: AB,EF,IJ,MN,QR.
Q7. ACE, BDF, CEG, DFH, __?
- A. EGI
- B. FHI
- C. EHJ
- D. EGJ
Answer: A — Each trio shifts by 1: A+1=B,C+1=D,E+1=F... → EGI.
Q8. Z, Y, X, W, V, U, __?
Answer: A — Alphabet backwards, one at a time.
Q9. ABA, BCB, CDC, DED, __?
- A. EFE
- B. EEF
- C. FEF
- D. EFF
Answer: A — Pattern ABA→BCB: outer letters move forward by 1, inner by 1.
Q10. 2Z, 4Y, 6X, 8W, __?
- A. 10V
- B. 10W
- C. 9V
- D. 10U
Answer: A — Numbers +2; letters -1. 10V.
Summary
Series Completion is a scoring topic in All Exams if you practise consistently.
Focus on understanding the concept, apply the shortcut tricks, and practice regularly.
Aim for 100% accuracy in this topic through regular revision.