Letter Sequences: Find the Jump (11+)

V2Letter Sequences

Find the jump, ride it forward.

Letter sequences move by fixed jumps through the alphabet — find the gap, extend it.

What comes next?

CFIL?

C(3) → F(6) → I(9) → L(12): +3 each time → next is O(15)

Turn letters into numbers, find the number pattern, turn back into a letter.

Learn the 3-Step Method

1Convert to positions.

C F I L → 3, 6, 9, 12.

3 · 6 · 9 · 12

2Find the jump.

+3 each time (check EVERY gap, like number sequences).

3Ride it once more.

12 + 3 = 15 → O. Sequences can also go backwards (Z X V T → R, −2) or grow (+1, +2, +3…).

15 = O

💡 Key IdeaGrowing-gap check: A B D G K has jumps +1, +2, +3, +4 — so next is K(11) + 5 = P(16). Always test whether the jump itself moves.

Worked Example

Find the next letter: Z X V T ?

Positions

26, 24, 22, 20

→

Jump

−2 each time

→

✓ Next

20 − 2 = 18

Watch Out! Common Mistakes

Testing only the first gap.

Check every gap! A B D G K looks like +1 at first — but the jumps grow. One gap proves nothing.

Counting the start letter.

C +3 → E ✕

Count the JUMPS! C→D→E→F is three jumps: C+3 = F. Count steps, not letters touched.

Falling off the alphabet's end.

Wrap around! Y + 3 wraps past Z: Y→Z→A→B. Most 11+ sequences avoid it — but codes (V3) use it, so practise the loop.

⬇ Cheat Sheet

LETTER SEQUENCES

Letters → positions.
Find the jump; verify on EVERY gap.
Watch for growing jumps (+1, +2, +3…).
Apply once more; convert back to a letter.

Examples: C F I L → O (+3) · Z X V T → R (−2) · A B D G K → P.

📖 Continue Your Journey

✓ V1 Alphabet Skills V2 Letter Sequences V3 Letter Codes V4 Hidden Words V5 Compound Words V6 Odd One Out V7 Analogies V8 Synonym Pairs V9 Antonym Pairs V10 Missing Letters V11 Number Sequences V12 Letter-Number Codes V13 Anagram Skills V14 VR Exam Technique

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Next Lesson: V3 Letter CodesShift every letter by the same amount.

📄 Free printable: Download the Letter Sequences cheat sheet (PDF) — keep it by your child's desk.

Quick summary

Convert letters to positions and treat it as a number sequence.
Verify the jump on every gap, not just the first.
Jumps can be negative (Z X V T → R) or growing (A B D G K → P).
Apply the jump once more, then convert back to a letter.

Frequently asked questions

How do you solve letter sequence questions?

Convert each letter to its alphabet position, find the numeric jump between terms, apply it once more, and convert back: C F I L is 3-6-9-12, so next is 15 = O.

What if the gaps aren't constant?

Test whether the jumps themselves form a pattern — growing by one each time is the classic: A B D G K jumps +1, +2, +3, +4, so next is +5 = P.

Do sequences wrap past Z?

Occasionally — after Z the count continues at A. It's rarer in sequences than in letter codes, but worth practising.