How do I find the middle letter between two letters?

Add the two positions and divide by 2. The middle of C (3) and K (11) is (3 + 11)/2 = 7, which is G. If the sum is odd, there is no single middle letter — there are two.

What is the EJOTY trick?

EJOTY helps you recall letter positions fast: E=5, J=10, O=15, T=20, Y=25. To find any letter's position, jump to the nearest EJOTY marker and count a few steps. For example, R is just after O(15) → P16, Q17, R18.

How many alphabet-test questions appear in TNPSC?

TNPSC Mental Ability usually has 1–3 alphabet-based questions — letter positions, gaps, or letter-series. They are quick, guaranteed marks if you know the position shortcuts.

Alphabet Test — Positions, Reverse Order, and Gaps | TNPSC, SSC, Bank

Quick Concept Summary

Alphabet-test questions are built on one idea: every letter has a fixed position number (A=1 … Z=26). Once you can convert letters to numbers and back instantly, every question type — reverse order, gaps, midpoints, series — becomes simple arithmetic. Speed comes from memorising the EJOTY markers, not from counting A, B, C every time.

The EJOTY Memory Anchors

Letter	E	J	O	T	Y
Position	5	10	15	20	25

Jump to the nearest anchor and count a step or two. Example: find M → nearest is O(15), count back two → M = 13.

Key Rules

Position from left: A=1, B=2, …, Z=26
Reverse position: 27 − normal position (so the nth letter from the right = (27 − n)th from the left)
Letters between two letters: |difference of positions| − 1
Midpoint letter: (position₁ + position₂) ÷ 2

Question Types

Type 1 — Letter Position

"Which letter is 18th from the left?" → R.

Type 2 — Reverse / From the Right

"Which letter is 5th from the right?" → 27 − 5 = 22 → V.

Type 3 — Nth from Left = Mth from Right

"Which letter is 7th from the left and also which from the right?" → 27 − 7 = 20th from the right.

Type 4 — Gap Counting

"How many letters are between F and N?" →	14 − 6	− 1 = 7.

Type 5 — Word from Position Clues

Form a word by picking letters at given positions of the alphabet.

Worked Examples

Example 1: Find the 15th letter from the right. 27 − 15 = 12 → L.

Example 2: Which letter is exactly midway between D and P? D=4, P=16 → (4+16)/2 = 10 → J.

Example 3: How many letters lie between the 8th letter from the left and the 6th from the right? 8th from left = H(8); 6th from right = 27−6 = 21 → U. Letters between = 21 − 8 − 1 = 12.

Example 4: If the alphabet is written in reverse, which letter is 9th? 9th from the right = 27 − 9 = 18 → R.

Common Mistakes

Counting from Z instead of using 27 − n for reverse positions.
Forgetting the "− 1" when counting letters between two letters.
Miscounting the middle when the position sum is odd (then there is no single middle letter).

Exam Tips

Memorise EJOTY (5-10-15-20-25) — it cuts counting time in half.
For "nth from right" always use 27 − n.
These are 10–15 second questions; do not draw the whole alphabet unless the question mixes several conditions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Use 27 − normal position. For example, the reverse position of H (8th from left) is 27 − 8 = 19, so H is the 19th letter from the right. This avoids counting backwards from Z.