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Verbal Reasoning · Codes and sequences
Verbal reasoning: letter codes
A free preview from the Athena Learning Library — the same lesson registered students learn from.
In this lesson: Work out a consistent letter shift from a given word and its code, then apply it to a new word.
The idea
In a letter code, each letter of a word is changed in the same way to make a code word. To crack it, write the word and its code in columns, one letter above the other, and compare each pair. Ask yourself how each letter has moved through the alphabet. If B becomes C, I becomes J and R becomes S, every letter has moved one place forward.
Check the shift on every letter of the given pair before using it. A real code follows the same rule all the way through, so one pair that breaks the pattern means you have the wrong rule. Remember the alphabet wraps around: with a shift of one forward, Z becomes A.
Once the rule is certain, apply it to each letter of the new word in turn, writing the code letters in order. If you are decoding instead of coding, use the same shift in the opposite direction.
Worked example
BIRD is coded as CJSE. Using the same code, how is FISH coded?
- Compare the pairs: B to C, I to J, R to S and D to E. Every letter has moved 1 place forward.
- Apply the same shift to FISH: F moves to G and I moves to J.
- S moves to T and H moves to I.
Answer: GJTI
Watch out
- Applying the shift to the first letter only and guessing the rest.
- Moving letters backwards when the code moves them forwards.
- Forgetting that the alphabet wraps around, so Z can become A.
Quick check
Try these on your own first — then reveal each answer.
1. Using a shift of 1 place forward, code the word PEN.
2. A word coded with a shift of 1 place forward gives KBN. What was the original word?
Practise this concept
Reading is the first step — the concept sticks when your child answers questions on it. Registered students practise graded questions for this lesson, with instant marking and worked explanations, and the lesson is marked complete in their progress.