Dictionary Order & Alphabet
🔒 Log in to trackArranging words as in a dictionary, alphabet-position arithmetic (EJOTY anchors, from-right = 27 − p, shifts), modified-alphabet sequences, and the dictionary rank of a word among its letter arrangements. The whole topic runs on one rule — the first differing letter decides, and a prefix comes before its extensions — plus small, careful counting on paper.
One page per subtopic: detailed notes, every question type, formulas, tricks and practice sets.
Every formula on one printable page, grouped by subtopic.
4 exam-level questions worked step by step.
51 questions — untimed practice or a timed test with analysis.
Track record in the exam
Questions per shift in recent SSC CGL papers.
Test difficulty mix (51 questions)
Question patterns exams keep repeating
Taken from previous-year papers. If a pattern is marked "very common", expect to see it in your exam.
Sort words in dictionary order
very commonA few words that start the same way, and you are asked 'which comes first or last?'.
Compare letter by letter up to the first different letter.
A shorter word that is the start of another comes first.
Arrange Scant, Scan, Scandal in dictionary order. Which comes last?
Scan is the start of Scandal, so Scan comes first
Scandal and Scant: the 5th letters are d and t, and d comes before t
Order: Scan, Scandal, Scant
Answer: Scant
Find the Nth word
very commonA list of similar words and 'which word is third from the left?'.
Sort the words in dictionary order and number them.
From the right, the kth word is number (total + 1 − k) from the left.
Arrange Statue, Status, Station, Statute, Stature in dictionary order. Which is third from the left?
All start with Stat, so compare the next letter: i comes before u
Station comes first. The rest (Statue, Stature, Status, Statute) differ at the 6th letter: e, r, s, t
Order: Station, Statue, Stature, Status, Statute
Answer: Stature
Letter position in the alphabet
very common'Which letter is 9th from the right?' or 'how many letters between X and Y?'.
Remember E = 5, J = 10, O = 15, T = 20, Y = 25.
Kth from the right = position 27 − k from the left.
Which letter is 9th from the right of the English alphabet?
Position from the left = 27 − 9 = 18
Count: A = 1, ... O = 15, P = 16, Q = 17, R = 18
Answer: R
Changed alphabet
commonThe alphabet is changed (for example reversed), and you are asked for a letter's place.
Write the new alphabet once, then count on paper.
Fully reversed: place p from the left is the letter at place 27 − p in the usual order.
If the alphabet is written in reverse (Z first), which letter is 5th from the left?
New order: Z, Y, X, W, V, ...
Count 5 places from the left
Answer: V
Rank of a word
very common'What is the rank of the word among all words made from its letters?'.
Go letter by letter: count the words that start with each smaller unused letter.
Add them up, then add 1.
Find the rank of BEAD when all its arrangements are written in dictionary order.
Letters in order: A, B, D, E. Starting with A: 3! = 6 words
Starting with BA or BD: 2 + 2 = 4 words
BEAD is the first word starting with BE, so 6 + 4 = 10 words come before it
Rank = 10 + 1 = 11
Make a word from letters
common'Which word can (or cannot) be made from the letters of ...?'.
Count each letter of the big word.
Check each option for a missing letter or a letter used too many times.
Which word cannot be made from the letters of DISTRIBUTION: STUDIO, BIRD, ROBUST, BRUSH?
DISTRIBUTION has D, I, S, T, R, B, U, O, N (I three times, T twice)
STUDIO, BIRD and ROBUST use only these letters
BRUSH needs an H, and there is no H
Answer: BRUSH