Based on English alphabetical order, three of the following four…
2025
Based on English alphabetical order, three of the following four letter-cluster pairs are alike in a certain way and thus form a group. Which letter-cluster pair does not belong to that group? (Note: The odd letter-cluster pair is not based on the number of vowels/consonants or their positions)
- A.
NO - UV
- B.
OP - VW
- C.
IJ - PQ
- D.
CD - JL
Attempted by 36 students.
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: D
In a letter-cluster classification built on consecutive alphabet steps, the shared rule is usually that every letter inside EACH half of a pair is exactly one step ahead of the previous letter (a strict run of consecutive letters, e.g. N then O). Three of the four given pairs satisfy this in both halves; the odd pair breaks it in at least one half.
Checking each pair (alphabet step size shown in brackets):
Pair | First half step | Second half step | Both halves consecutive? |
|---|---|---|---|
N–O, U–V | N → O (step 1) | U → V (step 1) | Yes |
O–P, V–W | O → P (step 1) | V → W (step 1) | Yes |
I–J, P–Q | I → J (step 1) | P → Q (step 1) | Yes |
C–D, J–L | C → D (step 1) | J → L (step 2, skips K) | No |
Cross-check: the gap between the STARTING letters of the two halves is the same for every pair — N to U, O to V, I to P, and C to J are all 7 letters apart — so that inter-half gap is common to all four and cannot be the differentiator. The only property that actually differs is the internal step inside each half.
Since J to L skips a letter (K), the second half of the C–D, J–L pair is not a run of consecutive letters like the other three pairs, so it is the pair that does not belong to the group.