In the letter analogy "ET : VG :: NO : ____", which pair of letters correctly completes the pattern?

Introduction / Context:
This question is based on an alphabet complement pattern. The pair "ET : VG" suggests that the letters E and T have been transformed into V and G using a consistent rule. You must detect this rule and apply it to the pair "NO" to find the correct pair of letters that completes the analogy. The problem tests your ability to think in terms of positions in the alphabet and symmetric relationships.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• First pair: ET becomes VG.
• Second incomplete pair: NO becomes an unknown pair.
• We use the standard English alphabet: A = 1, B = 2, ..., Z = 26.
• We assume the same pattern is applied to both letters of each pair.

Concept / Approach:
A very common pattern for such questions is alphabetic complement, where letters are paired so that their positions sum to 27 (for example A with Z, B with Y, and so on). E is the 5th letter and V is the 22nd, and 5 + 22 = 27. T is the 20th letter and G is the 7th, and 20 + 7 = 27. So in the pair ET : VG, each letter of the first pair has been replaced with its complement to 27. To find the corresponding pair for NO, we must again replace each letter with its complement.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Step 1: Find positions of E and T. E = 5, T = 20. Step 2: Check positions of V and G. V = 22, G = 7. Step 3: Add the positions: 5 + 22 = 27 and 20 + 7 = 27. This shows that each pair sums to 27, so each output letter is the complement of the input letter. Step 4: Now find positions of N and O. N = 14, O = 15. Step 5: Find the complements to 27. For N, 27 minus 14 = 13, which is M. For O, 27 minus 15 = 12, which is L. Step 6: Combine these letters into the pair ML.

Verification / Alternative check:
Check the options one by one. IM, MI, and LM do not use both complements correctly. Only ML has the first letter M (position 13) and the second letter L (position 12), which satisfy the equations 14 + 13 = 27 and 15 + 12 = 27. Therefore, ML is the only answer that perfectly follows the complement to 27 rule observed in the example pair ET : VG.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Options IM, MI and LM all break the 27 sum property for at least one of the letters. If you add the positions of N or O with these letters, you do not consistently get 27. Option NL simply repeats one of the original letters and is not a transformed complement. Because the problem is purely about symmetric complements in the alphabet, any pair that fails this check must be rejected.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake is to apply a fixed forward or backward shift to the letters, such as plus two or minus two, without verifying that the same rule explains the example pair. Another pitfall is to overlook the idea of complements entirely and attempt more complicated patterns. Whenever you see pairs like A with Z or E with V in analogies, you should always test for the complement to 27 pattern.

Final Answer:
The correct completion of the analogy is "ET : VG :: NO : ML".