In the following question, each option shows a group of three letters. In three of the groups, the letters are arranged in a regular increasing alphabet pattern, while one group breaks this pattern. Select the odd group of letters from the given alternatives.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: WYA

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
This question belongs to the verbal reasoning and letter series category. You are given several triplets of English letters and asked to find which triplet does not follow the same alphabet pattern as the others. Questions of this type improve your ability to recognise regular sequences and build strong foundations for coding decoding, series, and analogy problems in competitive exams.


Given Data / Assumptions:
- Options are WYA, MNO, ACE, EGI, and DFH.
- We use standard alphabet positions: A = 1, B = 2, ..., Z = 26.
- In most groups the letters move forward in the alphabet with a fixed step between consecutive letters.
- Exactly one group breaks the rule of smooth forward progression and will be the odd one out.


Concept / Approach:
The main idea is to calculate the difference in alphabet positions between successive letters in each triplet. For a regular pattern, the difference between the first and second letter should be constant, and the same difference should appear between the second and third letter. By comparing these differences across all options, we can see which group does not follow the same structure as the rest.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: For MNO, positions are M = 13, N = 14, O = 15, so differences are +1 and +1. It is a simple sequence of three consecutive letters.Step 2: For ACE, positions are A = 1, C = 3, E = 5, so differences are +2 and +2, a regular step of 2.Step 3: For EGI, positions are E = 5, G = 7, I = 9, giving +2 and +2 again, so EGI follows the same style of regular forward jumps.Step 4: For DFH, positions are D = 4, F = 6, H = 8, again giving +2 and +2, so this triplet is also in a regular increasing pattern.Step 5: For WYA, positions are W = 23, Y = 25, A = 1. The difference from W to Y is +2, but from Y to A requires wrapping around the alphabet and effectively moves backward from 25 to 1.Step 6: Because WYA does not show a smooth, regular forward movement of letters, it breaks the pattern followed by the other groups and is the odd one out.


Verification / Alternative check:
You can also verify by reading the sequences mentally. MNO is clearly a run of three consecutive letters. ACE, EGI, and DFH are all evenly spaced forward sequences. WYA, however, feels irregular because after W and Y the sequence unexpectedly jumps to A at the beginning of the alphabet, which is quite different from the others. This confirms that WYA is different in behaviour and should be selected as the odd group.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
MNO, ACE, EGI, and DFH are all examples of increasing sequences that move smoothly forward in the alphabet using a small fixed step. They all follow a regular and predictable pattern, which makes them similar. Because they obey the same general rule, none of them can be considered the odd one out in this question.


Common Pitfalls:
Sometimes students overcomplicate these questions by searching for hidden coding schemes when a simple difference pattern is enough. Another common mistake is to ignore wrap around behaviour at Z and A, which is what makes WYA irregular. Always check whether the letters in a group move forward consistently and compare that behaviour across all options. This habit will help you quickly solve many letter based odd one out questions.


Final Answer:
WYA

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