📑 Topics on this page (Jump to Topic):
📌 1. Indexing: Dictionary and Directory Order
- Compare letter by letter: the first different letter decides the order (Gender < General < Genius: d < e < i).
- “Nothing before something”: a short word that begins a longer one comes first — Ram < Rama < Raman.
- In a telephone directory / file list sort by surname first, then first name: Sharma Amit < Sharma Ravi < Verma Neha.
- Numbered files: compare digit by digit from the left (numbers with the same number of digits).
📌 2. Address and Name Matching
You must find the exact copy of the original address. Differences are usually swapped digits (12 ↔ 21), one digit of the PIN code, one letter of a name (Patil ↔ Patel), initials (R. N. ↔ R. M.) or punctuation.
- Order: numbers first (house no., sector, PIN), then names, then punctuation.
- Match part by part with a finger or ruler; keep eliminating options.
📌 3. Date and City Matching (from a table)
A table gives names, dates of birth, cities and so on, and the question asks which entry meets a condition. Reversed dates such as 12-03 (12 March) and 21-03 (21 March) in DD-MM-YYYY are the biggest trap.
⚠️ Exam Traps:
- Check every condition separately — do not stop when one condition matches.
- Confirm the date format (DD-MM or MM-DD) from the question.
📌 4. Centre Codes, Roll Numbers and Letter/Code Checks
- Split a roll number by the given rule, e.g. 2-digit state + 3-digit centre + 5-digit serial → 09 | 153 | 00427.
- Range questions: note whether the first and last numbers are both included.
- Small/capital letters: match the case at every position — bAnKiNg ≠ bAnkiNg.
- Code patterns (AB12, CD34, EF56…): check both the letter and the number series.
💡 Memory Tip: “Numbers first, names next, case last.”
📌 5. Practice MCQs
📝 Practice MCQs (prepared by SF Prep — not PYQs)
Q1. If these words are arranged in dictionary order, which comes third? Gentle, Genius, Gender, Genuine, General Practice
Correct answer: (B)
Order: Gender, General, Genius, Gentle, Genuine (d < e < i < t < u).
Order: Gender, General, Genius, Gentle, Genuine (d < e < i < t < u).
Q2. In dictionary order, which word comes last? Protect, Protest, Protein, Proton Practice
Correct answer: (D)
Order: Protect, Protein, Protest, Proton (Prote… comes before Proto…; e < o).
Order: Protect, Protein, Protest, Proton (Prote… comes before Proto…; e < o).
Q3. In a telephone directory (surname first), which of these names comes second? Rahul Verma, Amit Sharma, Neha Verma, Ravi Sharma Practice
Correct answer: (A)
Sharma Amit, Sharma Ravi, Verma Neha, Verma Rahul → second is Ravi Sharma.
Sharma Amit, Sharma Ravi, Verma Neha, Verma Rahul → second is Ravi Sharma.
Q4. In dictionary order, which word comes third? Ramesh, Ram, Raman, Rama Practice
Correct answer: (C)
“Nothing before something”: Ram, Rama, Raman, Ramesh (a in Raman before e in Ramesh).
“Nothing before something”: Ram, Rama, Raman, Ramesh (a in Raman before e in Ramesh).
Q5. If these file numbers are put in ascending order, which is in the middle? 4521, 4512, 4251, 4215, 4152 Practice
Correct answer: (B)
Order: 4152, 4215, 4251, 4512, 4521 → middle is 4251.
Order: 4152, 4215, 4251, 4512, 4521 → middle is 4251.
Q6. Original address: Flat 12B, Shanti Kunj, Sector 21, Noida – 201301
Which is its exact copy? Practice
Which is its exact copy? Practice
Correct answer: (C)
The other options have Sector 12, PIN 201310 and Flat 21B — swapped digits.
The other options have Sector 12, PIN 201310 and Flat 21B — swapped digits.
Q7. How many pairs are exactly identical?
(i) 7845-RTX — 7845-RTX
(ii) KL09 AB 4321 — KL09 AB 4312
(iii) mnOPqr — mnOpqr
(iv) 30/11/2026 — 30/11/2026 Practice
(i) 7845-RTX — 7845-RTX
(ii) KL09 AB 4321 — KL09 AB 4312
(iii) mnOPqr — mnOpqr
(iv) 30/11/2026 — 30/11/2026 Practice
Correct answer: (D)
(i) and (iv) are identical; (ii) differs in 4321/4312 and (iii) in P/p.
(i) and (iv) are identical; (ii) differs in 4321/4312 and (iii) in P/p.
Q8. Original entry: SURESH K. PATIL — 2604117859
Choose the exact copy. Practice
Choose the exact copy. Practice
Correct answer: (A)
The others differ in 859/589, PATEL and the initial R.
The others differ in 859/589, PATEL and the initial R.
Q9. How many capital letters are there in ‘bAnKiNg’? Practice
Correct answer: (C)
b-A-n-K-i-N-g: the capitals are A, K and N = 3.
b-A-n-K-i-N-g: the capitals are A, K and N = 3.
Q10. Study the table:
Name — date of birth — city: Asha — 12-03-2001 — Pune; Bina — 21-03-2001 — Patna; Charu — 12-08-2001 — Pune; Deepa — 21-08-2001 — Patna.
Who was born on 21-03-2001 in Patna? Practice
Name — date of birth — city: Asha — 12-03-2001 — Pune; Bina — 21-03-2001 — Patna; Charu — 12-08-2001 — Pune; Deepa — 21-08-2001 — Patna.
Who was born on 21-03-2001 in Patna? Practice
Correct answer: (A)
Bina — 21-03-2001 — Patna. Deepa was born on 21-08 (August).
Bina — 21-03-2001 — Patna. Deepa was born on 21-08 (August).
Q11. Study the table:
Name — date of birth — city: Asha — 12-03-2001 — Pune; Bina — 21-03-2001 — Patna; Charu — 12-08-2001 — Pune; Deepa — 21-08-2001 — Patna.
Selection rule: born before 01-06-2001 and city Pune. Who is selected? Practice
Name — date of birth — city: Asha — 12-03-2001 — Pune; Bina — 21-03-2001 — Patna; Charu — 12-08-2001 — Pune; Deepa — 21-08-2001 — Patna.
Selection rule: born before 01-06-2001 and city Pune. Who is selected? Practice
Correct answer: (D)
Asha (12 March, Pune) meets both conditions; Charu is from Pune but was born in August.
Asha (12 March, Pune) meets both conditions; Charu is from Pune but was born in August.
Q12. In an exam, a 10-digit roll number = 2-digit state code + 3-digit centre code + 5-digit serial. In roll number 0915300427, what is the centre code? Practice
Correct answer: (B)
09 | 153 | 00427 → centre code 153.
09 | 153 | 00427 → centre code 153.
Q13. Centre code rule: first digit = city (1 = Delhi, 2 = Mumbai, 3 = Kolkata), second digit = shift (1 = morning, 2 = evening). What does code 3274 show? Practice
Correct answer: (D)
First digit 3 = Kolkata, second digit 2 = evening.
First digit 3 = Kolkata, second digit 2 = evening.
Q14. Which roll number is NOT in the range 26114001 to 26114500 (both included)? Practice
Correct answer: (B)
26114501 is one more than the upper limit 26114500.
26114501 is one more than the upper limit 26114500.
Q15. Which code does not follow the pattern? AB12, CD34, EF56, GH87 Practice
Correct answer: (C)
The pattern needs GH78 next; GH87 has the digits reversed.
The pattern needs GH78 next; GH87 has the digits reversed.
Q16. In dictionary order, which word comes first? Nectar, Neckline, Necessity, Necessary Practice
Correct answer: (A)
Order: Necessary, Necessity (sa < si), Neckline (Nece < Neck), Nectar.
Order: Necessary, Necessity (sa < si), Neckline (Nece < Neck), Nectar.
Q17. Original address: Dr. R. N. Singh, 14/C, Civil Lines, Kanpur – 208001
Choose the exact copy. Practice
Choose the exact copy. Practice
Correct answer: (B)
The others differ in R. M., 14/G and PIN 208010.
The others differ in R. M., 14/G and PIN 208010.
Q18. In ‘aBcDeFgH’, how many capital letters are at even positions? Practice
Correct answer: (D)
Positions 2, 4, 6, 8 hold B, D, F, H — all four are capitals.
Positions 2, 4, 6, 8 hold B, D, F, H — all four are capitals.
Q19. In the digit string 734737731773, how many times does ‘7 immediately followed by 3’ occur? Practice
Correct answer: (A)
Pairs: 73|4|73|7|73|1|7|73 → 4 times.
Pairs: 73|4|73|7|73|1|7|73 → 4 times.
Q20. The application form gives the date of birth as 15/04/2003. Which document does not match? Certificate: 15/04/2003, admit card: 15/04/2003, Aadhaar: 15/04/2003, marksheet: 15/04/2008 Practice
Correct answer: (C)
The marksheet shows 2008; all the others show 2003.
The marksheet shows 2008; all the others show 2003.