If every alternative letter of the English alphabet from B onwards (including B) is written in lower case (small letters) and the remaining letters are capitalized, then how is the first month of the second half of the year written?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (d) jUlY
From B onwards every alternate letter — B, D, F … the even-numbered letters — is written small, and the odd-numbered letters are capitals. In JULY, J (10th) and L (12th) are small, U (21st) and Y (25th) are capitals: jUlY.
- Small letters: B, D, F, H, J, L, N, P, R, T, V, X, Z — the even positions.
- Capitals: A, C, E, …, U, W, Y — the odd positions.
- The first month of the second half of the year is July.
- J = 10th → j; U = 21st → U; L = 12th → l; Y = 25th → Y.
- Result: jUlY.
Remember · Turn 'every alternate letter from B' into positions — the even-numbered letters — then check each letter's position.
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2019, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·