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 ?
- (a) JuLY
- (b) jULy
- (c) jUly
- (d) jUlY ✓ UPSC's answer
Why the answer is (d)
• The first month of the second half of the year (July–December) is July, so the word to be written is JULY.
• The rule states that every alternative letter from B onwards (including B) is written in lower case. Counting from B: B(2), D(4), F(6), H(8), J(10), L(12), N(14), P(16), R(18), T(20), V(22), X(24), Z(26) are the lower-case letters.
• The remaining letters — A(1), C(3), E(5), G(7), I(9), K(11), M(13), O(15), Q(17), S(19), U(21), W(23), Y(25) — are capitalized.
• Applying this to JULY: J is at position 10 (lower-case group) → j; U is at position 21 (capitalized group) → U; L is at position 12 (lower-case group) → l; Y is at position 25 (capitalized group) → Y.
• Therefore JULY is written as jUlY, which corresponds to option (d).
Why the other options are wrong
- (a) JuLY
- J is shown capitalized, but J (position 10) belongs to the lower-case group; U is shown as 'u' (lower-case), but U (position 21) belongs to the capitalized group; L is shown capitalized, but L (position 12) belongs to the lower-case group.
- (b) jULy
- L is shown capitalized, but L (position 12) belongs to the lower-case group; y is shown in lower case, but Y (position 25) belongs to the capitalized group.
- (c) jUly
- y is shown in lower case, but Y (position 25) belongs to the capitalized group and must be written as Y.
Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2019, held on 2 June 2019. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.