Abstract

Dear Reader: You will be able to recite the English alphabet backwards in under 5-seconds—and after only a few hours of practice—using the proven techniques below.

First, let’s observe the alphabet written backwards:

Z Y X W V U T S R Q P O N M L K J I H G F E D C B A

Next, let’s segment the first 21 letters of this reversed alphabet into “packets” of three letters each:

(ZYX) (WVU) (TSR) (QPO) (NML) (KJI) (HGF) E D C B A

We will write down the letter that follows each “packet”—moving from left to right:

W – T – Q – N – K – H – E

We will incorporate these letters into an easy-to-remember reference sentence:

White Tailed Quail Never Kiss Heron Eggs.

As you will see, you will only have to concentrate on reversing any three letters at a time as you are reciting the alphabet backwards—thanks to this valuable reference sentence.

Now, for the difficult part: The mental exercises you must master.

Say to yourself: “ White. W. Let’s see: after W comes X-Y-Z. Alright. I’ll reverse these three letters.”

Then, recite aloud: “Z-Y-X.”

Then, think to yourself: “White Tailed. T. What’s after T? I know…U-V-W.” Again, reciting aloud, say: “W-V-U,” reversing those letters.

You are ready to combine the two packets that you have just learned. Aloud, recite “Z-Y-X-W-V-U.”

[Here is a tip: Whenever you get to the letter “W,” pronounce it as “dou-ble-U”—its preferred pronunciation. Doing so will improve your cadence—especially later on, when you will be flying past the letter “W” faster than Evelyn Wood!]

Continue reciting your way through the reversed alphabet in this manner, adding another packet now and then to your repertoire, until you get to the last packet—the (HGF) one. At that point, recite aloud: “H-G…” and then rattle off “F-E-D-C-B-A”…which you will have pre-memorized by remembering the word “F-E-D” (a word that occurs naturally in a reversed English alphabet) and then the letters “C-B-A.”

Please memorize “F-E-D-C-B-A” now.

You have just learned the framework for reciting an alphabet backwards. Please memorize the reference sentence “White Tailed Quail Never Kiss Heron Eggs” and begin practicing your packets for about a half-hour before moving on to the next section…

You can now recite the English alphabet backwards from memory (or, at least a couple of packets!) and can now begin increasing your speed until you are comfortable blurting out all 26 letters of the backwards alphabet in under 5-seconds!

You may want to add that little jingly way of intoning the alphabet’s backwards delivery that you employed in the other direction, when you were a youngster. Like so:

English Alphabet Sung Backwards Song

Z, Y, X, dou-ble-	U, V, U, —
T, S, R, Q-P	O, N, M, —
L, K, J, I-H	G, F, E, D
C—, B—,	A–, –, –, –.
Now I know my	Z Y X s —
I can drive an S U V to	Nacogdoches, Texas!

Singing Tip : If each letter above represents a quarter-note, then “dou-ble-,” “Q-P,” and “I-H” each represent two eighth-notes.

You are ready for American Idol! Good Luck!