Which word is closest in meaning to EXPEDITE?
About this test
Here is a free civil service exam practice test with 30 questions, the answers and an explanation for each one, written by the StudyPDF team in the style of government hiring tests. There is no single national exam, so it trains the skills almost all of them share: reading comprehension, vocabulary and grammar, arithmetic, number and letter series, filing, coding, clerical checking and situational judgment. Answer all 30, then check your score and read why each answer is right.
All 30 questions at a glance
Prefer to read before you play? Every question in the sampler is listed below. Answers and explanations stay collapsed until you open them.
1.Which word is closest in meaning to EXPEDITE?
- A. Postpone
- B. Speed up
- C. Record
- D. Question
Answer: B. Speed up
To expedite something is to make it happen faster. The word comes from Latin roots meaning to free the feet, so the picture behind it is clearing an obstacle out of the way. Vocabulary items usually offer one near opposite, here postpone, because a test taker who half remembers the word tends to grab it.
2.Which sentence is written correctly?
- A. The list of applicants were sent to the hiring office.
- B. The list of applicants have been sent to the hiring office.
- C. The list of applicants was sent to the hiring office.
- D. The lists of applicants was sent to the hiring office.
Answer: C. The list of applicants was sent to the hiring office.
The subject is list, which is singular, so the verb is was. The phrase of applicants sits between the subject and the verb and has no effect on the verb form. Cross out any phrase that starts with a preposition and the agreement gets obvious, which is why the last option is wrong in the opposite direction: lists is plural and needs were.
3.Complete the series.
4, 7, 13, 25, _____, 97
Options for blank 1: 37, 49, 50, 61
Answer: 49
The gaps are 3, 6, 12 and 24, so each gap doubles, which makes the next gap 24 doubled, or 48. Adding 48 to 25 gives 49, and 49 plus 96 gives 97, which confirms the rule. The same series also follows the rule double the number and subtract one, and when two rules both fit, checking them against the last given term settles it.
4.A department received 1,260 applications. One clerk sorted 40 percent of them and the two remaining clerks split the rest evenly. How many did each of those two clerks sort?
- A. 252
- B. 378
- C. 420
- D. 504
Answer: B. 378
Forty percent of 1,260 is 504, so 756 are left. Split evenly between two clerks, that is 378 each. The wrong answers are the traps you get by stopping early: 504 is the first clerk's share, and 420 is what you get by splitting all 1,260 three ways and ignoring the percentage.
5.Which of these are standard rules in an alphabetical filing system?
Select all that apply.
- A. A personal name is filed by surname first, then given name, then middle name or initial.
- B. Nothing comes before something, so Bell is filed before Bellamy.
- C. A prefix such as De, Van or Mac stays attached to the surname rather than being treated as a separate word.
- D. A title such as Dr. or Captain decides the order when two surnames are identical.
- E. Names written with digits are always filed after every alphabetic name.
Answer: A. A personal name is filed by surname first, then given name, then middle name or initial., B. Nothing comes before something, so Bell is filed before Bellamy., C. A prefix such as De, Van or Mac stays attached to the surname rather than being treated as a separate word.
Filing items reward knowing the ordering logic rather than guessing. Names are compared unit by unit, surname first, and a shorter unit sorts before a longer one that starts the same way, which is the nothing before something rule. A prefix is part of the surname, so Van Dyke files under V. Titles are used only as a last resort after every other unit matches, and numeric filing usually comes before alphabetic, not after. Where a specific agency's manual differs, its manual is what the test follows, so read the one you are given.
6.A coding key assigns A=1, B=2, C=3, D=4, E=5. The rule is: shift each letter one position later in the alphabet, then write the number of the new letter. What code does BAD produce?
- A. 325
- B. 214
- C. 132
- D. 436
Answer: A. 325
Shift each letter first: B becomes C, A becomes B, D becomes E. Then read the numbers: C is 3, B is 2, E is 5, giving 325. The wrong answer 214 is what you get by skipping the shift and coding the letters as they stand, which is the single most common slip on coding items. Do the steps in the order the rule gives them, one letter at a time.
7.Complete the sentence.
A candidate answers 45 of 60 questions correctly, which is _____ percent. Answering the same share of an 80 question test correctly would mean _____ correct answers.
Options for blank 1: 66, 70, 75, 80
Options for blank 2: 55, 60, 65, 70
Answer: 75, 60
45 divided by 60 is 0.75, which is 75 percent. Applying that share to 80 questions gives 0.75 times 80, which is 60. Once you have the share as a decimal you can move it onto any total, and that is faster than setting up a new proportion each time. Note that a percentage correct is not the same as a passing score, since each jurisdiction sets its own passing standard.
8.A county office posts this notice: Applications delivered in person are date stamped at the counter. Applications sent by mail are date stamped on the day they are opened, which may be later than the postmark. Applications are reviewed in date stamp order. Based only on the notice, which statement is supported?
- A. An application handed in at the counter can be reviewed before one that was mailed earlier.
- B. A mailed application is reviewed according to its postmark date.
- C. Two applications mailed on the same day are always reviewed together.
- D. Applications delivered in person are reviewed before all mailed applications.
Answer: A. An application handed in at the counter can be reviewed before one that was mailed earlier.
The notice says review order follows the date stamp, and that a mailed application is stamped when it is opened, which can be after its postmark. That is enough to support the first statement and it rules out the second. The other two overreach: always and all are stronger than anything the notice says, since a mailed application opened today is stamped the same day as one handed in today. On reading items, answer from the passage alone and be suspicious of absolutes.
9.You are working a public counter. A resident becomes loud and angry after learning the form they filled out was the wrong one. Which of these are appropriate first responses?
Select all that apply.
- A. Let the person finish speaking before you start explaining.
- B. Tell them calmly which form is the correct one and what happens next.
- C. Point out that the instructions were posted and they should have read them.
- D. Keep your voice level and stay at the counter unless you feel unsafe.
- E. Walk away and start serving the next person in line.
Answer: A. Let the person finish speaking before you start explaining., B. Tell them calmly which form is the correct one and what happens next., D. Keep your voice level and stay at the counter unless you feel unsafe.
Situational judgment items are looking for the response that solves the problem and keeps the situation calm, not the one that assigns blame. Listening first, giving a clear next step and keeping your own tone steady all do that. Telling someone they should have read the instructions is correct and useless at the same time, and walking off leaves the problem unsolved. Keep in mind that the scoring key is written by the hiring agency and reflects how it wants its staff to behave, so read any published values statement for the job you applied to.
10.A square sheet of paper is folded in half, then folded in half again. A single hole is punched through all the layers. When the paper is unfolded, how many holes are there?
- A. Two
- B. Three
- C. Four
- D. Eight
Answer: C. Four
Each fold doubles the number of layers. One fold gives two layers, a second fold gives four, and the punch goes through every layer, so unfolding reveals four holes. The rule is that the number of holes equals two multiplied by itself once per fold, so three folds would give eight. Counting layers is the reliable way through paper folding items, and sketching the folds in the margin costs a few seconds and saves the guess.
11.A dispatcher records this description: blue sedan, license plate RTK 4192, traveling north on Third Street. Which report below matches that description exactly?
- A. Blue sedan, plate RTK 4912, northbound on Third Street
- B. Blue coupe, plate RTK 4192, northbound on Third Street
- C. Blue sedan, plate RTK 4192, northbound on Third Avenue
- D. Blue sedan, plate RTK 4192, northbound on Third Street
Answer: D. Blue sedan, plate RTK 4192, northbound on Third Street
Only the last option matches on all three details. The others each change exactly one thing: 4912 transposes two digits, coupe changes the body style, and Avenue changes the street type. Observation items are built from single small changes like these, so compare one field at a time, in the same order every time, instead of reading each option as a whole sentence.
12.In each pair below, the same record has been copied from one list to another. Which pairs are exact matches?
Select all that apply.
- A. Kowalczyk, Anna 5583041 and Kowalczyk, Anna 5583041
- B. Reyes-Ortega, M. 4471902 and Reyes-Ortega, M. 4471902
- C. Stephenson, Carl 8820376 and Stephenson, Carl 8820736
- D. O'Donnell, Sean 3319548 and ODonnell, Sean 3319548
- E. Whitfield, Dana 6604215 and Whitfield, Diana 6604215
Answer: A. Kowalczyk, Anna 5583041 and Kowalczyk, Anna 5583041, B. Reyes-Ortega, M. 4471902 and Reyes-Ortega, M. 4471902
The first two agree character for character. The third transposes 3 and 7 in the middle of the number, the fourth drops the apostrophe, and the fifth turns Dana into Diana. Checking items are scored on accuracy under time pressure, and the reliable method is to split each record into fields and compare them in the same order every time, reading numbers in small groups rather than as one long string.
13.Complete the sentence.
Filing Sanders, Sandburg and Sandoval in strict alphabetical order, the name that comes first is _____ and the name that comes last is _____.
Options for blank 1: Sanders, Sandburg, Sandoval
Options for blank 2: Sanders, Sandburg, Sandoval
Answer: Sandburg, Sandoval
All three share the first four letters, S, a, n and d, so the fifth letter decides: b in Sandburg, e in Sanders, o in Sandoval. That gives Sandburg, Sanders, Sandoval. Compare letter by letter and stop at the first letter that differs, because judging by how the whole name looks or sounds is what puts Sanders first for most people.
14.Which sentence uses affect and effect correctly?
- A. The new rule will effect how many forms you file, and the affect was immediate.
- B. The new rule will affect how many forms you file, and the effect was immediate.
- C. The new rule will affect how many forms you file, and the affect was immediate.
- D. The new rule will effect how many forms you file, and the effect was immediate.
Answer: B. The new rule will affect how many forms you file, and the effect was immediate.
In ordinary use affect is the verb, meaning to influence, and effect is the noun, meaning the result. The rule affects the forms, and the result is the effect. Effect does exist as a verb, meaning to bring about, as in effect a change, but it does not fit here, where the sentence is about influencing something that already exists.
15.Which letter comes next in this series: B, D, G, K, P?
- A. S
- B. T
- C. U
- D. V
Answer: D. V
Turn the letters into their positions in the alphabet: 2, 4, 7, 11, 16. The gaps are 2, 3, 4 and 5, so the next gap is 6, giving position 22, which is V. Converting letters to numbers is the standard move on letter series, because a growing gap is nearly invisible in letters and obvious in numbers.
16.A records office processed these numbers of forms this week: Monday 48, Tuesday 52, Wednesday 61, Thursday 39, Friday 45. What is the average number of forms processed per day?
- A. 47
- B. 49
- C. 51
- D. 52
Answer: B. 49
Add the five days to get 245 forms, then divide by five days to get 49. The other numbers are traps. 48 is the median, the middle value once the days are put in order, and 52 is the second highest day. When a question asks for an average, add first and divide second, and check that your answer sits between the lowest and the highest value.
17.A clerk enters 36 records in 45 minutes. At the same rate, how many records can the clerk enter in 2 hours?
- A. 80
- B. 90
- C. 96
- D. 108
Answer: C. 96
36 records in 45 minutes is 0.8 records a minute. Two hours is 120 minutes, and 120 times 0.8 is 96. You can also see it as a ratio: 45 minutes goes into 120 minutes two and two thirds times, and 36 times two and two thirds is 96. Convert the hours to minutes before you start, because mixing units is the most common slip on rate problems.
18.Thermometer is to temperature as ruler is to what?
- A. Length
- B. Wood
- C. Inch
- D. Measure
Answer: A. Length
A thermometer is the tool that measures temperature, and a ruler is the tool that measures length. Say the relationship in a sentence first, then test each choice in the same sentence. Inch is a unit of length rather than the thing being measured, and measure is the action. Analogy items often include a distractor that is related to the right answer but fills a different slot in the sentence.
19.Which word is spelled correctly?
- A. Recieve
- B. Occurence
- C. Separate
- D. Definately
Answer: C. Separate
Separate is the right spelling, and the middle is the usual trap: there is an a, as in par, not an e. The others are the classic misspellings of receive, occurrence and definitely. For receive, the rule i before e except after c catches it. For occurrence, remember the double c and the double r. Misspelled words that you have seen wrong a hundred times look right, so say the letters in order instead of judging by eye.
20.A memo says: file the reports by year, newest year first. Within the same year, file them by last name from A to Z. Which order follows the memo?
- A. 2023 Adams, 2023 Brown, 2024 Adams, 2024 Brown
- B. 2024 Brown, 2024 Adams, 2023 Brown, 2023 Adams
- C. 2023 Brown, 2023 Adams, 2024 Brown, 2024 Adams
- D. 2024 Adams, 2024 Brown, 2023 Adams, 2023 Brown
Answer: D. 2024 Adams, 2024 Brown, 2023 Adams, 2023 Brown
The first rule puts 2024 ahead of 2023. The second rule only applies inside a year, so Adams comes before Brown in both years. That gives 2024 Adams, 2024 Brown, 2023 Adams, 2023 Brown. Each wrong option breaks exactly one rule, which is how directions items are built. Apply the rules one at a time and cross out the options that fail each one.
21.A policy says: Employees on an eight hour shift take one unpaid 30 minute meal break. The break may not start in the first hour or the last hour of the shift. A supervisor may approve another time for operational reasons only. An employee works 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Which meal break is not allowed without a supervisor's approval?
- A. 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
- B. 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
- C. 12:00 p.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- D. 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Answer: A. 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
The first hour of this shift runs from 8:00 to 9:00, and a break starting at 8:30 starts inside it, so it needs approval. The last hour is 3:00 to 4:00, and a break starting at 2:00 starts well before it. Items like this ask you to apply a rule to a case, so mark the limits in the passage, then test each option against them. Notice that the question asks which option is not allowed, so three correct looking options are the point.
22.Every employee in the records unit has finished the safety course. Dana has not finished the safety course. Which conclusion must be true?
- A. Dana is in the records unit.
- B. Dana is not in the records unit.
- C. Dana will finish the safety course next week.
- D. Some employees in the records unit have not finished the course.
Answer: B. Dana is not in the records unit.
If everyone in the records unit has finished the course, then anyone who has not finished it cannot be in the unit. Dana has not finished, so Dana is not in the records unit. The first option reverses the logic, and the other two add facts the statements never give. For logic items, accept only what the statements force. A conclusion that merely sounds reasonable is wrong.
23.Which of these sentences are punctuated correctly?
Select all that apply.
- A. The office opens at 8, and the first clerk arrives at 7:45.
- B. Please send the form, to the records unit.
- C. The records unit moved to the second floor; the permits unit stayed on the first.
- D. Its important to sign the form before you leave.
- E. Applicants must bring a photo ID, proof of address, and a completed form.
Answer: A. The office opens at 8, and the first clerk arrives at 7:45., C. The records unit moved to the second floor; the permits unit stayed on the first., E. Applicants must bring a photo ID, proof of address, and a completed form.
A comma plus and joins two complete sentences, a semicolon can join two closely related complete sentences, and commas separate the items in a list. The second sentence has a comma that splits the verb from its object for no reason. The fourth needs an apostrophe, because its important means it is important, so the correct form is it's. The two usual grammar traps are the stray comma and the missing apostrophe.
24.Complete the sentence.
A budget of $2,400 is split so that one fourth goes to supplies and one third goes to salaries. Supplies receive $_____, and salaries receive $_____.
Options for blank 1: 480, 600, 800, 1,200
Options for blank 2: 600, 720, 800, 900
Answer: 600, 800
One fourth of 2,400 is 600, and one third of 2,400 is 800. Together they take 1,400, which leaves 1,000 for everything else. Fraction of a number problems are division first: split the whole into equal parts, then count the parts you need. If the two shares ever add up to more than the whole, one of the divisions is wrong.
25.Which pair of numbers is exactly the same?
- A. 48172653 and 48172563
- B. 36044817 and 36044871
- C. 92853106 and 92853160
- D. 70915284 and 70915284
Answer: D. 70915284 and 70915284
Only the last pair matches digit for digit. The other three pairs swap two neighboring digits, which is the typical error in number checking. To check quickly, split each number into chunks of two or three digits and compare chunk against chunk, or read the pair aloud in the same chunks. Comparing the whole number at a glance is how a swapped pair gets through.
26.A form must be returned within 10 business days of receipt. It was received on Monday, June 3. Counting Tuesday, June 4 as business day 1, and skipping weekends, what is the last day to return it?
- A. Thursday, June 13
- B. Friday, June 14
- C. Monday, June 17
- D. Tuesday, June 18
Answer: C. Monday, June 17
Count the business days one by one. June 4 to 7 are days 1 to 4, June 10 to 14 are days 5 to 9, and Monday, June 17 is day 10. Thursday, June 13 is what you get by counting ten calendar days, and Friday, June 14 is what you get by counting the day of receipt as day 1. Read how the problem tells you to start counting, and write down the days instead of working from memory.
27.Your supervisor asks you to process a request on a form, but you notice the form was replaced last month by a newer version. What should you do first?
- A. Process it on the old form because your supervisor asked for it.
- B. Use the new form and say nothing, since it is the current one.
- C. Set the request aside until your supervisor notices.
- D. Tell your supervisor the form was replaced and ask which one to use.
Answer: D. Tell your supervisor the form was replaced and ask which one to use.
The best first step tells the person who owns the decision what you noticed and lets them settle it. That keeps the work moving and avoids a wrong form. Using the old form ignores a problem you can see, using the new one without a word changes the instruction on your own, and setting the request aside delays the work. Situational judgment items usually reward the answer that is open, brief and respectful of the chain of command.
28.Which word is closest to the opposite of AMBIGUOUS?
- A. Vague
- B. Clear
- C. Careful
- D. Silent
Answer: B. Clear
Something ambiguous can be read in more than one way, so its opposite is something clear, with one meaning. Vague is a synonym, not an opposite, and it is the choice a half remembered word pulls you toward. On opposite items, first find the meaning, then check that the option points the other way. If the options include a synonym, it is there on purpose.
29.Overtime in a department fell from 80 hours one month to 60 hours the next. By what percent did overtime fall?
- A. 20 percent
- B. 25 percent
- C. 33 percent
- D. 40 percent
Answer: B. 25 percent
The drop is 20 hours, and percent change is measured against the starting amount. 20 divided by 80 is 0.25, which is 25 percent. Dividing by the new number, 60, gives about 33 percent, which is the usual trap. Always put the old value on the bottom of the fraction when asked how much something fell or rose.
30.Which of these are good practices when you handle confidential records at work?
Select all that apply.
- A. Share your password with a coworker who covers your desk.
- B. Lock your screen or log out when you step away.
- C. Take records home to finish them when the office is busy.
- D. Share a person's information only with staff who need it for their work.
- E. Shred printed copies you no longer need.
Answer: B. Lock your screen or log out when you step away., D. Share a person's information only with staff who need it for their work., E. Shred printed copies you no longer need.
Confidentiality questions have a simple core: limit who can see the information, and do not let it leave your control. Locking your screen, sharing on a need to know basis and shredding spare copies all do that. A shared password breaks the record of who accessed what, and taking records home puts them somewhere the agency cannot protect. If your agency publishes its own rules, those are the ones the test follows.
Which civil service exam are you taking? Common versions
There is no single national civil service exam. Federal agencies, states, counties, cities, transit authorities, school districts and police and fire departments each run their own hiring, and each one decides what its written test contains. The number of questions, the time limit, the passing score and how the list is ranked are all set by the body that gives the test. So start with the announcement for your exact exam number, then use this map to see which parts of this test matter most for you.
New York State exams: the Department of Civil Service publishes free test guides on cs.ny.gov for many titles. The entry level clerical series, for example, works with letters and numbers, spelling and alphabetizing, and other titles add name and number checking or understanding written material. Questions 5, 12, 13, 19 and 25 here drill those skills.
New York City exams: the Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS) posts a Notice of Examination for each test, and that notice lists the abilities it measures. Office and clerical titles lean on reading, checking and filing, so practice questions 8, 11, 12, 20 and 25.
Police exams: written tests for police jobs often measure reading, written expression, memory and observation, putting steps in order and judgment, and most departments add a physical test, a background check and interviews. Questions 8, 11, 21, 22 and 27 are the closest match here.
Firefighter exams: the written part usually covers reading, mechanical and spatial reasoning, memory and judgment, and many departments run a separate physical ability test. Questions 8, 10, 11 and 27 cover the written skills that overlap.
Clerical and office assistant exams: these are the closest fit for this whole test, especially the checking, coding, filing, spelling and arithmetic items.
Federal jobs: there is no general federal civil service exam any more. Each USAJOBS posting describes its own assessment, which can be a questionnaire, an online test or a skills test, so read the How You Will Be Evaluated part of the posting.
How the hiring process works, from announcement to job offer
The details change by agency, but most civil service hiring follows the same path. First, the agency posts an announcement with the job title, the exam number, the minimum requirements, the deadline and the test date. Second, you apply, and the agency checks that you meet the requirements. Third, you sit the written test, in a test center, at a set session or online, depending on the jurisdiction.
Fourth, your score goes onto a ranked list. Some jurisdictions add points for things like military service where their rules allow it, and a pass usually only puts you on the list, so your rank decides whether you are called. Fifth, the agency contacts people from the top of the list for interviews and checks, and some jobs add a physical, medical or skills test. Last, you get an offer, or you stay on the list until it expires. A list stays active for a set time, so a good score is worth keeping track of.
Read the announcement for each of these steps. It is the one document that applies to your exam.
The skills that transfer across almost all of them
Nearly every civil service written test draws from the same pool of general abilities. Reading comprehension asks you to answer from a passage and only from the passage, usually a memo, a notice or a section of a procedure manual. Vocabulary and grammar ask you to pick the right word or the correctly written sentence. Arithmetic and word problems stay practical: percentages, averages, rates, splitting a workload. Number and letter series ask you to find the rule behind a sequence. Spatial and pattern items ask you to picture something folded, rotated or assembled.
The rest of the pool is clerical. Memory and observation items give you details and then ask you to recall them accurately. Coding items hand you a key and a rule and ask you to apply it without slipping. Filing items test alphabetical and numeric order. Clerical checking gives you two lists and asks whether they match, which sounds easy until you meet a transposed digit at speed. Situational judgment items describe a problem with a coworker or a member of the public and ask what you would do first.
This sampler puts at least one item in each of those styles. Take it in one sitting without notes, then read the explanation for every question, including the ones you got right. Treat a wrong answer as a skill to drill rather than a fact to memorize. Missing a checking item and an observation item points at the same habit, which is reading in whole chunks instead of field by field.
How to approach each type of question
Reading comprehension: read the question first, then the passage, and answer from the passage only. Watch for strong words like always, never and all, which are rarely supported.
Vocabulary, spelling and grammar: find the meaning or the rule before you look at the options, and expect one near opposite or one common misspelling among them.
Arithmetic and word problems: write the setup down before you calculate. Convert units first, put the old value on the bottom for percent change, and check that your answer is the right size.
Series and reasoning: look at the gaps between numbers, convert letters to their positions in the alphabet, and test your rule on the last term you were given.
Clerical checking, coding and filing: these are often speed tests, so accuracy and pace matter together. Compare in chunks rather than whole strings, apply the key exactly as written, and follow the filing rules in the order they are given.
Situational judgment: choose the response that solves the problem, stays calm and respects the chain of command. Skip answers that blame, avoid or go around people.
How to build more practice tests from your own materials
Thirty questions can show you which skills are weak. They cannot get you ready on their own, and a generic bank cannot match an announcement that names the exact subject areas your jurisdiction will test.
StudyPDF works from your material instead. Upload the exam announcement, the study guide your agency published, a prep book or your own notes. Then press New material, pick a practice test, choose those files as the sources and set how long it should be. You get a test written from those exact pages, and every explanation cites where the answer comes from, so you can go straight to the source when something looks off.
Bo is the tutor for the rest. Ask him why an answer is right and he answers from your own pages and gives you a hint first if you want one. Ask him for a practice test and he hands you the New material form already filled in. He does not build the test inside the chat.
You do not have to upload anything to start. Name a topic instead, for example number series or clerical checking. A free account is enough, with no card and no time limit. Free covers about four new materials a week, and Pro and Ultra cover more.
Written by the StudyPDF team. Last updated August 19, 2026.
Good to know
Is this civil service exam practice test really free?
Yes. All 30 questions, the score screen and every explanation are free to play in your browser. There is no paywall on this page.
Will these exact questions be on my civil service exam?
No. There is no single national civil service exam. Every federal agency, state, county and city sets its own test, its own time limit and its own passing score, so nobody can tell you what will be on yours. These questions practice the general skills that show up across most of them. For the specifics, read the exam announcement or candidate handbook for your exam number.
What questions are on a civil service exam?
It depends on the job and the jurisdiction. Most written tests draw on reading comprehension, vocabulary and grammar, arithmetic and word problems, number and letter series, clerical checking, coding and filing, memory and observation, and situational judgment. This test has at least one question of each kind. The announcement for your exam number lists the sections that apply to you.
How hard is a civil service exam, and what is a passing score?
Most questions are not hard on their own. The difficulty comes from the time limit, from clerical items where one swapped digit costs a point, and from competition, because a pass usually only puts you on a ranked list and your rank decides whether you are called. Each jurisdiction sets its own passing rule. Some use a fixed percentage, often around 70 percent, and others use a scaled score. The announcement or candidate handbook for your exam number gives the rule.
How long is a civil service exam, and how many questions does it have?
There is no standard length. Some tests take an hour or less and others run for several hours in separate timed parts. The announcement gives the number of questions and the time for each part. Until you know the real limit, practice at a steady pace of about a minute per question.
How do I study for a civil service exam?
Start with the announcement and write down the sections. Take this sampler and mark your weakest skills. Drill those skills in short daily sessions, with a timer for series, word problems and checking. Practice answering from the passage only. Then take a full timed practice test a few days before the exam.
Who wrote these questions?
The StudyPDF team wrote every question and explanation, following the skill areas that government hiring tests commonly cover. They are not real exam questions, and StudyPDF is not affiliated with any civil service commission, personnel department, government agency or test publisher.
Can I get more questions like these from my own materials?
Yes. Upload your exam announcement, agency study guide, prep book or notes to StudyPDF, press New material, pick a practice test and choose those files as the sources. You get a test written from your exact pages, with explanations tied to them. If you have nothing to upload, name a topic instead.
Need more than a sampler?
Upload your own prep book, slides or notes and Bo builds full-length practice tests from your exact materials, tracks which concepts you keep missing and targets your weak spots. Free to start.