Clerical Exams Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield Clerical Exams facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. Which of the following is the correct order for filing these records chronologically by year, then month? Jan 2023, Dec 2022, Mar 2022, Sep 2023 → Mar 2022, Dec 2022, Jan 2023, Sep 2023
2. Which sentence is written in the active voice? → The clerk filed the report.
3. What does GWAM stand for in keyboarding assessments? → Gross Words A Minute
4. What is 15% of $840? → $126
5. Look for the one misspelled word. → Ascede
6. What is the purpose of an 'out card' or 'out guide' in a physical filing system? → To indicate that a file has been removed and show its current location or borrower
7. An office receives 3 packages weighing 4.75 lbs, 2.3 lbs, and 6.15 lbs. What is the total weight? → 13.20 lbs
8. A written request made by the bank in order to make a payment or transfer money to the checkholder. → Check
9. Which filing rule applies to names with prefixes (Mc, Mac, Van, De)? → Treat the prefix as part of the surname
10. A document labeled 'Confidential' should be filed: → In a locked cabinet or secure storage accessible only to authorized personnel
11. When answering a caller who is on hold and you need more time to find information, what should you do? → Return to the caller every 30-60 seconds to update them and offer to call back
12. Which sentence contains a misplaced modifier? → Running down the hall, the documents were dropped.
13. Which proofreading mark indicates that a word or passage should be deleted? → A line through the text with a delete symbol (a loop or strikethrough)
14. Find the error in this sentence: 'Please insure that all forms are completed before submitting the application.' → 'insure' should be 'ensure'
15. When coding a document for filing, the coder should: → Mark the filing code on the document in the upper right corner
16. When you receive a work email that requires action, the best practice is to: → Read it and decide on the appropriate action or flag it for follow-up
17. Which of the following is the word's right spelling? → Absolutely
18. In an electronic filing system, what is the MAIN advantage of using metadata tags on documents? → They allow documents to be found through multiple search criteria beyond the filename
19. How many people, counting counterclockwise from A, are seated between A and P? → Two
20. When filing by number, which order is correct? → 1, 2, 3, 11, 22
21. Compare: 'Procurement Office — PO-446821' and 'Procurement Office — PO-446821'. Are the entries the same or different? → Exactly the same
22. Which of the following sentences is grammatically correct? → The new policy will affect morale more than the old one.
23. Which word is spelled correctly? → Embarrass
24. A report shows expenses of $2,450, $1,875, $3,210, and $1,465. What is the total? → $9,000
25. A clerk processes 45 forms in 3 hours. At this rate, how many forms in an 8-hour day? → 120
26. Three clerks split overtime hours in a ratio of 2:3:5. If total overtime is 30 hours, how many hours does the clerk with the largest share receive? → 15
27. A records clerk must file a document titled 'Employee Health Benefits 2023'. Which subject category code is most appropriate? → HR-Benefits
28. In chronological filing, documents are arranged by: → Date, with most recent on top
29. What is the PRIMARY purpose of a file classification scheme in a clerical office environment? → To group related records together for efficient retrieval and consistent organization
30. What is the standard line spacing used in a formal business memorandum? → Single-spaced body with double spacing between paragraphs