New Jersey Civil Service Written Expression and Grammar Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Read the following sentence and choose the option that corrects the error in grammar or punctuation. 'The team of analysts, after reviewing all the data, is submitting there recommendation to the board next week.'
- is submitting their recommendation to the board
- are submitting there recommendation to the board
- is submitting its recommendation to the board (Correct answer)
- are submitting its recommendation to the board
Correct answer: is submitting its recommendation to the board
The subject of the sentence is 'team,' which is a singular collective noun. Therefore, it requires a singular verb ('is') and a singular possessive pronoun ('its'). 'There' is an adverb indicating place, and 'their' is a plural possessive pronoun; both are incorrect here.
Question 2: Which of the following sentences is grammatically correct?
- Each of the applicants were required to submit a portfolio.
- The manager, as well as the employees, were happy with the new policy.
- Neither the director nor the actors were satisfied with the final scene. (Correct answer)
- A list of regulations and procedures were posted on the bulletin board.
Correct answer: Neither the director nor the actors were satisfied with the final scene.
When 'neither...nor' connects two subjects, the verb agrees with the subject closer to it. In this case, 'actors' is plural, so the plural verb 'were' is correct. In the other options: 'Each' is singular and requires 'was'; the phrase 'as well as the employees' is parenthetical, so the verb should agree with 'manager' (singular 'was'); 'A list' is the singular subject and requires 'was'.
Question 3: A new municipal ordinance will ______ the process for obtaining a construction permit, making it more difficult for uncertified contractors. Which word correctly completes the sentence?
- effect
- affect (Correct answer)
- except
- accept
Correct answer: affect
'Affect' is a verb meaning 'to influence or produce a change in something.' 'Effect' is usually a noun meaning 'a result or consequence.' In this context, the ordinance will influence or change the process, so the verb 'affect' is the correct choice.
Question 4: An internal memo states: 'To improve office efficiency, all staff should be proficient in using the new software, answering emails promptly, and ______ regular data backups.' Choose the option that maintains parallel structure.
- they should perform
- to perform
- performing (Correct answer)
- performance of
Correct answer: performing
The sentence uses a parallel structure with gerunds (-ing words): 'using,' 'answering,' and therefore requires 'performing' to maintain the pattern. The other options break the parallel structure of the list.
Question 5: Identify the sentence that contains a punctuation error.
- The report, which was due yesterday, is still incomplete.
- Although the weather was poor; the event had a surprisingly high turnout. (Correct answer)
- The three departments involved are Operations, Finance, and Human Resources.
- She asked a simple question: "When is the deadline?"
Correct answer: Although the weather was poor; the event had a surprisingly high turnout.
A semicolon should be used to connect two closely related independent clauses. However, when a dependent clause (like 'Although the weather was poor') precedes an independent clause, it should be set off by a comma, not a semicolon. The correct punctuation would be a comma.
Question 6: The public works department has received significantly ______ complaints about road conditions this year compared to last year.
- less
- least
- fewer (Correct answer)
- fewest
Correct answer: fewer
The word 'fewer' is used for countable nouns, like 'complaints.' The word 'less' is used for uncountable nouns (e.g., 'less traffic,' 'less water'). Since you can count the number of complaints, 'fewer' is the grammatically correct choice.
New Jersey Civil Service Written Expression and Grammar Questions and Answers
Read the following sentence and choose the option that corrects the error in grammar or punctuation. 'The team of analysts, after reviewing all the data, is submitting there recommendation to the board next week.'