NYC Written Comprehension and Expression 2

Question 1

A supervisor asks you to draft a memo informing staff that the office will close at 3 PM on Friday due to a building inspection. Which opening sentence is most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

Please be advised that the office will close at 3 PM this Friday for a scheduled building inspection.

Answer

The first option uses professional tone, clear language, and includes all necessary details concisely.

Question 2

Read the following sentence: 'The report, which was submitted by the analyst who works in the downtown office, contained several errors that required immediate correction.' What is the main subject of this sentence?

Accepted Answer

The report

Answer

The main subject is 'the report' — the clauses beginning with 'which' and 'who' are subordinate modifiers.

Question 3

Which sentence uses punctuation correctly?

Accepted Answer

The officer filed the report; however, the supervisor rejected it.

Answer

A semicolon before 'however' and a comma after it is the correct punctuation for a conjunctive adverb joining two independent clauses.

Question 4

A civil service notice states: 'Eligibility for the benefit is contingent upon submission of required documentation no later than the specified deadline.' What does 'contingent upon' mean in this context?

Accepted Answer

Dependent on

Answer

'Contingent upon' means dependent on a condition — the benefit will only be granted if the documentation is submitted on time.

Question 5

Which of the following correctly uses the word 'its' versus 'it's'?

Accepted Answer

The agency updated its website last week.

Answer

'Its' (no apostrophe) is the possessive pronoun; 'it's' (with apostrophe) is a contraction of 'it is.'

NYC - Civil Service Exam Practice Test

NYC - Civil Service Exam Practice Test

NYC Written Comprehension and Expression 2