Civil Service Grammar and Correct Usage Questions and Answers

Question 1

The new regulations will significantly ______ the agency's daily operations, and the primary ______ will be an increase in required documentation.

Accepted Answer

affect, effect

Answer

'Affect' is a verb meaning 'to influence or impact'. 'Effect' is a noun meaning 'a result or consequence'. The regulations will influence (affect) the operations, and the result (effect) will be more documentation.

Question 2

Which of the following sentences is grammatically correct?

Accepted Answer

The consultant, whom the board hired, delivered an impressive report.

Answer

Whom' is the correct objective pronoun to use here because it is the object of the verb 'hired' (the board hired whom). In the other options, 'whoever' should be used in A, 'Who' should be used in C, and 'whom' should be used in D (we can depend on whom).

Question 3

The public briefing was postponed due to technical difficulties ___ the keynote speaker was delayed by traffic.

Accepted Answer

difficulties; furthermore, the

Answer

A semicolon is used to connect two closely related independent clauses. 'Furthermore' is a conjunctive adverb that logically connects the two ideas, and it is correctly preceded by a semicolon and followed by a comma.

Question 4

Which of the following sentences contains a misplaced modifier?

Accepted Answer

The report was placed on the manager's desk, which was completed yesterday.

Answer

The modifier 'which was completed yesterday' is misplaced. It incorrectly suggests that the manager's desk was completed yesterday, rather than the report. The phrase should be placed closer to 'report' to be clear (e.g., 'The report, which was completed yesterday, was placed...').

Question 5

A new administrative assistant's duties include managing schedules, the ordering of supplies, and to answer the main phone line.

Accepted Answer

duties include managing schedules, ordering supplies, and answering the main phone line.

Answer

This sentence requires parallel structure for the list of duties. The correct answer uses the gerund form (-ing) for all three items in the list: managing, ordering, and answering. The other options mix different grammatical forms (infinitives, nouns), breaking the parallel structure.

Civil Service Exam Practice Test

Civil Service Exam Practice Test

Civil Service Grammar and Correct Usage Questions and Answers