New Jersey Civil Service Written Expression and Communication Questions and Answers

Question 1

The project manager told Sarah and (A)I that the new deadlines (B)must be met (C)in order to secure (D)additional funding for the department. Which underlined part of the sentence contains an error?

Accepted Answer

A

Answer

The pronoun is part of the object of the verb 'told.' The objective case 'me' should be used, not the subjective case 'I.' The correct phrasing is 'told Sarah and me.'

Question 2

Choose the best way to combine the following two sentences: 'The township council approved the new zoning ordinance. The ordinance will restrict construction in protected wetland areas.'

Accepted Answer

The township council approved the new zoning ordinance, which will restrict construction in protected wetland areas.

Answer

Choice C correctly uses a non-restrictive clause ('which...') to combine the two ideas smoothly and grammatically. Choice A is grammatically acceptable but less fluid. Choice B is a comma splice, a common grammatical error. Choice D has a misplaced modifier, incorrectly implying the council itself is restricting construction in that moment.

Question 3

A supervisor needs to inform their team that a mandatory training session has been rescheduled. Which of the following is the most professional and clear way to communicate this message in an email?

Accepted Answer

Please be advised that the mandatory training session originally scheduled for Tuesday, April 5th, has been rescheduled to Thursday, April 7th, at the same time and location. Your attendance is required.

Answer

This option is the most professional because it is clear, concise, provides all the necessary information (old date, new date, time, location), and states the expectation (attendance is required) without being overly casual or bureaucratic.

Question 4

A government agency's policy on computer use states: 'Employees are permitted to use agency computers for incidental personal use during non-work time, such as lunch breaks. However, this use must not interfere with official business, involve any unlawful activity, or consume significant resources.' Which of the following can be correctly inferred from this policy?

Accepted Answer

An employee can briefly check a news website during their lunch break, provided it does not slow down the network.

Answer

The policy allows for 'incidental' personal use during 'non-work time' as long as it doesn't interfere with business or consume 'significant resources.' Checking a news site briefly during lunch fits these criteria. Choices A and C are too absolute and contradict the policy. Choice B is questionable as playing a game for an entire hour might be considered consuming 'significant resources.'

Question 5

Read the paragraph and select the best concluding sentence. 'The county has launched a new online portal for residents to pay their property taxes. Through the portal, residents can view their current bill, see their payment history, and make payments using a credit card or e-check. The system is designed to be more convenient than mailing a check or paying in person at the municipal building.'

Accepted Answer

This initiative is expected to reduce administrative costs and improve collection efficiency.

Answer

The paragraph describes the features and purpose (convenience) of a new system. A good concluding sentence should summarize the overall benefit or goal. Choice C effectively does this by stating the expected positive outcomes (reduced costs, improved efficiency), which logically follows from the system's described convenience. The other options introduce unrelated details.

New Jersey Civil Service Exam Practice Test

New Jersey Civil Service Exam Practice Test

New Jersey Civil Service Written Expression and Communication Questions and Answers