USPS VEA 474 475 476 477 Checking for Errors 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Correct "1009 N 7th St" vs test "1009 N 7th St" — what do you mark?
- Error in street number
- Error in directional
- No error; exact match (Correct answer)
- Error in street type
Correct answer: No error; exact match
Every segment matches exactly, so no error should be marked.
Question 2: Test pair: ZIP+4 "60614-2231" vs "60614-2213". The error is in the:
- 5-digit ZIP
- +4 add-on (transposed digits) (Correct answer)
- Hyphen placement
- No error
Correct answer: +4 add-on (transposed digits)
The add-on digits 2231 vs 2213 are transposed, an error in the +4 portion.
Question 3: Why are ZIP+4 codes a frequent source of error-check mistakes?
- They are always different
- Their extra four digits create more comparison points (Correct answer)
- They contain letters
- They are color-coded
Correct answer: Their extra four digits create more comparison points
More digits mean more positions where a single-digit change or transposition can hide.
Question 4: Comparing names "O'Brien" and "OBrien", you should mark:
- No error
- An error — the apostrophe is missing (Correct answer)
- An error — letter missing
- An error — transposed letters
Correct answer: An error — the apostrophe is missing
The missing apostrophe is a character difference and counts as an error in this comparison.
Question 5: What should you do if you reach an item you cannot resolve quickly?
- Stare until certain
- Make your best comparison and keep moving (Correct answer)
- Leave the whole section blank
- Restart the section
Correct answer: Make your best comparison and keep moving
Timed sections reward steady progress; lingering too long costs more items than it saves.
Question 6: Correct "Chattanooga" vs test "Chattanoga" — identify the error.
- No error
- Missing letter (Correct answer)
- Extra letter
- Transposed letters
Correct answer: Missing letter
One 'o' is dropped, making this a missing-letter error.
Question 7: Numbers "5,280" and "5280" in a data field should be treated as:
- Different values
- The same numeric value (Correct answer)
- An error in digit count
- An error in formatting
Correct answer: The same numeric value
A comma is a separator, not a data digit, so the numeric values are identical.
Correct "1009 N 7th St" vs test "1009 N 7th St" — what do you mark?