Civil Service
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Practice Exams

Introduction to Clerical Ability

The Clerical Ability section is a practical test of the skills you will use daily in a government office. It measures your speed, accuracy, and attention to detail in performing routine clerical tasks. This is a high-stakes section where precision is more important than complex problem-solving.

Exam Tip: Work quickly but carefully. Many errors in this section are due to rushing and not reading the instructions properly. Double-check your answers if you have time.

Part 1: Filing and Alphabetizing

This tests your ability to sort information systematically. The most common method tested is alphabetical filing.

Rules of Alphabetical Filing

  1. Surname First: Individual names are filed by surname, then first name, then middle initial.

    • Example: Jose S. Rizal -> Rizal, Jose S.
    • Example: Andres C. Bonifacio -> Bonifacio, Andres C.

  2. "Nothing comes before something": A shorter name comes before a longer name if they share the same root.

    • Example: Cruz comes before Cruz, Ana.
    • Example: Santos comes before Santos, Jr.

  3. Letter by Letter: Compare names one letter at a time, from left to right.

    • Garcia vs Garza -> Compare c and z. Garcia comes first.

  4. Dealing with Prefixes and Numbers:

    • Names like "De la Cruz" or "Dela Rosa" are typically treated as one word: Delacruz, Delarosa.
    • Names with numbers (e.g., "4th Street Store") are often filed as if the number were spelled out ("Fourth Street Store").

  5. Company/Organization Names: File as written, word by word.

    • "Philippine National Bank" is filed under 'P'.
    • "The Manila Hotel" -> Ignore "The" and file under 'M' for "Manila".

Practice Question (Alphabetizing)

  1. Which of these names should be filed first? a) De Leon, Maria b) Delos Santos, Juan c) Dela Cruz, Pedro d) De Castro, Ana

Answer: (d) De Castro, Ana.

  • When alphabetizing, treat the prefixes as part of the surname.
  • De Castro -> DECASTRO
  • Dela Cruz -> DELACRUZ
  • De Leon -> DELEON
  • Delos Santos -> DELOSSANTOS
  • "De Castro" comes before the others alphabetically.

Part 2: Following Instructions

This section directly tests your ability to read and execute a set of commands precisely.

How to Approach "Following Instructions" Questions

  1. Read the Entire Set of Instructions First: Get a clear overview of what you need to do.
  2. Execute One Step at a Time: Perform each action in the exact order it is given.
  3. Pay Attention to Keywords: Look for action words like underline, circle, cross out, write.
  4. Check for Conditions: Instructions often include conditions, such as "If the number is even..." or "Unless the word is..."

Practice Question (Following Instructions)

Instructions: Consider the following list: Apple, Banana, 12, Grape, 15

  1. If the list contains more fruits than numbers, write the letter 'F'. Otherwise, write the letter 'N'.
  2. Circle the last fruit in the list.
  3. Cross out the smallest number.

(This is a conceptual example. In the actual exam, you will be given a specific format to answer in.)

Execution:

  1. There are 3 fruits (Apple, Banana, Grape) and 2 numbers (12, 15). Since fruits > numbers, you would write 'F'.
  2. The last fruit is Grape. You would circle it.
  3. The smallest number is 12. You would cross it out.

Part 3: Spelling and Proofreading

This is similar to the Verbal Ability spelling section but is more focused on identifying errors in a given text or list, which simulates proofreading a document.

Proofreading Strategy

  1. Scan for Obvious Errors: Look for common misspellings first.
  2. Compare Pairs: Often, you will be given two columns of words or names and asked to identify mismatches.
  3. Go Slow: Read each character carefully. It's easy to miss a single-letter error like i vs l or o vs c.

Practice Question (Proofreading)

In which pair is the name copied incorrectly?

Original Copied
a) Gonzales, Rey Gonzales, Rey
b) Del Rosario, Maria Del Rosario, Maria
c) Macatangay, Jose Macatangay, Jose
d) Constantino, John Constanttino, John

Answer: (d) Constantino, John. The copied version has an extra 't'. This is a typical proofreading task where you need to spot minor differences.