Clerical Exams Ability 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A clerk is asked to sort 200 documents alphabetically by last name. Which of the following last names comes FIRST alphabetically?
- Thompson
- Ramirez
- Anderson (Correct answer)
- Mitchell
Correct answer: Anderson
Anderson comes first alphabetically. A comes before M, R, and T in the alphabet.
When sorting alphabetically, you compare letters from left to right. 'A' in Anderson comes before 'M' in Mitchell, 'R' in Ramirez, and 'T' in Thompson. Therefore Anderson is filed first.
Question 2: An office assistant types 65 words per minute with 98% accuracy. How many errors would they make typing a 1,300-word document?
- 13
- 26 (Correct answer)
- 20
- 52
Correct answer: 26
98% accuracy means 2% errors. 1,300 × 0.02 = 26 errors.
Accuracy of 98% means an error rate of 2% (100% - 98% = 2%). Multiply 1,300 words by 0.02 to get 26 errors. This is a standard calculation used to evaluate typing performance on clerical exams.
Question 3: Which filing system arranges records by number rather than alphabetically?
- Geographic filing
- Subject filing
- Numerical filing (Correct answer)
- Chronological filing
Correct answer: Numerical filing
Numerical filing arranges records using assigned numbers rather than names or subjects.
Numerical filing assigns a number to each record and files them in numeric order. It is commonly used when confidentiality is needed (since names are not visible on folders) and allows for easy expansion. An index is maintained to cross-reference numbers with names.
Question 4: In a standard business letter, the salutation 'Dear Ms. Johnson:' is followed by which punctuation mark?
- Comma
- Semicolon
- Colon (Correct answer)
- Period
Correct answer: Colon
In formal business letters, a colon follows the salutation.
In business correspondence, a colon (:) is used after the salutation (e.g., Dear Ms. Johnson:). Personal letters use a comma instead. Using the correct punctuation is an important element of professional correspondence tested on clerical exams.
Question 5: A clerk receives a telephone call for a manager who is away from the desk. What is the BEST action?
- Tell the caller to call back later
- Take a detailed message including name, number, and purpose (Correct answer)
- Transfer to voicemail without informing the caller
- Ask the caller to hold indefinitely
Correct answer: Take a detailed message including name, number, and purpose
Taking a complete message ensures the manager has all the information needed to return the call promptly.
The best practice is to take a detailed message that includes the caller's name, phone number, best time to call back, and the purpose of the call. This ensures the manager can respond efficiently. Simply telling a caller to call back or placing them on indefinite hold is unprofessional.
Question 6: When proofreading a document, which symbol is used to indicate that a space should be deleted?
- # (pound sign)
- ^ (caret)
- Close-up mark (Correct answer)
- Paragraph mark
Correct answer: Close-up mark
The close-up mark indicates that space should be removed between characters or words.
Standard proofreading symbols include the close-up mark (delete space), # (add space), ^ (insert), and the paragraph mark (new paragraph). The close-up mark visually indicates elements should be brought together. This is standard knowledge for clerical and editorial positions.
Clerical Exams Ability 2
A clerk is asked to sort 200 documents alphabetically by last name.
Which of the following last names comes FIRST alphabetically?