NYC Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield NYC facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. What is the typical duration for which a civil service eligible list remains active in New York City? → 4 years
2. An agency's headcount increased from 240 to 300 employees. What is the percentage increase in headcount? → 25%
3. Which NYC agency is responsible for administering civil service examinations? → Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS)
4. In October 2010, which nation unveiled a five-year plan for advancing renewable energy? → South Korea
5. An inference in reading comprehension is: → A conclusion drawn from information in the passage
6. A supervisor receives four memos dated: March 3, February 28, March 1, and February 27. Which order should they be processed, from most recent to oldest? → March 3, March 1, February 28, February 27
7. Which sentence correctly uses 'who' versus 'whom'? → Who did you speak with about the complaint?
8. A filing system arranges names by last name first. Which list is in correct alphabetical order? → Adams, Brown, Taylor
9. According to procedure, an officer must notify a supervisor BEFORE taking any of the following actions EXCEPT: → Completing routine paperwork at their desk
10. Study the pattern: 3, 6, 12, 24, ___. What is the next number? → 48
11. Review this address list and identify the duplicate: 142 West 34th St, 87 Broad St, 142 West 34th St, 19 Fulton Ave, 203 East 14th St. → 142 West 34th St
12. Complete the analogy: Inductive is to probable as deductive is to ___? → Certain
13. A bus traveled 156 miles in 3 hours. At the same rate, how far will it travel in 5 hours? → 260
14. A city orders 500 office chairs at $87 each. It receives a 12% bulk discount. What is the total cost after the discount? → $38,280
15. What is the primary responsibility of the NYC Department of Citywide Administrative Services (DCAS)? → Administering civil service exams and managing city property and procurement
16. While reviewing case files, you discover an error made by a former employee that could affect a client's benefits. What should you do? → Report the error to your supervisor and document the correction
17. Which NYC document establishes the structure of city government, the powers of the Mayor, and the roles of city agencies? → The New York City Charter
18. All city employees hired after 2020 must enroll in the new pension plan. Sandra was hired by the city in 2022. Which conclusion follows with certainty? → Sandra must enroll in the new pension plan.
19. Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon? → The deadline passed; however, we requested an extension.
20. An agency uses a numbering system where case numbers are assigned in the format YYYY-MM-NNNN (year-month-sequence). Which case number came FIRST? → 2024-03-0012
21. No city employee may accept gifts valued over $50 from vendors. A vendor offers Inspector Lee a gift card worth $75. What must be true based on this rule? → Inspector Lee must refuse the gift card
22. Choose the sentence that is grammatically correct and most clearly written. → The manager submitted a comprehensive report.
23. Only licensed contractors may perform electrical work in city buildings. Marcus performed electrical work in a city building. What must be true? → Marcus is definitely licensed
24. A department receives 560 applications. After screening, 35% are rejected. How many applications advance? → 364
25. A records office has 2,400 files. If 35% are archived digitally, how many files remain in physical storage? → 1,560
26. A city clerk must file 252 documents over 7 equal workdays. How many documents must she file each day? → 36
27. You are working at the front desk of a busy city agency. At the same moment, the following four events occur. Which of these should you address first? → An elderly visitor trips on a rug and appears to be in pain.
28. A clerk receives five forms numbered: 1042, 1039, 1047, 1035, 1044. What is the correct order for filing them numerically from lowest to highest? → 1035, 1039, 1042, 1044, 1047
29. What is 'veterans preference' in NYC civil service exams? → Eligible veterans receive additional points added to their passing exam scores
30. Which sentence contains a dangling modifier? → Walking through the lobby, the security alarm suddenly went off.