Written Comprehension and Expression Flashcards
7 cards from real NYC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Written Comprehension and Expression flashcards as text
Which of the following best defines 'passive voice' in writing?
Answer: A sentence in which the subject receives the action
In passive voice, the subject receives or is acted upon by the verb (e.g., 'The report was filed by the clerk').
A notice states: 'Personnel are reminded that the use of city resources for personal purposes is strictly prohibited.' Which scenario clearly violates this notice?
Answer: An employee prints a personal letter on a city printer during work hours.
Using a city printer — a city resource — to print a personal letter is a direct violation of the prohibition on using city resources for personal purposes.
Select the option that correctly uses a colon.
Answer: Please bring the following: identification, completed forms, and payment.
A colon is correctly used after a complete independent clause to introduce a list; options B, C, and D break the independent clause before a natural ending.
Which word correctly completes the sentence: 'The new regulation will ________ the existing policy on overtime pay.'
Answer: supersede
'Supersede' is the correct spelling, despite the common misspelling with a 'c'; it comes from the Latin 'supersedere.'
Read the following passage: 'The inspector found three violations during the audit. First, fire exits were blocked. Second, safety logs were incomplete. Third, emergency equipment had not been tested.' What is the best one-sentence summary of this passage?
Answer: An audit revealed three violations: blocked exits, incomplete safety logs, and untested emergency equipment.
Option B captures all three specific violations and the audit context in one concise sentence without adding unsupported information.
Which transition word best completes this sentence? 'The application was submitted on time; ________, it was rejected due to missing documents.'
Answer: nevertheless
'Nevertheless' correctly signals a contrast — the application was on time, but was rejected anyway, showing an unexpected result.
An agency instruction reads: 'Requests submitted after the 15th of the month will be processed in the following month's cycle.' An employee submits a request on the 15th. When will it be processed?
Answer: In the current month's cycle
The rule specifies 'after the 15th,' so a request submitted on the 15th itself falls within the current cycle.