Preparing for Civil Service Exam in NYS

Verbal Reasoning Questions in Civil Service Exams: A Brief Guide

Verbal reasoning questions are used in exams all over the world. They are part of the psychometric tests used to evaluate and assess the knowledge and a number of different skills of the candidate.

If you have completed your formal education, you must be familiar with verbal reasoning questions from your SAT exams. However, verbal reasoning questions are also included in various civil service exams to assess the candidate’s aptitude.

If you’re thinking of taking a civil service exam or already preparing for it, you may have some questions about verbal reasoning questions that might appear on your test. This blog will be a helpful guide to give you a better idea of what to expect regarding verbal reasoning questions.

Verbal Reasoning Tests: What They Are and Why They Are Used

Verbal reasoning questions and arithmetic reasoning are two of the most popular psychometric tools used to evaluate candidates. These tests are used not only by educational institutions but also by private companies and civil service exams. But how did it all start?

According to a study, the first aptitude test was used back in Ancient China, around 4000 years ago. This test was used to hire civil servants, and when Western diplomats inChina discovered it, they were pretty impressed by it, and soon, the British civil service also implemented it.

Today, these tests are used in civil services all over the world. We consider these tests to be an excellent way to evaluate the intelligence and aptitude of a candidate.

Companies and even state departments continue to rely on these tests because they are unmatched in their predictive power of job performance. In short, this is the closest to a guarantee an organization can get that the individual they are hiring will deliver good job performance.

In fact, these tests are so popular because high scores on these tests have been related to high job performance. It is worth mentioning that verbal reasoning is just one part of psychometric tests, albeit an important one.

These tests also offer the benefit of objective assessment and reduce biases and subjective influences during the hiring process. In civil service exams, they uphold the “merit and fitness” principles of the American constitution.

Verbal Reasoning Questions in Civil Service Exams: What to Expect

When it comes to preparing for verbal reasoning questions in Civil Service exams, you may not find much information online. Why? Because verbal reasoning questions are also customized to assess specific skills and knowledge of the candidates.

Since these questions are often modified as per the department’s specific requirements, not much information is revealed even in the test guides. For instance, in the NYS Department of Civil Service’s exam guide, only one sample question is provided for the verbal reasoning part.

The particular question includes a text passage followed by a list of statements. Candidates are expected to read the passage and identify the correct statement based on the information provided in the passage.

 

Mostly, however, the questions follow the same pattern and may be altered to include specific scenarios and information relevant to the position or department. For more comprehensive preparation, you can also register for a preparatory course.

Preparation Tips for Verbal Reasoning Questions

Verbal reasoning questions don’t require any special knowledge but rather are a test of the candidate’s analytical and deductive skills. So, if you’re wondering how you can prepare for the verbal reasoning questions, here are some valuable tips!

Join a prep class for the Civil Service examMake a Habit of Rereading the Passages

When it comes to verbal reasoning questions, the most crucial step is understanding the passage and extracting all the relevant information. Extracting all the relevant information may be difficult if you’re only reading the passage once.

Instead, make a habit of reading the passage multiple times. Make sure you’re not just skimming the passage but actually reading it with focus. By improving your reading, you will be able to improve your comprehension drastically.

Don’t Assume, Only Follow the Information in the Passage

A common mistake that candidates make is that they let their own assumptions and knowledge interfere. Your real-life experiences and general knowledge aren’t being tested here, so avoid using them to prove or disprove the choice statements.

Take the information you’re provided in the passage literally and base your decision-making process only on the information provided in the passage.

Manage Your Time – Strike the right balance between accuracy and speed

You need to be sure of how much time you can and should spend on the verbal reasoning questions. Once you know this, you can calculate the average time you need to spend on each question.

You may come across questions that you just can’t solve. Instead of getting hung up, address the other questions and then revisit the tricky questions later.

Prepare by Practicing – Take Tests, Solve Questions, Increase Confidence!

Finally, practicing is key. You can find many verbal reasoning tests online. They may not be relevant to your civil service exam, but they’ll give you a good idea of what to expect.

Furthermore, practicing will improve your analytical skills, boost your confidence, and make you feel comfortable ahead of the real exam.

Worried About NYC Civil Service Exams? Civil Service Success Can Help

Of course, verbal reasoning questions aren’t the only thing you need to worry about when it comes to your civil service exam. Depending on the specific exam, other parts can be trickier.

Moreover, the opportunity to take a civil service exam doesn’t come along very often. For instance, NYS civil service exams take place once every four to six years. In other words, you should be aiming to ace the exam on your first try and rank as high as possible to boost your employment chances. At Civil Service Success, we help you do just that!

Our preparatory courses go beyond the general information. These courses are designed for specific exams, contain all the relevant material, and are taught by trained experts.

So, for instance, if you want preparation for the Suffolk County Police test or the NYC Sanitation Officer exam, we can help. Register now for the upcoming civil service exams, or get in touch with us to find out more about how we can help you.

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