The UK Civil Service is an influential part of the Government. They aim to implement strategies and policies within society, in order to provide harmony and assist the public.
To join the Civil Service as an Administrative, you will need to undergo the Civil Service Qualifying Tests.
This blog will provide you with sample questions for the Civil Service Qualifying Tests, which will need to be passed if you wish to have a career as a member of the Civil Service.
WHAT ARE THE CIVIL SERVICE QUALIFYING TESTS?
As you would expect, the term “administrative” in the Civil Service is just like any other administrative role.
If you join the Civil Service as an administrator, you will be involved in clerical, numerical and verbal duties including operating computer systems, filing, updating records, interacting with customers, financial administration and dealing with queries, complaints and other important information.
The Civil Service Qualifying Tests for Administrative are used to assess a candidate’s capabilities and skills in regards to administrative roles, in hope to determine whether a candidate is qualified and suitable for the job role.
TYPES OF ASSESSMENTS FOR THE CIVIL SERVICE QUALIFYING TESTS
For the Civil Service Qualifying Tests, you will be assessed using eight categories:
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- Handling Data
- Data Interpretation
- Quantitative Reasoning
- Correct Sentences
- Word Swap
- Missing Words
- Following Procedures
- Speed and Accuracy
CIVIL SERVICE QUALIFYING TESTS – HANDLING DATA
You will be given numerical data and you will have to answer the question accordingly. You should be able to answer these questions without a calculator in the time frame of approximately 30 seconds per question.
Question:
Millie goes to the pet store. She buys 2 cats, 5 goldfish and 3 guinea pigs. A cat costs £14.30 each, a goldfish costs 70p and a guinea pig costs £11.60. In total, how much does Millie spend?
How to work it out:
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- 2 cats = £28.60
- 5 goldfish = £3.50
- 3 guinea pigs = £34.80
- So, 28.60 + 3.50 + 34.80 = £66.90
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Answer:
£66.90
CIVIL SERVICE QUALIFYING TESTS – DATA INTERPRETATION
Data interpretation is used as a way to assess a candidate’s ability to extract information from tables, charts and graphs and answer the questions that follow in relation to the data.
Question:
How many bracelets were sold over the 6 month period?
How to work it out:
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- Bracelets =
- January = 24 February = 4 March = 20 April = 22 May = 18 June = 28
- 24 + 4 + 20 + 22 + 18 + 28 = 116
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Answer:
116
CIVIL SERVICE QUALIFYING TESTS – QUANTITATIVE REASONING
Quantitative Reasoning is a type of psychometric testing that assesses a candidate’s ability to deal with high levels of problem solving and mathematical formulas. Quantitative reasoning is used to assess your basic mathematical understanding and demonstrate your ability to apply your knowledge in relation to solutions and critical interpretation.
Question:
There are two lists of numbers. One list contains 10 numbers, the average of which is 20. The second list contains 8 numbers. The average of this list is 22.5.
If the two lists are combined, what is the average of the numbers in the new list? To the nearest whole number.
How to work it out:
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- List 1 = 10 (numbers) x 20 (average) = 200
- List 2 = 8 (numbers) x 22.5 (average) 180
- 180 + 200 = 380
- 380 ÷ (10 + 8) = 21.111
- To the nearest whole number = 21
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Answer:
21
CIVIL SERVICE QUALIFYING TESTS – CORRECT SENTENCES
The Civil Service Tests will measure a candidate’s ability to identify errors in terms of sentence structures and language.
Question:
A = Graduates are finding it more difficult to find a job that is relevant to there studies.
B = Graduates our finding it more difficult to find a job that its releveant to their studies.
C = Graduates are finding it more difficult to find a job that is relevant to their studies.
D = Graduate’s are finding it more difficult to find a job that is relevant to their studies.
How to work it out:
A – Uses the wrong ‘there’ so therefore is incorrect.
B – Uses the wrong ‘our’ and ‘relevant’ is spelt incorrectly.
C – Provides the most logical sentence structure, with correct grammar and punctuation.
D – ‘Graduate’s’ should not have an apostrophe and is therefore incorrect.
Answer:
C
CIVIL SERVICE QUALIFYING TESTS – WORD SWAP
You will be given a sentence, of which two words will be swapped with one another. Your aim is to work out which two words have been swapped, and have replaced one another’s positions within the sentence.
Question:
Which two words in the sentence have been swapped?
Hearing music can be a result of listening to loud loss and having ear pieces in.
How to work it out:
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- If you read the sentence out loud, you will notice that it does not make sense.
- Hearing music can be a result of listening to loud loss and having ear pieces in.
- If swap the highlighted words around, the sentence makes sense.
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Answer:
Music and loss
CIVIL SERVICE QUALIFYING TESTS – MISSING WORDS
For this section on ‘Missing Words’, you will be presented with a sentence. Each sentence will have two words missing. Your job is simple – to fill in the missing words with the words provided.
Question:
Which their/there would you use in the missing spaces?
It was ……… choice where they went to college. ……… are some great colleges to choose from.
How to work it out:
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- Their = is the possessive form. In other words it indicates something belonging to someone.
- There = is a place. I.e. not here. Also used when saying there ‘is’ or there ‘are’.
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Answer:
Their / there
CIVIL SERVICE QUALIFYING TESTS – SPEED AND ACCURACY
Speed and accuracy questions are designed to test your ability to work under pressure in a small time scale. It will look at not only how capable you are of answering the questions quickly, but also how well you answer them accurately.
Question:
How many pairs match (i.e. in column 1 compared to column 2)?
How to work it out:
You can notice that in column 1, only three pairs match up to the pairs found in column 2.
Answer:
3 pairs
CIVIL SERVICE QUALIFYING TESTS – FOLLOWING PROCEDURES
The following procedures test is designed to test a candidate’s ability to follow simple instructions and procedures. The test allows candidates to interpret and analyse the information provided in order to come to some conclusion.
Question:
What is the next stage after a request made for a decree nisi?
How to work it out:
You follow the diagram and work out which comes next in the proceedings.
Answer:
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- Judge considers petition
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CIVIL SERVICE QUALIFYING TESTS
For more details on how to join the civil service, you should visit the official government website.
For more practice questions on Civil Service Qualifying Tests (for Administrative and Managerial), please check out our How2become guide.
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