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Next CSE-PPT: 14 March 2027

Spelling and Filing Practice MCQs

Civil Service Exam Subprofessional clerical ability reviewer: more correctly spelled office words and alphabetical filing of personal names with prefixes, hyphens and suffixes.

20 MCQsUpdated 3 November 2026

This is a second practice set for the Clerical Ability part of the Civil Service Exam Subprofessional level, whose official scope is filing and spelling. It covers commonly misspelled office words, and alphabetical filing of names with identical surnames, prefixes such as "San" and "dela", hyphenated surnames and suffixes such as Jr.

Index each name surname first, join prefixes to the surname, ignore spaces, periods and hyphens, and remember that nothing comes before something. Every filing answer here was worked out by a script that applies these rules.

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  1. 1

    Choose the correct spelling of the word that means "easy to reach, enter or use".

    Correct answer: A. Accessible

    "Accessible" has a double c, a double s, and ends in "-ible". Public offices must be accessible to persons with disabilities under the Accessibility Law (BP 344).

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  2. 2

    Choose the correct spelling of the word that means "a promise or firm dedication to a task or cause".

    Correct answer: A. Commitment

    "Commitment" has a double m but a single t before "-ment", even though "committed" and "committee" double the t. It is a frequent spelling trap.

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  3. 3

    Choose the correct spelling of the word that means "careful and determined to do one's work well".

    Correct answer: B. Conscientious

    "Conscientious" contains "science" in the middle: con-SCIENT-ious. "Commitment to public interest" and conscientious work are both expected of public servants.

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    hard
  4. 4

    Choose the correct spelling of the word that means "without doubt; certainly".

    Correct answer: C. Definitely

    "Definitely" comes from "definite", so it has "-ite-" not "-ate-": defin-ITE-ly. "Definately" is one of the most common misspellings in English.

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  5. 5

    Choose the correct spelling of the word that means "a formal promise that something will be done or will meet a standard".

    Correct answer: D. Guarantee

    "Guarantee" begins with "gua-" and ends in a double e. "Guaranty" exists as a legal term but is spelled with a y and does not end in "-ee", so it is not the word asked for here.

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    hard
  6. 6

    Choose the correct spelling of the word that means "a period of one thousand years".

    Correct answer: B. Millennium

    "Millennium" has a double l and a double n, from the Latin "mille" (thousand) and "annus" (year). The plural is "millennia".

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    hard
  7. 7

    Choose the correct spelling of the word that means "sometimes; now and then".

    Correct answer: C. Occasionally

    "Occasionally" has a double c, a single s and a double l: oc-ca-sion-al-ly. Adding "-ly" to "occasional" keeps both l's.

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  8. 8

    Choose the correct spelling of the word that means "the people employed in an organisation".

    Correct answer: D. Personnel

    "Personnel" (staff) has a double n and ends in "-el", unlike "personal" (relating to one person). The Human Resource Management Office handles personnel records.

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  9. 9

    Choose the correct spelling of the word that means "to suggest something or someone as suitable".

    Correct answer: A. Recommend

    "Recommend" has a single c and a double m. A memory aid: it is "re" + "commend", and "commend" already has the double m.

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  10. 10

    Choose the correct spelling of the word that means "a plan that lists times when things will happen".

    Correct answer: B. Schedule

    "Schedule" begins with "sch-" and ends in "-ule". Keeping a work schedule is a basic clerical task. Note the silent "c" after the "s" at the start.

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    easy
  11. 11

    Under standard alphabetical filing rules, which name is filed first: Rosa Lopez, Ramon Lopez, Rita Lopez, Rafael Lopez?

    Correct answer: D. Rafael Lopez

    All four share the surname Lopez, so the first names decide: Rafael, Ramon, Rita, Rosa. "Raf" comes before "Ram" because f comes before m.

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    easy
  12. 12

    Under standard alphabetical filing rules, which name is filed last: Joel Tan, Joel Tanada, Joel Tang, Joel Tanay?

    Correct answer: C. Joel Tang

    Comparing the surnames letter by letter gives Tan, Tanada, Tanay, Tang. "Tan" is first because nothing comes before something, and "Tang" is last because g comes after a in the fourth letter.

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    hard
  13. 13

    Under standard alphabetical filing rules, which name is filed first: Ella Santos, Ella Sta. Maria, Ella San Diego, Ella Santiago?

    Correct answer: C. Ella San Diego

    "San Diego" is filed as "SanDiego" and "Sta. Maria" as "StaMaria" (periods ignored). Comparing "sandiego", "santiago", "santos" and "stamaria", "sand" comes first.

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    hard
  14. 14

    Under standard alphabetical filing rules, which name is filed second: Mario dela Paz, Mario Del Pilar, Mario De Leon, Mario Dela Torre?

    Correct answer: D. Mario Dela Torre

    Join each prefix to the surname: delapaz, delpilar, deleon, delatorre. In order they are delapaz, delatorre, deleon, delpilar, because "dela" comes before "dele" and "delp". The second name is Dela Torre.

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    hard
  15. 15

    Under standard alphabetical filing rules, which name is filed first: Ana Cruz-Reyes, Ana Cruz, Ana Cruzada, Ana Santos?

    Correct answer: B. Ana Cruz

    The surnames are cruzreyes (hyphen ignored), cruz, cruzada and santos. "Cruz" is the shortest and the others beginning with it come after it, so nothing before something puts Ana Cruz first.

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  16. 16

    Under standard alphabetical filing rules, which name is filed last: Liza Ong, Liza Ongpin, Liza Ongsiako, Liza Onga?

    Correct answer: C. Liza Ongsiako

    In order: "ong", "onga", "ongpin", "ongsiako". The shortest, "Ong", comes first, and "Ongsiako" is last because s comes after a and p.

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  17. 17

    Under standard alphabetical filing rules, which name is filed first: Ben Vergara, Ben Vera, Ben Verde, Ben Vergel?

    Correct answer: B. Ben Vera

    In order: "vera", "verde", "vergara", "vergel". After "ver", the letters a, d and g decide, so Vera is first. Since the first names are all the same, only the surnames matter here.

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  18. 18

    Under standard alphabetical filing rules, which name is filed first: John Mabini, John MacArthur, John Mabuhay, John Macaraeg?

    Correct answer: A. John Mabini

    Comparing "mabini", "mabuhay", "macaraeg" and "macarthur": "mabi" comes before "mabu", and both come before "mac", so Mabini is filed first.

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  19. 19

    Under standard alphabetical filing rules, which name is filed last: Teresa Uy, Teresa Uytingco, Teresa Uychaco, Teresa Uyco?

    Correct answer: B. Teresa Uytingco

    In order: Uy, Uychaco, Uyco, Uytingco. "Uy" is first because nothing comes before something, and "Uyt" comes after "Uyc", so Uytingco is filed last.

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    hard
  20. 20

    Under standard alphabetical filing rules, which name is filed first: Carlo Reyes, Carlos Reyes, Carla Reyes, Carl Reyes?

    Correct answer: D. Carl Reyes

    The surname is the same, so the first names decide: Carl, Carla, Carlo, Carlos. "Carl" is the shortest and every other name begins with it, so nothing before something puts Carl Reyes first.

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