The Civil Service Examination in the Philippines is a pivotal assessment for individuals aspiring to enter government service. The exam has two levels: the Professional and Sub-Professional Eligibility Examinations. One of the critical components of these exams is the Verbal Ability Test, which evaluates a candidate's proficiency in the English language. This test encompasses various elements, including Homonyms and Confusing Words, which are integral to assessing a candidate's verbal skills.
Homonyms
Homonyms are words that sound alike but have different meanings and spellings. They are a common component of the Verbal Ability Test because they assess a candidate's ability to distinguish between words based on context. For instance, "accept" and "except" sound similar but have entirely different meanings. "Accept" means to receive or agree to something, while "except" means to exclude something. Similarly, "there," "their," and "they're" are often tested to gauge understanding and proper usage in sentences.
Example Questions:
- Choose the correct word: She needs to (accept/except) the offer.
- Fill in the blank: The team showed (their/there/they're) appreciation.
To excel in this section, candidates should familiarize themselves with common homonyms and practice using them in sentences to understand their distinct meanings and contexts.
Confusing Words
Confusing words are pairs or groups of words that often create confusion due to their similar pronunciation, spelling, or meaning. This section of the test aims to measure a candidate's ability to accurately choose the right word based on context. Examples include "affect" vs. "effect," "principal" vs. "principle," and "compliment" vs. "complement."
Example Questions:
- Choose the correct word: The new policy will (affect/effect) the entire organization.
- Fill in the blank: She received a (compliment/complement) on her dress.
To master this component, candidates should compile lists of confusing words and study their definitions and usage. Practicing with exercises and quizzes can also help reinforce understanding.
Welcome to our CSC Professional and Sub Professional Eligibility Examination Reviewer! In this session, you'll have the opportunity to test your understanding of key concepts in Homonyms and Confusing Words. The quiz consists of multiple-choice questions covering various topics. Pay close attention to each question and select the best answer. After completing the exam, check the video below for the answer key and explanations.
A. Homonyms 1. Which word is a homonym for "bare"? A. Bear B. Bier C. Pear D. Berth 2. Which word is a homonym for "fair"? A. Fare B. Fear C. Faire D. Feir 3. Which word is a homonym for "blue"? A. Blew B. Brew C. Blouse D. Blewes 4. Which word is a homonym for "break"? A. Brake B. Braid C. Brake D. Bray 5. Which word is a homonym for "right"? A. Rite B. Write C. Wright D. Raight 6. Which word is a homonym for "flower"? A. Flour B. Flare C. Floe D. Floor 7. Which word is a homonym for "peace"? A. Piece B. Peas C. Pies D. Pees 8. Which word is a homonym for "soul"? A. Sole B. Sow C. Seoul D. Sold 9. Which word is a homonym for "knight"? A. Night B. Nite C. Kite D. Nighte 10. Which word is a homonym for "cell"? A. Sell B. Belle C. Selle D. Sel 11. Which word is a homonym for "dew"? A. Due B. Do C. Dewe D. Dewe 12. Which word is a homonym for "foul"? A. Fowl B. Vowl C. Fowle D. Fowls 13. Which word is a homonym for "write"? A. Right B. Wright C. Rite D. Wryte 14. Which word is a homonym for "beach"? A. Beech B. Bitch C. Beche D. Beace 15. Which word is a homonym for "band"? A. Banned B. Bande C. Bann'd D. Bande B. Confusing Words 1. The new policy will ___ the company's growth. Which word is correct: "affect" or "effect"? A. Affect B. Effect C. Both D. Neither 2. The ___ of the school addressed the students. Which word is correct: "principal" or "principle"? A. Principal B. Principle C. Both D. Neither 3. The wine was chosen to ___ the meal perfectly. Which word is correct: "complement" or "compliment"? A. Complement B. Compliment C. Both D. Neither 4. Please ___ the job offer as soon as possible. Which word is correct: "accept" or "except"? A. Accept B. Except C. Both D. Neither 5. She went to the store to buy some ___ for her new office. Which word is correct: "stationary" or "stationery"? A. Stationary B. Stationery C. Both D. Neither 6. If you don't lock your bike, you might ___ it. Which word is correct: "loose" or "lose"? A. Loose B. Lose C. Both D. Neither 7. The committee needs to discuss this issue ___ before making a decision. Which word is correct: "further" or "farther"? A. Further B. Farther C. Both D. Neither 8. Her tone of voice seemed to ___ that she was unhappy with the decision. Which word is correct: "imply" or "infer"? A. Imply B. Infer C. Both D. Neither 9. The dog wagged ___ tail happily. Which word is correct: "its" or "it's"? A. Its B. It's C. Both D. Neither 10. He glanced at the clock to see how much time had gone ___? Which word is correct: "passed" or "past"? A. Passed B. Past C. Both D. Neither 11. She would rather go shopping ___ watch a movie. Which word is correct: "than" or "then"? A. Than B. Then C. Both D. Neither 12. She gave me some good ___ on how to improve my writing. Which word is correct: "advice" or "advise"? A. Advice B. Advise C. Both D. Neither 13. How does stress ___ our health? Which word is correct: "affect" or "effect"? A. Affect B. Effect C. Both D. Neither 14. The library was so ___ that you could hear a pin drop. Which word is correct: "quiet" or "quite"? A. Quiet B. Quite C. Both D. Neither 15. He forgot to ___ the source in his research paper. Which word is correct: "cite" or "site"? A. Cite B. Site C. Both D. Neither