Civil Service Exam Reviewer 2026

Mathematics: Word Problems and Operations

Mathematics for the Civil Service Exam 2026 focuses heavily on number sense, algebraic problem-solving, and practical applications of arithmetic. One foundational skill is identifying patterns in number sequences. For instance, if the sum of integers from $1$ to $10$ is known to be $55$ , the sum of the sequence from $11$ to $20$ can be calculated by recognizing that each term in the second set is exactly $10$ greater than its corresponding term in the first set, resulting in an additional $100$ (since $10 \times 10 = 100$ ), making the total $155$ . Similarly, for a sequence like $101$ to $110$ , the sum would be $1,055$ because each of the $10$ terms is increased by $100$ compared to the original sequence ( $55 + 1,000 = 1,055$ ). Practical arithmetic also includes complex multiplication and division, such as finding the product of $800 \times 125$ ( $100,000$ ) or the quotient of 8,000 \bdiv 125 ( $64$ ). Significant figures and rounding are essential; for example, rounding $299,943$ to the nearest thousand results in $300,000$ because the hundreds digit is greater than $5$ .

In algebraic contexts, operations involve solving for unknown variables and understanding divisibility. A number is divisible by $8$ if its last three digits are divisible by $8$ , a rule used to identify numbers like $9,208$ . Understanding the properties of numbers is also critical: while all numbers divisible by $10$ are necessarily divisible by $5$ , the reverse is not always true. Fractions and percentages are frequently blended, requiring the simplification of expressions like $33 \frac{1}{3}\%$ of $48$ (which is $16$ ) or $12 \frac{1}{2}\%$ of $96$ (which is $12$ ). Percentages are further applied in retail scenarios, such as calculating that a television with a Sale Price of $Php 7,200$ at a $40\%$ discount rate has a Regular Price of $Php 12,000$ (7,200 \bdiv 0.60 = 12,000). Average temperature change or other statistical means are calculated by summing all data points—for example, a $12$ -day period of Celsius recordings—and dividing by the total number of days.

Geometry and measurement problems require calculations of perimeter and area. The perimeter of a rectangle is found using the formula $P = 2(\text{length} + \text{width})$ . For a rectangular garden of $84$ meters by $48$ meters, the required fencing would be $264$ meters. Area calculation for a rectangle, $A = \text{length} \times \text{width}$ , is used in situations like determining the area of a lot with a perimeter of $112$ meters where the length is $8$ meters more than twice its width ( $A = 640 \text{m}^2$ ). Age problems are another staple, requiring the setup of equations such as "Paula is twice as old as Queenie; seven years ago the sum of their ages was $16$ ," which reveals Queenie is currently $10$ years old.

Data Sufficiency

Data Sufficiency problems test the ability to determine if provided information is adequate to solve a specific question. The evaluation follows a standardized set of five potential conclusions: (a) Statement (1) alone is sufficient, but (2) is not; (b) Statement (2) alone is sufficient, but (1) is not; (c) Both statements together are necessary; (d) Each statement alone is sufficient; and (e) Even together, the statements are insufficient. For example, to find the selling price of a property given an $8\%$ commission, knowing either that the price minus commission equals $Php 9,200,000$ (1) OR that the selling price was $250\%$ of a $Php 4,000,000$ purchase price (2) is sufficient, making the answer (d). Conversely, determining a ratio like $m : s : a$ might only be possible if the relative values are established through multiplication and division as seen in a specific second statement alone.

Clerical Operations: Alphabetizing

Clerical tasks include the precise alphabetization of government agencies, corporations, and proper names. For agencies, titles like "Commission on Higher Education" and "Commission on Human Rights" are sorted based on the primary differing word after the common prefix. Personal names are sorted by surname first, followed by the first name (e.g., Abad, Jason; Abad, Joseph; Abad, Josephine; Abad, June). In corporate filing, entities such as "AA Industrial Chemical Supply" precede "AB Capital and Investment Corporation." Special attention is paid to prefixes like "St." and titles that include names of places or specific functions to ensure hierarchical accuracy in a database or filing cabinet.

English Vocabulary: Synonyms and Antonyms

Professional English requires a deep understanding of nuanced vocabulary. Synonyms for common exam words include: "apathetic" (indifferent), "cognizant" (aware), "ephemeral" (short-lived), "fastidious" (choosy), "gargantuan" (gigantic), and "haughty" (arrogant). In the context of ethics and behavior, "ignominious" refers to something disrespectable, while "impudent" means rude. Scientific contexts might use "infinitesimal" (microscopic), and social dynamics might describe someone as "insidious" (treacherous) or "irascible" (hot-tempered). "Mundane" is used to describe worldly or ordinary things as opposed to the spiritual. Detailed observation requires being "meticulous" (careful), while the truthfulness of a statement is its "veracity."

Antonyms focus on opposites: the opposite of "brusque" is refined; "ecstatic" is melancholic; "facile" is difficult; and "garrulous" (talkative) is quiet or mute. "Lethal" is the opposite of safe, and "obdurate" (stubborn) is the opposite of flexible or compliant. In geometry and direction, "yonder" (farther) is the opposite of closer. Understanding these contrasts is vital for interpreting complex texts and identifying the intended meaning of an author.

Word Analogies

Single and double-word analogies measure the ability to identify relationships between concepts. Types of relationships include:

Author to Work: Moby Dick is to Herman Melville as The Old Man and the Sea is to Ernest Hemingway.
Geography and Origin: Confucius is to China as Mahatma Gandhi is to India; Tagbanua is to Palawan as Kankanaey is to Benguet.
Inventions and Inventors: Samuel Morse is to the Telegraph as Alexander Graham Bell is to the Telephone; Andre Jacques Garnerin is to the Parachute as John Logie Baird is to Television.
Subject to Specialty: A numismatist studies money; a linguist studies language.
Animal to Offspring: A goat has a kid; a bear has a cub.
Part to Whole: A book has leaves (pages); a house has a kitchen.
Condition to Result: Languid is to strong as feeble is to active (opposites); Tiny is to microscopic as large is to mammoth (degrees of intensity).

Identifying Errors and Correct Usage

Formal written English requires strict adherence to grammar rules, particularly Subject-Verb Agreement. Errors commonly occur with collective nouns; for example, "The Cabinet regularly meets" (not meet) and "The news is written" (not are). Indefinite pronouns like "no one," "everybody," and "either" typically take singular verbs (e.g., "No one was happy"). The use of "number of" takes a plural verb ("A number of books are donated"), whereas "the number of" takes a singular verb ("The number of readers rises").

Correct usage also involves distinguishing between similar-sounding words or phrasal verbs. "Writes" (composition) is distinct from "rights" (legal entitlement). "Among" is used for three or more items, while "between" is generally for two. Phrasal verbs must be used in context: "blew out" (extinguishing a candle), "broke down" (losing control due to stress), "brought down" (overthrowing a regime), and "called off" (canceling an event).

Paragraph Development

Logical paragraph structure follows a progression of ideas. In a procedural paragraph (like how a bill becomes a law), the topic sentence introduces the general process, followed by sequential steps (first reading, third reading, presidential approval/veto). In a persuasive or expository paragraph, the structure might move from a general claim (e.g., "Learning to listen is a way of keeping friends") to specific benefits (showing care, comforting others) and a concluding summary. Identifying the "title" of a paragraph requires finding the overarching theme that encompasses all sentences, such as "Taxes and Economic Progress."

General Information: Philippine Constitution

The Philippine Constitution is the supreme law of the land. It begins with the Preamble, which introduces the document's intent. The Philippines is a Republican and Democratic State where sovereignty resides in the people. Key powers include Eminent Domain, the right of the state to take private property for public use with just compensation. Citizenship can be acquired through naturalization.

The legislative branch is the Congress, consisting of the Senate ( $24$ members, minimum age $35$ ) and the House of Representatives. The Executive power is vested in the President (must be at least $40$ years old and a resident for $10$ years). The Judiciary is headed by the Supreme Court, composed of a Chief Justice and fourteen Associate Justices. Constitutional Commissions include the Civil Service Commission, the Commission on Audit, and the Commission on Elections. Impeachment cases are initiated solely by the House of Representatives and tried by the Senate. The national language is Filipino.

Filipino Language and Literature

The Filipino section mirrors English in scope but focuses on local idioms and grammar. Kasingkahulugan (Synonyms) include: "nauulinigan" (napapakinggan), "isiniwalat" (ibinulgar), and "kapalaluan" (kayabangan). Mga Kawikaan (Idioms) provide cultural insight: "bahag ang buntot" (duwag/coward), "basa ang papel" (unreliable reputation), "halang ang kaluluwa" (evil/wicked), and "naniningalang-pugad" (courting/nanliligaw).

Wastong Gamit involves the correct application of "ng" and "nang," and "may" versus "mayroon." "May" is typically followed by a noun, verb, or adjective, while "mayroon" is used in answer to a question or when followed by a particle. Reading comprehension in Filipino often uses excerpts from literature or social commentary to test the ability to infer the author's tone—whether it is one of sorrow, hope, or a call to action regarding the youth as the "Pag-asa ng Bayan."

Inductive and Abstract Reasoning

Reasoning sections evaluate logical patterns. Inductive Reasoning uses numerical or alphabetical series:

Arithmetic Sequences: $3, 6, 9, 12, 15 \rightarrow 18$ (adding $3$ ).
Squares and Increments: $10, 17, 26, 37 \rightarrow 50$ (successive odd number increments: $+7, +9, +11, +13$ ).
Alphabetical Shifts: $A, C, F, J, O \rightarrow T$ (skipping $1, 2, 3, 4, 5$ letters respectively).

Abstract Reasoning involves visual logic. This includes recognizing the rotation of elements within a square, the stacking of lines in a pyramid structure (where the top hexagon is a result of the combination of the two below it), and identifying symmetry or mirror images in complex geometric patterns. Solving these requires looking across rows and down columns to find the consistent rule governing change.

Reading Comprehension Content and Themes

Exam passages often cover philosophical, scientific, or literary themes. Voltaire discusses the perpetual warfare in nature, suggesting that man’s reason should teach him not to emulate "brutes." Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's "A Psalm of Life" emphasizes that life is not an empty dream and that the goal of the soul is action and progress, not merely the grave. Langston Hughes uses metaphors like a "broken-winged bird" and a "barren field" to describe a life without dreams. Scientific passages explain biological processes, such as how blood clots are formed through the activation of prothrombin into thrombin and finally fibrin threads, or why hair and nails continue to grow briefly after death due to residual fuel supply in cells. Understanding these specific details—such as the role of calcium ions in blood clotting or the definition of the "Epicurean" pursuit of pleasure and the absence of pain—is vital for answering inference-based questions.