Practice
Two-minute warmups.
City exam notices list the abilities the test uses. Each warmup practices one of them, in about two minutes. They're our own practice items, not the exam.
- Read the notice Written Comprehension · about 2 min Read a real paragraph from a city exam notice, then answer three questions about it.
- Put it in order Information Ordering · about 2 min Follow a stated rule to put five reports in order. Tap them one by one.
- Remember the note Memorization · about 2 min Study a short incident note for 30 seconds, then answer four questions from memory.
- Spot the problem Problem Sensitivity · about 2 min Read three short situations and pick what's wrong, or about to go wrong.
- Apply the rule Deductive Reasoning · about 2 min Read one rule, then decide what it means for three cases.
- Test-day checklist Getting in the door · about 1 min What to bring and what to leave at home, straight from an exam notice.
- What does the job ask for? Requirements · about 1 min Every guide has a checklist of what its notice asks for. Tick what's true for you.
- Typing test Typing speed · 30 or 60 seconds Some city jobs have a typing test. See your words per minute.
Which exams use which abilities.
- Written Comprehension: understanding written sentences and paragraphs. Listed by 911 Operator (Police Communications Technician), Traffic Enforcement Agent, School Safety Agent, Correction Officer, Police Officer (7311 to 7322)
- Information Ordering: correctly following a rule or set of rules or actions in a certain order. The rule or set of rules used must be given. The things or actions to be put in order can include numbers, letters, words, pictures, procedures, sentences, and mathematical or logical operations. Listed by 911 Operator (Police Communications Technician), Traffic Enforcement Agent, School Safety Agent, Correction Officer, Police Officer (7311 to 7322)
- Memorization: remembering information, such as words, numbers, pictures and procedures. Pieces of information can be remembered by themselves or with other pieces of information. Listed by 911 Operator (Police Communications Technician), Traffic Enforcement Agent, School Safety Agent, Correction Officer, Police Officer (7311 to 7322)
- Problem Sensitivity: being able to tell when something is wrong or likely to go wrong. It includes being able to identify the whole problem as well as elements of the problem. Listed by 911 Operator (Police Communications Technician), Traffic Enforcement Agent, School Safety Agent, Correction Officer, Police Officer (7311 to 7322)
- Deductive Reasoning: applying general rules to specific problems and coming up with logical answers. It involves deciding if an answer makes sense. Listed by 911 Operator (Police Communications Technician), Traffic Enforcement Agent, School Safety Agent, Correction Officer, Police Officer (7311 to 7322)
- Inductive Reasoning: combining separate pieces of information, or specific answers to problems, to form general rules or conclusions. It involves the ability to think of possible reasons for why things go together. Listed by 911 Operator (Police Communications Technician), School Safety Agent, Correction Officer, Police Officer (7311 to 7322)
- Spatial Orientation: determining where you are in relation to the location of some object or where the object is in relation to you. Listed by Traffic Enforcement Agent, School Safety Agent, Correction Officer, Police Officer (7311 to 7322)
- Written Expression: using English words or sentences in writing so that others will understand. Listed by 911 Operator (Police Communications Technician), Traffic Enforcement Agent, School Safety Agent, Correction Officer, Police Officer (7311 to 7322)
Definitions quoted from each Notice of Examination, checked September 30, 2026.