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100+ Free CES-WE Practice Questions

Pass your Career Executive Service (CES) Written Examination (CES-WE, formerly Management Aptitude Test Battery) exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

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Two agencies share a project cost of PHP 1.2 million in the ratio 2:3. How much does the agency with the larger share pay?

A
B
C
D
to track
2026 Statistics

Key Facts: CES-WE Exam

220

Total Test Items

CESB — CES Examination Process

7 sub-tests

Examination Sections

CESB

2h 55m

Exam Time Limit

CESB

PHP 1,000

Application Fee

CESB

4 stages

CES Eligibility Process

CESB

6 months

Minimum Retake Interval

CESB

The CES Written Examination (CES-WE), formerly the MATB, is the first of four stages toward Career Service Executive Eligibility, run by the CESB. It has 220 items across seven sub-tests completed in 2 hours and 55 minutes. The application fee is PHP 1,000, the Board sets the cut-off score, and failing applicants may retake only after six months.

Sample CES-WE Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your CES-WE exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1In the CES Written Examination's Error Recognition sub-test, items typically ask you to classify the error in a sentence. Which set of categories matches the standard CES-WE Error Recognition options?
A.Diction error, grammar error, verbosity error, or no error
B.Spelling error, capitalization error, run-on, or fragment
C.Logical error, factual error, citation error, or no error
D.Active voice, passive voice, dangling modifier, or no error
Explanation: The CES-WE Error Recognition sub-test asks candidates to identify whether a sentence contains a diction error, a grammar error, a verbosity error, or no error at all. Recognizing these four categories quickly is essential because the sub-test is tightly timed.
2Identify the error type: "The committee members has finished reviewing the proposal."
A.Grammar error (subject-verb agreement)
B.Diction error (wrong word choice)
C.Verbosity error (redundant wording)
D.No error
Explanation: The plural subject "members" requires the plural verb "have," not the singular "has." Subject-verb agreement faults are classic grammar errors in the Error Recognition sub-test.
3Identify the error type: "At this point in time, we will now proceed to commence the meeting."
A.Verbosity error (redundant wording)
B.Grammar error (tense)
C.Diction error (wrong word)
D.No error
Explanation: "At this point in time" means simply "now," and "proceed to commence" doubles up two words for 'begin.' Stacking redundant phrases is a verbosity error, which the CES-WE penalizes because executive writing values concision.
4Identify the error type: "The agency will affect new policies to improve service delivery."
A.Diction error (affect/effect confusion)
B.Grammar error (subject-verb agreement)
C.Verbosity error (redundancy)
D.No error
Explanation: To put new policies into place you 'effect' (bring about) them; 'affect' means to influence. Substituting one for the other is a diction error — the wrong word for the intended meaning.
5Identify the error type: "Each of the directors submitted their own quarterly report on schedule."
A.Grammar error (pronoun-antecedent agreement)
B.Diction error
C.Verbosity error
D.No error
Explanation: "Each" is singular, so the formal-register pronoun should be 'his or her,' not the plural 'their.' Pronoun-antecedent agreement is a grammar error commonly tested in formal executive writing on the CES-WE.
6Choose the grammatically correct sentence.
A.Neither the secretary nor the assistants were available for the briefing.
B.Neither the secretary nor the assistants was available for the briefing.
C.Neither the secretary or the assistants were available for the briefing.
D.Neither the secretary nor the assistants is available for the briefing.
Explanation: With 'neither/nor,' the verb agrees with the nearer subject. Here the nearer subject 'assistants' is plural, so 'were' is correct. Mastering proximity agreement is key for the Error Recognition and writing items.
7Identify the error type: "The report was wrote by the planning division last week."
A.Grammar error (incorrect past participle)
B.Diction error
C.Verbosity error
D.No error
Explanation: The passive construction requires the past participle 'written,' not the simple past 'wrote.' Using the wrong verb form is a grammar error frequently flagged in the Error Recognition sub-test.
8Identify the error type: "We need to collaborate together to reach a mutual agreement that benefits both sides."
A.Verbosity error (redundancy)
B.Grammar error
C.Diction error
D.No error
Explanation: 'Collaborate' already means to work together, 'mutual' already means shared by both, and 'both sides' restates 'mutual.' These overlapping redundancies make it a verbosity error, which executive-level writing avoids.
9Identify the error type: "The principle reason for the reform is to improve transparency."
A.Diction error (principle/principal confusion)
B.Grammar error
C.Verbosity error
D.No error
Explanation: Here the intended meaning is 'main' or 'chief,' which is 'principal.' 'Principle' means a fundamental rule or belief. Swapping the two is a diction error tested in the Error Recognition sub-test.
10Choose the sentence with correct parallel structure.
A.The manager values planning, organizing, and leading her team.
B.The manager values planning, organizing, and to lead her team.
C.The manager values to plan, organizing, and leading her team.
D.The manager values planning, to organize, and leads her team.
Explanation: Items in a series should share the same grammatical form. 'Planning, organizing, and leading' are all gerunds, so the structure is parallel. Faulty parallelism is a common grammar error on the CES-WE.

About the CES-WE Exam

The CES Written Examination (CES-WE), formerly the Management Aptitude Test Battery (MATB), is the first of the four-stage Career Executive Service eligibility examination process administered by the Career Executive Service Board (CESB). It is a paper-and-pencil test that determines an applicant's general intelligence and knowledge of management concepts and principles. The CES-WE is composed of 220 test items across seven sub-tests — Error Recognition, Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Information, Management Concepts and Problems, and Essay — completed in 2 hours and 55 minutes. The exam is offered at least once a year at testing centers in Manila, Cebu, and Davao, and applicants who pass the cut-off proceed to the Assessment Center, Panel Interview, and Performance Validation stages toward full CES eligibility.

Questions

220 scored questions

Time Limit

2 hours and 55 minutes

Passing Score

Cut-off score set by the CES Board (not a fixed published number)

Exam Fee

PHP 1,000.00 application fee (Career Executive Service Board (CESB) Secretariat, at testing centers in Manila, Cebu, and Davao)

CES-WE Exam Content Outline

~50%

General Mental Ability (Verbal, Numerical, Analytical Reasoning)

Error Recognition, Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation, and Logical Reasoning sub-tests measuring general intelligence.

~25%

Management Concepts and Problems

Planning, organizing, leading and decision-making, controlling, motivation, leadership, and public administration concepts.

~25%

Information (Philippine Government and Current Affairs)

The 1987 Constitution, branches of government, Constitutional Commissions, RA 6713, the CES system, and current affairs.

How to Pass the CES-WE Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Cut-off score set by the CES Board (not a fixed published number)
  • Exam length: 220 questions
  • Time limit: 2 hours and 55 minutes
  • Exam fee: PHP 1,000.00 application fee

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

CES-WE Study Tips from Top Performers

1Drill Error Recognition by classifying each sentence quickly as a diction, grammar, verbosity, or no-error item — speed matters across 220 timed items.
2Practice Data Interpretation by computing percentages, averages, and ratios from tables, charts, and graphs without a calculator.
3Master Logical Reasoning: syllogisms, number series, analogies, and argument validity (modus ponens, modus tollens, affirming the consequent).
4Memorize the four management functions and key theories — Maslow, Herzberg, McGregor's Theory X/Y, leadership styles, SWOT, and MBO.
5Review Philippine government essentials: the 1987 Constitution, three branches, the three Constitutional Commissions, RA 6713, and the CES system itself.
6Outline the Essay sub-test in advance — practice structuring a clear management or governance argument with an introduction, body, and conclusion.
7Take full timed mock sets to build the stamina and pacing needed for the 2-hour-55-minute exam.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CES Written Examination (CES-WE)?

The CES-WE, formerly the Management Aptitude Test Battery (MATB), is the first of four stages in the Career Executive Service eligibility process administered by the CESB. It is a paper-and-pencil test of general intelligence and knowledge of management concepts, with 220 items completed in 2 hours and 55 minutes.

Who administers the CES-WE?

The Career Executive Service Board (CESB), an attached agency of the Civil Service Commission, administers the CES-WE through its Secretariat. The exam is conducted at testing centers in Manila, Cebu, and Davao.

How much does the CES-WE cost?

The application fee for the CES Written Examination is PHP 1,000.00. Applicants are also responsible for travel to one of the three testing centers.

What sub-tests are on the CES-WE?

The CES-WE has seven sub-tests: Error Recognition, Reading Comprehension, Data Interpretation, Logical Reasoning, Information, Management Concepts and Problems, and Essay. Together they total 220 test items.

What is the passing score for the CES-WE?

There is no single fixed passing percentage. The CES Board establishes the norms and cut-off score for each administration, and applicants must meet that cut-off to proceed to the next stage. Results are released within 60 days, and a notice of rating shows the applicant's transmuted score.

Can I retake the CES-WE if I fail?

Yes. Applicants who do not meet the cut-off score may retake the CES-WE only after six months reckoned from the date of their last examination. The exam is conducted at least once a year.

Who is eligible to take the CES-WE?

Government career-service officials appointed to a CES position or at least a Division Chief (SG 24) with two years of managerial experience, non-career officials with three years in an equivalent position, and outstanding private-sector managers or proprietors with at least three years of supervisory experience may apply.

What happens after passing the CES-WE?

Passing the cut-off advances the applicant to the remaining CES stages: the Assessment Center, the Panel Interview, and Performance Validation. Completing all four stages confers Career Executive Service eligibility for third-level government positions.