2024 Edition

Postal Service Practice Test

Take this free practice test to see how prepared you are for the United States Postal Service Virtual Entry Assessment for the Postal Exams 474, 475, 476 and 477 for mail carriers, mail handlers, mail processors and customer service postal clerks. The test covers such subjects as Work Situations, Describe Your Work Style, Tell Us Your Story, Check for Errors and What Motivates You. Please note, Work Situations, Describe Your Work Style,Tell Us Your Story and What Motivates You are used by the Postal Service like a personality test to understand the test-taker and do not have right or wrong answers.

To score high and improve your chances to get the job, use this 800 question U.S. Postal Service Practice Exam.

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Work Situations

1.	One of the customers on your route moved to a different unit at the same apartment complex. You know he has moved but you have not received a change of address. He flags you down one day and wants to know why he is not getting his mail. What would you most likely do?
		A. Inform him that until you receive a change of address, you cannot deliver to the new address.
		B. Tell him that you are holding it at the station until you receive the change of address, which is postal policy.
		C. Tell him you will bring it all to him tomorrow but if he has not submitted a change of address, he should do so soon.
		D. Give him a change of address card that you keep in your truck and tell him he must submit it soon or they will send his mail back to the sender after a certain time.
Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

2.	One of the customers on your route moved to a different unit at the same apartment complex. You know he has moved but you have not received a change of address. He flags you down one day and wants to know why he is not getting his mail. What would you least likely do?
		A. Inform him that until you receive a change of address, you cannot deliver to the new address.
		B. Tell him that you are holding it at the station until you receive the change of address, which is postal policy.
		C. Tell him you will bring it all to him tomorrow but if he has not submitted a change of address, he should do so soon.
		D. Give him a change of address card that you keep in your truck and tell him he must submit it soon or they will send his mail back to the sender after a certain time.
Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

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3.	It is time for your break, but the work is unfinished, and you are behind schedule. What would you most likely do?
		A. Go to break.
		B. You are almost finished, so ask your supervisor if you can finish and go on your break later.
		C. Remind your supervisor that it is your break time in case she wants someone to work the mail while you are gone.
		D. Ask someone to finish up so you can go on break.
Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

4.	It is time for your break, but the work is unfinished, and you are behind schedule. What would you least likely do?
		A. Go to break.
		B. You are almost finished, so ask your supervisor if you can finish and go on your break later.
		C. Remind your supervisor that it is your break time in case she wants someone to work the mail while you are gone.
		D. Ask someone to finish up so you can go on break.
Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

5.	You find a stamped letter on the ground next to the mail box that appears to be outgoing mail. The flag on the mail box is up. What would you most likely do?
		A. Leave the letter on the ground, as its outside the scope of your responsibility.
		B. Put the letter back in the mail box and leave the flag up to let the owner know the mail was not picked up, so she can examine it.
		C. Pick up the letter and process it as if it was posted to be mailed.
		D. Knock on the mail box owner's door and ask if it's her mail.
Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

6.	You find a stamped letter on the ground next to the mail box that appears to be outgoing mail. The flag on the mail box is up. What would you least likely do?
		A. Leave the letter on the ground, as its outside the scope of your responsibility.
		B. Put the letter back in the mail box and leave the flag up to let the owner know the mail was not picked up, so she can examine it.
		C. Pick up the letter and process it as if it was posted to be mailed.
		D. Knock on the mail box owner's door and ask if it's her mail.
Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

7.	You are manually casing mail and you hear two co-workers gossiping about another co-worker who is close enough to hear them. What would you most likely do?
		A. Quietly tell the two gossiping co-workers that the person they are talking about can hear them.
		B. Mind your own business and keep it to yourself.
		C. Join the conversation and try to change the subject.
		D. Later tell the person that was being talked about that those two people gossip about everyone and not to let it bother her.
Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

8.	You are manually casing mail and you hear two co-workers gossiping about another co-worker who is close enough to hear them. What would you least likely do?
		A. Quietly tell the two gossiping co-workers that the person they are talking about can hear them.
		B. Mind your own business and keep it to yourself.
		C. Join the conversation and try to change the subject.
		D. Later tell the person that was being talked about that those two people gossip about everyone and not to let it bother her.
Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

9.	A container of mail from your machine has been taken to the dock to be loaded on a truck, and you realize you may have put a tub of mail in it which does not belong there. This means that it could go to the wrong postal station. What would you most likely do?
		A. Leave your station and run to the dock to see if the truck has left to fix your mistake.
		B. Ask your supervisor if you can run to the dock to see if you can rectify the mistake.
		C. Tell your supervisor what you suspect and ask if she can call the dock to find out if the truck is still there.
		D. There's no need to do anything. No one will know it was you that made the mistake.
Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

10.	A container of mail from your machine has been taken to the dock to be loaded on a truck, and you realize you may have put a tub of mail in it which does not belong there. This means that it could go to the wrong postal station. What would you least likely do?
		A. Leave your station and run to the dock to see if the truck has left to fix your mistake.
		B. Ask your supervisor if you can run to the dock to see if you can rectify the mistake.
		C. Tell your supervisor what you suspect and ask if she can call the dock to find out if the truck is still there.
		D. There's no need to do anything. No one will know it was you that made the mistake.
Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

11.	Two co-workers get into a heated argument on the workroom floor. One of them is a friend of yours. What would you most likely do?
		A. Take your friend's side and join the argument.
		B. Get a supervisor in case punches are thrown.
		C. You are there to do your job, so you avoid the situation.
		D. Approach the two and ask them to calm down.
Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

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12.	Two co-workers get into a heated argument on the workroom floor. One of them is a friend of yours. What would you least likely do?
		A. Take your friend's side and join the argument.
		B. Get a supervisor in case punches are thrown.
		C. You are there to do your job, so you avoid the situation.
		D. Approach the two and ask them to calm down.
Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

13.	A customer asks for a book of stamps. When you tell her the amount, she says she does not have enough money. What would you most likely do?
		A. Tell her you are sorry, but you must collect all the money.
		B. Find out how much she is short and pay it for her.
		C. Offer to sell her fewer stamps that are within the amount of money she has.
		D. Give her the stamps and ask her to drop the money off later.
Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

14.	A customer asks for a book of stamps. When you tell her the amount, she says she does not have enough money. What would you least likely do?
		A. Tell her you are sorry, but you must collect all the money.
		B. Find out how much she is short and pay it for her.
		C. Offer to sell her fewer stamps that are within the amount of money she has.
		D. Give her the stamps and ask her to drop the money off later.
Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

15.	A customer complains to you about another clerk saying that the clerk was rude and uninformative. What would you most likely do?
		A. Apologize to the customer for the clerk's behavior and ask how you can assist her.
		B. Tell the customer that she must have been mistaken because the clerk is a nice person.
		C. Tell the clerk about the complaint and leave it at that.
		D. Tell the supervisor about the clerk's behavior.
Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

16.	A customer complains to you about another clerk saying that the clerk was rude and uninformative. What would you least likely do?
		A. Apologize to the customer for the clerk's behavior and ask how you can assist her.
		B. Tell the customer that she must have been mistaken because the clerk is a nice person.
		C. Tell the clerk about the complaint and leave it at that.
		D. Tell the supervisor about the clerk's behavior.
Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

17.	A customer presents a package in an old box with multiple addresses on it. It's not clear which is the delivery address and which is the sender's address. What would you most likely do?
		A. Offer the customer a marker to indicate the delivery address and sender address.
		B. Ask the customer to identify the delivery and return addresses and mark them yourself.
		C. Reject the package for not being in a condition to mail.
		D. Accept the package as is using the most distant address to calculate the postage.
Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

18.	A customer presents a package in an old box with multiple addresses on it. It's not clear which is the delivery address and which is the sender's address. What would you least likely do?
		A. Offer the customer a marker to indicate the delivery address and sender address.
		B. Ask the customer to identify the delivery and return addresses and mark them yourself.
		C. Reject the package for not being in a condition to mail.
		D. Accept the package as is using the most distant address to calculate the postage.
Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

Tell Us Your Story

19.	How many jobs have you left involuntarily in the past 5 years?
		a. 0
		b. 1
		c. 2 - 5
		d. Over 5
		e. Not applicable - this is my first job
Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

20.	Have you ever received discipline for being tardy?
		a. Yes
		b. No
		c. Not applicable - this is my first job
Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

21.	What is the shortest time before you got a raise after you were hired at any of your former workplaces?
		a. Less than 6 months.
		b. 6 months to 1-year
		c. 2 - 3 years
		d. 4 - 5 years
		e. Not applicable - this is my first job
Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

22.	How many times have you received discipline for not following rules?
		a. 0
		b. 1 - 2
		c. 3 - 4
		d. Over 5
		e. Not applicable - this is my first job
Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

23.	How would your most recent supervisor rate your judgment or ability to make well-reasoned decisions?
		a. Excellent
		b. Good
		c. Average
		d. Poor
Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

24.	If you had supervisory responsibilities at your most recent job, how would your supervisor rate your ability to help employees develop their skills?
		a. Excellent
		b. Good
		c. Fair
		d. Poor
		e. I did not have supervisory responsibilities.
Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

Check for Errors

25.

Original Printed
78754754 78754754

a. Match

b. Error

26.

Original Printed
47308653 47306653

a. Match

b. Error

27.

Original Printed
58490321 58470321

a. Match

b. Error

28.

Original Printed
09688432 09688432

a. Match

b. Error

Quality starts with who wrote the material.

Our practice exam writer

Written by:
Mary Cowser,
Former Supervisor and
US Postal Service Expert

Mary worked for the U.S. Postal Service for fifteen years and is now a professional writer with a focus on postal service educational materials. She started out as a postal clerk and worked her way up through the ranks to become a supervisor of two different departments, the Customer Service Department and the Processing and Distribution Department. She has broad experience across the spectrum of positions offered by the U.S. Postal Service. As a departmental supervisor, she was responsible for training postal service personnel. She has taken three postal service exams in her career and scored a passing grade on all of them. Having been there herself, starting as an entry level employee, and working her way up, she knows what it takes to get hired and promoted.

Our Practice Tests follow the actual Postal Exam Outline:
Describe your approach
Work scenarios
Check for errors
Work your register
Tell us your story

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