NYS Court Officer Reading Test: Format A and Format B
OCA publishes two reading formats: questions about a passage in Format A, and choosing the word that best completes a blank in Format B.
- Format A
- Read a passage and answer questions about its meaning
- Format B
- Select one of four alternatives to complete a blank
- Published split
- Not published
Format A: understand and interpret a passage
Format A measures whether you can identify what written material states, connect details, and draw only conclusions supported by the text. A plausible statement is not enough: the correct choice must follow from the passage rather than from outside experience.
Format B: complete the meaning
Format B removes a word from a passage and gives four alternatives. The choice has to satisfy the sentence's grammar, the surrounding meaning, and the passage's tone at the same time. Read through the blank first, decide what function the missing word must perform, and then test each alternative in the full sentence.
OCA does not publish how many questions use either format or how the formats are weighted, so preparation should cover both without claiming a numerical split.
Sources
- NYS Unified Court System — Court Officer-Trainee 2025 Subject Matter of Examination · checked 2026-09-20