PG&E Clerical and Meter Reader Test: Practice Questions

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PG&E (Pacific Gas and Electric Company), also searched as PGE, lists the Clerical Test Battery (CTB) as one of its prerequisite pre-employment tests. PG&E’s currently linked preparation guide uses the combined name Clerical/Meter Reader Test Battery (CTB/MTB). Candidates may also see JobTestPrep and search pages refer to a PG&E Meter Reader (Clerical) Test.

These names belong on one canonical preparation page. CTB, MTB, and CTB/MTB may appear in invitations, guides, or commercial prep materials. They should not automatically be treated as separate official assessments unless the invitation says otherwise.

The assessment may be used for certain clerical or meter reader hiring processes. Not every PG&E applicant takes it. The exact job posting and invitation control. PG&E’s currently linked guide describes five components: Computation, Language Skills, Problem Solving, Coding, and Visual Speed and Accuracy.

JobTestPrep currently sells third-party preparation for this assessment. JobTestPrep is not PG&E and does not administer the official test.

Based on the live JobTestPrep product area at publication review, the PrepPack is currently titled as a PG&E Meter Reader (Clerical) Test course and displays:

• full coverage labeled Trades Math, English, and Accuracy;
• full-length simulations;
• a five-step learning program;
• video and written tutorials;
• summary drill totals of about 14 mathematics sets, 8 English sets, and 3 accuracy sets;
• a product-selection breakdown that currently lists 7 Numerical Reasoning practice tests, 7 Math Word Problem tests, 3 Study Guides, 2 Punctuation and Capitalization tests, 2 Spelling tests, 2 Written Communication tests, 2 Grammar tests, 3 Tables and Graphs tests, 4 additional practice tests, and 3 Error Checking tests;
• detailed explanations;
• access options currently shown as 1 Week, 1 Month, and 3 Months, with a one-time payment presentation.

The live page also contains obvious spelling mistakes in product labels (for example, Numerical misspelled and Study misspelled). This article uses corrected wording rather than repeating those errors. Where the marketing summary and the product-selection table describe the same materials in different totals, treat both as current commercial page wording and confirm the selectable package at checkout. These quantities describe JobTestPrep’s third-party product. They are not the official PG&E CTB/MTB structure.

The practice questions on this page are original exercises. They are not official PG&E, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, employer, utility, or test-provider questions, and they do not reproduce a live assessment. Always follow your current PG&E testing invitation and the official preparation guide.

What Is the PG&E Clerical Test Battery?

The Clerical Test Battery is one of PG&E’s currently listed prerequisite tests. The currently linked official preparation guide associates the Clerical/Meter Reader Test Battery with clerical and meter reader jobs. It evaluates general clerical, numerical, language, classification, and perceptual skills as an initial aptitude assessment rather than a practical utility-skills test.

Not every PG&E role requires it. JobTestPrep’s PrepPack is third-party preparation, not an official test specification.

Why Is It Also Called the Meter Reader Test?

PG&E’s currently linked official guide uses the combined CTB/MTB name and states that the battery applies to clerical and meter reader positions. JobTestPrep currently markets its product primarily as the Meter Reader (Clerical) Test. Candidates should rely on the assessment name shown in their invitation. These search variants belong on one canonical page.

Does Every PG&E Applicant Take the CTB?

No.

Requirements may differ by exact vacancy, position title, department, location, classification, recruitment cycle, candidate invitation, and PG&E testing requirements.

Before you prepare, verify:

• job title;
• requisition number;
• assessment name;
• deadline;
• delivery method;
• permitted materials;
• official section information;
• accommodations;
• retest eligibility;
• secondary tests;
• later hiring stages.

Official PG&E CTB/MTB Format

Component	What PG&E’s guide describes	Published time limit
Computation	Basic arithmetic using whole numbers, decimals, fractions, and percentages	5 minutes
Language Skills	Proofreading for spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and usage	5 minutes
Problem Solving	Arithmetic word problems involving whole numbers, decimals, fractions, and percentages	10 minutes
Coding	Applying classification codes from a supplied table	5 minutes
Visual Speed and Accuracy	Comparing number, symbol, or letter strings for exact matches	5 minutes

These specifications come from PG&E’s currently linked CTB preparation guide. Follow your current invitation if it provides different or newer instructions.

The guide describes the complete session as lasting approximately one hour. Do not assume that the listed exercise limits account for every instruction, transition, or administration step.

The currently linked guide does not clearly provide a complete official item count for every component. This page does not invent section question counts.

Computation

PG&E’s currently linked guide describes a Computation exercise with a five-minute limit. It covers addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division with whole numbers, decimals, fractions, and percentage-style quantities. Rapid numerical accuracy matters.

The official illustrated format includes five response positions and may include an X option when the answer is not shown. This page’s practice questions use the repository-standard four-option format and do not copy PG&E sample problems.

Language Skills

The Language Skills exercise, as described in the guide, measures proofreading for spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and usage. Practice may involve selecting the clearest correction or identifying when no change is needed. Use contemporary standard American English, and avoid style-only disputes where more than one answer could reasonably be accepted.

Problem Solving

The Problem Solving exercise, as described in the guide, uses arithmetic word problems. Practice may include totals, differences, rates, percentages, fractions, decimals, basic workplace quantities, time and scheduling, and fictional budgets or records.

Do not treat these practice items as real PG&E billing, tariffs, meter formulas, customer accounts, or utility operations.

Coding

The Coding exercise, as described in the guide, asks candidates to apply classification codes from a supplied table to a new set of information. Speed and accuracy both matter.

This page uses entirely fictional departments, categories, record types, volume bands, and priority codes. It does not reproduce PG&E’s sample coding table.

Visual Speed and Accuracy

The Visual Speed and Accuracy exercise, as described in the guide, asks candidates to decide whether pairs of numerical strings, letters, or symbols are the same or different. Exact character-level comparison matters. Watch for transposed digits, punctuation differences, decimal point versus comma, omitted symbols, extra characters, and capitalization differences.

Current PG&E Testing Policies

PG&E’s current pre-employment testing program page states that:

• invited online candidates receive instructions, a test link, and a test key;
• the current published online completion window is five calendar days, and the test key cannot currently be extended;
• candidates should complete the assessment early enough to address technical problems;
• scratch paper and a pencil or pen are currently permitted for online prerequisite testing;
• duplicate invitations for the same test should be completed only once;
• delivery may be online unproctored, proctored electronic, or proctored paper-and-pencil;
• accommodations may be requested through the process specified in the invitation;
• current retesting generally requires at least 90 calendar days between attempts;
• retake limits can depend on whether a test measures general aptitude or job-specific knowledge.

Policies may change. The invitation controls. This article is not a substitute for PG&E instructions.

CTB vs IST

The CTB/MTB focuses on clerical, language, numerical, coding, and visual-accuracy skills according to the currently linked CTB guide. The Industrial Skills Test is a separate PG&E prerequisite assessment with a different content profile. Prepare for the assessment named in your invitation. See the PG&E Industrial Skills Test guide for that separate intent.

CTB vs PTB

The CTB/MTB contains five clerical and cognitive components in the published guide. The Physical Test Battery is a separate numerical and spatial assessment. PTB block-contact preparation does not belong in this CTB practice test. See the PG&E Physical Test Battery guide for that separate intent.

CTB vs WOI

The Work Orientation Inventory is a separate work-orientation assessment. Behavioral or personality material should not be presented as an official CTB component.

Safety, Privacy, and Scope Boundary

This article does not teach opening, accessing, bypassing, or tampering with meters; reading real customer meters; entering private property; utility service disconnection or reconnection; electrical work; energized equipment; gas systems; gas-leak response; utility infrastructure; substations; outage restoration; customer-account access; customer billing; real PG&E coding systems; real employee or customer identifiers; facility locations; or internal security procedures.

Practice content uses fictional administrative and clerical data only.

PG&E Clerical and Meter Reader Practice Questions

These original scored questions cover the five published component areas. They do not reproduce the official interface.

Question 1

1. Compute 63 + 48.

(This page uses four answer choices. It does not reproduce the official five-choice interface shown in PG&E’s guide.)

A) 111

B) 101

C) 121

D) 109

Correct answer: A

63 + 48 = 111.

Question 2

2. Compute 95 - 37.

A) 48

B) 68

C) 58

D) 57

Correct answer: C

95 - 37 = 58.

Question 3

3. Compute 14 x 6.

A) 74

B) 84

C) 94

D) 82

Correct answer: B

14 x 6 = 84.

Question 4

4. Compute 108 / 9.

A) 11

B) 14

C) 13

D) 12

Correct answer: D

108 / 9 = 12.

Question 5

5. Compute 3.25 + 1.4.

A) 4.65

B) 4.55

C) 4.75

D) 5.65

Correct answer: A

3.25 + 1.40 = 4.65.

Question 6

6. Compute 2/3 + 1/6.

A) 1/2

B) 5/6

C) 3/6

D) 2/9

Correct answer: B

4/6 + 1/6 = 5/6.

Question 7

7. What is 20% of 45?

A) 8

B) 10

C) 9

D) 12

Correct answer: C

0.20 x 45 = 9.

Question 8

8. Compute 5 + 3 x 4.

A) 32

B) 16

C) 20

D) 17

Correct answer: D

Multiply first: 3 x 4 = 12, then 5 + 12 = 17.

Question 9

9. Which value is greatest?

A) 0.8

B) 0.79

C) 0.795

D) 0.78

Correct answer: A

0.8 = 0.800, greater than 0.795, 0.79, and 0.78.

Question 10

10. Choose the correctly spelled word.

A) accomodate

B) accommodate

C) acommodate

D) accomadate

Correct answer: B

The standard American English spelling is accommodate.

Question 11

11. Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

A) Please send the agenda, the roster and, the checklist.

B) Please send, the agenda the roster and the checklist.

C) Please send the agenda, the roster, and the checklist.

D) Please send the agenda the roster, and, the checklist.

Correct answer: C

Standard list punctuation places commas between items and before the final and.

Question 12

12. Which sentence uses correct capitalization?

A) The meeting is scheduled for monday in the west Conference room.

B) the meeting is scheduled for Monday in the west Conference room.

C) The Meeting is scheduled for monday in the west conference Room.

D) The meeting is scheduled for Monday in the West conference room.

Correct answer: D

Days of the week are capitalized; common nouns such as conference room are not.

Question 13

13. Choose the sentence with correct subject-verb agreement.

A) The stack of forms is ready for review.

B) The stack of forms are ready for review.

C) The stack of forms were ready for review.

D) The stack of forms have ready for review.

Correct answer: A

The subject stack is singular, so the verb should be is.

Question 14

14. Choose the sentence with correct pronoun agreement.

A) Each clerk must submit their timesheet before Friday.

B) Each clerk must submit his or her timesheet before Friday.

C) Each clerk must submit them timesheet before Friday.

D) Each clerk must submit its timesheets before Fridays.

Correct answer: B

Each clerk is singular. In careful formal usage, his or her agrees in number.

Question 15

15. Choose the correct word usage.

A) The report has less pages than the draft.

B) The report has lesser pages than the draft.

C) The report has fewer pages than the draft.

D) The report has fewest pages then the draft.

Correct answer: C

Pages are countable, so fewer is preferred over less.

Question 16

16. Choose the clearest sentence.

A) Having reviewed the file, the error was obvious.

B) The error, after the file reviewing, found itself.

C) After reviewed the file, the error was found by clerk.

D) After reviewing the file, the clerk found the error.

Correct answer: D

Option B keeps a clear subject and avoids a dangling modifier.

Question 17

17. Proofread: “Please confirm the adress before mailing.” Which change is best?

A) Please confirm the address before mailing.

B) Please confirm the adress before mailing.

C) Please confirms the adress before mailing.

D) Please confirm the adres before mailing.

Correct answer: A

Address is the correct spelling.

Question 18

18. Proofread: “The updated roster is ready for distribution.” Which change is best?

A) The updated roster are ready for distribution.

B) No change

C) The updated Rosters is ready for distribution.

D) The updated roster were ready for distribution.

Correct answer: B

The original sentence is already correct. No change is needed.

Question 19

19. A supply order costs $18 for folders and $27 for binders. What is the total cost?

A) $35

B) $55

C) $45

D) $48

Correct answer: C

18 + 27 = 45.

Question 20

20. A clerk starts with 80 envelopes and uses 23. How many remain?

A) 47

B) 67

C) 63

D) 57

Correct answer: D

80 - 23 = 57.

Question 21

21. A team completed 40% of 150 forms. How many forms were completed?

A) 60

B) 50

C) 40

D) 70

Correct answer: A

0.40 x 150 = 60.

Question 22

22. A clerk processes 12 files per hour for 3 hours. How many files were processed?

A) 24

B) 36

C) 30

D) 48

Correct answer: B

12 x 3 = 36.

Question 23

23. Five reports take 10, 12, 14, 16, and 18 minutes. What is the average time?

A) 12 minutes

B) 15 minutes

C) 14 minutes

D) 16 minutes

Correct answer: C

(10+12+14+16+18)/5 = 70/5 = 14.

Question 24

24. A shift starts at 8:15 a.m. and ends at 11:45 a.m. How many minutes long is the shift?

A) 190

B) 200

C) 220

D) 210

Correct answer: D

From 8:15 to 11:45 is 3 hours 30 minutes = 210 minutes.

Question 25

25. Three-fourths of 64 boxes are labeled. How many boxes are labeled?

A) 48

B) 42

C) 52

D) 56

Correct answer: A

3/4 x 64 = 48.

Question 26

26. Ink packs cost $4 each. A clerk buys 7 packs and also pays a $3 handling fee. What is the total?

A) $28

B) $31

C) $30

D) $32

Correct answer: B

7 x 4 = 28, then 28 + 3 = 31.

Question 27

27. A note says a packet contains blue and green forms, but it does not say how many of each. How many blue forms are in the packet?

A) 10

B) 20

C) Not enough information

D) 30

Correct answer: C

Only colors are mentioned. No quantities are supplied, so the blue count cannot be determined.

Question 28

Classification Table A (fictional)

Use these inclusive ranges and codes.

Record type	Volume (pages)	Code
Invoice	1-10	INV-S
Invoice	11-50	INV-M
Invoice	51 or more	INV-L
Memo	any	MEM
Roster	any	ROS

Combined output order when both type and size apply: TypeSizeCode only, using the single code from the table.

28. Code an Invoice with 8 pages.

A) MEM

B) INV-M

C) INV-L

D) INV-S

Correct answer: D

Invoice volume 8 is in the 1-10 range, so INV-S.

Question 29

29. Code an Invoice with 11 pages.

A) INV-M

B) INV-S

C) INV-L

D) ROS

Correct answer: A

11 is the inclusive lower bound of the 11-50 range, so INV-M.

Question 30

30. Code an Invoice with 75 pages.

A) INV-S

B) INV-L

C) INV-M

D) MEM

Correct answer: B

75 is 51 or more, so INV-L.

Question 31

31. Code a Memo with 40 pages.

A) INV-M

B) ROS

C) MEM

D) INV-L

Correct answer: C

Memo uses MEM for any volume.

Question 32

Classification Table B (fictional)

Department codes:

• Records = R
• Scheduling = S
• Payroll = P

Size codes (inclusive):

• 1-25 items = 1
• 26-100 items = 2
• 101 or more items = 3

Priority codes:

• Routine = N
• Urgent = U

Output order: Department-Size-Priority Example: Records, 40 items, Urgent = R-2-U

32. Code Scheduling, 18 items, Routine.

A) P-1-U

B) S-2-N

C) R-1-N

D) S-1-N

Correct answer: D

Scheduling = S, 18 items = size 1, Routine = N, so S-1-N.

Question 33

33. Code Payroll, 100 items, Urgent.

A) P-2-U

B) P-3-U

C) P-2-N

D) S-2-U

Correct answer: A

Payroll = P, 100 is inclusive upper bound of 26-100 so size 2, Urgent = U, so P-2-U.

Question 34

34. Code Records, 101 items, Routine.

A) R-2-N

B) R-3-N

C) R-3-U

D) S-3-N

Correct answer: B

Records = R, 101 or more = size 3, Routine = N, so R-3-N.

Question 35

35. Which code is incorrect for Scheduling, 26 items, Urgent?

A) S-2-U

B) Neither code uses the wrong department

C) S-1-U

D) Both S-2-U and S-1-U are correct

Correct answer: C

26 is the inclusive start of size 2, so the correct code is S-2-U. S-1-U uses the wrong size.

Question 36

36. A ticket lists Department = Facilities, Size = 12, Priority = Routine. Using Table B only, what is correct?

A) F-1-N

B) R-1-N

C) S-1-N

D) No matching department code

Correct answer: D

Facilities is not listed among R, S, and P, so there is no matching department code.

Question 37

37. Are these strings the same or different?

44921 44921

A) Same

B) Different

C) Same except spacing

D) Cannot be compared

Correct answer: A

Every character matches.

Question 38

38. Are these strings the same or different?

88207 82807

A) Same

B) Different

C) Same if zeros are ignored

D) Same if order is ignored

Correct answer: B

Digits 8 and 2 are transposed in the middle pair.

Question 39

39. Are these strings the same or different?

15.40 15,40

A) Same

B) Same after rounding

C) Different

D) Same as percentages

Correct answer: C

One string uses a period and the other uses a comma.

Question 40

40. Are these strings the same or different?

AB-1903 AB-1903

A) Different because of letters

B) Different

C) Different because of the hyphen

D) Same

Correct answer: D

Letters, hyphen, and digits all match.

Question 41

41. Are these strings the same or different?

K0L-44 KOL-44

A) Different

B) Same

C) Same if O and 0 are treated as identical

D) Same if letters are ignored

Correct answer: A

The second character is zero (0) in the first string and letter O in the second.

Question 42

42. Are these strings the same or different?

Mar-09-2026 Mar-09-2026

A) Different

B) Same

C) Different month abbreviation

D) Different year

Correct answer: B

Date strings match exactly.

Question 43

43. Are these strings the same or different?

REF#771A REF#771A!

A) Same

B) Same if the exclamation mark is optional

C) Different

D) Same if letters are ignored

Correct answer: C

The second string has an extra trailing exclamation mark.

Question 44

44. Are these strings the same or different?

qt-18b qt-18B

A) Same

B) Same if digits match

C) Same because case never matters

D) Different

Correct answer: D

The final letter is lowercase b in the first string and uppercase B in the second.

Question 45

45. Are these strings the same or different?

1001-LX 1001-LX

A) Same

B) Different

C) Different because 1 and l look alike

D) Different because of the hyphen

Correct answer: A

All characters match, including digits and the hyphen.

Practice Answer Key

1. A
2. C
3. B
4. D
5. A
6. B
7. C
8. D
9. A
10. B
11. C
12. D
13. A
14. B
15. C
16. D
17. A
18. B
19. C
20. D
21. A
22. B
23. C
24. D
25. A
26. B
27. C
28. D
29. A
30. B
31. C
32. D
33. A
34. B
35. C
36. D
37. A
38. B
39. C
40. D
41. A
42. B
43. C
44. D
45. A

How to Score This Practice Test

• 41-45 correct: Strong baseline
• 35-40 correct: Good readiness
• 27-34 correct: Moderate readiness
• 18-26 correct: Needs improvement
• 17 or fewer correct: Start with fundamentals

This scoring guide applies only to the unofficial practice questions on this page. It is not an official PG&E CTB or MTB score, passing result, qualification decision, retest decision, interview decision, job offer, or employment result.

Timed-Practice Guidance

PG&E’s currently linked guide publishes short time limits for each exercise. Because this page uses fewer questions and includes explanations, it is not an exact timed simulation. Start with untimed accuracy work, then use short timed section drills. Follow your current invitation for actual timing. No specific practice pace guarantees qualification.

Unofficial practice-drill suggestions:

• 9 computation questions in 5 minutes;
• 9 language questions in 5 minutes;
• 9 problem-solving questions in 8 to 10 minutes;
• 9 coding questions in 5 minutes;
• 9 visual-comparison questions in 3 to 5 minutes.

How to Prepare for the PG&E CTB/MTB

1. Confirm that the invitation names CTB, MTB, or the Clerical/Meter Reader Test.
2. Read the current PG&E testing-program page.
3. Download the official CTB preparation guide.
4. Check the deadline in the invitation.
5. Verify permitted materials.
6. Review whole-number arithmetic.
7. Review decimals, fractions, and percentages.
8. Practise short arithmetic word problems.
9. Review spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, and usage.
10. Practise applying fictional classification tables.
11. Practise exact character comparison.
12. Build accuracy before adding speed.
13. Complete short timed drills by component.
14. Review every mistake by category.
15. Request accommodations through the official procedure when needed.
16. Prepare separately for secondary tests or interviews when required.
17. Follow the current invitation on test day.

If your invitation names a different PG&E prerequisite assessment, use the matching guide instead. Candidates invited to the Industrial Skills Test can review PG&E Industrial Skills Test preparation. Candidates invited to the Physical Test Battery can review PG&E Physical Test Battery preparation.

Common Mistakes

• assuming every PG&E applicant takes the CTB;
• creating separate preparation plans for CTB and MTB without checking the invitation;
• treating JobTestPrep as the official source;
• assuming JobTestPrep’s practice-test quantities are official;
• assuming the official test always uses the same interface;
• inventing section question counts;
• inventing a passing score;
• ignoring the five published components;
• confusing CTB with IST;
• confusing CTB with PTB;
• treating WOI-style personality items as CTB content;
• rushing arithmetic before building accuracy;
• misplacing decimal points;
• using the wrong denominator;
• overlooking punctuation errors;
• choosing a grammatically acceptable but less precise answer;
• reading the wrong coding-table column;
• overlooking inclusive range boundaries;
• missing a transposed digit;
• confusing 0 and O;
• overlooking a comma-versus-period difference;
• treating practice performance as a hiring prediction.

Free versus Paid Preparation

Free preparation may help candidates understand the official published components, review arithmetic, practise proofreading, learn classification-table questions, practise exact data comparison, and identify weak areas.

Paid preparation may be useful for candidates seeking larger practice banks, structured math sets, English drills, coding exercises, error-checking practice, timed simulations, study guides, detailed explanations, and repeated practice during the purchased access period.

No free or paid resource can guarantee score improvement, passing, qualification, an interview, a job offer, or employment.

JobTestPrep is a third-party preparation provider. It is not PG&E, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, an employer representative, a government agency, or the official test administrator.

Official PG&E Resources

• PG&E Pre-Employment Testing Program
• PG&E Clerical Test Battery Preparation Guide
• PG&E Careers

The current testing-program page controls current process information. The linked CTB guide explains the published test components. Current job postings determine whether a role requires CTB/MTB. The candidate’s invitation controls where instructions differ. No affiliate link belongs in this section. JobTestPrep is not an official PG&E resource.

Related Internal Guides

• Employer Assessment Tests
• PG&E Industrial Skills Test
• PG&E Physical Test Battery
• Clerical Skills Test
• Clerical Ability Test
• Clerical Exam
• Numerical Reasoning
• Free Numerical Reasoning Test

FAQ

Final CTA