HANCOCK JOHN TAX EXEMPT SERIES FUND
NSAR-A, 2000-04-25
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<PAGE>      PAGE  1
000 A000000 02/29/2000
000 C000000 0000811921
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 6.1
000 J000000 A
001 A000000 JOHN HANCOCK TAX-EXEMPT SERIES FUND
001 B000000 811-5079
001 C000000 6173751702
002 A000000 101 HUNTINGTON AVENUE
002 B000000 BOSTON
002 C000000 MA
002 D010000 02199
002 D020000 7603
003  000000 N
004  000000 N
005  000000 N
006  000000 N
007 A000000 Y
007 B000000  2
007 C010100  1
007 C010200  2
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007 C030200 N
007 C010300  3
007 C020300 JOHN HANCOCK NEW YORK TAX-FREE INCOME FUND
007 C030300 N
007 C010400  4
007 C010500  5
007 C010600  6
007 C010700  7
007 C010800  8
007 C010900  9
007 C011000 10
008 A00AA01 JOHN HANCOCK ADVISERS, INC.
008 B00AA01 A
008 C00AA01 801-8124
008 D01AA01 BOSTON
008 D02AA01 MA
008 D03AA01 02199
008 D04AA01 7603
011 A00AA01 JOHN HANCOCK FUNDS, INC.
011 B00AA01 8-43582
011 C01AA01 BOSTON
011 C02AA01 MA
011 C03AA01 02199
011 C04AA01 7603
012 A00AA01 JOHN HANCOCK SIGNATURE SERVICES, INC.
<PAGE>      PAGE  2
012 B00AA01 84-1885
012 C01AA01 BOSTON
012 C02AA01 MA
012 C03AA01 02199
013 A00AA01 PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP
013 B01AA01 BOSTON
013 B02AA01 MA
013 B03AA01 02110
014 A00AA01 SIGNATOR INVESTORS, INC.
014 B00AA01 8-13995
014 A00AA02 JOHN HANCOCK FUNDS, INC.
014 B00AA02 8-43582
015 A00AA01 INVESTORS BANK & TRUST COMPANY
015 B00AA01 C
015 C01AA01 BOSTON
015 C02AA01 MA
015 C03AA01 02111
015 E01AA01 X
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022 B000001 13-2639550
022 C000001     20318
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022 A000002 WILLIAM E. SIMONS & SONS
022 B000002 22-3017217
022 C000002      5458
022 D000002      9471
022 A000003 BANK OF NEW YORK
022 B000003 13-4941102
022 C000003     14040
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022 A000004 LEHMAN BROTHERS
022 B000004 13-2726611
022 C000004      9449
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022 A000005 FIRST ALBANY CORP.
022 B000005 14-1391446
<PAGE>      PAGE  3
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022 D000005      3752
022 A000006 SALOMON BROTHERS
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<PAGE>      PAGE  5
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<PAGE>      PAGE  6
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<PAGE>      PAGE  7
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070 C010200 Y
070 C020200 N
070 D010200 N
070 D020200 N
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070 E020200 Y
070 F010200 N
070 F020200 N
070 G010200 Y
070 G020200 Y
070 H010200 N
070 H020200 N
070 I010200 N
070 I020200 N
070 J010200 Y
070 J020200 Y
070 K010200 Y
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070 L010200 N
070 L020200 N
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<PAGE>      PAGE  8
070 N020200 N
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<PAGE>      PAGE  9
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<PAGE>      PAGE  10
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050  000300 N
051  000300 N
052  000300 N
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<PAGE>      PAGE  11
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063 B000300 19.9
064 A000300 N
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070 A010300 Y
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070 E020300 N
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070 G020300 N
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070 H020300 N
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070 I020300 N
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070 J020300 N
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070 K020300 N
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070 L020300 N
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070 M020300 N
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070 P020300 N
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<PAGE>      PAGE  12
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<PAGE>      PAGE  13
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SIGNATURE   SUSAN S. NEWTON
TITLE       VICE PRESIDENT



<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 021
   <NAME> JOHN HANCOCK MASSACHUSETTS TAX-FREE INCOME FUND- CLASS A

<S>                             <C>
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<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   0.74


</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 022
   <NAME> JOHN HANCOCK MASSACHUSETTS TAX-FREE INCOME FUND- CLASS B

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<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.44


</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 023
   <NAME> JOHN HANCOCK MASSACHUSETTS TAX-FREE INCOME FUND- CLASS C

<S>                             <C>
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<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                 299,396
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                      1,897,262
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                     (292,935)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                  (2,449,461)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                        (845,134)
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                       11,023
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                         46,971
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                      1,694
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                 44
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                     (3,815,425)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                          2,877
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                    (416,010)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                          172,221
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                419,215
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                           458,820
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            11.85
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                   0.28
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                         (0.45)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                            (0.28)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                            0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              11.40
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.44


</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 031
   <NAME> JOHN HANCOCK NEW YORK TAX-FREE INCOME FUND-CLASS A

<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          AUG-31-2000
<PERIOD-START>                             SEP-01-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               FEB-29-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                       50,999,728
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                      51,035,559
<RECEIVABLES>                                  771,502
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                 883,647
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<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                       909,657
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                       80,207
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                            989,864
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                    52,730,340
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                        3,866,706
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                        4,097,713
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                       18,019
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                    (1,083,346)
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<NET-ASSETS>                                51,700,844
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                            1,647,547
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
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<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                      1,417,928
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                     (863,400)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                  (1,152,158)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                        (597,630)
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                    1,216,019
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
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<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                        309,305
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                    616,011
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                             75,699
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                     (5,048,502)
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<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                    (219,946)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                          135,936
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                242,862
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                        45,890,326
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            11.76
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<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              11.35
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   0.78


</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 032
   <NAME> JOHN HANCOCK NEW YORK TAX-FREE INCOME FUND-CLASS B

<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          AUG-31-2000
<PERIOD-START>                             SEP-01-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               FEB-29-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                       50,999,728
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                      51,035,559
<RECEIVABLES>                                  771,502
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<TOTAL-ASSETS>                              52,690,708
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                       909,657
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
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<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                    52,730,340
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                          685,020
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                          719,049
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                       18,019
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                    (1,083,346)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
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<NET-ASSETS>                                51,700,844
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                            1,647,457
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
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<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                      1,417,928
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<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                      200,155
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
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<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                        296,796
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                    339,206
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                              8,381
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                     (5,048,502)
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<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                    (219,946)
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<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                          135,936
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                242,862
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                         8,702,654
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            11.76
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                   0.26
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                         (0.41)
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<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              11.35
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.48


</TABLE>

<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE> 6
<SERIES>
   <NUMBER> 033
   <NAME> JOHN HANCOCK NEW YORK TAX-FREE INCOME FUND-CLASS C

<S>                             <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          AUG-31-2000
<PERIOD-START>                             SEP-01-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               FEB-29-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                       50,999,728
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                      51,035,559
<RECEIVABLES>                                  771,502
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<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                            5,271
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                            8,014
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                       18,019
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                    (1,083,346)
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<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
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<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
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<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                        1,754
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
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<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                         20,419
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                     23,245
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                 83
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                     (5,048,502)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                         18,019
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                    (219,946)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                          135,936
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                242,862
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                            80,240
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            11.76
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<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              11.35
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.48


</TABLE>


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