APCAT English Grammar and Structure 5

Question 1

Which option identifies the correct sentence structure? 'Although exhausted from the night shift, the officer completed the report.'

Accepted Answer

Complex sentence

Answer

The sentence has one independent clause and one dependent clause ('Although exhausted from the night shift'), making it a complex sentence.

Question 2

Which sentence correctly uses a hyphen?

Accepted Answer

The off-duty officer witnessed the incident.

Answer

Compound modifiers before a noun (off-duty) are hyphenated; the hyphen is not used when the modifier follows the noun.

Question 3

Select the sentence that is written in the active voice.

Accepted Answer

The forensic team processed the crime scene efficiently.

Answer

Active voice places the doer (forensic team) as the subject performing the action (processed), making the sentence direct.

Question 4

Which sentence uses the subjunctive mood correctly?

Accepted Answer

If I were the sergeant, I would change the schedule.

Answer

The subjunctive mood uses 'were' (not 'was') for hypothetical or contrary-to-fact conditions.

Question 5

Identify the sentence that incorrectly shifts verb tense.

Accepted Answer

She interviewed the witness and submits the report the next day.

Answer

Option B shifts from past tense ('interviewed') to present tense ('submits'), creating an inconsistent tense shift.

APCAT - Alberta Police Cognitive Ability Test Practice Test