Identifying Writing Errors Flashcards
7 cards from real California POST Test practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Identifying Writing Errors flashcards as text
Which sentence contains a double negative? A) The witness couldn't recall any details. B) The suspect denied taking nothing from the store. C) The officer found no evidence at the scene. D) Neither party was present at the hearing.
Answer: The suspect denied taking nothing from the store.
'Denied taking nothing' creates a double negative because 'denied' and 'nothing' both negate the action.
Identify the sentence with incorrect apostrophe use: A) The officers' vehicle was damaged. B) The officer's report was thorough. C) The two suspect's alibis conflicted. D) The witnesses' statements matched.
Answer: The two suspect's alibis conflicted.
'Suspect's' implies one suspect's alibis, but 'two suspects' requires 'suspects'' (plural possessive) to show joint ownership.
Which word is misused in: 'The officer insured the scene was properly documented'?
Answer: insured
'Insured' relates to insurance coverage; the correct word is 'ensured,' meaning made certain.
Select the sentence that is NOT a run-on: A) The suspect fled police pursued him for three blocks. B) The suspect fled, and police pursued him for three blocks. C) The suspect fled police, pursued him for three blocks. D) The suspect fled police pursued him, for three blocks.
Answer: The suspect fled, and police pursued him for three blocks.
Option B correctly joins two independent clauses with a comma and the coordinating conjunction 'and,' avoiding a run-on sentence.
Which sentence uses passive voice where active voice would be clearer in a police report? A) Officer Smith arrested the suspect. B) The suspect was arrested by Officer Smith. C) Officer Smith identified the suspect. D) The suspect fled the scene.
Answer: The suspect was arrested by Officer Smith.
Passive voice ('was arrested by') obscures who took action; police reports should use active voice with the officer as the subject.
Which sentence contains a misplaced modifier? A) The detective carefully photographed the evidence. B) The officer almost drove to the wrong address. C) Nearly every witness had left before the team arrived. D) The suspect, who was armed, surrendered peacefully.
Answer: The officer almost drove to the wrong address.
'Almost drove' means the officer nearly drove (but didn't); the intended meaning is 'drove to almost the wrong address,' so the modifier is misplaced.
Identify the error in: 'The sergeant told the officers to complete there reports by Friday.'
Answer: 'there' should be 'their.'
'There' indicates a place; 'their' is the possessive pronoun needed here to mean belonging to the officers.
How this page was made: written with AI tools and published by Nathan Beja, founder of Practice Test Geeks, who is responsible for its content. Exam facts are checked against the official sources listed below. Not reviewed by a subject-matter expert. Editorial policy
Sources & references
Exam facts on this page (fees, format, dates, passing scores) are checked against these official sources; the date is our last check. Editorial policy
- post.ca.gov — Test delivery, eligibility, retake policy, score release, score validity, fees, passing score, exam format · verified Oct 2026