California POST Test Sentence Clarity 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence is written in the most appropriate tone for an official police report?
- The guy was acting super sketchy and I felt like something was off.
- I observed the subject exhibiting suspicious behavior, including repeatedly looking over his shoulder. (Correct answer)
- He kept looking around like he was hiding something, which was really weird.
- The dude was acting suspicious so I decided to check him out.
Correct answer: I observed the subject exhibiting suspicious behavior, including repeatedly looking over his shoulder.
Police reports require objective, professional language that describes specific observable behaviors rather than personal impressions.
Question 2: Which sentence correctly places the modifying phrase?
- The officer found a knife searching the alley.
- Searching the alley, a knife was found by the officer.
- Searching the alley, the officer found a knife. (Correct answer)
- A knife was found by the officer, who was searching the alley.
Correct answer: Searching the alley, the officer found a knife.
The participial phrase 'searching the alley' must be placed immediately before the noun it modifies — the officer.
Question 3: Which sentence correctly uses 'who' versus 'whom'?
- The detective knew whom committed the crime.
- Whom did the officer arrest at the scene? (Correct answer)
- The officer spoke to who was available.
- Who did the suspect give the money to?
Correct answer: Whom did the officer arrest at the scene?
'Whom' is used as an object; rearranging the question as 'Did the officer arrest him?' confirms 'whom' is correct.
Question 4: Which sentence best combines the following two sentences into one clear sentence: 'The suspect fled the scene. He dropped his wallet near the exit.'
- The suspect fled the scene and dropped his wallet and this was near the exit.
- Fleeing the scene, the suspect dropped his wallet near the exit. (Correct answer)
- Near the exit, his wallet was dropped by the fleeing suspect.
- While fleeing the scene, a wallet was dropped by the suspect near the exit.
Correct answer: Fleeing the scene, the suspect dropped his wallet near the exit.
Using a participial phrase to combine sentences eliminates redundancy while keeping the meaning clear and the subject consistent.
Question 5: Which sentence correctly uses a comma with a coordinating conjunction?
- The officer searched the car but, found nothing illegal.
- The officer searched the car, but found nothing illegal.
- The officer searched the car but found nothing illegal. (Correct answer)
- The officer searched the car, but, found nothing illegal.
Correct answer: The officer searched the car but found nothing illegal.
A comma before a coordinating conjunction is only needed when it joins two independent clauses; 'found nothing illegal' is not an independent clause.
Question 6: Which sentence is the most specific and informative for a police report?
- The suspect was somewhere in the area for a while.
- The suspect was seen around there earlier in the day.
- The suspect was observed at 1400 hours on Main Street near the intersection of Oak Avenue. (Correct answer)
- The suspect had been nearby at some point before the incident occurred.
Correct answer: The suspect was observed at 1400 hours on Main Street near the intersection of Oak Avenue.
Effective police reports include specific times, locations, and observable facts rather than vague language.
Question 7: Which sentence correctly distinguishes between 'fewer' and 'less'?
- There were less officers at the scene than expected.
- The investigation took less days to complete than anticipated.
- The witness provided fewer details than the detective needed. (Correct answer)
- Fewer time was available for the officer to write the report.
Correct answer: The witness provided fewer details than the detective needed.
'Fewer' is used with countable nouns like 'details,' while 'less' is used with uncountable nouns or quantities.
California POST Test Sentence Clarity 5
Which sentence is written in the most appropriate tone for an official police report?