NYPD Written Expression Flashcards

Officer Reyes writes: 'The suspect runned from the scene and hided behind a dumpster.' Which revision is correct?

Answer: The suspect ran from the scene and hid behind a dumpster.

'Ran' and 'hid' are the correct simple past tense forms of 'run' and 'hide.'

Which sentence uses a comma correctly?

Answer: After securing the perimeter, the sergeant called for backup.

A comma is correctly placed after an introductory adverbial phrase ('After securing the perimeter').

Officer Kim needs to report: 'The victim told me that the attacker wore a red jacket.' Which is the most precise restatement?

Answer: The victim stated that the suspect was wearing a red jacket.

Option B preserves all key details — the source (victim), the subject (suspect), and the specific description (red jacket).

Which of the following is written in the clearest, most direct language for a police report?

Answer: The vehicle was broken into at approximately 2:00 AM on July 15.

Option B states the facts directly with specific time and date, avoiding vague language.

Choose the sentence with correct subject-verb agreement.

Answer: Neither the officers nor the sergeant was aware of the complaint.

With 'neither...nor,' the verb agrees with the subject closest to it; 'sergeant' is singular, so 'was' is correct.

Officer Torres wrote: 'Me and my partner responded to the call.' How should this sentence be corrected?

Answer: My partner and I responded to the call.

'My partner and I' is correct because 'I' is used as a subject pronoun, not 'me.'

Which sentence avoids redundancy?

Answer: The officer responded and arrived at the location.

Option C has no redundancy; the others repeat information already implied by another word in the sentence.

An officer must arrange these events in chronological order for a report. Which sequence is correct? 1. Backup arrived. 2. Dispatch received the 911 call. 3. Officers handcuffed the suspect. 4. Officers arrived at the scene.

Answer: 2, 4, 1, 3

The logical order is: 911 call → officers arrive → backup arrives → suspect handcuffed.

Which word is spelled correctly?

Answer: Occurrence

'Occurrence' is spelled with double 'c' and double 'r.'

Read the following and identify the best summary: 'At 11:45 PM, a store clerk at 42 Main Street called 911 to report that a man in a black hoodie had entered the store, brandished a knife, and demanded cash from the register before fleeing on foot northbound on Main Street.'

Answer: A store clerk was robbed at knifepoint at 42 Main Street at 11:45 PM; the suspect fled north on Main Street.

Option B includes all key facts: location, time, method, and direction of flight.

Which sentence is grammatically correct?

Answer: The suspect, along with two accomplices, was arrested.

'Along with two accomplices' is a parenthetical phrase; the true subject 'suspect' is singular, requiring 'was.'

Officer Davis's report reads: 'The complainant stated that she seen the suspect at the corner.' What is the error?

Answer: 'Seen' should be 'saw' — incorrect verb form

'Seen' requires a helping verb (e.g., 'had seen'); the simple past form is 'saw.'

Which sentence uses apostrophes correctly?

Answer: The officer's reports were filed on time, but the sergeant's wasn't.

'Officer's' (singular possessive) and 'sergeant's' (singular possessive) and 'wasn't' (contraction) are all correct.

Which word correctly completes the sentence? 'The ___ evidence was admitted in court.'

Answer: defendant's

Since there is one defendant, the singular possessive 'defendant's' is correct.

An officer writes: 'The vehicle was blue in color and had four tires.' How should this be improved?

Answer: The vehicle was blue and had four tires.

'Blue in color' is redundant since blue already implies color; similarly, standard vehicles have four tires so this can be omitted, but option A removes the redundant phrase.

Choose the correctly punctuated sentence.

Answer: The officers searched the apartment; however, they found no contraband.

A semicolon before 'however' and a comma after it correctly joins two independent clauses with a conjunctive adverb.

Officer Perez wrote: 'I observed three mens standing near the alley.' What correction is needed?

Answer: Change 'mens' to 'men'

The plural of 'man' is 'men,' not 'mens'; there is no such word as 'mens.'

Which sentence is written in active voice, which is preferred in police reports?

Answer: Officer Lee apprehended the suspect near the subway entrance.

In active voice, the subject (Officer Lee) performs the action, making the sentence clearer and more direct.

A report states: 'At 3 AM, the victim, John Smith, reported that his bicycle, a red Trek mountain bike, was stolen from in front of his residence located at 500 Park Avenue.' What information is LEAST essential to include?

Answer: That it was a mountain bike style

While the bike type helps with identification, 'mountain bike' style is less critical than owner, time, color, brand, and location.

Which sentence contains a dangling modifier?

Answer: Running down the alley, the suspect disappeared from view.

In option B, 'Running down the alley' modifies the nearest noun 'suspect,' implying the suspect was running — which may be intended, but it's ambiguous; the phrase must clearly attach to its intended subject.