OACP Written Communication and Grammar 2

Question 1

Which sentence uses the passive voice correctly in a police report?

Accepted Answer

The suspect was arrested by the officer.

Answer

The passive voice places the subject receiving the action first, which is acceptable in reports when the object of the action is the focus.

Question 2

In formal police reports, which pronoun usage is most appropriate?

Accepted Answer

The reporting officer observed the vehicle moving erratically.

Answer

Many police jurisdictions require third-person references to avoid ambiguity and maintain objectivity in formal reports.

Question 3

Which of the following is an example of a dangling modifier?

Accepted Answer

Running to the scene, backup was radioed for.

Answer

A dangling modifier occurs when the modifying phrase does not clearly refer to the correct subject in the sentence.

Question 4

Which punctuation correctly sets off a non-essential clause?

Accepted Answer

The suspect, who was wearing a red jacket, was apprehended.

Answer

Non-essential (non-restrictive) clauses are set off by commas on both sides.

Question 5

Which sentence contains a subject-verb agreement error?

Accepted Answer

Each of the witnesses were interviewed.

Answer

'Each' is a singular indefinite pronoun and requires a singular verb ('was'), not the plural 'were'.

OACP - Ontario Association of Chief of Police Practice Test