Written Communication and Grammar Flashcards

Which of the following is an example of an objective statement in a police report?

Answer: The suspect's eyes were red and bloodshot, and he smelled of alcohol.

Objective statements describe observable facts rather than conclusions or opinions.

Which sentence demonstrates correct apostrophe use?

Answer: The officer's report was filed on time.

An apostrophe followed by 's' correctly shows singular possession, as in 'the officer's report.'

An officer states: 'We observed the vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed.' This phrasing is an example of:

Answer: Wordiness or redundancy

'At a high rate of speed' is a wordy phrase that can be replaced with the single word 'fast' or 'rapidly.'

In formal report writing, which abbreviation is generally NOT acceptable without first being spelled out?

Answer: DUI

Acronyms and abbreviations like DUI should be spelled out on first use (Driving Under the Influence) before the abbreviation is used.

Which sentence is a run-on that needs correction?

Answer: The suspect fled he was apprehended two blocks away.

Two independent clauses joined without a conjunction or proper punctuation create a run-on sentence.

What is the function of a topic sentence in a report paragraph?

Answer: To introduce the main idea of that paragraph

A topic sentence states the main point of a paragraph and guides the reader through the information that follows.

An officer writes: 'Me and my partner responded to the call.' What correction is needed?

Answer: Change 'Me' to 'I'

When part of a compound subject, the nominative case 'I' must be used rather than the objective 'me.'