POST Written Communication and Grammar 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An officer writes: 'Between you and I, the suspect was uncooperative.' What is the error?
- Incorrect verb tense
- Incorrect pronoun case ('I' should be 'me') (Correct answer)
- Run-on sentence
- Missing comma
Correct answer: Incorrect pronoun case ('I' should be 'me')
The preposition 'between' requires objective pronouns, so 'me' is correct rather than 'I.'
Question 2: Which practice best ensures clarity in a police report narrative?
- Using long, complex sentences to show professionalism
- Avoiding the use of any abbreviations
- Writing in the first person and using specific, concrete language (Correct answer)
- Using synonyms for all repeated words
Correct answer: Writing in the first person and using specific, concrete language
Clear, first-person narratives with specific facts produce accurate, credible police reports.
Question 3: What is a dangling modifier?
- A clause that has no subject
- A descriptive phrase that does not logically modify the noun nearest to it (Correct answer)
- An adjective placed after the noun it describes
- A verb form used in place of a noun
Correct answer: A descriptive phrase that does not logically modify the noun nearest to it
A dangling modifier is a phrase that seems to modify the wrong word, causing confusion or unintended meaning.
Question 4: Which sentence avoids jargon and is clearest for a report intended for court?
- The perp was cuffed and stuffed post-altercation.
- The subject was taken into custody following a physical confrontation. (Correct answer)
- We bagged the bad guy after a scuffle.
- The individual was detained vis-à-vis a confrontational interaction.
Correct answer: The subject was taken into custody following a physical confrontation.
Professional, plain language free of slang or jargon is required for court-admissible documents.
Question 5: Choose the sentence with correct subject-verb agreement.
- The collection of evidence were submitted to the lab.
- Neither the officer nor the witnesses was interviewed.
- Each of the suspects was read their Miranda rights. (Correct answer)
- The team of detectives were assigned to the case.
Correct answer: Each of the suspects was read their Miranda rights.
'Each' is always singular, so it takes the singular verb 'was.'
Question 6: An officer writes: 'The sergeant told Officer Lee and myself to respond.' What is the error?
- 'Sergeant' should be capitalized
- 'Myself' should be 'me' (Correct answer)
- 'Respond' should be 'responded'
- The sentence is a fragment
Correct answer: 'Myself' should be 'me'
Reflexive pronouns like 'myself' should only be used when the subject and object are the same person; 'me' is correct here.
Question 7: Which transitional word best signals a contrasting idea in a report?
- Furthermore
- Therefore
- However (Correct answer)
- Consequently
Correct answer: However
'However' signals contrast or contradiction between two ideas.
POST Written Communication and Grammar 3
An officer writes: 'Between you and I, the suspect was uncooperative.' What is the error?