POST Written Communication and Grammar 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is an example of an objective statement in a police report?
- The suspect appeared to be a dangerous individual.
- The suspect was visibly nervous and hostile.
- The suspect's eyes were red and bloodshot, and he smelled of alcohol. (Correct answer)
- The suspect was clearly under the influence of drugs.
Correct answer: The suspect's eyes were red and bloodshot, and he smelled of alcohol.
Objective statements describe observable facts rather than conclusions or opinions.
Question 2: Which sentence demonstrates correct apostrophe use?
- The officer's report was filed on time. (Correct answer)
- The officers report's were accurate.
- The officer's were trained in writing.
- Its' the suspects responsibility.
Correct answer: The officer's report was filed on time.
An apostrophe followed by 's' correctly shows singular possession, as in 'the officer's report.'
Question 3: An officer states: 'We observed the vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed.' This phrasing is an example of:
- Concise writing
- Wordiness or redundancy (Correct answer)
- Passive voice
- Jargon
Correct 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.'
Question 4: In formal report writing, which abbreviation is generally NOT acceptable without first being spelled out?
- Mr.
- Dr.
- DUI (Correct answer)
- St.
Correct answer: DUI
Acronyms and abbreviations like DUI should be spelled out on first use (Driving Under the Influence) before the abbreviation is used.
Question 5: Which sentence is a run-on that needs correction?
- The officer arrived at the scene and secured the area.
- The suspect fled he was apprehended two blocks away. (Correct answer)
- After receiving the call, dispatch notified all nearby units.
- The evidence, including the weapon, was tagged and bagged.
Correct 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.
Question 6: What is the function of a topic sentence in a report paragraph?
- To summarize the entire report
- To introduce the main idea of that paragraph (Correct answer)
- To list all evidence collected
- To provide legal citations
Correct 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.
Question 7: An officer writes: 'Me and my partner responded to the call.' What correction is needed?
- Change 'Me' to 'I' (Correct answer)
- Change 'responded' to 'was responding'
- Add a comma after 'partner'
- Change 'call' to 'dispatch'
Correct answer: Change 'Me' to 'I'
When part of a compound subject, the nominative case 'I' must be used rather than the objective 'me.'
POST Written Communication and Grammar 4
Which of the following is an example of an objective statement in a police report?