Written Communication Skills Flashcards

An officer must write a use-of-force report. Which element is LEAST important to include?

Answer: The officer's personal opinion of the suspect's character

Personal opinions about a suspect's character are irrelevant and inappropriate in an official use-of-force report.

Which of the following demonstrates correct subject-verb agreement?

Answer: Neither the sergeant nor the officers were present.

When 'neither...nor' joins subjects, the verb agrees with the subject closest to it; 'officers' (plural) requires 'were.'

In written communication, 'jargon' refers to:

Answer: Technical or specialized language that may be unclear to a general audience

Jargon is specialized terminology associated with a particular field that may confuse readers unfamiliar with that field.

An officer needs to write a narrative describing a car chase. Which organizational method is most appropriate?

Answer: Chronological order from start to finish

Chronological order is standard for incident narratives because it mirrors how events unfolded, aiding comprehension and legal review.

Which sentence contains a dangling modifier?

Answer: Running toward the alley, the suspect was spotted by the officer.

In option C, the participial phrase 'Running toward the alley' incorrectly modifies 'the suspect' rather than the officer who was running.

When proofreading a report, an officer discovers the word 'their' was used instead of 'there.' This is an example of:

Answer: A homophone error

Homophones are words that sound alike but have different spellings and meanings, such as 'their,' 'there,' and 'they're.'

An officer writing a supplemental report should primarily:

Answer: Add new information or correct errors from the original report

Supplemental reports expand on, update, or correct the original report without duplicating all prior content.