NYPD NYPD Written Expression 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Officer Reyes writes: 'The suspect runned from the scene and hided behind a dumpster.' Which revision is correct?
- The suspect ran from the scene and hid behind a dumpster. (Correct answer)
- The suspect runned from the scene and hid behind a dumpster.
- The suspect ran from the scene and hided behind a dumpster.
- The suspect has runned from the scene and hided behind a dumpster.
Correct answer: The suspect ran from the scene and hid behind a dumpster.
'Ran' and 'hid' are the correct simple past tense forms of 'run' and 'hide.'
Question 2: Which sentence uses a comma correctly?
- The officer searched the vehicle, and found a concealed weapon.
- After securing the perimeter, the sergeant called for backup. (Correct answer)
- The witness, who saw the robbery was cooperative.
- He was arrested, because he resisted.
Correct answer: After securing the perimeter, the sergeant called for backup.
A comma is correctly placed after an introductory adverbial phrase ('After securing the perimeter').
Question 3: Officer Kim needs to report: 'The victim told me that the attacker wore a red jacket.' Which is the most precise restatement?
- The victim said something about a jacket.
- The victim stated that the suspect was wearing a red jacket. (Correct answer)
- The attacker had on some kind of red clothing item.
- The victim mentioned clothing of some color.
Correct answer: The victim stated that the suspect was wearing a red jacket.
Option B preserves all key details — the source (victim), the subject (suspect), and the specific description (red jacket).
Question 4: Which of the following is written in the clearest, most direct language for a police report?
- It would appear that at some point in time the vehicle may have been broken into.
- The vehicle was broken into at approximately 2:00 AM on July 15. (Correct answer)
- Somebody did something to the car during the nighttime hours.
- The car situation occurred when nobody was around to observe it.
Correct answer: The vehicle was broken into at approximately 2:00 AM on July 15.
Option B states the facts directly with specific time and date, avoiding vague language.
Question 5: Choose the sentence with correct subject-verb agreement.
- Neither the officers nor the sergeant were aware of the complaint.
- Neither the officers nor the sergeant was aware of the complaint. (Correct answer)
- Neither the officers nor the sergeant are aware of the complaint.
- Neither the officers nor the sergeant have been aware of the complaint.
Correct answer: Neither the officers nor the sergeant was aware of the complaint.
With 'neither...nor,' the verb agrees with the subject closest to it; 'sergeant' is singular, so 'was' is correct.
Question 6: Officer Torres wrote: 'Me and my partner responded to the call.' How should this sentence be corrected?
- My partner and me responded to the call.
- My partner and I responded to the call. (Correct answer)
- I and my partner responded to the call.
- My partner responded to the call along with me.
Correct answer: My partner and I responded to the call.
'My partner and I' is correct because 'I' is used as a subject pronoun, not 'me.'
Question 7: Which sentence avoids redundancy?
- The witness repeated the same statement again for the second time.
- The deceased victim was found dead at the scene.
- The officer responded and arrived at the location. (Correct answer)
- The witness provided a description of the suspect's appearance.
Correct answer: The officer responded and arrived at the location.
Option C has no redundancy; the others repeat information already implied by another word in the sentence.
NYPD NYPD Written Expression 2
Officer Reyes writes: 'The suspect runned from the scene and hided behind a dumpster.' Which revision is correct?