NYPD NYPD Written Expression 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Officer Walsh wrote: 'The complainant said that the neighbor's dog barked all night, keeping she and her husband awake.' What is the error?
- 'Complainant' should be 'complainer'
- 'She' should be 'her' (Correct answer)
- 'Barked' should be 'was barking'
- There is no error
Correct answer: 'She' should be 'her'
'She' is a subject pronoun; after 'keeping,' an object pronoun ('her') is required.
Question 2: Which passage best demonstrates objective, fact-based report writing?
- The suspect looked obviously guilty and was acting very suspiciously.
- The suspect was pacing back and forth and refused to make eye contact when questioned. (Correct answer)
- The suspect was clearly hiding something important from the officers.
- The suspect seemed nervous, probably because he had done something wrong.
Correct answer: The suspect was pacing back and forth and refused to make eye contact when questioned.
Option B records observable behaviors without personal interpretation or conclusions.
Question 3: Which sentence correctly uses 'its' and 'it's'?
- The department updated it's policy on use-of-force last year.
- Its important to file the report within 24 hours.
- The vehicle had its engine running when officers arrived. (Correct answer)
- The precinct changed it's procedures in response to the audit.
Correct answer: The vehicle had its engine running when officers arrived.
'Its' (no apostrophe) is the possessive pronoun; option C correctly uses it to show the vehicle's engine.
Question 4: An officer's report reads: 'Responded to 911 call. Arrived scene. Victim found injured.' What is the primary weakness of this report?
- Too many details
- Uses passive voice
- Incomplete sentences lacking essential detail (Correct answer)
- Incorrect chronological order
Correct answer: Incomplete sentences lacking essential detail
The fragments omit critical information such as times, location, nature of injuries, and subjects performing actions.
Question 5: Choose the sentence that correctly uses 'affect' vs. 'effect.'
- The new policy will effect how officers file reports.
- The injury had no affect on the suspect's ability to flee.
- Fatigue can affect an officer's decision-making in the field. (Correct answer)
- The crowd control measures had little affect on the situation.
Correct answer: Fatigue can affect an officer's decision-making in the field.
'Affect' is typically a verb meaning to influence; option C correctly uses it as a verb modifying 'decision-making.'
Question 6: Officer Grant's report says: 'The complainant, the suspect, and two witnesses was interviewed at the precinct.' What correction is needed?
- Change 'was' to 'were' (Correct answer)
- Change 'interviewed' to 'was interviewing'
- Remove 'and two witnesses'
- Change 'complainant' to 'complaintant'
Correct answer: Change 'was' to 'were'
The compound subject (complainant, suspect, and two witnesses) is plural, requiring 'were' instead of 'was.'
Question 7: Which transition word best fills the blank? 'The officer attempted to de-escalate the situation; ___, the suspect became increasingly agitated.'
- therefore
- furthermore
- however (Correct answer)
- similarly
Correct answer: however
'However' correctly signals a contrast between the de-escalation attempt and the suspect's worsening behavior.
NYPD NYPD Written Expression 5
Officer Walsh wrote: 'The complainant said that the neighbor's dog barked all night, keeping she and her husband awake.' What is the error?