OACP Written Communication and Grammar 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence best demonstrates objectivity in a police report?
- The driver was obviously intoxicated and behaving irrationally.
- The driver appeared nervous and was likely hiding something.
- The driver's speech was slurred and he failed the field sobriety test. (Correct answer)
- The driver was drunk and clearly had been driving recklessly.
Correct answer: The driver's speech was slurred and he failed the field sobriety test.
Objective reports use observable facts rather than assumptions or loaded language.
Question 2: Identify the sentence with a misplaced modifier.
- Only the detective noticed the missing wallet.
- The detective noticed only the missing wallet.
- The detective noticed the missing wallet only. (Correct answer)
- Noticing the wallet, the detective filed a report.
Correct answer: The detective noticed the missing wallet only.
Placing 'only' at the end creates ambiguity about what 'only' modifies in the sentence.
Question 3: Which word pair is an example of commonly confused homophones relevant to police reports?
- Accept / Except
- Their / There / They're (Correct answer)
- Principal / Principle
- Effect / Affect
Correct answer: Their / There / They're
'Their,' 'there,' and 'they're' are homophones that sound identical but have different meanings and spellings.
Question 4: In report writing, what is the purpose of using chronological order?
- To emphasize the most important events first.
- To present events in the order they occurred for clarity. (Correct answer)
- To list suspects before victims in all cases.
- To organize evidence by type rather than time.
Correct answer: To present events in the order they occurred for clarity.
Chronological order presents events as they unfolded, making reports easier to follow and verify.
Question 5: Which sentence avoids the use of jargon or unnecessary abbreviations?
- The DB was transported to the ME's office per SOP.
- The deceased individual was transported to the medical examiner's office. (Correct answer)
- The subj was apprehended w/ a weapon at 2300 hrs.
- Perp was IDed via CCTV and subsequently BOLOed.
Correct answer: The deceased individual was transported to the medical examiner's office.
Clear reports use plain language that can be understood by all readers, including those unfamiliar with police jargon.
Question 6: Which transition word best indicates a contrast between two ideas?
- Furthermore
- Additionally
- However (Correct answer)
- Consequently
Correct answer: However
'However' signals a contrast or shift in the direction of the argument or narrative.
Question 7: What does it mean when a sentence contains a 'run-on' error?
- The sentence is too short to convey meaning.
- Two or more independent clauses are joined without proper punctuation. (Correct answer)
- The sentence uses passive voice incorrectly.
- The sentence begins with a conjunction.
Correct answer: Two or more independent clauses are joined without proper punctuation.
A run-on sentence occurs when two or more independent clauses are fused without correct punctuation or conjunctions.
OACP Written Communication and Grammar 3
Which sentence best demonstrates objectivity in a police report?