OACP Written Communication and Grammar 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence correctly uses an apostrophe to show possession?
- The officers' reports were submitted on time. (Correct answer)
- The officers report's were submitted on time.
- The officer's reports' were submitted on time.
- The officers reports were submitted on time.
Correct answer: The officers' reports were submitted on time.
For plural nouns ending in 's,' possession is shown by adding only an apostrophe after the 's'.
Question 2: When writing a formal incident report, which tense is most commonly used?
- Present tense, to make the report feel immediate.
- Future tense, to describe anticipated actions.
- Past tense, to describe what already occurred. (Correct answer)
- Conditional tense, to describe what might have happened.
Correct answer: Past tense, to describe what already occurred.
Police incident reports describe events that have already occurred and are therefore written in past tense.
Question 3: Which of the following is an example of vague language that should be avoided in police reports?
- The suspect fled northbound on Main Street.
- The vehicle was a blue 2019 Honda Civic, Ontario plate ABC-123.
- The officer observed a large amount of cash in the vehicle. (Correct answer)
- At 14:32, the dispatch call was received at Station 4.
Correct answer: The officer observed a large amount of cash in the vehicle.
Phrases like 'large amount' are vague; reports should include specific quantities whenever possible.
Question 4: Identify the correctly punctuated sentence with a list.
- The officer collected a wallet, keys, and a cell phone. (Correct answer)
- The officer collected a wallet keys and a cell phone.
- The officer collected: a wallet, keys and, a cell phone.
- The officer collected a wallet; keys; and a cell phone.
Correct answer: The officer collected a wallet, keys, and a cell phone.
Items in a series are separated by commas, with a comma before the final 'and' (Oxford comma) in formal writing.
Question 5: Which of the following correctly uses 'affect' versus 'effect'?
- The weather effected the officer's ability to pursue the suspect.
- The new policy affected how reports were submitted. (Correct answer)
- The affect of the incident was felt department-wide.
- Poor lighting had no affect on the investigation.
Correct answer: The new policy affected how reports were submitted.
'Affect' is most commonly used as a verb meaning to influence, while 'effect' is typically used as a noun meaning a result.
Question 6: In police communication, what is the purpose of the 'BLUF' (Bottom Line Up Front) principle?
- To place background details at the beginning of the report.
- To present the most critical information at the start. (Correct answer)
- To conclude reports with a summary of all findings.
- To organize evidence in alphabetical order.
Correct answer: To present the most critical information at the start.
BLUF ensures that the most important conclusion or finding is stated immediately, improving clarity for the reader.
Question 7: Which sentence demonstrates parallel structure?
- The officer had to interview witnesses, filing reports, and submit evidence.
- The officer had to interview witnesses, file reports, and submit evidence. (Correct answer)
- The officer had to interviewing witnesses, filed reports, and to submit evidence.
- The officer had to interview witnesses, to file reports, and submitting evidence.
Correct answer: The officer had to interview witnesses, file reports, and submit evidence.
Parallel structure requires that elements in a series use the same grammatical form (here, base-form verbs).
OACP Written Communication and Grammar 4
Which sentence correctly uses an apostrophe to show possession?