California POST Sentence Clarity Questions and Answers

Question 1

Which of the following sentences is the MOST clearly written for a police report?

Accepted Answer

The officer saw the suspect running towards the alley.

Answer

Running towards the alley, the suspect was seen by the officer.

Answer

The suspect, he was running towards the alley when the officer saw him.

Answer

Towards the alley the suspect was running and seen by the officer.

Question 2

An officer is writing a report about a traffic collision. Which sentence BEST demonstrates clarity and proper grammar?

Accepted Answer

The speeding blue car hit the red truck.

Answer

The blue car, which was speeding, it hit the red truck.

Answer

Hitting the red truck, the blue car was speeding.

Answer

The red truck was hit by the blue car which was speeding.

Question 3

Identify the primary error in the following sentence: 'The witness described the getaway car to the officer that was silver.'

Accepted Answer

Misplaced modifier

Answer

Run-on sentence

Answer

Sentence fragment

Answer

Unclear pronoun reference

Question 4

Which of the following sentences should be revised because it contains an unclear pronoun reference?

Accepted Answer

The sergeant told the officer that he had to rewrite the report.

Answer

After the suspect was secured, his vehicle was searched by Officer Smith.

Answer

The victim stated that her purse was stolen at the park.

Answer

Officer Jones documented the evidence before placing it in the locker.

Question 5

An officer writes in their report: 'The suspect was non-compliant with the officer's commands, a taser was deployed.' What is the BEST way to correct this sentence for clarity?

Accepted Answer

Because the suspect was non-compliant with the officer's commands, the officer deployed a taser.

Answer

The suspect was non-compliant with the officer's commands, and a taser was deployed.

Answer

A taser was deployed, the suspect was non-compliant with the officer's commands.

Answer

The suspect's non-compliance with commands, a taser was deployed.

Question 6

Which principle of sentence clarity is most important for ensuring a police report is easily understood by various audiences, such as supervisors, attorneys, and jurors?

Accepted Answer

Maintaining a clear and logical sentence structure.

Answer

Using complex vocabulary to demonstrate professionalism.

Answer

Writing in the passive voice to remain objective.

Answer

Employing long, detailed sentences to include all facts.