This short quiz will help you sharpen your writing skills. Answers are posted below.
Part 1 Correct the English usage errors in these sentences. (Some sentences may not have errors.)
a) The homeowner asked Officer Cooper and me to check on the elderly woman who lived next door.
b) The childrens’ aunt forgot to pick them up after school.
c) The EMT told Forster to breath deeply and exhale into a paper bag.
Part 2 Choose the best answer for each question below
1) What important information is missing from the sentences below?
a) The scraps of cloth and coffee cup were logged into the evidence room.
b) I patted down Rogers because he was acting suspiciously.
2) Which sentence is appropriate for a police report? Choose one answer.
a) Davis expressed that he had a doctor’s appointment at three o’clock.
b) I advised Lydia to see a doctor about the cut on her arm.
c) Johnson advised me that the driver failed to stop when the light turned red.
ANSWERS
Part 1
√ a) The homeowner asked Officer Cooper and me to check on the elderly woman who lived next door. [Think: “asked me” – so it’s “asked Officer Cooper and me.” Shortening a sentence this way can often help you choose the correct word quickly.]
X b) The children’s aunt forgot to pick them up after school. [The apostrophe goes after the last letter of the word or name. Children ends with “n,” so it’s children’s aunt.]
X c) The EMT told Forster to breathe deeply and exhale into a paper bag. [A breath is a thing. Breathe is an action.]
Part 2 Choose the best answer for each question below
1) What important information is missing from the sentences below?
a) The scraps of cloth and coffee cup were logged into the evidence room. [Who logged in the cloth and the cup? Use active voice: “I logged the scraps of cloth and coffee cup into the evidence room.”]
b) I patted down Rogers because he was acting suspiciously. [You didn’t provide probable cause to search Rogers. What behavior – specifically – made you suspicious? For example, perhaps Rogers looked over his shoulder every two or three steps.]
2) Which sentence is appropriate for a police report? Choose one answer.
X a) Davis expressed said that he had a doctor’s appointment at three o’clock. [Use simple, normal English.]
√ b) I advised Lydia to see a doctor about the cut on her arm. [Advised is correct because you’re counseling her.]
X c) Johnson advised told me that the driver failed to stop when the light turned red. [Save advised for giving counsel. Use simple, normal English: told.]
How did you do?
