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MA Police Civil Service study materials
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MA Police Civil Service practice questions

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Question 1Written Communication and Grammar

The department issued ___ final report on the incident.

  1. it's
  2. it is
  3. its'
  4. its Correct answer.

Explanation

'Its' is the possessive form of 'it,' while 'it's' is a contraction of 'it is' or 'it has.' The sentence needs a possessive determiner before 'final report,' so no apostrophe is used.

Question 2Written Communication and Grammar

Each of the officers assigned to the detail ___ required to file a report before the end of shift.

  1. have been
  2. were
  3. are
  4. is Correct answer.

Explanation

'Each' is a singular indefinite pronoun and takes a singular verb. The intervening prepositional phrase 'of the officers assigned to the detail' does not change the number of the subject.

Question 3Written Communication and Grammar

Which sentence is punctuated correctly?

  1. The kit contains a flashlight a radio and a first-aid pouch.
  2. The kit contains a flashlight, a radio and a first-aid pouch,.
  3. The kit contains a flashlight, a radio, and a first-aid pouch. Correct answer.
  4. The kit contains a flashlight, a radio and, a first-aid pouch.

Explanation

Items in a series are separated by commas, with a comma marking the boundary before the final item. Commas must not separate a conjunction from the item it introduces, and a comma cannot end a sentence.

Question 4Written Communication and Grammar

The three detectives left ___ coats in the cruiser.

  1. detectives
  2. detectives's
  3. detective's
  4. detectives' Correct answer.

Explanation

The coats belong to more than one detective, so a plural possessive is needed. A regular plural noun ending in -s forms the possessive by adding only an apostrophe after the s.

Question 5Written Communication and Grammar

Which of the following is a complete sentence?

  1. The sergeant reviewed the report before the briefing. Correct answer.
  2. Reviewing the report before the briefing.
  3. Because the sergeant reviewed the report before the briefing.
  4. Before the briefing, the report that the sergeant reviewed.

Explanation

A complete sentence needs a subject, a finite verb, and a complete thought. Constructions introduced by subordinating conjunctions or built from participial phrases alone are dependent and cannot stand by themselves.

Question 6Written Communication and Grammar

The new policy will ___ how officers file overtime requests.

  1. affects
  2. effected
  3. effect
  4. affect Correct answer.

Explanation

'Affect' is normally a verb meaning to influence, while 'effect' is normally a noun meaning a result. After the modal 'will,' the base form of the verb is required.

Question 7Written Communication and Grammar

There were ___ complaints about parking this month than last month.

  1. lesser
  2. fewest
  3. less
  4. fewer Correct answer.

Explanation

'Fewer' is used with items that can be counted individually, while 'less' is used with quantities that cannot be counted. Complaints are countable, and the comparison of two months calls for the comparative form.

Question 8Written Communication and Grammar

Which sentence is written in the active voice?

  1. The officer filed the report before noon. Correct answer.
  2. The suspect was arrested at the scene.
  3. The evidence was collected by the detectives.
  4. The report was filed by the officer.

Explanation

In the active voice the subject performs the action; in the passive voice the subject receives it, often with the doer placed in a 'by' phrase or omitted entirely. Only one option shows an agent directly performing the action.

Question 9Written Communication and Grammar

___ did you interview at the scene?

  1. Whom Correct answer.
  2. Who
  3. Whoever
  4. Whomever

Explanation

Use 'whom' when the pronoun functions as an object. Here the pronoun is the direct object of the verb 'interview,' so the objective form is required.

Question 10Written Communication and Grammar

The officer arrived at 0800, the scene was already secured. Which revision corrects the sentence?

  1. The officer arrived at 0800, the scene, was already secured.
  2. The officer arrived at 0800, and the scene was already secured. Correct answer.
  3. The officer arrived at 0800 the scene was already secured.
  4. The officer arrived at 0800, and the scene, was already secured.

Explanation

Two independent clauses joined by only a comma create a comma splice. Adding the coordinating conjunction 'and' after the comma correctly joins the two clauses.

Question 11Written Communication and Grammar

After reviewing the evidence, ___.

  1. the detective rewrote the report. Correct answer.
  2. the report was rewritten by the detective.
  3. the report needed rewriting.
  4. the case was closed by the detective.

Explanation

An introductory participial phrase must describe the subject of the main clause that follows it. The detective is the only noun that can logically perform the act of reviewing the evidence.

Question 12Written Communication and Grammar

Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon?

  1. The shift ended at midnight; and the officers went home.
  2. The shift ended at midnight; because the officers were tired.
  3. The shift ended at midnight; the officers then went home. Correct answer.
  4. The shift ended; at midnight the officers went home.

Explanation

A semicolon joins two closely related independent clauses that are not already linked by a coordinating conjunction. It may not be followed immediately by a conjunction or split a clause from its own modifier.

Question 13Written Communication and Grammar

The duties of a patrol officer include patrolling assigned areas, responding to calls, and ___.

  1. writing detailed reports Correct answer.
  2. to write detailed reports
  3. detailed reports are written
  4. reports that are detailed

Explanation

Items in a list must appear in parallel grammatical form. Because 'patrolling' and 'responding' are gerunds, the third item must also be a gerund phrase.

Question 14Written Communication and Grammar

Each of the sergeants submitted ___ report on time.

  1. they're
  2. their
  3. them
  4. his or her Correct answer.

Explanation

'Each' is a singular indefinite pronoun, so a singular pronoun is required to agree with it. 'His or her' supplies the singular possessive that formal written English calls for here.

Question 15Written Communication and Grammar

Between you and ___, the scheduling change was poorly handled.

  1. I
  2. we
  3. myself
  4. me Correct answer.

Explanation

Pronouns that follow a preposition take the objective case. 'Between' is a preposition, so the objective form 'me' is correct.

Question 16Written Communication and Grammar

Which sentence uses a colon correctly?

  1. The officer packed a flashlight: a radio: and a notebook.
  2. The officer packed: a flashlight, a radio, and a notebook.
  3. The officer packed three items: a flashlight, a radio, and a notebook. Correct answer.
  4. The officer packed a flashlight, a radio, and a notebook: for the shift.

Explanation

A colon must follow a complete independent clause and introduce what comes after it, such as a list or explanation. It should not stand between a verb and its object or appear more than once in a simple series.

Question 17Written Communication and Grammar

The officer approached the vehicle, identified himself, and ___ the driver's license.

  1. had requested
  2. was requesting
  3. requests
  4. requested Correct answer.

Explanation

Verbs in a series describing the same sequence of past events should stay in the same tense. The first two verbs are simple past, so the third must also be simple past.

Question 18Written Communication and Grammar

The evidence ___ was found in the alley has already been logged.

  1. which
  2. that Correct answer.
  3. what
  4. who

Explanation

Use 'that' to introduce a restrictive clause, one essential to identifying the noun it modifies. 'Which' typically introduces a nonrestrictive clause set off by commas.

Question 19Written Communication and Grammar

Covered in mud, the sergeant examined the abandoned bicycle. Which revision removes the misplaced modifier?

  1. The sergeant examined the bicycle, which was covered in mud. Correct answer.
  2. Covered in mud, the examination was conducted by the sergeant.
  3. Covered in mud, the sergeant conducted an examination of the bicycle.
  4. The examination of the bicycle was conducted by the sergeant covered in mud.

Explanation

A participial phrase at the start of a sentence modifies the noun that follows the comma. Recasting the description as a relative clause makes clear that the bicycle, not the sergeant, was covered in mud.

Question 20Written Communication and Grammar

The officer told the witness to ___ the bag on the table and then step back.

  1. lain
  2. laid
  3. lay Correct answer.
  4. lie

Explanation

'Lay' means to put or place something and takes a direct object, while 'lie' means to recline or rest and takes none. Because the bag is being placed, the transitive form is needed, and the base form must follow 'to.'

Question 21Written Communication and Grammar

Neither the supervisor nor the officers ___ aware of the change in procedure.

  1. was
  2. is
  3. has been
  4. were Correct answer.

Explanation

With 'neither...nor,' the verb agrees with whichever subject is closer to it. 'Officers' is plural and appears nearest the verb, so the plural past form is required.

Question 22Written Communication and Grammar

Which sentence is hyphenated correctly?

  1. The officer filed a report on the well-known case. Correct answer.
  2. The officer filed a report on the well-known-case.
  3. The officer filed a report on the well known-case.
  4. The officer filed a report on the well known case.

Explanation

A compound modifier placed before a noun is normally hyphenated so that it reads as a single unit. The hyphen links 'well' and 'known,' and no hyphen joins the compound to the noun it modifies.

Question 23Written Communication and Grammar

Which sentence is the most concise and correct?

  1. The officer returned back to the station at 5 p.m. in the afternoon.
  2. At 5 p.m., the officer returned back to the station later.
  3. The officer, at 5 p.m. in the afternoon, returned back to the station.
  4. The officer returned to the station at 5 p.m. Correct answer.

Explanation

Effective official writing avoids redundancy. 'Back' repeats the meaning of 'returned,' and 'in the afternoon' repeats the information already carried by 'p.m.'

Question 24Written Communication and Grammar

The supervisor and ___ reviewed the security footage together.

  1. myself
  2. I Correct answer.
  3. mine
  4. me

Explanation

Compound subjects joined by 'and' require a subject pronoun in the nominative case. 'I' is the nominative form and fits the compound subject.

Question 25Written Communication and Grammar

Choose the correct word to complete the sentence: The sergeant reviewed ___ report before the briefing.

  1. each officers'
  2. each officer's'
  3. each officer's Correct answer.
  4. each officers

Explanation

The report belongs to one officer at a time, and the word 'each' requires a singular noun. The possessive of the singular noun 'officer' is formed by adding an apostrophe and an s.

Question 26Written Communication and Grammar

The box of evidence ___ stored in the property room until trial.

  1. are
  2. is Correct answer.
  3. have been
  4. were

Explanation

The subject of the sentence is 'box,' which is singular; the phrase 'of evidence' only describes the box and does not change the subject. A singular subject takes the singular verb 'is.'

Question 27Written Communication and Grammar

The officer decided to ___ the driver for the expired registration.

  1. sight
  2. site
  3. cite Correct answer.
  4. cites

Explanation

'Cite' is the verb meaning to issue a citation or to quote as authority. 'Site' refers to a location, and 'sight' refers to seeing or something seen.

Question 28Written Communication and Grammar

Please ___ the evidence bag on the counter and step back.

  1. sitting
  2. sit
  3. sat
  4. set Correct answer.

Explanation

'Set' means to place something down and takes a direct object, which here is 'the evidence bag.' 'Sit' means to be seated and does not take an object.

Question 29Written Communication and Grammar

The cruiser was ___ far from the intersection for the officer to see the signal change.

  1. to
  2. too Correct answer.
  3. two
  4. tow

Explanation

'Too' is an adverb meaning excessively and pairs with 'to' in the 'too ... to' construction. 'To' is a preposition or infinitive marker, 'two' is a number, and 'tow' means to pull a vehicle.

Question 30Written Communication and Grammar

The detective ___ interviewed the witness will testify at the hearing.

  1. which
  2. whom
  3. who Correct answer.
  4. whose

Explanation

The pronoun is the subject of the verb 'interviewed,' so the subjective case 'who' is required. 'Whom' is objective, 'which' refers to things, and 'whose' is possessive.

Question 31Written Communication and Grammar

The new scheduling system will ___ how overtime is assigned.

  1. affective
  2. affect Correct answer.
  3. effectively
  4. effect

Explanation

'Affect' is the verb meaning to influence, and the sentence needs a main verb after 'will.' 'Effect' is usually a noun meaning result, and 'affective' is an adjective.

Question 32Written Communication and Grammar

During the interview, the witness stated that she ___ the suspect near the corner.

  1. seen
  2. sees
  3. saw Correct answer.
  4. had saw

Explanation

The clause reports a past event, so the simple past 'saw' is correct. 'Seen' requires a helping verb, and 'had saw' is never grammatical.

Question 33Written Communication and Grammar

The training covered report writing, evidence handling, and ___.

  1. interviewing techniques Correct answer.
  2. to interview witnesses
  3. how to conduct interviews
  4. techniques of interviews

Explanation

Items in a series must be parallel; 'report writing' and 'evidence handling' are noun phrases, so 'interviewing techniques' fits the pattern. The other options shift to infinitive or clause forms.

Question 34Written Communication and Grammar

Which sentence uses quotation marks and end punctuation correctly?

  1. The sergeant said, “Secure the perimeter”.
  2. The sergeant said, “Secure the perimeter”, and left.
  3. The sergeant said, “Secure the perimeter.” Correct answer.
  4. The sergeant said “Secure the perimeter.”

Explanation

A comma separates the speaker from the quotation, and a period belongs inside the closing quotation mark in American style. The other options misplace the comma or the period.

Question 35Written Communication and Grammar

The supervisor divided the overtime assignments ___ the four squad members.

  1. between
  2. among Correct answer.
  3. into
  4. with

Explanation

'Among' is used for distribution to more than two parties, while 'between' is for two. Four squad members requires 'among.'

Question 36Written Communication and Grammar

The department updated ___ policy manual before the inspection.

  1. its Correct answer.
  2. it's
  3. their
  4. its'

Explanation

'Its' is the possessive form of 'it' and fits before the noun 'policy manual.' 'It's' is a contraction of 'it is,' and 'its'' is never correct.

Question 37Written Communication and Grammar

If the officer had arrived sooner, he ___ the suspect before the suspect fled.

  1. would have apprehended Correct answer.
  2. would apprehend
  3. would have been apprehending
  4. had apprehended

Explanation

A past counterfactual condition uses 'had' in the if-clause and 'would have' plus a past participle in the result clause. 'Apprehended' is the required participle.

Question 38Written Communication and Grammar

The assignment will be given to ___ volunteers first.

  1. whomever
  2. who
  3. whoever Correct answer.
  4. whom

Explanation

The pronoun is the subject of the verb 'volunteers' inside the clause, so the subjective case 'whoever' is needed. The preposition 'to' governs the entire clause, not the pronoun alone.

Question 39Written Communication and Grammar

Which revision removes the unclear pronoun reference? Original: The sergeant told the officer that he would need to work overtime.

  1. The sergeant told the officer that he would need to work overtime.
  2. The sergeant told the officer, “You will need to work overtime.” Correct answer.
  3. The sergeant told the officer that he would need to work overtime soon.
  4. The sergeant told the officer that they would need to work overtime.

Explanation

In the original, 'he' could refer to either the sergeant or the officer. Quoting the instruction directly with 'You will...' makes clear who is expected to work overtime.

Question 40Written Communication and Grammar

Which sentence avoids a dangling modifier?

  1. After reviewing the footage, the vehicle was quickly identified.
  2. After reviewing the footage, the detective identified the vehicle. Correct answer.
  3. After reviewing the footage, the vehicle was identified by the detective.
  4. After reviewing the footage, it was determined that the vehicle was the suspect's.

Explanation

An introductory participial phrase must modify the subject of the main clause that follows it. In the correct sentence, "the detective" is the subject and is the person who reviewed the footage, so the modifier attaches logically. Sentences that open with the same phrase but then name the vehicle or the impersonal "it" as the subject leave the modifier with nothing it can sensibly describe.

Question 41Reading Comprehension

When the Millbrook Police Department replaced two of its downtown patrol cars with bicycle units last spring, merchants worried that response times would suffer. Six months later, the department reports that average response times in the district fell by nearly a minute, largely because officers on bicycles can cut through alleys and pedestrian ways that cruisers must drive around. Which sentence best states the main idea of the passage?

  1. Merchants were right that bicycles would slow police response.
  2. The department should replace all patrol cars with bicycles.
  3. Alleys are too dangerous for officers on bicycle patrol.
  4. Bicycle patrols cut response times by reaching places cars cannot. Correct answer.

Explanation

The main idea must account for the whole passage: a change was made, concerns were raised, and the reported result was faster response because of where bicycles can travel. The passage reports a limited pilot result, not a department-wide recommendation or a warning.

Question 42Reading Comprehension

Under the department's revised records policy, any report involving a juvenile is filed in the secure cabinet, while adult incident reports remain in the general filing area until they are scanned into the digital archive. Officers must initial the log sheet whenever they remove a file from either location. According to the passage, where are adult incident reports kept before they are scanned into the digital archive?

  1. In the general filing area Correct answer.
  2. In the secure cabinet
  3. With the arresting officer
  4. In the digital archive

Explanation

The passage assigns each type of report to a specific location: juvenile reports go to the secure cabinet, and adult reports stay in the general filing area until scanning. A detail question is answered by locating the exact sentence that names the item.

Question 43Reading Comprehension

Read the sentence: "The sergeant's instructions were terse: two sentences, no explanation, and a sharp nod toward the door." As used in the sentence, the word "terse" most nearly means:

  1. carefully rehearsed
  2. loudly spoken
  3. rudely worded
  4. brief and to the point Correct answer.

Explanation

Context clues follow the colon: two sentences and no explanation describe something short and direct. Vocabulary-in-context items are answered from the surrounding words, not from a memorized definition alone.

Question 44Reading Comprehension

After an arrest, the officer first completes the arrest report, then fingerprints the subject at the station, and finally delivers the paperwork to the shift supervisor for review. Photographs may be taken at any point before the subject is placed in a cell. According to the passage, which step comes immediately after fingerprinting the subject?

  1. Delivering the paperwork to the supervisor Correct answer.
  2. Placing the subject in a cell
  3. Completing the arrest report
  4. Photographing the subject

Explanation

The passage presents a fixed order using the signal words first, then, and finally; delivering the paperwork is the step named after fingerprinting. Photographing is described as fitting anywhere before confinement, so it has no fixed position in the sequence.

Question 45Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "The new dispatch software was installed in March. It cost $48,000. Dispatchers received sixteen hours of training on it. The software is far easier to use than the system it replaced." Which statement from the passage is an opinion rather than a fact?

  1. It cost $48,000.
  2. The software is far easier to use than the system it replaced. Correct answer.
  3. Dispatchers received sixteen hours of training on it.
  4. The new dispatch software was installed in March.

Explanation

A fact can be verified by records or measurement, while an opinion expresses a judgment that reasonable people could dispute. Ease of use is an evaluation; dates, dollar amounts, and training hours are verifiable details.

Question 46Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "The department replaced its aging radios last year. They had been in service since 2004." In the passage, the word "They" refers to:

  1. the department's officers
  2. the radios Correct answer.
  3. the replacements
  4. the years of service

Explanation

A pronoun refers to a nearby noun that fits the meaning of the sentence; the only plural noun that can have been in service since 2004 is the radios. Substituting the candidate noun back into the sentence is the reliable test.

Question 47Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "To request a copy of a police report, complete Form 12-B, include a check or money order for the required fee, and mail the packet to the Records Division. Requests are processed within ten business days." The primary purpose of the passage is to:

  1. compare mail requests with in-person requests
  2. explain how to obtain a copy of a police report Correct answer.
  3. persuade readers that the fee is reasonable
  4. describe how officers write reports

Explanation

The passage gives step-by-step directions for a member of the public, which signals an instructional purpose. Purpose questions are answered by asking what the reader is expected to do or learn after reading.

Question 48Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "Because the department's radio tower was damaged in the storm, officers in the northern district relied on cell phones for most of Tuesday." According to the passage, why did northern district officers use cell phones?

  1. A new policy required the use of cell phones.
  2. The department had purchased new phones.
  3. The radio tower had been damaged in the storm. Correct answer.
  4. Their radios had been reassigned to another district.

Explanation

The word "Because" introduces the stated cause of the officers' reliance on cell phones. In cause-and-effect items, the cause is the clause following the signal word, not an unstated possibility.

Question 49Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "By the time Sergeant Alvarez arrived, the store's front window was already boarded and the owner was sweeping glass into a dustpan. She took the report, photographed the empty display case, and noted that the cash drawer was untouched." What can most reasonably be inferred from the passage?

  1. The intruder took merchandise but no cash. Correct answer.
  2. Sergeant Alvarez arrived before the damage occurred.
  3. The intruder was arrested inside the store.
  4. The owner repaired the window before calling police.

Explanation

An inference must follow from stated details: the display case was empty while the cash drawer was untouched, which supports taking goods but not money. The boarded window shows only that the opening was covered, not that a repair was completed.

Question 50Reading Comprehension

Read the passage: "Community meetings are not a formality. Residents often know which streetlights are out, which lots attract late-night traffic, and which corners need a crossing guard long before those problems appear in a crime report. An officer who listens at such meetings gains intelligence that no database supplies." Which statement best expresses the author's point?

  1. Crime reports are more reliable than residents' observations.
  2. Community meetings give officers information that records cannot. Correct answer.
  3. Community meetings should be held less frequently.
  4. Crossing guards are the most common topic at these meetings.

Explanation

The closing sentence states the author's claim directly: listening at meetings yields intelligence no database supplies. The earlier details about streetlights and traffic support that claim rather than standing as the point themselves.