Written Communication and Report Writing
What is tested
You may be asked to write a short factual account, a statement, an email or a summary report. Markers reward clarity, structure and accuracy: chronological order, plain English, active voice, concrete detail (time, place, people present, actions taken, exact words spoken), and a clean separation between what you observed and what you were told. Grammar, punctuation and spelling are marked.
Traps
Speculation is the biggest one - writing 'he was obviously drunk' or 'she was aggressive' states a conclusion, not an observation. Editorialising ('a disgusting act') undermines objectivity. Hearsay must be attributed ('the witness told me that…'), never presented as fact. Vague passive constructions ('the situation was escalated') hide who did what. Watch tense drift between past and present, padding that adds length but no information, and quotation without attribution.
Rule of thumb
Answer who, what, when, where, how and who else - and frame every sentence with 'I saw', 'I heard' or 'I was told'. Describe behaviour, not character.
Worked example
Weak: 'The offender was aggressive and I dealt with him.' Strong: 'At about 2140 hrs the man raised his voice, stepped within arm's reach and clenched his fists. I stepped back, identified myself as police and directed him to sit down.' The second version gives a reader the facts needed to judge the response for themselves.