NPOST Police Test Spelling and Vocabulary Questions and Answers 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An officer is writing a report and needs to include the word for a minor criminal offense. Which of the following words is spelled correctly?
- Misdemenor
- Misdemeanor (Correct answer)
- Misdemenour
- Misedemeanor
Correct answer: Misdemeanor
The correct spelling is 'misdemeanor'. This is a frequently used term in law enforcement reports, and correct spelling is critical for professional documentation. [8, 9]
Question 2: In a police report, the statement 'The second witness was able to corroborate the victim's account of the event' is used. What does 'corroborate' most nearly mean?
- Contradict or challenge
- Formally record or transcribe
- Misremember or confuse
- Confirm or support with additional evidence (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Confirm or support with additional evidence
To 'corroborate' means to confirm or give support to a statement or finding by providing additional evidence. [15, 18] In a legal context, corroborating evidence strengthens a case. [12, 21]
Question 3: Which of the following sentences contains a spelling error?
- The officer must seperate the witnesses before taking their statements. (Correct answer)
- The suspect was belligerent and uncooperative during the arrest.
- Possession of the contraband was a felony offense.
- The surveillance footage was crucial to the investigation.
Correct answer: The officer must seperate the witnesses before taking their statements.
The word 'seperate' is misspelled in the first sentence; the correct spelling is 'separate'. The vowels in the middle are 'a's, not 'e's.
Question 4: The investigator's skillful questioning was intended to ________ a confession from the suspect.
- illicit
- elicit (Correct answer)
- allude
- affect
Correct answer: elicit
The correct word is 'elicit', which is a verb meaning to draw out or evoke a response or information. [10, 14] 'Illicit' is an adjective meaning illegal. 'Allude' means to suggest indirectly. 'Affect' is a verb meaning to have an effect on.
Question 5: The victim provided a 'lucid' account of the robbery, which greatly aided the investigation. Which word is the best synonym for 'lucid' in this sentence?
- Emotional
- Lengthy
- Clear (Correct answer)
- Vague
Correct answer: Clear
In this context, 'lucid' means expressed clearly and easy to understand. [1, 2] A clear and comprehensible account is highly valuable for an investigation.
Question 6: An officer is writing an official report. Which of the following words is spelled INCORRECTLY?
- Defendant
- Prosecuter (Correct answer)
- Warrant
- Testimony
Correct answer: Prosecuter
The word 'Prosecuter' is spelled incorrectly; the correct spelling is 'prosecutor'. This is a common error, confusing the '-er' ending with the correct '-or' ending for this title.
