Written Comm - Test 1 (words)

Question 1

A LOT - ALOT

Answer 1

A LOT (two words) - many.

ALOT (one word) - not the correct form.

Question 2

ACCEPT - EXCEPT

Answer 2

ACCEPT - (v) to receive
He accepts direction well.

EXCEPT - (v) to take or leave out
Please take all the weapons off the shelf except for those already numbered.

Question 3

AFFECT - EFFECT

Answer 3

AFFECT- (v) to influence
Lack of exercise affects your ability to effectively perform your duties.

EFFECT - (n) result, (v) to accomplish
The subtle effect of the lighting made the room look ominous.

Question 4

ALL READY - ALREADY

Answer 4

ALL READY - prepared
The prisoners were all ready for transport when the truck arrived.

ALREADY - by this time
The suspect was already gone when the officers arrived.

Question 5

ALTOGETHER - ALL TOGETHER

Answer 5

ALTOGETHER - entirely
Altogether, I thought that the state’s argument before the jury was excellent.

ALL TOGETHER - gathered, with everything in one place

We were all together at the family reunion last spring.

Question 6

ASCENT - ASSENT

Answer 6

ASCENT - (v) to climb
The plane’s ascent made my ears pop.

ASSENT - (v) to agree; (n) agreement
The suspected assented to being handcuffed.

Question 7

BREATH - BREATHE

Answer 7

BREATH - (n) air inhaled or exhaled
You could see his breath in the cold air.

BREATHE - (v) to inhale or exhale
If you don’t breathe, then you are dead.

Question 8

CAPITAL - CAPITOL

Answer 8

CAPITAL - seat of government; financial resources.

The capital of Texas is Austin.
The business had enough capital to open a new store.

CAPITOL - the actual building in which the legislative body meets.

The governor announced his decision to run for president at the capitol today.

Question 9

CITE - SIGHT - SITE

Answer 9

CITE - (v) to quote or document
The officer’s report cited ten witnesses who observed the offense.

SIGHT - (n) vision
The sight of the suspect in the courtroom frightened the victim.

SITE - (v) position or place
The new courthouse was built on the site of the old railway terminal.

Question 10

CONSCIENCE - CONSCIOUS

Answer 10

CONSCIENCE -(n) sense of right and wrong
The officer’s conscience kept him from falsifying the report.

CONSCIOUS - awake
She was conscious when the burglar entered the house.

Question 11

COUNCIL - COUNSEL

Answer 11

COUNCIL - (n) a group that consults or advises
The members of the council voted in favor of the new budget.

COUNSEL -(v) to advise
Though his attorney counseled him not to, he robbed the bank anyway.

Question 12

ELICIT - ILLICIT

Answer 12

ELICIT - (v) to draw or bring out
The officer elicited the name of the drug dealers from the neighbors.

ILLICIT - (adj) illegal
The drug dealers where then arrested for their illicit activities.

Question 13

ITS - IT’S

Answer 13

ITS - of or belonging to it
That dog begins barking as soon as it sees its owner leave for work.

IT’S - contraction for it is
It’s another long day working the street for Officer Jones.

Question 14

LIE - LAY

Answer 14

LIE - (v) to lie down (a person or animal. hint: people can tell lies)
I have a headache, so I’m going to lie down for a while.
(also lying, lay, has/have lain–The dog has lain in the shade all day; yesterday, the dog lay there for twelve hours).

LAY - (v) to set an object down
“Lay down that gun, Bubba!” The sheriff demanded.
(also laying, laid, has/have laid–At that point, Bubba laid the gun on the ground).

Question 15

PASSED - PAST

Answer 15

PASSED - (v) past tense of “to pass,” to have moved
The train passed through town like a speeding bullet.

PAST - (adj) belonging to a former time or place
Who was the past sheriff of Comal County?

Question 16

PRECEDE - PROCEED

Answer 16

PRECEDE - to come before
Ronald Regan preceded Bill Clinton as U.S. President.

PROCEED - to go forward
After questioned by the prosecutor, the witness proceeded to explain what he saw at the crime scene.

Question 17

PRINCIPAL - PRINCIPLE

Answer 17

PRINCIPAL - (adj) most important**; (n) **a person who has authority
The principal ingredient in pecan pie is pecans.
The principal of the school seemed 100 years old to the first graders.

PRINCIPLE - (n) a general or fundamental truth
The principle of “innocent until proven guilty” is a fundamental tenet of American jurisprudence.

Question 18

SUPPOSED TO - SUPPOSE

Answer 18

SUPPOSED TO - correct form for “to be obligated to” or “presumed to” NOT “suppose to”
When am I supposed to appear in court?

SUPPOSE - (v) to guess or make a conjecture
Do you suppose I will have to testify?

Question 19

THAN - THEN

Answer 19

THAN - used with comparisons
I would rather work with Officer Williams than Officer Jones.

THEN - at that time, or nExt
I reviewed my field notes, then wrote my report.

Question 20

THEIR - THERE - THEY’RE

Answer 20

THEIR - possessive form of they
Their car was stolen last night.

THERE - indicates location
I loved Seattle and want to go there again.

THEY’RE - contraction for “they are”
They’re always late for work.

Question 21

THROUGH - THRU - THREW - THOROUGH - THOUGH

Answer 21

THROUGH - by means of; finished; into or out of
The investigation lasted through the night.

THRU - abbreviated slang for through; not appropriate in standard writing

THREW - past tense of throw
The judge threw out the testimony as hearsay.

THOROUGH - careful or complete
Because of the thorough investigation, the defendant was found guilty and given a life sentence.

THOUGH - however; nevertheless
Sergeant looks like a tough bulldog, though he is as kind as a little puppy dog.

Question 22

TO -TOO - TWO

Answer 22

TO - toward
Mark went to the market.

TOO - also, or excessively
He drank too much before driving home and was arrested for DWI.

TWO - a number
Only two recruits failed the academy.

Question 23

WHO - WHICH - THAT

Answer 23

WHO - (pronoun) typically refers to a person or persons and some animals.
Jack wondered who could have committed such a violent murder.

Rin Tin Tin, who made 26 movies before his death in 1932, remains one of the most famous dogs in history.

WHICH - (pronoun) typically refers to things and animals
Which gun was used in the murder?

THAT - (pronoun) that refers to both beings and things
That is the weapon used.

Question 24

WHO - WHOM

Answer 24

WHO - used as a subject or as a subject complement (see above)
Tracy is the person who you need to see.

WHOM - used as an object
Whom are you referring to?

Note: “whom” is replaceable with “him”