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CALIFORNIA POLICE OFFICER WRITTEN
EXAMINATION (PELLETB) QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES
CALIFORNIA POLICE OFFICER WRITTEN EXAMINATION (PELLETB)
10 POINT FORM EXAM COVERAGE AREAS (MOSTLY TESTED)
1. Spelling - Correct spelling of commonly misspelled words in law enforcement report writing
2. Vocabulary - Word meanings, synonyms, and law enforcement terminology
3. Sentence Clarity - Choosing the most clearly written sentence, avoiding misplaced modifiers and
pronoun errors
4. Grammar and Usage - Subject-verb agreement, pronoun case, and proper sentence structure
5. Reading Comprehension - Understanding and recalling details from passages
6. Reasoning - Logical analysis and application of information
7. Police Report Writing - Clear, objective, and grammatically correct report language
8. Use of Force Standards - Graham v. Connor objective reasonableness, Tennessee v. Garner
deadly force
9. Search and Seizure - Fourth Amendment, Terry v. Ohio reasonable suspicion, probable cause
10. California Law and Procedures - Penal Code sections, infraction vs. misdemeanor vs. felony,
chain of custody
SECTION 1: SPELLING (Questions 1-30)
Question 1
Select the correctly spelled word to complete the sentence: "The officer conducted a thorough ______
of the crime scene before collecting any evidence."
A) examination
B) exammination
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C) examinasion
D) examonation
Answer: A) examination
Rationale: "Examination" is spelled with an "i" after the "n" and no double "m." This is a common word
used in police reports and is frequently tested on the PELLETB spelling section .
Question 2
Choose the correctly spelled word to complete the sentence: "The suspect provided a(n) ______ alibi
that was later disproven by the evidence."
A) fals
B) false
C) faulse
D) fawls
Answer: B) false
Rationale: "False" is the correct spelling with the "-se" ending and silent "e." The silent "e" makes the
"a" long. Spelling accuracy is critical in police report writing .
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Question 3
Which of the following words is spelled correctly as it would appear in a California peace officer's
report?
A) accomodate
B) accommodate
C) acommodate
D) accomadate
Answer: B) accommodate
Rationale: "Accommodate" is spelled with double-c and double-m. The PELLETB spelling section
frequently targets high-frequency report-writing words .
Question 4
Choose the correctly spelled word to complete this sentence: "The incident was recorded on the store's
______ cameras."
A) surveillance
B) surveilance
C) survaliance
D) servailance
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Answer: A) surveillance
Rationale: "Surveillance" is spelled with "-eillance" at the end. This is a common law enforcement term
frequently tested on the PELLETB .
Question 5
Select the word that is spelled correctly.
A) occured
B) occurred
C) occurrred
D) ocurred
Answer: B) occurred
Rationale: "Occurred" doubles the "r" before adding "-ed" because the stress falls on the final syllable of
"occur." This follows standard spelling rules tested on the PELLETB .
Question 6
Choose the correctly spelled word to complete the sentence: "The deputy filed a written ______ after
completing the investigation."
CALIFORNIA POLICE OFFICER WRITTEN
EXAMINATION (PELLETB) QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES
CALIFORNIA POLICE OFFICER WRITTEN EXAMINATION (PELLETB)
10 POINT FORM EXAM COVERAGE AREAS (MOSTLY TESTED)
1. Spelling - Correct spelling of commonly misspelled words in law enforcement report writing
2. Vocabulary - Word meanings, synonyms, and law enforcement terminology
3. Sentence Clarity - Choosing the most clearly written sentence, avoiding misplaced modifiers and
pronoun errors
4. Grammar and Usage - Subject-verb agreement, pronoun case, and proper sentence structure
5. Reading Comprehension - Understanding and recalling details from passages
6. Reasoning - Logical analysis and application of information
7. Police Report Writing - Clear, objective, and grammatically correct report language
8. Use of Force Standards - Graham v. Connor objective reasonableness, Tennessee v. Garner
deadly force
9. Search and Seizure - Fourth Amendment, Terry v. Ohio reasonable suspicion, probable cause
10. California Law and Procedures - Penal Code sections, infraction vs. misdemeanor vs. felony,
chain of custody
SECTION 1: SPELLING (Questions 1-30)
Question 1
Select the correctly spelled word to complete the sentence: "The officer conducted a thorough ______
of the crime scene before collecting any evidence."
A) examination
B) exammination
, Page 2 of 121
C) examinasion
D) examonation
Answer: A) examination
Rationale: "Examination" is spelled with an "i" after the "n" and no double "m." This is a common word
used in police reports and is frequently tested on the PELLETB spelling section .
Question 2
Choose the correctly spelled word to complete the sentence: "The suspect provided a(n) ______ alibi
that was later disproven by the evidence."
A) fals
B) false
C) faulse
D) fawls
Answer: B) false
Rationale: "False" is the correct spelling with the "-se" ending and silent "e." The silent "e" makes the
"a" long. Spelling accuracy is critical in police report writing .
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Question 3
Which of the following words is spelled correctly as it would appear in a California peace officer's
report?
A) accomodate
B) accommodate
C) acommodate
D) accomadate
Answer: B) accommodate
Rationale: "Accommodate" is spelled with double-c and double-m. The PELLETB spelling section
frequently targets high-frequency report-writing words .
Question 4
Choose the correctly spelled word to complete this sentence: "The incident was recorded on the store's
______ cameras."
A) surveillance
B) surveilance
C) survaliance
D) servailance
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Answer: A) surveillance
Rationale: "Surveillance" is spelled with "-eillance" at the end. This is a common law enforcement term
frequently tested on the PELLETB .
Question 5
Select the word that is spelled correctly.
A) occured
B) occurred
C) occurrred
D) ocurred
Answer: B) occurred
Rationale: "Occurred" doubles the "r" before adding "-ed" because the stress falls on the final syllable of
"occur." This follows standard spelling rules tested on the PELLETB .
Question 6
Choose the correctly spelled word to complete the sentence: "The deputy filed a written ______ after
completing the investigation."
