Student Handout in Police Report Writing – Prelims

CDI 5 – TECHNICAL ENGLISH 1

(INVESTIGATIVE REPORT WRITING AND PRESENTATION)

CHAPTER II
THE SENTENCE AND PARAGRAPH

SENTENCE
It is the most fundamental and versatile tool available to the writer. It is a word or group of
words that expresses a complete thought.

A. Subject and Predicate

a. Subject – a noun or pronoun (and its modifiers) is the part about which something is
being said.
b. Predicate – is the part that says something about the subject
B. Classification of Sentences
a. Declarative Sentence – a sentence that makes a statement
b. Interrogative Sentence – a sentence that asks a question
c. Imperative Sentence – is a sentence that gives a command or makes a request
d. Exclamatory Sentence – is a sentence that expresses strong feeling or emotion
C. Sentences Classified According to Structure
a. Simple Sentence – is a sentence with one independent clause and no subordinate clauses.
b. Compound Sentence – is a sentence that is composed of two or more independent clauses
but no subordinate clause.
c. Complex Sentence – is a sentence that contains one independent clause and at least one
subordinate clause.
d. Compound-Complex Sentence – is a sentence that contains two or more independent
clauses and at least one subordinate clause.

PARAGRAPH
It is a collection of related sentences dealing with a single topic. Learning to write good
paragraphs will help you as a writer stay on track during your drafting and revision stages.

The Basic Rule

1. One idea in one Paragraph
2. Check for completeness and rearrange sentences if necessary
3. Paragraphs in Police Reports generally have five (5) to seven (7) sentences or approximately
100 words

Instructor: SHERWIN H. PINALGAN, LPT Mobile Number: +63 919 002 7591
Facebook Account: www.facebook.com.ph/sherwinhpinalgan Email Address: shpinalgan14@gmail.com
Student Handout in Police Report Writing – Prelims

Elements of Paragraph
1. Unity
2. Coherence
3. A Topic Sentence – a sentence that indicates in a general way what idea or thesis the
paragraph is going to deal with.
4. Adequate Development – discussed fully and adequately

Methods to Make Sure Paragraph is Well-Developed

1. Use examples and illustrations
2. Cite data (facts, statistics, evidence, details and others)
3. Examine Testimony (what other people say such as quotes and paraphrases)
4. Use an anecdote or story
5. Define terms in the Paragraph
6. Compare and Contrast
7. Evaluate causes and reasons
8. Examine effects and consequences
9. Analyze the topic
10. Describe the topic
11. Offer a chronology of an event (time segments)

Margin Rules
1. Top – first page (without printed letterhead), typed letterhead, ¾ inch or 5 roller spaces
from the edge of the paper
2. Top – second page and succeeding pages, 1 ¼ inches or 7 roller spaces from the top edge
of the paper
3. Left Margin – 1 ¼ inches or 15 bar spaces
4. Right Margin – ¾ inch or 7 bar spaces
5. Bottom – 1 ¼ inches or 7 roller spaces

References
2016. Fetalvo-Belares, Marilyn, Ananayo-Sanao, Mary Jane, Garcia, Nicasio Lanite

Police Report Writing

Wisemen’s Books Trading, Inc.

Instructor: SHERWIN H. PINALGAN, LPT Mobile Number: +63 919 002 7591
Facebook Account: www.facebook.com.ph/sherwinhpinalgan Email Address: shpinalgan14@gmail.com