2.1 Subject-Verb Agreement and Pronoun Reference in Report Writing
Key Takeaways
- Intervening prepositional phrases (e.g., 'along with two suspects') do not alter the singular or plural status of the sentence subject.
- Indefinite pronouns such as each, everyone, neither, and either always take singular verbs and singular pronoun references in official narratives.
- Collective nouns like squad, unit, or department take singular verbs when acting as a unified entity and plural verbs when members act individually.
- Compound subjects joined by 'and' require plural verbs, whereas compound subjects joined by 'or' or 'nor' agree with the subject closest to the verb.
- Pronoun ambiguity occurs when a pronoun can refer to more than one noun, requiring officers to replace vague pronouns with explicit names or titles.
2.1 Subject-Verb Agreement and Pronoun Reference in Report Writing
In law enforcement documentation, grammatical precision is not merely a stylistic preference—it is a legal necessity. California Highway Patrol (CHP) incident reports, officer narratives, and arrest affidavits are legal documents presented under penalty of perjury. A single subject-verb mismatch or ambiguous pronoun reference can obscure facts, weaken prosecution testimony, and create vulnerabilities during cross-examination. The PELLET-B exam tests your mastery of subject-verb agreement and pronoun reference specifically within the context of narrative clarity.
Singular vs. Plural Subjects in Incident Reports
The fundamental rule of subject-verb agreement is straightforward: a singular subject requires a singular verb, and a plural subject requires a plural verb. However, officer narratives frequently introduce complex sentence structures where identifying the true simple subject requires careful analysis.
Intervening Phrases and Words
Officers often insert explanatory or prepositional phrases between the subject and the verb. Words or phrases such as along with, as well as, in addition to, together with, and accompanied by do not change the number of the subject.
- Incorrect: The primary officer, along with three back-up units, were searching the perimeter.
- Correct: The primary officer, along with three back-up units, was searching the perimeter.
In the correct sentence, the simple subject is officer (singular). The prepositional phrase along with three back-up units does not alter the singular nature of the subject. When reviewing report sentences, mentally cross out intervening prepositional phrases to verify that the core subject matches its verb.
Compound Subjects
When two or more subjects are joined by and, they form a compound subject and almost always require a plural verb:
- Example: Officer Martinez and Sergeant Lee were dispatched to the collision scene.
However, when subjects are joined by or, nor, either...or, or neither...nor, the verb must agree in number with the subject closest to the verb:
- Example: Neither the driver nor the passengers were injured in the secondary impact.
- Example: Neither the passengers nor the driver was injured in the secondary impact.
Navigating Indefinite Pronouns and Intervening Phrases
Indefinite pronouns represent one of the most common testing areas on the PELLET-B. Candidates frequently confuse singular indefinite pronouns with plural ones because spoken English often uses them incorrectly.
Always Singular Indefinite Pronouns
The following indefinite pronouns are always singular and require singular verbs:
- Each, every, everyone, everybody, someone, somebody, anyone, anybody, no one, nobody, either, neither.
| Indefinite Pronoun | Incorrect Report Usage | Correct Report Usage |
|---|---|---|
| Each | Each of the seized handguns were submitted to the lab. | Each of the seized handguns was submitted to the lab. |
| Everyone | Everyone in the vehicle were instructed to exit. | Everyone in the vehicle was instructed to exit. |
| Neither | Neither of the suspects have provided a statement. | Neither of the suspects has provided a statement. |
| Either | Either of the options are acceptable to the supervisor. | Either of the options is acceptable to the supervisor. |
Always Plural Indefinite Pronouns
Conversely, pronouns such as both, few, many, and several are always plural and require plural verbs:
- Example: Several of the witnesses have confirmed the vehicle's direction of travel.
Collective Nouns in Law Enforcement Contexts
Collective nouns refer to groups or units composed of multiple individuals, such as squad, unit, department, team, jury, crew, or family. In standard law enforcement reporting, collective nouns take a singular verb when the group operates as a single, unified entity.
- Unified Action (Singular): The Commercial Enforcement Unit is conducting inspections on Highway 99.
- Unified Action (Singular): The department has issued updated body-worn camera guidelines.
Collective nouns take a plural verb only when the individual members of the group are acting separately or independently within the sentence:
- Individual Actions (Plural): The squad were equipping their individual tactical vests before the briefing.
In CHP reporting, if you intend to emphasize individual actions, it is generally clearer to write "The squad members were equipping their vests" to maintain stylistic flow and avoid confusion.
Pronoun-Antecedent Agreement and Ambiguity Resolution
A pronoun must agree with its antecedent (the noun it replaces) in number, gender, and person. More importantly, an officer narrative must never leave any doubt about which noun a pronoun replaces.
Avoiding Ambiguous Pronoun References
Ambiguous reference occurs when a pronoun could logically refer to more than one noun previously mentioned. This frequently happens in narratives involving two officers, two suspects, or an officer and a driver.
-
Ambiguous: Officer Smith informed the driver that he was going to be cited. (Who was going to be cited? The driver or Officer Smith?)
-
Clear: Officer Smith informed the driver that the driver would be cited.
-
Clear: Officer Smith issued a citation to the driver.
-
Ambiguous: The suspect struck the victim on the head before he fell to the ground. (Who fell to the ground? The suspect or the victim?)
-
Clear: The suspect struck the victim on the head before the victim fell to the ground.
Pronoun-Antecedent Number Mismatch
Another common error is using a plural pronoun to refer to a singular antecedent:
- Incorrect: Every driver must present their license upon request.
- Correct: Every driver must present his or her license upon request.
- Correct (Preferred for Clarity): All drivers must present their licenses upon request.
Summary Table: Incorrect vs. Corrected Report Syntax
| Focus Area | Incorrect Report Example | Corrected Report Example | Underlying Rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intervening Phrase | The driver, along with two passengers, were arrested. | The driver, along with two passengers, was arrested. | Prepositional phrases do not change singular subject (driver). |
| Indefinite Pronoun | Neither of the traffic signals were operational. | Neither of the traffic signals was operational. | Neither is always singular. |
| Compound Subject | Neither the officer nor the witnesses was injured. | Neither the officer nor the witnesses were injured. | Verb agrees with closest subject (witnesses). |
| Ambiguous Pronoun | Johnson told Miller he needed to clear the scene. | Johnson told Miller that Miller needed to clear the scene. | Replaced ambiguous he with explicit proper noun. |
| Collective Noun | The Special Response Team are arriving on scene. | The Special Response Team is arriving on scene. | Team acts as a single, unified entity. |
Which sentence demonstrates correct subject-verb agreement for a CHP incident report?
Identify the narrative sentence that avoids ambiguous pronoun reference.
Which statement correctly describes subject-verb agreement involving collective nouns in police documentation?