5.3 Basic Writing Skills: Sentences, Grammar & Editing

Writing mechanics make facts usable

A report can contain the right observations yet remain difficult to understand because of fragments, run-on sentences, ambiguous pronouns, or shifting tense. NTN explicitly names basic writing skills among the report evaluation areas. Practice editing your own writing as well as identifying better sentences in multiple-choice checks. The actual task includes producing a brief report; recognizing a good sentence is only part of preparation.

Accuracy remains the first constraint. A polished sentence that invents an action is worse than a plain sentence that reports it faithfully. Edit in two passes: first compare claims with the source, then improve grammar and readability without changing those claims. Do not add a diagnosis, motive, exact measurement, or later outcome merely to make a sentence seem complete.

Write complete sentences

A fragment lacks a complete main clause. “After Officer Lee entered the room” tells us when but not what happened. Complete it with a main clause: “After Officer Lee entered the room, the person in gray returned the cup.” Both actions must be supported by the scene; grammar repair does not authorize inventing the missing event.

A run-on joins complete clauses without suitable punctuation. “Lee entered the room the person in gray returned the cup” contains two independent clauses. A period is often the clearest repair: “Lee entered the room. The person in gray returned the cup.” A conjunction can also work if it accurately expresses the relationship.

Short sentences are useful when an action sequence is complex. They are not an absolute rule: a well-structured longer sentence can be clear. Judge whether a reader can identify the actor, action, and relationship without guessing.

Keep actors and pronouns clear

“Lee spoke to Rivera after he picked up the cup” leaves “he” unclear. If the source identifies the actor, repeat the name: “After Rivera picked up the cup, Lee spoke to Rivera.” Repetition is preferable to ambiguity when two people could fit a pronoun.

Use descriptors consistently when names are unavailable. If the scene identifies “the person in blue” and “the person in gray,” keep those labels. Switching to “the suspect” adds an unsupported role and can confuse the reader. Once a name is provided, make the connection explicit before using it alone.

A pronoun should also match its antecedent in number. “The officers returned to their posts” refers to several officers. “The officer returned to their post” can use singular “their” when appropriate. Do not sacrifice clear attribution to avoid a repeated noun.

Maintain tense and sequence

For an event already observed, past tense usually gives a clear narrative: “Lee entered, spoke, and waited.” Avoid an unexplained shift such as “Lee entered and then tells Rivera to stop.” Use a different tense when the source relationship requires it, not accidentally.

Sequence words carry meaning. “Before,” “after,” “while,” and “then” are not interchangeable. “Lee arrived after the cup was returned” differs from “Lee arrived before the cup was returned.” An editing pass must preserve which event came first. If the sequence is uncertain, do not create a definite order solely for smoother prose.

The same care applies to causation. “The person moved after Lee spoke” reports sequence. “The person moved because Lee spoke” assigns a cause. Use the second only when that relationship is supported. A transition can introduce a factual overstatement even though the grammar is correct.

Use punctuation to preserve attribution

Quotation marks identify exact words. If you know the statement was “That is mine,” keep those words accurately. If you remember only the meaning, write an attributed paraphrase: “The person in blue said the cup belonged to them.” Do not put a paraphrase inside quotation marks.

A comma can separate an introductory phrase: “After the announcement, both people remained in the room.” A period can separate distinct observations. Avoid packing several people, movements, quotations, and outcomes into one sentence joined repeatedly by “and.” The reader may lose track of who performed each action.

Prefer concrete verbs over inflated phrasing

“Lee said” is often clearer than “Lee proceeded to verbally articulate.” “Rivera placed the cup on the table” is more precise than “the item was dealt with.” Technical-sounding words do not earn accuracy by themselves. Use terminology only when you know what it means and the scene supports it.

For spelling practice, keep a personal list of words you actually miss in drafts. Review them outside the exam and use plain alternatives when a complicated term adds no value. Do not rely on an assumed spellchecker or editing feature in the test interface; follow the tools actually provided.

A final editing routine

Before finishing an original practice report, check:

1. Does each claim come from observation or a clearly attributed source?
2. Can a reader identify every actor and the event order?
3. Are the sentences complete and the tense consistent?
4. Are quotations accurate, and are unknown facts still unknown?
5. Can unnecessary wording be removed without losing a relevant fact?

Read the draft once for meaning before correcting isolated spelling. If an edit changes the sequence, certainty, or actor, compare it with the source again. The aim is a brief, accurate account that another person can understand on the first reading.