Which sentence is most clearly written?

The sentence stating that "Bullet fragments were gathered in envelopes by officers" is most clearly written because it maintains a straightforward structure that emphasizes the action and the objects involved. In this construction, the phrase "in envelopes" is positioned immediately after "gathered," making it clear that the officers are placing the bullet fragments into the envelopes, which enhances the clarity of the action being described.

This sentence flows smoothly and allows the reader to immediately understand what is happening without unnecessary disruption. The prepositional phrase indicating where the bullet fragments were gathered follows directly after the verb, which helps in reducing ambiguity. In contrast, the other sentence begins with the prepositional phrase “by officers,” which can momentarily distract from the main action of gathering. This placement can lead to a slight moment of confusion about who is performing the action, hence potentially diminishing clarity.