1.

SENTENCE FORMATION
Exercise: Is it a sentence, or not?
(Circle “Yes” or “No”).

1.1 She rushed at him with the scalpel in her hands. Yes or No

1.2 Surgery had finished; lights were turned off. Yes or No

1.3 BP was 160/90 – very high. Yes or No

1.4 Make sure you fast before your Barium Meal. Yes or No

1.5 Before a Barium Meal, fast. Yes or No

1.6 Skeletal survey and urinanalysis test were ordered. Yes or No

1.7 Endoscopy was not recommended because of it could

damage the oesophagus. Yes or No

1.8 On examination, vital signs were BP 120/80, P 70/min.

regular, rest of the examination was clear. Yes or No

1.9 Accordingly, Paracetamol/Codine mixture was added

to the prescription. Yes or No

1.10 During hospital stay, surgical debridement of

wound as well as daily dressing was undertaken. Yes or No

2. ADJECTIVES & ADVERBS

Exercise: Include the (bracketed) word in the appropriate place in the

sentence.

2.3 (chronic) The patient is suffering from diahhorrea.

2.4 (Indian) I attended the Doctor yesterday.

2.5 (high) The baby has a temperature.

2.6 (amazed) The patient looked at the xray result: no cancer!

2.7 (nervous) The new triage nurse made some silly mistakes.

2.8 (widowed) I am referring the above male, a 54 year old Engineer.

3.ARTICLES
Exercise: Circle the correct option : “a” “an” “the” or [ no article at
all ] in the following sentences.

3.1 a / an / the / --- patient is still recovering.

3.2 Expert opinion seems to be that a / an / the / --- Western

medication is a / an / the / --- best thing for you at a / an / the / --- this time.

3.3 I can understand why you are anxious, but there is no need to be.
a / an / the / --- medical team here in this Hospital is excellent.

3.4 The patient reports having a / an / the / --- measles and oARcPSD|16570172

a / an / the / --- mumps as a child but good health in her adult

life.

3.5 You need to exercise empathy when talking to Mrs Jones. She has
a / an / the / --- cancer and only found out yesterday.

3.6 You need to exercise empathy when talking to Mrs Jones. She has
a / an / the / --- liver cancer and only found out yesterday.

3.7 These days, having a / an / the / --- cancer is not necessarily

a death sentence.

3.8 You need to cut down on surgary foods as they are

exacerbating a / an / the / --- pimples on your face.

3.9 Harry has terrible acne and is using a / an / the / --- soap
which his Doctor recommended. a / an / the / --- soap seems to
be helping.

3.10 She lives with her parents and two brothers and studies
at a / an / the / --- Melbourne University.

4. Apostrophes

Exercises: Apostrophes* Do the following sentences require an

apostrophe?

4.1 The patients behaviour was very strange.

4.2 Its OK to miss one tablet, but not two.

4.3 Mrs Stromess headaches were getting worse.

4.4 The doctors performing the surgery were all specialists.

4.5 The patients in the Waiting Room were becoming impatient and noisy
Exercises: Joining words
Join the following sentences - make each pair into one sentence, using an
appropriate joining word. Choose from: however, but, so,
subsequently, when.

6.1 Spring is coming: a wonderful time of year. The nights are cold and the days,
sunny.

6.2 The patient received a blood transfusion. After the transfusion, he turned pink.

6.3 Some mothers get post partum depression. Most of them get over it and move
on.
6.4 Some mothers get post partum depression. Not all mothers are afflicted.

6.5 Some mothers get post partum depression. The fathers need to exercise
patience.

More exercises on joining words: choose from and,

whereas, despite, unless, moreover

6.6 The patient was very anxious about the dentist’s drill. She was trembling all
over.

6.7 The patient was scared about getting his teeth checked. He kept his mouth shut
tight.

6.8 The nurse explained everything. The surgeon just kept his distance, waiting for
the nurse to stop talking.

6.9 The nurse explained everything. The patient being only semi conscious after
the surgery.

6.10 All trauma accident victims require fluids of one kind or another. Of course,
this is not the case if the accident victim has only sustained light injuries.

Exercise 7.1 – 7.13: Prepositions - Choose an appropriate preposition to

complete the following.You will need the following prepositions: up /
over / on / at / in / into / to / under / towards /out

The nurse had good reason to complain. While checking (1) __ __ old Joe Brown
this afternoon, she could not help notice that he had taken out his dentures and
placed them (2)____ the glass beside his bed. It was one of his bad habits. He had
also used his bedpan and pushed it (3) ____ the bed. What a job she had! And now
her shift was almost (4) ____. “Nurse!Nurse!” someone cried (5) ____ . She turned
and saw Joe standing (6) ____ the doorway, holding himself (7) ____ with a
walking stick. “What now?” she thought. She smiled and turning (8) ____him, she
queried: “Yes?” “You forgot this”, said Joe. She looked (9) ____ what he held in
his hand. It was an envelope. “But . . .” she started to say. “No buts,” said Joe, “just
take it.” “What is it?” she asked. “Oh, just some scribblings of mine. Here.” Joe
thrust the envelope (10) ______ her. He turned and walked slowly (11) _____ his
bed. “Goodnight, see you tomorrow” she said. “Maybe”said Joe. It was about an
hour later when she had arrived home, taken off her shoes, made a coffee,
and sat down. She could hear the clock ticking. It was only then that she
remembered the envelope and opened it. “You light (12) ____ my days”,
Thanks, Joe. “Dear Joe” she said quietly to herself. She decided to take a
perfumed candle (13) ____ Joe in the morning.

Exercise on using colons, semi-colons – or

just commas
Insert a colon, semi-colons, commas or a
mixture of all three where required.

8.1. The patient has been attending this Clinic for the past two years
complaining of dyspepsia GORD hypertension and insomnia.

8.2. The patient has been suffering for the past week from a number of
complaints a runny nose bilateral headaches dizzy spells and nausea.

8.3. The patient has been suffering for the past week from a runny nose
bilateral headaches dizzy spells and nausea.

8.4. Mr Jones has been coming to this Clinic for the past five years during
which time he has had a number of problems addressed chronic rhinitis
(2004) GORD (2005) hypertension (2007) insomnia (2008) and most
recently (June 2009) irregular blood pressure.

Exercise on using commas - please add them where you

think they should be.

9.1 I am referring the above patient who presented today with a severe
migraine for an EEG test.

9.2 This patient has been suffering from chonic pain for the past five days
and now requires I believe surgical intervention.
9.3 Dental procedures done on this patient in the past have been protracted
and somewhat painful and consequently the patient has now become highly
anxious.

9.4 The woman is suffering from post partum depression due largely to the
Caesarean section (performed without any problems) and her inability to
understand fully because of language difficulties why she had to have the
procedure rather than a normal delivery.

9.5 In the past triage nurses have had overall responsibility for the
patient’s care however new legislation will change this.

9.6 As a discharge plan Mrs Jones and her family need your help in her
four hourly pressure area care her daily sponge bath assistance with all care
and application of Duoderm dressings to a small pressure sore on the right
leg.

9.7 I am pleased to refer the above patient with multiple myeloma for
monitoring of her diet plan and medication.

9.8 I am pleased to refer Mrs. Brown a 70 year old lady non smoker non
alcoholic widowed with 3 children who lives alone with symptoms and
signs of myocardial infarction for further assessment and management.

Exercise: Choose the right word (noun or verb?) in

each sentence.
10.1 If you want my advise / advice you will stay in bed.

10.2 I advised / adviced the patient to drink more fluids but he was non compliant.

10.3 The patient was advised / adviced to eat more fresh fruit.

10.4 I need you to losen / loosen your tie.

10.5 Did you lose / loose something?

10.6 Hospital gowns are loose / lose!

10.7 How long since / ago you saw her last?

10.8 It has been a long time since / ago I spoke to him – at least two years.

10.9 Since / Ago that time many things have changed.

10.10 Since / Ago then the exam format has changed.

10.11 What have you been doing since / ago then ?

10.12 Since 2004 / Ago 2004 the patient has had many epileptic episodes.

10.13 The patient has had many epileptic episodes ever since he starting seeing me
three years ago / since.

10.14 When this patient came to see me three weeks since / ago, she was very
anxious and confused.

Exercise: Getting the verb tense right

11.1 The patient sat / sits over there on that seat yesterday.

11.2 Last week, when I see / saw this patient, everything seemed fine.

11.3 I have explain / explained everything to him.

11.4 I explain / explained how to use the insulin syringe but he does not
listen.

11.5 Whenever this patient try / tries / tried to walk without the walking
frame, she becomes nervous and slides her feet along the floor.

11.6 It’s amazing how improve / improved Mrs Jones was after just the
first injection.

Exercise: Writing appositives

12.1 Mrs Williams a forty five year old with lupus came to see me this
morning.

12.2 This patient requires urgent surgery if possible before noon tomorrow
in order to prevent his inguinal hernia from increasing in size.

12.3 The nurse having instructed the patient on the correct dosage and need
To comply with the doctor’s instructions left the Outpatients Department
to go home.

12.4 I am referring the above patient a sixty-three year old widowed

woman who is suffering from severe varicose veins for vascular surgery as
soon as possible.

12.5 The dental surgeon having completed the operation removed

his mask and gloves as he walked out the room.

Exercise: Using past participles (Choose the correct option in

the
following sentences):

13.1 The patient had / has been very anxious when she arrived this
morning.

13.2 The patient had / has a prolapsed disk.

13.3 Three years ago, the patient has had / had had a laminectomy.

13.4 Last week, the patient had / has had / had had a laminectomy.

13.5 Mrs Jones has / has had / had had much chronic pain over the
last two years.

13.6 Mrs Jones has / has had / had had chronic pain over the last two
Years but with the new analgesics she found relief.

13.7 Bert Smithers has / had / has had / had had a vasectomy last
week.

13.8 Bert Smithers has / had / has had / had had an appendectomy when
he was only eighteen and now, in his seventies, he has / had / has had / had
had prostectomy just last week.70172

13.9 We had / have had a great time last Saturday at the party.

13.10 We had / have had many memorable office parties over the years.