Tenses in OET Writing – Part 1: Past Tense

When I mark the letters that students write in my OET classes, there are several major grammatical errors that I see repeatedly. One of them is the incorrect use of tenses. So this series of blog posts will provide a simple outline for using the correct tense in your writing.

You should use the simple past tense for the following situations in your letter:

  • To describe anything YOU previously did whilst the patient was under your care
    • We performed daily dressings on Mr Smith’s surgical wound.
    • Panadol was prescribed for the patient.
      • *NOTE: In this example, we have used the passive voice. If you don’t recall the difference between passive and active, be sure to revise this grammar point as well!
    • Jamie presented with tonsillitis, for which I instituted penicillin.
    • During her visit, I discussed healthy dietary regimes and gave her brochures.
  • For anything else that occurred during the Klonopin shop patient’s stay in hospital
    • A family meeting was held to discuss possible nursing placement for the meeting. However, the family refused.
    • Therefore, a home assessment was conducted and modifications were installed.
  • For any past SURGICAL history in the patient’s medical history
    • Mr O’Connor had two bypass grafts in 2004.

I hope this clears up confusion for students. Look out for further blog posts about other tenses. As always, keep practicing!

 

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