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!