6/25/2020 Mastering Prepositions (with, in, to, at) for a Better OET Score

Mastering Prepositions for a Better OET Score

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6/25/2020 Mastering Prepositions (with, in, to, at) for a Better OET Score

Commonly Used OET Phrases

The patient was admitted with the diagnosis of

The patient was admitted and diagnosed with

I am writing to refer Mr. Watson who shows signs and

symptoms of

At the time of admission,

Please note, she has an appointment with his surgeon at

The patient will bene t from

She has been seen by a dietician

The patient has had diabetes since 2015.

She has gained 10kg over the past 6 months.

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6/25/2020 Mastering Prepositions (with, in, to, at) for a Better OET Score

Prepositions often seem like small words that are too hard to use correctly,
but they really are important parts of the language and so it is essential for
OET (https://edubenchmark.com/blog/oet/) success that you invest time
and e ort into learning them properly.

Among English learners, misusing prepositions is one of the most frequent

mistakes. This is because they are so challenging to learn. In most cases,
there are no rules governing their use; you just have to know them. This
causes a great deal of frustration for everyone, yet it is not something that
can be overlooked.

Prepositions can be very important to the meaning of a sentence

(https://edubenchmark.com/blog/vary-your-oet-writing-sentence-types-
simple-compound-and-complex/). While in some cases an error means
little, in many cases it can actually change the whole sentence. In OET, and
in the wider medical profession, this is simply not acceptable. Accurate use
of prepositions is required.

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6/25/2020 Mastering Prepositions (with, in, to, at) for a Better OET Score

(https://edubenchmark.com/oet-writing-correction)
In the following article, you will learn how to use some important
prepositions that will help you prepare for OET.

What are prepositions and why are they so

important?

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6/25/2020 Mastering Prepositions (with, in, to, at) for a Better OET Score

Prepositions are words that show the relationship between a noun or

pronoun and another part of the sentence, such as a verb. Often, they can
show spatial relationships, and so the rst prepositions that people usually
learn are ones like “on,” “in,” “under,” and “near.” These are generally quite
easy to learn as they follow simple, predictable rules and most people learn
them in childhood.

Of course, they can also relate more complex ideas, and we use them
frequently when referring to time and other abstract concepts. Take a look
at these examples:

The patient must see the specialist before Friday.

The patient must see the specialist on Friday.
The patient must see the specialist after Friday.
The patient must see the specialist by Friday.

Here we have four di erent prepositions that change the meaning of a

sentence. Although all the other words are the same, this little word
completely alters the overall meaning. In fact, when expressing information
about time, it can be of the utmost importance that the preposition used is
the correct one. Take the instructions for using medicine as an example:

The patient must take his medication with meals.

The patient must take his medication after meals.

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6/25/2020 Mastering Prepositions (with, in, to, at) for a Better OET Score

In cases like this, misusing the preposition could be disastrous as it would

lead to the incorrect use of medication. As such, there is no room for error.

How to learn prepositions effectively

Learning prepositions can be really frustrating because there are few rules
dealing with them. Although we can often group them together for time, in
other cases, their use seems quite random. As such, it is important to learn
prepositions in phrases. In fact, this is generally a very good way of learning
all new vocabulary (https://edubenchmark.com/blog/how-to-make-the-
most-of-your-vocabulary/).

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6/25/2020 Mastering Prepositions (with, in, to, at) for a Better OET Score

(https://edubenchmark.com/oet-writing-correction)
Rather than learning the word “admit” and then risking making a mistake in
collocating it with a preposition, you should learn the word with its natural
collocations:

Sampson was admitted to the ICU on Monday.

Shields was admitted with signs of an in amed appendix.
Donovan was admitted on Sunday evening.

https://edubenchmark.com/blog/mastering-prepositions-for-better-oet-score/ 7/20
6/25/2020 Mastering Prepositions (with, in, to, at) for a Better OET Score

Each of these has a di erent meaning, and we cannot mix them up or else
the result would be nonsense:

Sampson was admitted with the ICU on Monday. 

Shields was admitted on signs of an in amed appendix. 
Donovan was admitted to Sunday evening. 
Prepositions often match with a verb to make a phrasal verb, which is one
that has a completely di erent meaning to the individual parts. These are
particularly di cult for English learners because in most cases you could
not simply look at the verb and the preposition and guess the meaning. The
two (or three) words together can have a meaning that is completely
separate from the sum of the individual parts. For example, there are many
phrasal verbs that relate to sickness that any doctor or nurse should be
familiar with:

bring up / bring (something) up – to vomit

come down with – to catch an illness
get over – to recover from an illness
pass out – to lose consciousness
patch up – (inf.) to apply a dressing, give stitches, or otherwise help in
healing an injury

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6/25/2020 Mastering Prepositions (with, in, to, at) for a Better OET Score

These are just a few of the common ones, but there are many more. In
addition to the ones directly related to illnesses, healthcare professions
need to know the many phrasal verbs that relate to lifestyle because
obviously this is something that would need to be discussed with a patient.
For example, “give up” refers to quitting something, such as cigarettes or
alcohol.

Learning all of this is a time-consuming process and there are really no

shortcuts. You can choose to do it in one of two ways: Either you can write
down prepositions in your notebook and then nd phrases that include the
preposition, or you can simply make note of prepositional phrases once you
nd them. Generally speaking, the second is more e ective, albeit it takes a
longer time to acquire a wide range of knowledge. Alternatively, you could
blend the two methods together. In any case, getting a high level of
pro ciency takes patience and e ort, but the reward is a far greater
mastery of English. You may also take professional support of our expert
OET trainers who can improve your writing skills by correcting your letters.
(https://edubenchmark.com/oet-writing-correction#pricing)

(https://edubenchmark.com/blog/important-information-about-oet-writing-changes/)

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6/25/2020 Mastering Prepositions (with, in, to, at) for a Better OET Score

Important Information about OET Writing Changes (https://edubenchmark.com/blog/important-

information-about-oet-writing-changes/)

(https://edubenchmark.com/blog/oet-assessment-criteria-explained/)
New OET Writing Assessment Criteria Explained (https://edubenchmark.com/blog/oet-assessment-
criteria-explained/)

(https://edubenchmark.com/blog/oet-exam-re-evaluation-essential-guide/)
OET Exam Re-Evaluation Essential Video Guide (https://edubenchmark.com/blog/oet-exam-re-
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OET Reading Part A: Six Simple Steps to Success (https://edubenchmark.com/blog/oet-reading-

part-a-six-simple-steps-to-success/)

(https://edubenchmark.com/blog/oet-writing-sub-test-structure-all-you-need-to-know/)
OET Writing Sub-Test / Structure – All You Need To Know (https://edubenchmark.com/blog/oet-
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(https://edubenchmark.com/blog/oet-writing-subject-verb-agreement-part-1/)
OET Writing Tips: Subject-Verb Agreement [Part 1] (https://edubenchmark.com/blog/oet-writing-
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