‫الر ِحيم‬ َّ ‫ِبس ِْم اللَّـ ِه‬

َّ ‫الرحْ َم ٰـ ِن‬

OET Writing Review

Notes
by Dr. Basil E. Aldweik
A summery of the most important points to be revised before your test
and during your practice.
 How to organize your letter?
Letter structure:
1. HEADING
2. INTRO
3. BODY---- BACKGROUND- PREVIOUS AND CURRENT VISITS
4. CONCULSION

• In case of urgent letters, the background history along with the previous visits can be
put into the second body paragraph, while the current visit notes will be in the first
paragraph.
• Same can be applied for case notes that include only one visit.

• How to select CASE NOTES?

1-IS THIS INFORAMTION IMPORTAN TO THE READER
2-HOW IMPORTANT
If very important, you must include it.
if semi-important, Can I exclude it?
3- HOW CAN I PARAPHRASE

4- HOW CAN I LINK THOSE CASE-NOTES using cohesive devices.

(if possible)
 • How to apply tenses into the letter?
Simple past Simple present Past perfect Present
perfect
Describe one Describe an Describe 2 or more Describe an
event that event that is ongoing events that event that
happened in the happening in the happened in the past happened in the
past present and ended, or to past and
describe the change continued to the
of present.
something(prognosis) “It can be used
that happened in the to describe
past and ended. events that have
ended in the
recent past
which are
important for
the current
time”

When to use them?

Simple past Simple present Past perfect Present perfect
Previous visits Introduction Previous visits Introduction
Background Current visit Background
Current visit (describing Current or past
Conclusion deterioration or visits
improvement)
 Types of tenses
Present simple Passive voice
Subject + Verb (+/- S) + Object Object + Subject(is/are) + past
participle (V3)
Present simple continuous
Subject+ Verb-ING + Object Object + is/are +being + V3
Past simple
Subject + Verb-ED (V2) + Object Object + was/were + V3
Past simple continuous
Subject + was/were + Verb-ING + Object + was/were + being + V3
Object
Present perfect
Subject + Has/Have + V3 +Object Object + Has/Have + Been + V3
Present perfect continuous
Subject + Has/Have + Been + Verb- No passive form
ING + Object
Past perfect
Subject + Had + V3 + Object Object + Had + Been + V3
Past perfect continuous
Subject + Had + Been + V3 No passive form

Articles
Definite /THE Indefinite/ A-AN
Can be used with: Used with:
• Uncountable • Countable
• Plural • Singular
• + Same as indefinite • nouns
Used to identify previously introduced Used to introduce information for the
information first time
exceptions
If the uncountable noun is followed by a preposition indefinite articles can be
used
Ex: A blood pressure of---
Capitalise the following:
The first letters of every word in the heading including:
• Names
• Address
• Dear
• Re
• Mr/Ms/Mrs/Miss
While writing the letter:
• Brand names of drugs: Ritalin
• Eponyms: diseases or conditions named after a person: Parkinson’s
• Holiday’s, months and days of the week: Monday, Christmas, January

Casual Formal
Ask for Request
Say Stated
Like Include/such as
Think / think about Believe/ consider
So Therefore
Get Become
So Very
About Regarding/concerning
A bit Slightly
But However
Give Provide
Till Until
Tell Inform
Can Capable of
Leave out Omit
Put up with Tolerate
Sight Vision
Lively Energetic
A lot of Numerous
Whole Entire
Help Aid
See Observe
Look for Seek
Need Require
Let Allow/permit
Drop out of Withdraw
Again and again Repeatedly
Next Subsequently
Pin down Determine
Talk about Discuss
Ease Facilitate
Deal with Manage
Enough Sufficient
At once Immediately
Clear Transparent
Seem Appear
Help Assist
Stop Cease
Begin Commence
Understanding Comprehension
Lack Deficient
Shorten Decrease
Can’t Can not
 Prepositions of time
In On At No prepositions
required
Weeks Days Precise time Yesterday
Months Dates Today
Years Occasions Tomorrow
Centuries Last
Seasons week/month/year
This
Long Week/month/year
periods/durations Next
Week/month/year

In a week On Monday At noon

In 2 months On 12/12/2012 At 6 o’clock
In September On examination At birth
In her thirties On his birthday At the age of 40
In fall
In the past
In the morning
In the evening

Preposition of place
In On At
Enclosed/confined area Surface A specific point
or space
In Australia On the skin At the clinic
In surgery
 Commas
Adverbial phrases Appositives Conditional Complex Separating
sentences sentences words,
phrases, or
clauses
1. Context: Mr Smith, an If you could In case of He takes
On 80-year-old take over irritation, aspirin,
examination, veteran, has here care, it redness, or clopidogrel,
2. Date: hypertension. would be swelling, and
On today’s much please consult enalapril.
visit, appreciated a
3. Emphasis: dermatologist.
Please note,
4. Contrast:
; However,

To avoid redundancy of the same subject

Incorrect Correct
Advice was given to reduce her weight. Advice was given to reduce weight
Mr. Robert was advised to reduce
weight.
In addition, she had lost her weight She had lost weight
Complex sentences and Cohesive Devises
Relative clauses
Who (Defining)
Mr Smith who is an 80-year-old
veteran,
(Nondefining)
I am writing to refer Ms June, who is
due to be discharged today, for
ongoing care.
(Defining)
I am writing to refer Ms. June, a 34-
Whose year-old married woman whose signs
and symptoms are suggestive of bowel
cancer.
(Nondefining)
Mr. Smith, whose symptoms require
urgent attention, is being referred into
your care.
I am writing to refer Mr. Smith, whose
signs and symptoms are suggestive of
acute asthma attack, for further
assessment.
That Please note that she has no medical
illnesses and takes no medications.
(no comma is required before that)
Which (Defining)
Mr. Roberts reviewed today with signs
and symptoms which are indicative of
asthma.
(Nondefining)
She had sudden shortness of breath
along with a wheeze, which is
indicative of a recurrent asthma
attack.
 (Nondefining)
Where She lives in Jordan, where living
circumstances are rough.
(Defining)
He came from an area where there is
an enormous out-break of mumps.
When Last month, she came when her father
had been dying.
When she came last month, her father
had been dying.
___________________________________________________________________

Clauses of Contrast
Although Although his condition had improved,
he was still tired.
However On general assessment, Mr Howards
had no signs indicating bowel
obstruction; however, an x-ray
revealed air fluid levels.
Despite Despite removing the tumour,
symptoms persisted.
Symptoms persisted despite removing
the tumour.
Whereas All of the symptoms improved,
whereas he still lacked appetite.
While His symptoms deteriorated while he
was in the hospital.
While being in the hospital, his
symptoms deteriorated.
Except for All the symptoms improved except for
lack of appetite.
 Clauses of Purpose
In order to + Infinitive
In order to perform surgery, further assessment should be offered

Clauses of Reason
Due to Due to failure to progress, an
emergency c-section was performed.

An emergency c-section was

performed due to failure to progress.

Due to losing weight, health improved.

Because /Because of Because of failure to progress, an
emergency c-section was performed.

An emergency c-section was

performed because of failure to
progress.
For this reason Mrs Rises was placed on a low-fat diet;
for this reason, health had improved.
Therefore She had depression; therefore, she
was commenced on an SSRI
Consequently She was complaining of reflux
symptoms; consequently, an x-ray has
been ordered.
 Clauses of time
When When Mr Smith came today, he was
pale and distressed
During His condition improved during his stay
in the hospital
During his stay in the hospital, his
condition improved.
While While waiting for the appointment,
she collapsed.
She collapsed while waiting for the
appointment
Ago He visited once 6 weeks ago.
After After 3 months, he returned.
He returned after 3 months.
Currently Currently, she is doing well.
She is doing well currently.
In … time He was asked to review in 3 months’
time.
 Additional notes
The use of Semicolon
Periods indicate the ending of a sentence while a semicolon signals a less final ending and indicates that the
following clause will convey an additional idea that is closely related to the current one. Thus, the semicolon tells
the reader to expect more information on the same idea, whereas a period signals clear end to the idea just
expressed.

• Use a semicolon to join/separate closely related, complete sentences.

In general coordinating conjunctions are used instead of semicolon to connect two related independent sentences
with adding a comma before them.

➢ He has been complaining of a headache; he had blurred vision.

➢ He has been complaining of a headache, and he had blurred vision.
➢ Or you can also separate the sentences with a period: He has been complaining of a headache. He had
blurred vision.

• Use a semicolon to separate items in a list in cases where one or more of

the items contains commas or other punctuation.
No need for an example since it is rarely applied in OET writing.

• Use a semicolon before introductory words:

A semicolon can also be used between two independent clauses, when the second clause begins with a sentence
connector as the introductory element. Generally, the semicolon here could be substituted by a period without
any change in meaning.

; however, / ; therefore, /; in addition,

She had a headache; therefore, paracetamol was commenced.

She had a headache. Therefore, paracetamol was commenced.

Best wishes