ENHANCING COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN

HEALTHCARE: UNDERSTANDING SENTENCE

STRUCTURE

By Yaser S. Samman, MSc, RD

reaching out

yasers.samman@gmail.com

0540262624

1:55 on time

2:00 you‘re late

2:05 very late

 5 weeks

2 weeks

3 weeks
 2
1
3
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{
1 quiz = 30%
Module 1 Objectives:
Recognize and distinguish nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in sentences, enhancing their
understanding of sentence structure.

Develop the ability to speak and write clearly and enabling effective communication with other
healthcare personnel.

Compose examples of grammar elements, demonstrating the practical application of acquired

grammar rules.

Develop proficiency in grammar, oral skills, reading, writing, and study skills, contributing to overall
language enhancement.

Use grammar correctly in writing, incorporating real examples to reinforce understanding and
ensure accurate written expression

Understand the importance of utilizing electronic medical record in health care setting.

Demonstrate adequate communication skills using telephone or emails in hospital setting.

My Objectives:

• To have the confidence moving to the

next modules
• To be able to communicate like a highly
trained healthcare specialist
• To be able to pass any OSCE or Interview
Contents
01 Introduction
Importance of effective communication in healthcare settings.

02 Objectives
To recognize and distinguish nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in
sentences to enhance understanding of sentence structure.

03 Parts of Speech
Introduction to nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
Brief explanation of each part of speech with examples.

04 Sentence Structure
Introduction to sentence structure.
Basic structure of sentences: subject, verb, object.
Importance of understanding sentence structure for effective
communication.

05 Review
Games and prizes
Flashcards
Other online resources
Bad
Experiences?
Could be with a doctor, a nurse, a

technician etc.

Not Paying Attention to Details

Language barrier
Introduction

What does communication in

Healthcare mean?

Why is communication important

in healthcare?
 What is the difference?

A. Football Lacrosse Football Hospital

People think this is medicine
This is what medicine looks like
 How to
communicate
effectively?
Importance of
Sentence Structure 01
Ehances clarity and precision
01
02
Understanding sentence structure improves communication effectiveness.
Proper identification of parts of speech enhances clarity and precision in
conveying messages.

Adverbs
02
03
Words that can modify or describe a verb, adjective, another adverb, or
entire sentence. Adverbs can be used to show manner (how something
happens), degree (to what extent), place (where), and time (when).

Adjectives
03 Words that modifies or describes a noun or pronoun

04
Verbs
Words used to describe an action, state, or occurrence
04
Nouns 05
05 Words used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things
Noun

Term: Noun
Definition: A word that represents a person, place,
thing, or idea.
Example: I saw a patient with a broken foot.
Plural and Irregular Plural Nouns

Plural Nouns:
Most nouns form their plural by adding "s" to the singular form.
Example: Cat → Cats
Some nouns ending in "s," "x," "z,", “o”, "ch," or "sh" add "es" to form the plural.
Example: Box → Boxes
Nouns ending in "y" preceded by a consonant change "y" to "i" and add "es."
Example: Baby → Babies
Nouns ending in "f" or "fe" usually change to "ves" in the plural.
Example: Knife → Knives
Irregular Plural Nouns:
Some nouns have irregular plural forms that do not follow the typical rules.
Example: Man → Men
Others may have the same form for both singular and plural.
Example: Sheep (singular and plural)
Learning irregular plurals requires memorization as there are no fixed rules.
Let’s Practice
Plural Nouns:
Singular: Dog
Plural: D...
Singular: City
Plural: C.....
Singular: Baby
Plural: B.....
Singular: Leaf
Plural: L.....
Singular: Potato
Plural: P.......
Let’s Practice
Plural Nouns:
Singular: Dog
Plural: Dogs
Singular: City
Plural: Cities
Singular: Baby
Plural: Babies
Singular: Leaf
Plural: Leaves
Singular: Potato
Plural: Potatoes
Let’s Practice
Irregular Plural Nouns:
Singular: Child
Plural: C.......
Singular: Foot
Plural: F...
Singular: Woman
Plural: W....
Singular: Tooth
Plural: T....
Singular: Mouse
Plural: M...
Let’s Practice
Irregular Plural Nouns:
Singular: Child
Plural: Children
Singular: Foot
Plural: Feet
Singular: Woman
Plural: Women
Singular: Tooth
Plural: Teeth
Singular: Mouse
Plural: Mice
Verb

Term: Verb
Definition: A word that indicates an action or state
of being.
Example: I saw a patient with a broken foot.
 Verb

Past Now/Present Future

 1. Formation:
Used to express habitual actions, general truths, and

Present Simple facts.

Formed by adding "-s" or "-es" to the base form of

Formation the verb for third-person singular subjects.

Example: I play tennis every weekend.
Example: He eats breakfast at 7 o'clock.
2. Third-Person Singular:
For third-person singular subjects (he, she, it), add "-
s" or "-es" to the base form of the verb.
Example: She works in a hospital.
Example: He watches TV every evening.
3. Time Expressions:
Often used with adverbs of frequency (always,
usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never) to indicate
how often an action occurs.
Example: She always goes to bed early.
Example: He rarely eats fast food.
Present Simple 4. Permanent Situations:
Used to describe permanent states, feelings, or

Formation conditions.
Example: Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.
Example: I love chocolate.
5. Non-Continuous Verbs:
Some verbs do not typically use the present
continuous tense due to their nature.
Example: I understand the concept.
Example: She believes in ghosts.
6. Signal Words:
Common signal words include: always, usually,
often, sometimes, rarely, never, every
day/week/month/year, on Mondays, etc.
Let‘s Practice!
1. She plays tennis every Saturday morning.
2. He eats breakfast at 7 o'clock every day.
3. The sun rises in the east.
4. They live in New York City.
5. Dogs bark when they're excited.

These sentences demonstrate habitual actions, general truths, and facts expressed in the Present
Simple tense.
“To be” verbs
Present Tense Past Tense Future Tense

"To be" in the present tense: "To be" in the past tense: "To be" in the future tense
(with modal verbs):
I am I was
You are You were I will be
He/She/It is He/She/It was You will be
We are We were He/She/It will be
They are They were We will be
They will be

Functions of "To Be" Verbs:

Identity: Used to describe or identify a person or thing.
Example: He is a doctor.
Location: Indicates where something or someone is located.
Example: The book is on the table.
State or Condition: Describes a state or condition of existence.
Example: She is happy.
Auxiliary Verb: Used with the present participle (-ing form) to form progressive (continuous) tenses.
Example: They are playing soccer.
 Verb

Past Now/Present Future

Past and Past Continuous Tenses
Past Tense Verbs:
Used to describe actions that occurred and were completed in the past.
Formed by adding "-ed" to regular verbs or using irregular forms.
Example: She walked to the store.
Example: He ate dinner at 7 o'clock.

Past Continuous Tense:

Describes actions that were ongoing or in progress at a specific point in the past.
Formed with the past tense of "to be" (was/were) + present participle (-ing form of the verb).
Example: She was studying all night.
Example: They were playing football when it started raining.
Past Continuous vs. Simple Past
Simple Past:
Simple Past focuses on the completion of an action.
Example: He cooked dinner yesterday. (completed action)

Past Continuous:
Past Continuous emphasizes the ongoing nature of an action.
Example: He was cooking dinner when the phone rang. (ongoing action)
Let‘s Practice!
Past .... ?
1. While I was studying, my sister was watching TV.
What does it indicate?
2. At 8 PM last night, we were having dinner.
What does it indicate?
Past .... ?
1. I studied for two hours last night.
What does it indicate?
2. She visited her grandmother yesterday.
What does it indicate?
Let‘s Practice!
Past Continuous:
1. While I was studying, my sister was watching TV.
This sentence shows two ongoing actions that were happening simultaneously in the past.
2. At 8 PM last night, we were having dinner.
This sentence indicates an ongoing action (having dinner) at a specific time in the past.
Simple Past:
1. I studied for two hours last night.
This sentence describes a completed action (studied) that occurred at a specific time in the past.
2. She visited her grandmother yesterday.
This sentence narrates a single completed action (visited) that happened in the past.
What is the rule?
Use the past simple for a completed action:
I took the photo.
I saw the news.
We arrived.
You phoned me.

Use the past continuous for an action in progress:

They were writing a song.
I was sitting at home.
They were waiting.
I was driving.
How to ask a question
about the past
Using Simple Past and Past Continuous in Questions
1. Simple Past Tense Questions:
Used to ask about actions or events that occurred and were completed in the past.
Begin with question words like "What," "Where," "When," "Who," "Why," "How," etc.
Example: What did you do yesterday?
Example: Where did you go on vacation?
2. Past Continuous Tense Questions:
Used to ask about ongoing actions that were happening at a specific point in the past.
Formed with the past tense of "to be" (was/were) + present participle (-ing form of the verb).
Example: What were you doing at 9 o'clock last night?
Example: Why was she crying when you saw her?
3. Choosing between Simple Past and Past Continuous:
Use Simple Past for completed actions or events.
Example: Did you finish your homework?
Use Past Continuous for actions that were in progress at a particular time in the past.
Example: What were you watching on TV when I called you?
4. Intonation in Questions:
Rise in pitch at the end of the question.
Helps indicate that it is a question and invites a response.
Example: Where were you going?
5. Tag Questions:
Short questions added to the end of a statement to confirm or seek agreement.
Use the auxiliary verb corresponding to the tense of the statement.
Example: You were studying, weren't you?
Example: She went to the party, didn't she?
Adjectives and
adverbs
What is an adjective? How do we use it?
Write down an example for yourself:

What is an adverb? How do we use it?

Write down an example for yourself:
Adjective

Term: Adjective
Definition: A word that provides additional
information about a noun.
Example: I love chocolate cake.
-ing and -ed Adjectives
-ing Adjectives:
Formation: Formed by adding "-ing" to the base form of the verb.
Example: The movie was exciting.
Meaning: Used to describe something that causes a particular feeling or emotion.
Example: I find swimming in the ocean relaxing.
Function: Often used to describe temporary states or ongoing actions.
Example: She was tired after a long day of hiking.

-ed Adjectives:
Formation: Formed by adding "-ed" to the base form of regular verbs.
Example: I felt tired after the long flight.
Meaning: Used to describe how someone feels or their state.
Example: She was surprised by the unexpected news.
Function: Often used to describe permanent or long-lasting states or feelings.
Example: He was bored with the lecture.

Comparison:
-ing Adjectives: Describe temporary states or ongoing actions, emphasizing the cause of a feeling or emotion.
-ed Adjectives: Describe how someone feels or their state, emphasizing the result of an action or experience.
Comparative Adjectives: One-Syllable, Two-Syllables, More Than Two-Syllables

One-Syllable Adjectives:
Formation: Add "-er" to the adjective to form the comparative.
Example: Fast → Faster
Example:
The cheetah is faster than the lion.

Two-Syllable Adjectives:
Formation: Add "-er" or use "more" before the adjective to form the comparative.
Example 1: Happy → Happier
Example 2: Careful → More careful
Example:
She is happier than before.

More Than Two-Syllable Adjectives:

Formation: Use "more" before the adjective to form the comparative.
Example: Beautiful → More beautiful
Example:
The sunset was more beautiful than I had imagined.

Note: Some two-syllable adjectives may also use "more" instead of "-er" for the comparative form for emphasis or clarity.
Superlative Adjectives
Formation:
Superlative adjectives are used to compare three or more things.
For one-syllable adjectives, add "-est" to the adjective to form the superlative.
Example: Fast → Fastest
For two-syllable adjectives and longer adjectives, use "most" before the adjective to form the superlative.
Example: Beautiful → Most beautiful

Examples:
One-Syllable Adjective:
The cheetah is the fastest land animal.
Two-Syllable Adjective:
Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.
More Than Two-Syllable Adjective:
The Grand Canyon is one of the most breathtaking natural wonders.
Let’s Practice!
 Let‘s Practice

Tall? Fun? Tall?

 Let‘s Practice

Taller than More fun The tallest

Adverb

Term: Adverb
Definition: A word that modifies a verb, an
adjective, or another adverb, indicating manner,
time, place, or degree.
Example: He ran quickly.
Let‘s Practice!
Adjectives:
1. Adjective Modifying a Noun:
The red car is parked outside.
2. Adjective Modifying a Pronoun:
She is wearing a beautiful dress.
3. Adjective Modifying a Noun Phrase:
He lives in a big, old house.

Adverbs:
1. Adverb Modifying a Verb:
She sings beautifully.
2. Adverb Modifying an Adjective:
He is extremely happy.
3. Adverb Modifying Another Adverb:
She dances very gracefully.

Comparison:
In the first set of examples, adjectives modify nouns or pronouns (car, dress, house), while in the second set, adverbs modify
verbs (sings, dances), adjectives (happy), or other adverbs (gracefully).
Adjectives describe the characteristics of nouns or pronouns, while adverbs describe the manner, degree, frequency, or other
qualities of actions or qualities described by verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.
 Recognizing Sentence Elements

Sentence
Structure Sentence Structure in Practice

Overview
Importance of Clarity and Precision
CONCLUSION

Recap of key points: Nouns, verbs,

adjectives, adverbs, and sentence
structure.
Importance of understanding sentence
structure for effective communication
in healthcare.
Practice! Practice! Practice!
https://www.slido.com
 Quizlet

https://quizlet.com/150984302/sentence-structure-
flash-cards/?i=rl9nr&x=1jqt
 Resource page
Baker, L., & Blass, L. (2018). 21st century communications: Listening, speaking, and critical thinking (1st
ed.). Lida Baker and Laurie Blass.
Elbaum, S. (2020). Grammar in context 1 (7th ed.). Sandra Elbaum.
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Skillsyouneed.com. (n.d.). Communication Skills. Retrieved from
https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ips/communication-skills.html#google_vignette
Englishcollege.com. (n.d.). The 5 Fundamental Elements of English Grammar. Retrieved from
https://www.englishcollege.com/what-5-elements-grammar
Slideplayer.com. (Year of publication). Lecture 6 Form classes or parts of speech. Retrieved from
https://slideplayer.com/slide/4454813/#google_vignette