CELBAN Writing Grammar and Vocabulary 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon?
- The patient was stable; however, the nurse continued monitoring vital signs. (Correct answer)
- The patient was stable; and the nurse continued monitoring vital signs.
- The patient was stable; the nurse, continued monitoring vital signs.
- The patient was; stable, however, the nurse continued.
Correct answer: The patient was stable; however, the nurse continued monitoring vital signs.
A semicolon correctly joins two independent clauses, and 'however' as a conjunctive adverb is properly preceded by a semicolon and followed by a comma.
Question 2: Which option is the correct plural form of 'diagnosis'?
- Diagnoses (Correct answer)
- Diagnosises
- Diagnosees
- Diagnosis's
Correct answer: Diagnoses
'Diagnoses' is the correct Greek-derived plural, formed by changing '-sis' to '-ses'.
Question 3: In formal nursing documentation, which phrase is most appropriate?
- Patient reports a pain level of 7/10. (Correct answer)
- Patient is like really hurting a lot.
- Patient says they're in quite a bit of pain.
- Patient's pain seems pretty bad today.
Correct answer: Patient reports a pain level of 7/10.
Formal nursing documentation requires precise, objective language with measurable data such as a numeric pain scale.
Question 4: Choose the correctly punctuated sentence:
- Before administering the medication, the nurse checked the patient's allergies. (Correct answer)
- Before administering the medication the nurse checked the patients allergies.
- Before administering, the medication the nurse checked the patient's allergies.
- Before administering the medication; the nurse checked the patient's allergies.
Correct answer: Before administering the medication, the nurse checked the patient's allergies.
An introductory adverbial clause is followed by a comma before the main clause, and the possessive 'patient's' requires an apostrophe.
Question 5: Which word correctly fills the blank: 'The physician ___ the nurse to increase the IV flow rate.'
- instructed (Correct answer)
- insisted
- implied
- imposed
Correct answer: instructed
'Instructed' means directed or ordered someone to do something, which is appropriate for physician-to-nurse communication about clinical tasks.
Question 6: Identify the sentence with a dangling modifier:
- Having reviewed the chart, the medication was prepared by the nurse. (Correct answer)
- Having reviewed the chart, the nurse prepared the medication.
- After the nurse reviewed the chart, she prepared the medication.
- The nurse prepared the medication after reviewing the chart.
Correct answer: Having reviewed the chart, the medication was prepared by the nurse.
In the first sentence, the participial phrase 'Having reviewed the chart' incorrectly modifies 'the medication' rather than the nurse.
Question 7: Which sentence uses 'adverse' correctly?
- The patient experienced an adverse reaction to the antibiotic. (Correct answer)
- The nurse had an adverse opinion about the policy.
- The weather was adverse to the patient's schedule.
- The doctor was adverse to performing the procedure.
Correct answer: The patient experienced an adverse reaction to the antibiotic.
'Adverse reaction' is the standard clinical term for a harmful response to a medication or treatment.
CELBAN Writing Grammar and Vocabulary 3
Which sentence correctly uses a semicolon?