English Language & Grammar Flashcards

Which sentence uses apostrophes correctly?

Answer: The doctors' notes were filed in the patients' records.

'Doctors'' uses a plural possessive (multiple doctors), and 'patients'' uses a plural possessive (multiple patients).

What does the medical prefix 'peri-' mean?

Answer: Around / surrounding

'Peri-' means around or surrounding, as in 'pericardium' (the sac surrounding the heart).

Which sentence is an example of parallel structure?

Answer: The patient was advised to rest, eat well, and take medication regularly.

Parallel structure requires all listed items to use the same grammatical form; here all use infinitives (to rest, eat well, take).

What does 'NPO' mean in medical documentation?

Answer: Nothing by mouth (nil per os)

NPO stands for 'nil per os,' a Latin phrase meaning nothing by mouth, indicating the patient should not eat or drink.

Which sentence correctly uses a hyphen?

Answer: The patient underwent a well-documented procedure.

Hyphens are used with compound modifiers that precede the noun they modify, as in 'well-documented procedure'.

What is the meaning of the root word 'nephro'?

Answer: Kidney

'Nephro' comes from the Greek 'nephros' meaning kidney, used in terms like nephrology and nephritis.

Which of the following sentences avoids wordiness and is the most concise?

Answer: The patient was discharged on Tuesday.

Concise writing eliminates redundant phrases; 'The patient was discharged on Tuesday' is direct and clear.