Introduction

Understanding parts of speech is the foundation of all OET grammar. Whether you are writing a referral letter or speaking with a patient in a role play, knowing how words function in sentences helps you write clearly, formally, and accurately. This lesson introduces the eight parts of speech with examples drawn directly from healthcare and OET contexts.

1. Nouns — Name people, places, things, or ideas

In OET writing and speaking, nouns form the building blocks of medical descriptions.

Types you will see in OET:

• Common nouns: patient, diagnosis, medication, referral, ward
• Proper nouns: Royal Melbourne Hospital, Dr Patterson
• Abstract nouns: pain, anxiety, compliance, deterioration
• Compound nouns: blood pressure, discharge summary, follow-up appointment

OET Examples:

“The patient presented with shortness of breath and chest pain.”
“A referral to the cardiology department is recommended.”
“Medication compliance remains a concern.”

Writing tip: In formal OET letters, prefer noun phrases over verb phrases. This is called nominalization — covered in Lesson 11.

• Informal: “She administered the medication”
• Formal OET: “The administration of medication was completed”

2. Verbs — Express actions, occurrences, or states

Precise verbs make your OET writing sound professional. The verb you choose — and its tense — signals whether you are describing past history, current status, or future recommendations.

Common OET verbs:

• Action: examine, diagnose, prescribe, administer, refer, discharge, monitor
• State: present (with), suffer (from), require, indicate, demonstrate
• Linking: appear, remain, seem, become

OET Examples:

“Mr Thomas was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in 2019.”
“She has been prescribed metformin 500 mg twice daily.”
“The patient remains stable at the time of writing.”

Writing tip: Use passive verb forms to sound formal and objective — a key feature of OET letters. (Covered in Lesson 5: Passive Voice)

3. Adjectives — Describe or modify nouns

Adjectives give clinical detail — describing severity, duration, and nature of conditions.

Common OET adjectives:

• Severity: severe, mild, moderate, acute, chronic, persistent, recurring
• Clinical state: stable, deteriorating, improving, responsive, non-compliant
• Patient descriptors: elderly, mobile, independent, ambulatory

OET Examples:

“The patient has a persistent dry cough and moderate shortness of breath.”
“She is an 82-year-old female who remains largely independent.”
“He presented with acute abdominal pain.”

4. Adverbs — Modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs

Adverbs describe frequency, degree, or manner — all important in clinical descriptions.

Common OET adverbs:

• Frequency: regularly, occasionally, intermittently, frequently, rarely
• Degree: significantly, mildly, moderately, markedly
• Time: currently, previously, recently

OET Examples:

“The patient regularly attends physiotherapy.”
“His condition has improved significantly over the past month.”
“She is currently taking three medications.”

5. Pronouns — Replace nouns to avoid repetition

In formal OET writing, use third-person pronouns correctly and consistently throughout your letter.

• Subject: he, she, they, it
• Object: him, her, them
• Possessive: his, her, their

OET Examples:

“Mrs Ali was admitted on 3 March. She presented with…”
“The patient’s mobility has declined. His physiotherapist recommends…”

Tip: Once you establish the patient’s name and gender, use he/she consistently. Avoid switching between pronouns.

6. Prepositions — Show relationships between words

Prepositions are critical in OET — many medical verbs require a specific preposition. Using the wrong one is a common error that reduces your writing score.

Key OET prepositional phrases — learn these exactly:

• referred to a specialist / department
• diagnosed with a condition
• admitted for a procedure
• discharged from hospital
• presenting with symptoms
• managed on medication

OET Examples:

“He was referred to the cardiology department for further investigation.”
“She was diagnosed with hypertension in 2021.”
“The patient has been managed on oral corticosteroids.”

7. Conjunctions — Connect words, phrases, or clauses

Conjunctions help you write complex, professional sentences — essential for a high OET writing score.

Types used in OET:

• Coordinating: and, but, or, so, yet
• Subordinating: although, because, while, since, despite
• Connective adverbs: however, therefore, furthermore, nevertheless

OET Examples:

“She has a history of hypertension, and her blood pressure remains poorly controlled.”
“Although the patient responded well to antibiotics, she continues to experience fatigue.”
“She is compliant with her medication; however, her diet remains a concern.”

8. Articles — Specify whether a noun is general or specific

Article errors are among the most common mistakes in OET writing, especially for candidates whose first language does not use articles.

• The = specific or already known: the patient, the referral, the diagnosis
• A / An = non-specific or first mention: a referral, an operation, a GP
• No article = uncountable or general nouns: medication, surgery, healthcare

OET Examples:

“The patient was seen by a specialist.”
“She underwent surgery for a bowel obstruction.”
“Medication compliance remains a concern.”

Quick Reference

Exercises

Exercise 1 — Identify the Part of Speech

Identify the part of speech of each bold word.

1. The patient was admitted on Monday with severe chest pain.
2. She has been prescribed amoxicillin 500 mg three times daily.
3. His condition has improved significantly since last week.
4. Although she is stable, she requires close monitoring.
5. He was referred to a specialist for further assessment.

Exercise 2 — Choose the Correct Preposition

Fill in the blank with the correct preposition: with / from / for / on / to

1. The patient presented ___ chest pain.
2. She was diagnosed ___ Type 2 diabetes.
3. He was discharged ___ hospital on 5 April.
4. She has been managed ___ oral corticosteroids.
5. Mr Khan was referred ___ the renal unit.

Exercise 3 — Rewrite Formally

Rewrite these informal sentences using appropriate OET vocabulary and grammar.

1. “She gets chest pain a lot.”
2. “He has been doing badly lately.”
3. “The doctor gave her some pills.”

Answer Key

Exercise 1: 1. Noun   2. Verb   3. Adverb   4. Conjunction   5. Preposition

Exercise 2: 1. with   2. with   3. from   4. on   5. to

Exercise 3 — Suggested answers:

1. “The patient experiences recurrent chest pain.”
2. “His condition has deteriorated significantly in recent weeks.”
3. “Medication was prescribed by the attending physician.”