In OET letters, the passive voice is widely used because the focus is on the patient, treatment, or procedure rather than on the healthcare professional performing the action. It helps maintain a formal, objective tone and ensures clarity for the recipient.
Why Passive Voice is Used in OET Letters
Focus on the action, not the actor:
- Active: “I performed a chest X-ray.”
- Passive: “A chest X-ray was performed.” → The recipient cares about the result, not who did it.
Maintains professional tone
- Passive voice avoids personal pronouns like I or we, keeping the letter formal. Example: “The medication was administered” instead of “The nurse administered the medication.”
- Consistency with medical documentation Clinical notes, discharge summaries, and referral letters often use passive voice to highlight procedures and outcomes.
Examples of Passive Voice in OET Letters
- Blood tests were conducted on admission.
- An X-ray was taken to rule out pneumonia.
- The wound was dressed daily.
- Medication was prescribed to manage hypertension.
- Physiotherapy was initiated to improve mobility.
- The patient was discharged on 15 February.
- Follow-up was arranged for two weeks later.
- A referral was made to the cardiology department.
- The diagnosis was confirmed by laboratory results.
- The patient was advised to continue medication at home.
