Grammar in Use: Dentistry

Part 6

PASSIVE VOICE
Active Voice

Passive Voice

The scientist uses new method New method is used by the

scientist

The passive voice is used to show interest in the

person or object that experiences an action rather than
the person or object that performs the action
The passive verb is formed by putting the verb to
be into the same tense as the active verb and adding the
past participle of the active verb.

PASSIVE FORMS
of Simple Tenses
TENSE
Present
SIMPLE

Past
Future

SUBJECT
I
he, she, it
you, we, they
I
he, she, it
you, we, they
I
he, she, it
you, we, they

PREDICATE
am
V3
is
are
was

V3

were
will be

V3

Present simple, Passive Voice

Active sentence : Doctor Smith treats this

patient.
Passive sentence : This patient is treated
by doctor Smith.
----------------------------------------------------------- Active sentence : Doctors review the most
interesting cases every day.
Passive sentence : The most interesting
cases are reviewed every day.

Past simple, Passive Voice

Active sentence: Fleming discovered

penicillin in 1928.
Passive sentence: Penicillin was
discovered in 1928 by Fleming.
----------------------------------------------------------- Active sentence : The doctor examined
these patients yesterday.
Passive sentence : These patients were
examined by the doctor yesterday.

Future simple, Passive Voice

Active sentence: This surgeon will perform

tooth extraction.
Passive sentence: Tooth extraction will be
performed by this surgeon.
----------------------------------------------------------- Active sentence: The dentist will take X-ray
images.
Passive sentence: X-ray images will be
taken by the dentist.

PASSIVE FORMS
of Perfect Tenses
TENSE
Present

SUBJECT
I, you, we,
they
he, she, it

PERFECT
Past
Future

I, we
he, she, it,
you, they
I, we
he, she, it,
you, they

PREDICATE
have been

V3

has been
had been

V3

will have
been

V3

Present Perfect, Passive Voice

Active: The procedure has produced a

beneficial long-term outcome.

Passive: A beneficial long-term outcome
has been produced by the procedure.
----------------------------------------------------------- Active: The doctor has attended to ten
patients this morning.
Passive: Ten patients have been attended
to this morning.

Past Perfect, Passive Voice

Active: The dentist had detected the cause of

gum bleeding by 3 p.m. yesterday.

Passive: The cause of gum bleeding had
been detected by the dentist by 3 p.m.
yesterday.
-----------------------------------------------------------Active: They had sent the X-ray films before
the operation started.
Passive: The X-ray films had been sent
before the operation started.

Future Perfect, Passive Voice

Active: They will have estimated the exact

amount of gastric juice before the surgeon

comes.
Passive: The exact amount of gastric juice
will have been estimated before the
surgeon comes.

PASSIVE FORMS
of Continuous Tenses
TENSE

SUBJECT
I
Present

he, she, it
we, you, they
I

CONTINUOUS
Past
Future

PREDICATE
am
is
are
was

he, she, it

was

we, you, they

were

being +
V3
being +
V3

Present Continuous, Passive

Voice
Active: The surgeon is extracting the necrotic pulp now.
Passive: The necrotic pulp is being extracted by the

surgeon now.
----------------------------------------------------------- Active: The professor is providing instructions at the
moment.
Passive: The instructions are being provided by the
professor.

Past Continuous, Passive Voice

Active: They were carrying the injured person

to the hospital.
Passive: The injured person was being
carried to the hospital.
----------------------------------------------------------- Active: The dentist was questioning the
patients from 2 to 3 p.m. yesterday.
Passive: The patients were being
questioned by the dentist yesterday from 2 to 3
p.m.

NB!
Future Continuous is not used in Passive

Voice, we use Future Simple instead:

At ten oclock tomorrow Nick will be writing
the letter.
At ten oclock tomorrow the letter will be
written by Nick.

Contextual Use of Verb Tenses in

Academic Writing
The present tense is appropriate for citations of

sources, in abstracts and background information

(Most physicians argue that it is reasonable to apply
X-ray for early diagnostics);
The present perfect tense is traditionally used in
introduction sections of academic papers (This
method has been considered inappropriate for
treating xerostomia);
The actual research (the results section) is written in
the past tense (Saliva flow in patients was
measured by sialometry)

Passive Voice Constructions

in Academic Writing
Passive voice constructions in simple present

and simple past tenses are obligatory (e.g.,

the tolerability of this surgical technique was
examined).
The passive voice provides the effect of
objectivity and scientific detachment. Thus, it
constitutes a prevalent feature of academic
texts.

Video: Impacted Wisdom Teeth

Removal

Video: Impacted Wisdom Teeth Removal

Impaction is a general term that is applied to any tooth that does

not have room to come into normal position to provide a usable

chewing surface.
The crown of the tooth is completely covered with bone.
Some wisdom teeth may be removed under local anesthesia.
Various techniques are used to remove the impacted tooth.
Once this is accomplished the tooth may be removed.
Complications may occur following the procedure even though the
procedure itself was performed with reasonable care.
Instructions will be given to you regarding other post operative
problems.
This complication occurs when the nerve is affected during the
removal of the tooth root.

 The lip numbness is usually temporary, but in rare circumstances has

been known to be permanent.

Occasionally, during the extraction of the wisdom teeth these nerves can
be affected which may cause numbness and a loss of taste to half of
tongue.
When the tooth is removed and opening may be present through the tooth
socket into the sinus.
On rare occasions a root tip or tooth may be dislodged into the sinus area
and may require more surgery.
This is rare and seldom serious but should be reported to your doctor.
The joint is protected during surgery by the use of a mouth prop.
Root tips may occasionally be left behind if your doctor feels the risk of
complications from the removal outweighs the risk of leaving them behind.

Types of Questions
There are four kinds of questions in English: general,

alternative, special, disjunctive.

1. A GENERAL QUESTION requires the answer Yes
or No and is spoken with a rising intonation. General
questions are formed by placing part of the predicate
(i.e. the auxiliary or modal verb) before the subject.
E.g. Do you study at the Academy?
May I come in?
Did he examine this patient yesterday?
Are you a doctor?
Does this student attend lectures?

Types of Questions
2. A SPECIAL QUESTION begins with an interrogative

word or phrase (Where, How, Why, How

many, What colour, etc.). The order of words is the
same as in general questions but the interrogative
word or phrase precedes the auxiliary verb.
E.g. Where do you study?
What treatment did the dentist prescribe?
How is pulpitis treated?
At what age is oral cancer likely to occur?
When will this patient visit the dentist?

Special questions
NB!
When a special question is put to the subject
or to an attribute of the subject, the order of
words is that of a statement (i.e. no inversion
is used). The notional verb comes in the 3rd
person singular or plural.
E.g. Who studies at the Academy?
What causes caries?

Types of Questions
3. An ALTERNATIVE QUESTION denotes

choice. It consists of two general questions

connected by means of or.
E.g. Are you a first or a second year student?
Does pulpitis lead to abscess or cancer?
Did he participate in a conference or a
workshop?
Is dysgeusia a disorder of taste or of vision?

 4. A DISJUNCTIVE QUESTION consists of two parts: an

affirmative statement followed by a negative question or a

negative statement followed by an affirmative question.
E.g. He is a student, isnt he?
You are not tired, are you?
Severe iron deficiency anemia can lead to stomatitis,
cannot it?
Patients with xerostomia often complain of problems with
wearing dentures, dont they?
Pulp exposure causes hot and cold sensitivity, doesnt it?

QUESTIONS DENTISTS ASK

PATIENTS
#1- What brings you in today?
#2- What hurts?
#3- What are your symptoms?
#4- How long has this been going on?
#5- Has the pain been getting better or worse?
#6- Do you smoke?
#7- Do you have a family history of this?
#8- Do you take any medicines or supplements?
#9- Have you had any previous surgeries?
#10- Are you allergic to any medicines?