The use of tense in technical writing Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679: Cesar Manara Planned maintenance scheduled April 23, 2019 at 00:00UTC (8:00pm US/Eastern)What is the correct tense to be used in Technical Presentation most of the time?Using the correct tense in writingWhat tense do I use?Use of personal pronouns in technical writing and possible alternativesWhat tense should I use?What tense should I use when writing about an autobiography?Using the present tense in writing a biblical commentary“The” before proper nouns in technical writingClick the button “in” or “on” the window - Technical Writingto + present tense use
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The use of tense in technical writing
Announcing the arrival of Valued Associate #679: Cesar Manara
Planned maintenance scheduled April 23, 2019 at 00:00UTC (8:00pm US/Eastern)What is the correct tense to be used in Technical Presentation most of the time?Using the correct tense in writingWhat tense do I use?Use of personal pronouns in technical writing and possible alternativesWhat tense should I use?What tense should I use when writing about an autobiography?Using the present tense in writing a biblical commentary“The” before proper nouns in technical writingClick the button “in” or “on” the window - Technical Writingto + present tense use
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I am having trouble writing a technical document where the present and future activities are described theoretically. For instance:
Study A plans to enroll 300 patients. Patients shall have either
diagnosed mild cognitive decline or prior hospitalization for fall as
documented by medical records.
Are these two sentences inconsistent in how they are written? What is the tense used in both cases?
tenses tech-writing
asked 3 hours ago
AdamOAdamO
1384
add a comment |
I am having trouble writing a technical document where the present and future activities are described theoretically. For instance:
Study A plans to enroll 300 patients. Patients shall have either
diagnosed mild cognitive decline or prior hospitalization for fall as
documented by medical records.
Are these two sentences inconsistent in how they are written? What is the tense used in both cases?
tenses tech-writing
asked 3 hours ago
AdamOAdamO
1384
add a comment |
I am having trouble writing a technical document where the present and future activities are described theoretically. For instance:
Study A plans to enroll 300 patients. Patients shall have either
diagnosed mild cognitive decline or prior hospitalization for fall as
documented by medical records.
Are these two sentences inconsistent in how they are written? What is the tense used in both cases?
tenses tech-writing
asked 3 hours ago
AdamOAdamO
1384
I am having trouble writing a technical document where the present and future activities are described theoretically. For instance:
Study A plans to enroll 300 patients. Patients shall have either
diagnosed mild cognitive decline or prior hospitalization for fall as
documented by medical records.
Are these two sentences inconsistent in how they are written? What is the tense used in both cases?
tenses tech-writing
tenses tech-writing
asked 3 hours ago
AdamOAdamO
1384
asked 3 hours ago
AdamOAdamO
1384
asked 3 hours ago
AdamOAdamO
1384
asked 3 hours ago
AdamOAdamO
1384
asked 3 hours ago
AdamOAdamO
1384
1384
add a comment |
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
The first sentence is in the present tense: "Study A plans"
The second sentence is in the future tense, but poor word choice makes it look like it's in the future perfect.
We can see the intended structure more clearly if we ignore the first condition of the "either": "Patients shall have...prior hospitalization"
That is, the patients will possess a prior hospitalization - that's not idiomatic, but makes the structure even clearer. The point is, have is not an auxiliary verb, it's a bare infinitive meaning possess and thus, diagnosed is not a verb at all, it's an adjective.
It's not "patients will have been diagnosed with mild cognitive decline," it's "patients will have mild cognitive decline that has been diagnosed."
answered 3 hours ago
JuhaszJuhasz
3,6921915
A patient can be diagnosed with mild cognitive decline in a clinic and never be hospitalized. They would be eligible to enroll in the study at that point. Maybe I'm missing your point?
– AdamO
3 hours ago
@AdamO, I'm making about point about the grammar and the tenses, not about the connection between hospitalization and diagnosis. The second sentence is in the simple future tense and the structure is essentially: "Patients will either have a condition, or have a prior hospitalization"
– Juhasz
2 hours ago
add a comment |
[Updated because coffee.]
Study "A" plans to enroll 300 patients.
Present tense.
Your 2nd sentence then reads:
Patients shall have either diagnosed mild cognitive decline or prior hospitalization for fall as documented by medical records.
"shall" is the actual simple future ("will" being the volitional mood). So, when the proposal is adopted and the plan is put in place in the future, when we pick patients, they shall bear these characteristics: ... . But when you do that, the diagnosis must have logically occurred in the past, so I would consider modifying the sentence with something like the perfect aspect, as follows:
Patients shall either have been diagnosed with mild cognitive decline or have had prior hospitalization for fall, as documented by medical records.
answered 3 hours ago
CarlyCarly
1,596213
"Study A" is a proper noun. Sorry that wasn't clear.
– AdamO
3 hours ago
ah lol i need coffee. answer p1 updated, pt 2 had error corrected
– Carly
2 hours ago
add a comment |
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2 Answers
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active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
The first sentence is in the present tense: "Study A plans"
The second sentence is in the future tense, but poor word choice makes it look like it's in the future perfect.
We can see the intended structure more clearly if we ignore the first condition of the "either": "Patients shall have...prior hospitalization"
That is, the patients will possess a prior hospitalization - that's not idiomatic, but makes the structure even clearer. The point is, have is not an auxiliary verb, it's a bare infinitive meaning possess and thus, diagnosed is not a verb at all, it's an adjective.
It's not "patients will have been diagnosed with mild cognitive decline," it's "patients will have mild cognitive decline that has been diagnosed."
answered 3 hours ago
JuhaszJuhasz
3,6921915
A patient can be diagnosed with mild cognitive decline in a clinic and never be hospitalized. They would be eligible to enroll in the study at that point. Maybe I'm missing your point?
– AdamO
3 hours ago
@AdamO, I'm making about point about the grammar and the tenses, not about the connection between hospitalization and diagnosis. The second sentence is in the simple future tense and the structure is essentially: "Patients will either have a condition, or have a prior hospitalization"
– Juhasz
2 hours ago
add a comment |
The first sentence is in the present tense: "Study A plans"
The second sentence is in the future tense, but poor word choice makes it look like it's in the future perfect.
We can see the intended structure more clearly if we ignore the first condition of the "either": "Patients shall have...prior hospitalization"
That is, the patients will possess a prior hospitalization - that's not idiomatic, but makes the structure even clearer. The point is, have is not an auxiliary verb, it's a bare infinitive meaning possess and thus, diagnosed is not a verb at all, it's an adjective.
It's not "patients will have been diagnosed with mild cognitive decline," it's "patients will have mild cognitive decline that has been diagnosed."
answered 3 hours ago
JuhaszJuhasz
3,6921915
A patient can be diagnosed with mild cognitive decline in a clinic and never be hospitalized. They would be eligible to enroll in the study at that point. Maybe I'm missing your point?
– AdamO
3 hours ago
@AdamO, I'm making about point about the grammar and the tenses, not about the connection between hospitalization and diagnosis. The second sentence is in the simple future tense and the structure is essentially: "Patients will either have a condition, or have a prior hospitalization"
– Juhasz
2 hours ago
add a comment |
The first sentence is in the present tense: "Study A plans"
The second sentence is in the future tense, but poor word choice makes it look like it's in the future perfect.
We can see the intended structure more clearly if we ignore the first condition of the "either": "Patients shall have...prior hospitalization"
That is, the patients will possess a prior hospitalization - that's not idiomatic, but makes the structure even clearer. The point is, have is not an auxiliary verb, it's a bare infinitive meaning possess and thus, diagnosed is not a verb at all, it's an adjective.
It's not "patients will have been diagnosed with mild cognitive decline," it's "patients will have mild cognitive decline that has been diagnosed."
answered 3 hours ago
JuhaszJuhasz
3,6921915
The first sentence is in the present tense: "Study A plans"
The second sentence is in the future tense, but poor word choice makes it look like it's in the future perfect.
We can see the intended structure more clearly if we ignore the first condition of the "either": "Patients shall have...prior hospitalization"
That is, the patients will possess a prior hospitalization - that's not idiomatic, but makes the structure even clearer. The point is, have is not an auxiliary verb, it's a bare infinitive meaning possess and thus, diagnosed is not a verb at all, it's an adjective.
It's not "patients will have been diagnosed with mild cognitive decline," it's "patients will have mild cognitive decline that has been diagnosed."
answered 3 hours ago
JuhaszJuhasz
3,6921915
answered 3 hours ago
JuhaszJuhasz
3,6921915
answered 3 hours ago
JuhaszJuhasz
3,6921915
answered 3 hours ago
JuhaszJuhasz
3,6921915
3,6921915
A patient can be diagnosed with mild cognitive decline in a clinic and never be hospitalized. They would be eligible to enroll in the study at that point. Maybe I'm missing your point?
– AdamO
3 hours ago
@AdamO, I'm making about point about the grammar and the tenses, not about the connection between hospitalization and diagnosis. The second sentence is in the simple future tense and the structure is essentially: "Patients will either have a condition, or have a prior hospitalization"
– Juhasz
2 hours ago
add a comment |
A patient can be diagnosed with mild cognitive decline in a clinic and never be hospitalized. They would be eligible to enroll in the study at that point. Maybe I'm missing your point?
– AdamO
3 hours ago
@AdamO, I'm making about point about the grammar and the tenses, not about the connection between hospitalization and diagnosis. The second sentence is in the simple future tense and the structure is essentially: "Patients will either have a condition, or have a prior hospitalization"
– Juhasz
2 hours ago
A patient can be diagnosed with mild cognitive decline in a clinic and never be hospitalized. They would be eligible to enroll in the study at that point. Maybe I'm missing your point?
– AdamO
3 hours ago
A patient can be diagnosed with mild cognitive decline in a clinic and never be hospitalized. They would be eligible to enroll in the study at that point. Maybe I'm missing your point?
– AdamO
3 hours ago
@AdamO, I'm making about point about the grammar and the tenses, not about the connection between hospitalization and diagnosis. The second sentence is in the simple future tense and the structure is essentially: "Patients will either have a condition, or have a prior hospitalization"
– Juhasz
2 hours ago
@AdamO, I'm making about point about the grammar and the tenses, not about the connection between hospitalization and diagnosis. The second sentence is in the simple future tense and the structure is essentially: "Patients will either have a condition, or have a prior hospitalization"
– Juhasz
2 hours ago
add a comment |
[Updated because coffee.]
Study "A" plans to enroll 300 patients.
Present tense.
Your 2nd sentence then reads:
Patients shall have either diagnosed mild cognitive decline or prior hospitalization for fall as documented by medical records.
"shall" is the actual simple future ("will" being the volitional mood). So, when the proposal is adopted and the plan is put in place in the future, when we pick patients, they shall bear these characteristics: ... . But when you do that, the diagnosis must have logically occurred in the past, so I would consider modifying the sentence with something like the perfect aspect, as follows:
Patients shall either have been diagnosed with mild cognitive decline or have had prior hospitalization for fall, as documented by medical records.
answered 3 hours ago
CarlyCarly
1,596213
"Study A" is a proper noun. Sorry that wasn't clear.
– AdamO
3 hours ago
ah lol i need coffee. answer p1 updated, pt 2 had error corrected
– Carly
2 hours ago
add a comment |
[Updated because coffee.]
Study "A" plans to enroll 300 patients.
Present tense.
Your 2nd sentence then reads:
Patients shall have either diagnosed mild cognitive decline or prior hospitalization for fall as documented by medical records.
"shall" is the actual simple future ("will" being the volitional mood). So, when the proposal is adopted and the plan is put in place in the future, when we pick patients, they shall bear these characteristics: ... . But when you do that, the diagnosis must have logically occurred in the past, so I would consider modifying the sentence with something like the perfect aspect, as follows:
Patients shall either have been diagnosed with mild cognitive decline or have had prior hospitalization for fall, as documented by medical records.
answered 3 hours ago
CarlyCarly
1,596213
"Study A" is a proper noun. Sorry that wasn't clear.
– AdamO
3 hours ago
ah lol i need coffee. answer p1 updated, pt 2 had error corrected
– Carly
2 hours ago
add a comment |
[Updated because coffee.]
Study "A" plans to enroll 300 patients.
Present tense.
Your 2nd sentence then reads:
Patients shall have either diagnosed mild cognitive decline or prior hospitalization for fall as documented by medical records.
"shall" is the actual simple future ("will" being the volitional mood). So, when the proposal is adopted and the plan is put in place in the future, when we pick patients, they shall bear these characteristics: ... . But when you do that, the diagnosis must have logically occurred in the past, so I would consider modifying the sentence with something like the perfect aspect, as follows:
Patients shall either have been diagnosed with mild cognitive decline or have had prior hospitalization for fall, as documented by medical records.
answered 3 hours ago
CarlyCarly
1,596213
[Updated because coffee.]
Study "A" plans to enroll 300 patients.
Present tense.
Your 2nd sentence then reads:
Patients shall have either diagnosed mild cognitive decline or prior hospitalization for fall as documented by medical records.
"shall" is the actual simple future ("will" being the volitional mood). So, when the proposal is adopted and the plan is put in place in the future, when we pick patients, they shall bear these characteristics: ... . But when you do that, the diagnosis must have logically occurred in the past, so I would consider modifying the sentence with something like the perfect aspect, as follows:
Patients shall either have been diagnosed with mild cognitive decline or have had prior hospitalization for fall, as documented by medical records.
answered 3 hours ago
CarlyCarly
1,596213
edited 2 hours ago
answered 3 hours ago
CarlyCarly
1,596213
answered 3 hours ago
CarlyCarly
1,596213
answered 3 hours ago
CarlyCarly
1,596213
1,596213
"Study A" is a proper noun. Sorry that wasn't clear.
– AdamO
3 hours ago
ah lol i need coffee. answer p1 updated, pt 2 had error corrected
– Carly
2 hours ago
add a comment |
"Study A" is a proper noun. Sorry that wasn't clear.
– AdamO
3 hours ago
ah lol i need coffee. answer p1 updated, pt 2 had error corrected
– Carly
2 hours ago
"Study A" is a proper noun. Sorry that wasn't clear.
– AdamO
3 hours ago
"Study A" is a proper noun. Sorry that wasn't clear.
– AdamO
3 hours ago
ah lol i need coffee. answer p1 updated, pt 2 had error corrected
– Carly
2 hours ago
ah lol i need coffee. answer p1 updated, pt 2 had error corrected
– Carly
2 hours ago
add a comment |
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