Passive Voice and Medical Vocabulary in English

Understanding the Passive Voice

Here are some examples of the passive voice in different tenses:

1. In my opinion, a cure for cancer will be found one day.
2. At the moment, the operation is being carried out by the surgeon.
3. Nothing has been done yet.
4. When I switched on the TV, a movie was being shown.
5. Most of the music awards must have been presented by now.
6. We were able to enter because the alarm had been switched off.

Passive Voice in Sentences

Let's look at how active sentences transform into passive ones:

1. Scientists have discovered the gene that causes baldness.

   Passive: A new gene that controls hair growth has been discovered.

2. The band released their new album last weekend.

   Passive: Their new album was released last weekend.

3. Wendy is teaching music to the younger students.

   Passive: Music is being taught to the younger students.

4. He could have broken his neck in the accident.

   Passive: His neck could have been broken in the accident.

5. Someone is going to recycle all the newspapers.

   Passive: The newspapers are all going to be recycled.

Adjectives Related to Medical Conditions

1. Some diseases are incurable.
2. It was a very painful operation.
3. I'd be a hopeless surgeon.
4. If you're learning to do surgery, mistakes are unavoidable.
5. Take this pill. It's harmless, so it won't do you any harm.

Passive Voice with "It is Said"

Here's how to use "it is said" to report information:

1. Today's newspaper says that global warming is getting worse.

   a. It is said that global warming is getting worse.

   b. Global warming is said to be getting worse.

2. Some say that recovery after treatment has improved in recent years.

   a. It is said that recovery after treatment has improved in recent years.

   b. Recovery after treatment is said to have improved in recent years.

3. People say that a great flu epidemic is inevitable.

   a. It is said that a great flu epidemic is inevitable.

   b. A great flu epidemic is said to be inevitable.

Using "Have Something Done"

This structure indicates that someone else performs an action for you:

1. Somebody cut Robert's hair yesterday.

   Passive: Robert had his hair cut yesterday.

2. Somebody has already fixed William's bike.

   Passive: William has already had his bike fixed.

3. Some people have painted Amy's bathroom.

   Passive: Amy has had her bathroom painted.

4. A doctor is going to check Jo's eyes tomorrow.

   Passive: Jo is going to have his eyes checked tomorrow.

5. Will somebody wash Brian's car later?

   Passive: Will Brian have his car washed later?

Passive Voice in Different Tenses

Here's a table summarizing the passive voice across various tenses:

• Present Simple: build(s) -- is/are built
• Present Continuous: is/are building -- is/are being built
• Be Going To: is/are going to build -- is/are going to be built
• Present Perfect Simple: has/have built -- has/have been built
• Past Simple: built -- was/were built
• Past Continuous: was/were building -- was/were being built
• Past Perfect Simple: had built -- had been built
• Future Simple: will build -- will be built
• Future Continuous: will be building -- will be being built
• Future Perfect Simple: will have built -- will have been built
• Modals: can build, should build, have to build, might have built -- can be built, should be built, have to be built, might have been built

Essential Medical Vocabulary

• Ailment: Enfermedad
• Anesthetize: Anestesiar
• Avoidable: Evitable
• Breeding ground: Caldo de cultivo
• Come round: Volver en sí
• Cosmetic surgery: Cirugía estética
• Dizzy: Mareado
• Earache: Dolor de oídos
• Fight off: Combatir
• First aid: Primeros auxilios
• Get over: Recuperarse
• Harmful: Dañino
• Harmless: Inofensivo
• Healthcare: Asistencia sanitaria
• Hiccups: Hipo
• Hopeful: Optimista
• Hopeless: Negativo
• Illness: Enfermedad
• Infected: Infectado
• Look after: Cuidar a
• Outbreak: Brote
• Pain: Dolor
• Painful: Doloroso
• Painless: Indoloro
• Pass away: Fallecer
• Pass out: Desmayarse
• Pick up (an illness): Pillar una enfermedad
• Plaster: Yeso
• Roll out: Poner en marcha
• Scar: Cicatriz
• Sore throat: Dolor de garganta
• Sprained ankle: Torcedura de tobillo
• Spread: Difusión
• Stay active: Estar activo
• Stay out of the sun: No exponerse al sol
• Stomach ache: Dolor de estómago
• Suffer: Sufrir
• Surgery: Operación
• Unavoidable: Inevitable
• X-ray: Radiografía

Identifying Medical Conditions

1. When you can hardly speak or swallow: Sore throat
2. You measure this in degrees: Temperature
3. Something that doesn't hurt: Painless
4. When your eye is sore or you can't see properly: Eye infection
5. What you have when your ears hurt: Earache

Phrasal Verbs in Medical Contexts

1. I hit my head so hard that I passed out.
2. This medicine will help you fight off the fever.
3. A few hours after the operation, Liam came round.
4. The nurses looked after the patients carefully.
5. Jack felt terrible. He had picked up a virus at school.