The use of tense in technical writing [on hold]
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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 Apr 18 at 16:49
AdamOAdamO
1364
put on hold as off-topic by Jason Bassford, TrevorD, Chappo, JJJ, Neeku 7 hours ago
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – JJJ, Neeku
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
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 Apr 18 at 16:49
AdamOAdamO
1364
put on hold as off-topic by Jason Bassford, TrevorD, Chappo, JJJ, Neeku 7 hours ago
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – JJJ, Neeku
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
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 Apr 18 at 16:49
AdamOAdamO
1364
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 Apr 18 at 16:49
AdamOAdamO
1364
asked Apr 18 at 16:49
AdamOAdamO
1364
asked Apr 18 at 16:49
AdamOAdamO
1364
asked Apr 18 at 16:49
AdamOAdamO
1364
asked Apr 18 at 16:49
AdamOAdamO
1364
1364
put on hold as off-topic by Jason Bassford, TrevorD, Chappo, JJJ, Neeku 7 hours ago
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – JJJ, Neeku
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
put on hold as off-topic by Jason Bassford, TrevorD, Chappo, JJJ, Neeku 7 hours ago
This question appears to be off-topic. The users who voted to close gave this specific reason:
- "Please include the research you’ve done, or consider if your question suits our English Language Learners site better. Questions that can be answered using commonly-available references are off-topic." – JJJ, Neeku
If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.
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 Apr 18 at 17:10
JuhaszJuhasz
3,7381915
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
Apr 18 at 17:22
@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
Apr 18 at 17:51
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 Apr 18 at 17:10
CarlyCarly
1,668213
"Study A" is a proper noun. Sorry that wasn't clear.
– AdamO
Apr 18 at 17:23
ah lol i need coffee. answer p1 updated, pt 2 had error corrected
– Carly
Apr 18 at 17:56
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
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 Apr 18 at 17:10
JuhaszJuhasz
3,7381915
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
Apr 18 at 17:22
@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
Apr 18 at 17:51
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 Apr 18 at 17:10
JuhaszJuhasz
3,7381915
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
Apr 18 at 17:22
@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
Apr 18 at 17:51
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 Apr 18 at 17:10
JuhaszJuhasz
3,7381915
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 Apr 18 at 17:10
JuhaszJuhasz
3,7381915
answered Apr 18 at 17:10
JuhaszJuhasz
3,7381915
answered Apr 18 at 17:10
JuhaszJuhasz
3,7381915
answered Apr 18 at 17:10
JuhaszJuhasz
3,7381915
3,7381915
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
Apr 18 at 17:22
@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
Apr 18 at 17:51
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
Apr 18 at 17:22
@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
Apr 18 at 17:51
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
Apr 18 at 17:22
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
Apr 18 at 17:22
@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
Apr 18 at 17:51
@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
Apr 18 at 17:51
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 Apr 18 at 17:10
CarlyCarly
1,668213
"Study A" is a proper noun. Sorry that wasn't clear.
– AdamO
Apr 18 at 17:23
ah lol i need coffee. answer p1 updated, pt 2 had error corrected
– Carly
Apr 18 at 17:56
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 Apr 18 at 17:10
CarlyCarly
1,668213
"Study A" is a proper noun. Sorry that wasn't clear.
– AdamO
Apr 18 at 17:23
ah lol i need coffee. answer p1 updated, pt 2 had error corrected
– Carly
Apr 18 at 17:56
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 Apr 18 at 17:10
CarlyCarly
1,668213
[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 Apr 18 at 17:10
CarlyCarly
1,668213
edited Apr 18 at 17:55
answered Apr 18 at 17:10
CarlyCarly
1,668213
answered Apr 18 at 17:10
CarlyCarly
1,668213
answered Apr 18 at 17:10
CarlyCarly
1,668213
1,668213
"Study A" is a proper noun. Sorry that wasn't clear.
– AdamO
Apr 18 at 17:23
ah lol i need coffee. answer p1 updated, pt 2 had error corrected
– Carly
Apr 18 at 17:56
add a comment |
"Study A" is a proper noun. Sorry that wasn't clear.
– AdamO
Apr 18 at 17:23
ah lol i need coffee. answer p1 updated, pt 2 had error corrected
– Carly
Apr 18 at 17:56
"Study A" is a proper noun. Sorry that wasn't clear.
– AdamO
Apr 18 at 17:23
"Study A" is a proper noun. Sorry that wasn't clear.
– AdamO
Apr 18 at 17:23
ah lol i need coffee. answer p1 updated, pt 2 had error corrected
– Carly
Apr 18 at 17:56
ah lol i need coffee. answer p1 updated, pt 2 had error corrected
– Carly
Apr 18 at 17:56
add a comment |
