Verb tenses in OET letters: past simple, present perfect and present
In an OET Nursing letter, use the past simple for finished events at a stated time ('she was admitted on 3 May'), the present perfect for events that connect to now without a stated time ('her pain has improved'), and the present simple for the patient's current condition and ongoing facts ('she lives alone', 'she takes metformin'). Use 'will' or 'is going to' for arranged future care.
Why tenses matter in OET letters
An OET Nursing letter tells a short story with a timeline: what happened before admission, what happened in hospital, how the patient is now, and what will happen next. The tense of each verb tells the reader where an event sits on that timeline. Wrong tenses blur it: "she has fallen on 2 March" or "he was diabetic" (is he still?).
Tense accuracy is part of the Language criterion, and a clear timeline also supports Conciseness and Clarity.
The four tenses you need most
| Tense | Use it for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Past simple | finished events at a stated or clear past time | "She was admitted on 4 April with pneumonia." |
| Present perfect | changes up to now, with no finished time | "Her breathing has improved." / "She has completed the antibiotics." |
| Present simple | current condition, ongoing facts, routines | "She lives with her husband." / "She takes insulin twice a day." |
| Future (will / is going to / present continuous) | arranged or expected care | "She will attend the clinic next week." / "She is being discharged today." |
Two more appear often:
- Past perfect for something before another past event: "She had been unwell for a week before she was admitted."
- Present perfect continuous for something that started in the past and continues: "He has been receiving dialysis since 2023."
The timeline in a typical letter
| Part of the letter | Usual tense | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Opening purpose | present continuous / present simple | "I am writing to refer Mr Ruiz, who is being discharged today..." |
| Reason for admission | past simple | "He was admitted on 9 July after a fall." |
| Treatment in hospital | past simple, passive often | "He was treated with intravenous fluids." |
| Progress up to now | present perfect | "His mobility has improved." |
| Current condition and medicines | present simple | "He walks with a frame and takes paracetamol regularly." |
| Social background | present simple | "He lives alone in a ground-floor flat." |
| Plan and request | future / modal | "He will see his GP next week. I would be grateful if you could..." |
Common tense errors and corrections
| Error | Correction | Why |
|---|---|---|
| "She has been admitted on 2 June." | "She was admitted on 2 June." | A date needs the past simple. |
| "He was a smoker for 30 years." (still smokes) | "He has smoked for 30 years." | The habit continues. |
| "She was living alone." (still does) | "She lives alone." | Current fact. |
| "His wound healed well." (still healing) | "His wound is healing well." | Ongoing process. |
| "She is diabetic since 2015." | "She has had diabetes since 2015." | "Since" + present perfect. |
| "He will be discharged yesterday." | "He was discharged yesterday." | Past time. |
| "She has started insulin last week." | "She started insulin last week." | "Last week" is a finished time. |
All examples are invented. For dates and time words, see dates and times in OET letters.
Worked example (invented case)
Notes (invented): Mrs Leila Brandt, 81. Lives with husband. Type 2 diabetes since 2010, on metformin. Admitted 15 Aug with urinary tract infection and confusion. IV antibiotics 3 days, switched to oral, completed 21 Aug. Confusion resolved. Mobility back to baseline (walks with stick). Discharge 22 Aug. GP review 1 week.
Weak version:
Mrs Brandt has been admitted on 15 August with a urinary tract infection and confusion. She was diabetic since 2010 and was taking metformin. She is treated with intravenous antibiotics and has been switched to oral antibiotics, which she completed. Her confusion resolved and she was walking with a stick. She will be reviewed by her GP.
Better version:
Mrs Brandt was admitted on 15 August with a urinary tract infection and confusion. She has had type 2 diabetes since 2010 and takes metformin. She was treated with intravenous antibiotics for three days, then with oral antibiotics, and she has now completed the course. Her confusion has resolved, and she walks with a stick, as she did before admission. She lives with her husband. Her GP will review her in one week.
Each verb now places the event correctly: past simple for dated events, present perfect for results up to now, present simple for current facts, and future for the plan.
Practise timed letters at /writing/, or check a letter you have written to see grammar corrections with the reason for each.
Quick checklist before you finish
- Every verb with a date or "last week/yesterday" is in the past simple.
- Every "since" or "for + period up to now" uses the present perfect.
- Current conditions, medicines and living situations are in the present simple.
- The plan uses "will", "is being" or "has been arranged".
- Reported speech keeps a consistent tense: see reported speech in OET letters.
Related: passive voice in letters, articles a/an/the and prepositions in letters.
Sources
This guide is medEmu's writing advice, not official OET guidance; all patients and details are invented for practice. The network used for this run could not reach oet.com, so no OET test facts are stated beyond the criterion names. For OET's official Writing information, see oet.com.