Subject-Verb Agreement In Medical Summations
This quiz is intended to assess amedical summation specialist's written english proficiency as itrelates to medical records.
- 1.
After the laboratory report came back, 20 mEq of potassium chloride ____ added.
- A.
Is
- B.
Are
- C.
Were
- D.
Was
Correct Answer
D. WasExplanation
Units of measure are collective singular nouns and take singular verbs.Rate this question:
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- 2.
Spaghetti and meatballs ___ our first course when we went to the party last night.
- A.
Were
- B.
Are
- C.
Was
- D.
Is
Correct Answer
C. WasExplanation
Both of the subjects, spaghetti and meatballs refer to the same type of food, therefore, a singular verb is appropriate. Consistency with the tenses is also required, since WENT is in past tense, other verbs should also be in the past tense.Rate this question:
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- 3.
The date and time of the accident ___ not certain.
- A.
Are
- B.
Were
- C.
Was
- D.
Is
Correct Answer
A. AreExplanation
Compound subjects joined by AND always take a plural verb, except when both subjects refer to the same person or thing. As there is no indication whether this is occurred in the past or present, a simple form of verb is appropriate.Rate this question:
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- 4.
The patient's lues ___ progressed over many years' time.
- A.
Have
- B.
Has
- C.
Had
- D.
Was
Correct Answer
B. HasExplanation
Some nouns always take a singular verb, even if they end in -s.Rate this question:
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- 5.
Ascites ___ a condition that resulted from ___ hypertension.
- A.
Is, partial
- B.
Are, partial
- C.
Are, portal
- D.
Is, portal
Correct Answer
D. Is, portalExplanation
Ascites resulted from portal hypertension. Some nouns end in -s and appear to be plural but are really singular and always take the singular verb.Rate this question:
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- 6.
___ is a condition wherein some blood ___ coming out of a person's nose.
- A.
Asterixis, is
- B.
Epistaxis, is
- C.
Asterixis, are
- D.
Epistaxis, are
Correct Answer
B. Epistaxis, isExplanation
Epistaxis is the medical name for nasal bleeding. Some indefinite pronouns such as ALL and SOME are singular or plural, depending on what they are referring to. It will be determined by whether the pronoun is referring to something countable or not. In this case, blood cannot be counted, unlike beads or bones.Rate this question:
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- 7.
The family ___ in agreement on the patient's care.
- A.
Was
- B.
Were
- C.
Are
- D.
Is
Correct Answer
D. IsExplanation
Collective nouns may be singular or plural, and they take the matching verb. In this sentence, the emphasis is on the family as a unit.Rate this question:
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- 8.
In the surgery last week, each of the patient's herniated discs ___ removed .
- A.
Was
- B.
Were
- C.
Are
- D.
Is
Correct Answer
A. WasExplanation
EACH is always singular and require a singular verb.Rate this question:
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- 9.
Neither the patient nor the doctor ___ prepared for the tumor found in the patient's brain on MRI last Tuesday.
- A.
Were
- B.
Are
- C.
Was
- D.
Is
Correct Answer
C. WasExplanation
Compound subjects joined by OR or NOR may take a singular or plural verb, depending on the subject situated closest to the verb in the sentence.Rate this question:
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- 10.
In all, four doses ___ given, and 20 mEq ___ given this morning.
- A.
Were, was
- B.
Was, were
- C.
Is, are
- D.
Are, is
Correct Answer
A. Were, wasExplanation
When referring to a total amount, use a singular verb. When referring to a number of individual units, use a plural verb.Rate this question:
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- 11.
The KY Jelly ___ not only water-based but very useful as well.
- A.
Was
- B.
It's
- C.
Are
- D.
Is
Correct Answer
D. IsExplanation
The subject KY Jelly is singular, therefore, use a singular verb.Rate this question:
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- 12.
The patient ___ a history of hypertension.
- A.
Has
- B.
Have
- C.
Had
- D.
Is
Correct Answer
A. HasExplanation
Hypertension is a chronic disease. A person who has this endures this condition for the rest of his/her life.Rate this question:
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- 13.
Don't mind Mr. Go. He ___ one of those patients who always report vague complaints.
- A.
Are
- B.
Is
- C.
Was
- D.
Were
Correct Answer
B. IsExplanation
The subject of demand is who, referring to patients, not he. Consistency should be applied and since one of the verbs, REPORT, is in its simple form/present tense, other verbs should be in simple form/present tense as well.Rate this question:
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- 14.
There ___ wounds on both ___ found on physical assessment when he went to the emergency room.
- A.
Was, legs
- B.
Are, leg
- C.
Are, legs
- D.
Were, legs
Correct Answer
D. Were, legsExplanation
The word "both" means more than one, therefore, a plural noun and verb should be used.Rate this question:
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- 15.
The staff nurses but not the chief nurse ___ decided not to work on Ninoy Aquino's Day.
- A.
Has
- B.
Had
- C.
Have
- D.
Are
Correct Answer
C. HaveExplanation
If the sentence compounds a positive and a negative subject and one is plural, the other singular verb should agree with the positive subject.Rate this question:
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- 16.
More than one fracture ___ found in his legs.
- A.
Have
- B.
Is
- C.
Has
- D.
Was
Correct Answer
B. IsExplanation
Expressions such as MANY A, MORE THAN ONE, NOT ONE, and THE NUMBER call for simple form verbs.Rate this question:
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- 17.
The bandages on his arm ___ removed yesterday.
- A.
Was
- B.
Were
- C.
Is
- D.
Are
Correct Answer
B. WereExplanation
The subject is bandages, not arm.Rate this question:
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- 18.
The doctor found on ultrasound this afternoon that the left uterine adnexa ___ entirely involved with tumor.
- A.
Has
- B.
Have
- C.
Were
- D.
Are
Correct Answer
C. WereExplanation
Some nouns always take a plural verb.Rate this question:
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- 19.
Due to malignant tissues found in her breasts, she would undergo bilateral ___.
- A.
Mastectomies
- B.
Mastectomy
- C.
Laparotomy
- D.
Laparotomies
Correct Answer
A. MastectomiesExplanation
There are two breasts and both are removed because malignant tissues are found in both of them, therefore, the procedure should take a plural form.Rate this question:
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- 20.
Steri-Strips ___ applied on the wound this morning.
- A.
Was
- B.
Were
- C.
Is
- D.
Are
Correct Answer
A. WasExplanation
Steri-Strips is a brand name for a bandage. In this sentence, as there is only one wound, then a single bandage would be enough. It would then be appropriate to use a singular form of verb.Rate this question:
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- 21.
The MRI results, which ___ reviewed by the orthopedic surgeon, ___ found to have abnormal findings.
- A.
Are, were
- B.
Was, was
- C.
Is, is
- D.
Were, were
- E.
Were, are
Correct Answer
D. Were, wereExplanation
WHO, which is a relative pronoun, requires a singular or plural verb, depending on the number of the antecedent. The antecedent is the noun or pronoun to which the relative pronoun refers.Rate this question:
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- 22.
Physical therapy, as well as acupuncture, ___ recommended on evaluation with the orthopedist last week.
- A.
Is
- B.
Were
- C.
Are
- D.
Was
Correct Answer
D. WasExplanation
The phrase, AS WELL AS seems to join subjects, but does not work the same as AND. It is not a conjunction and will modify the earlier word, but will not compound the subjects. Observe consistency in the verb tenses.Rate this question:
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- 23.
On lumbar range of motion testing on admission, it was found that his lumbar flexion ___ 50 percent of normal.
- A.
is
- B.
Were
- C.
Are
- D.
Was
Correct Answer
D. WasExplanation
A fractional expression such as A PERCENTAGE OF is sometimes singular and sometimes plural, depending on what they are referring to.Rate this question:
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- 24.
There ___ inconsistencies with the patient's account of how the accident occurred when he was interviewed.
- A.
Was
- B.
Were
- C.
Is
- D.
Are
Correct Answer
B. WereExplanation
The word THERE is never a subject. With this construction, called an expletive construction, the subject follows the verb but still determines the number of the verb.Rate this question:
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- 25.
During surgery, more than two blood clot ___ found in the frontal lobe of his brain.
- A.
Is
- B.
Are
- C.
Was
- D.
Were
Correct Answer
A. IsExplanation
The expression MORE THAN requires a simple form of verbs.Rate this question:
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- 26.
Whose stethoscope ___ this?
- A.
Was
- B.
Are
- C.
Were
- D.
Is
Correct Answer
D. IsExplanation
A singular subject demands a singular verb.Rate this question:
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- 27.
Diverticulosis, otherwise known as "diverticular disease," ___ the condition of having diverticula in the ___.
- A.
Is, intestines
- B.
Was, colon
- C.
Is, colon
- D.
Was, intestines
Correct Answer
C. Is, colonExplanation
Diverticula are found in the colon. This noun, although it ends in -s, is singular.Rate this question:
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- 28.
Lesions on the volar part of the forearm ___ found on admission this morning.
- A.
Was
- B.
Were
- C.
Are
- D.
Is
Correct Answer
B. WereExplanation
The verb must agree with its subject, even when the two are not in proximity, not with any noun in the prepositional phrase.Rate this question:
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- 29.
The upper extremities ___ difficulty with full flexion.
- A.
Has
- B.
Had
- C.
Was
- D.
Have
Correct Answer
D. HaveExplanation
A singular subject demands a singular verb.Rate this question:
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Mar 21, 2023Quiz Edited by
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Aug 17, 2009Quiz Created by
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