Session 34
July 18, 2026 · Intermediate
- Alumni reunion
- clinical workup & consent
- idioms (give or take, take it personally)
- purpose with "so that"
1 Corrections
How you said it, the natural version, and why. These are your own sentences.
How you said it
Last year I took a decision to focus on myself.
The natural version
Last year I made a decision to focus on myself.
In English you make a decision — not "take" one.
How you said it
I was invited by my family in-law.
The natural version
I was invited by my in-laws.
Your spouse's family are your in-laws. "Invited by" (passive) is the right preposition here.
How you said it
I finished all my problems before I travel so that no one would call me.
The natural version
I sorted out all my problems before I traveled, so that no one would call me.
Use past traveled to match the sentence, and you sort out (not "finish") problems. Nice so that + would!
How you said it
You must perform a CT scan for his pelvics and his abdomens.
The natural version
You must perform an abdominopelvic CT scan (a scan of the pelvis and abdomen).
Use of (not "for"), and keep pelvis / abdomen singular. The combined word is abdominopelvic.
How you said it
He created the group and we began to write on the group.
The natural version
He created the group, and we started posting in the group.
You post in (or message in) a group chat — not "write on" it.
How you said it
I recommend for you that you perform the lab tests first.
The natural version
I recommend that you perform the lab tests first.
Drop "for you" — the pattern is recommend that + someone + verb (or "I recommend performing…").
How you said it
I can convince her with the operation.
The natural version
I can convince her to have the operation.
convince someone to do something (or convince someone of something) — never "convince with."
How you said it
To perform an ultrasound for her abdomen.
The natural version
To perform an ultrasound of her abdomen.
A scan or ultrasound is always of a body part.
1b Already right
These needed no correction at all.
She doesn't take things personally.
Correct and very natural — a great phrase to keep using.
2 Grammar tips
Duration + "in advance"
You can put a time span before "in advance" to say how early.
I paid one week in advance.
Make a decision
You make a decision, you don't "take" one. (British English says "take," but "make" is the safe, standard choice.)
Last year I made a decision to focus on myself.
Convince someone…
convince someone to do something, or convince someone of something.
I convinced her to have the operation.
Purpose with "so that"
Use so that + would / wouldn't + verb to give the reason for a past action.
I prayed so that I wouldn't forget.
Passive with "by"
In the passive, the person who does the action comes after by.
I was invited by my in-laws.
A scan "of" a body part
A scan, ultrasound, or X-ray is always of a body part — never "for."
an ultrasound of the abdomen; a CT scan of the pelvis.
Recommend / suggest that…
Use recommend / suggest that + someone + base verb — no "for you."
I recommend that you perform the lab tests first.
Give birth to
Use give birth to someone (a baby).
She gave birth to a boy.
3 New words and phrases
4 Pronunciation
- ·union vs onionUnion starts like "you"; onion starts like "uh." Same ending, different start.
5 Practice sentences
01Last year I made a decision to spend more time with my in-laws.
02We're the alumni of 1996, and we have a reunion every year.
03Sadly, one of our old friends passed away last winter.
04One of my colleagues has a patient who is going to give birth this week.
05I recommend that you perform some lab tests first, and then an abdominopelvic CT scan.
06We need an ultrasound of her abdomen to check the thickness of the gallbladder wall.
07Before any operation, we make the patient sign a consent form.
08I paid for the consumables one week in advance so that the price wouldn't increase.
09I was strict with the team, but they know it's nothing personal.
10Don't take it personally — I'm only saying this for your own good.
11The whole treatment costs about $5,000, give or take.
12I finally convinced her to have the keyhole surgery.
6 Model sentences
Read these out loud three times.
I was invited by my in-laws to our alumni reunion this year.
We all felt sad when we heard that one of our friends had passed away.
I recommend that you perform an ultrasound of the abdomen before the CT scan.
To a certain extent, every good team needs some give and take.
Dr. Reem is wise and fair, and she never takes things personally.
I paid one week in advance so that the price wouldn't increase.
Please don't take it personally — I'm telling you this for your own good.
I'm sure I can convince her to sign the consent form and have the operation.
7 Mini-dialogue
- A
You look tired today — busy shift?
- B
Yes. We had a patient with a possible obstruction, so it was a long night.
- A
What did you recommend?
- B
I recommended that they perform some lab tests first, then an ultrasound of the abdomen.
- A
And if that isn't clear?
- B
Then an abdominopelvic CT scan. If we operate, it will be keyhole surgery, and she'll sign a consent form first.
- A
By the way, are you coming to the alumni reunion on Saturday?
- B
Of course — my in-laws invited me too. It's a hundred people every year, give or take!
Read A, say B's line yourself, then check.
8 Homework
- Writing: Write 6 sentences about a real case, using recommend that, perform, ultrasound, CT scan, and consent.
- Grammar: Write 3 sentences with so that + wouldn't, and 3 sentences using made a decision.
- Speaking: Say these words out loud three times each and record yourself — alumni, reunion, abdominopelvic, chemotherapy, gallbladder.
- Real use: This week, use give or take and take it personally in a real conversation.
- Vocabulary: Write the difference between give and take and give or take, with one example sentence for each.
- Reading aloud: Record yourself reading the 8 Model Sentences and listen for the of in of the abdomen.
9 Self-check
The clearest new set of words for me was the clinical workup — perform an ultrasound, a CT scan, lab tests, and asking for consent. I use these ideas every day, so now I can explain each step in English.
I keep mixing up take and make — I said "I took a decision." Now I know it's "I made a decision." I also learned to say "recommend that you…" instead of "recommend for you."
One thing I still want to ask next time: what's the difference between "to a certain extent" and "to a certain limit," and is "give or take" okay to use with patients, or is it too informal? I'd also like more handover practice with SBAR.