Practice · Dr. Bashir

1 Corrections

How you said it, the natural version, and why. These are your own sentences.

How you said it

Our hospital's license contains 92 beds.

The natural version

Our hospital is licensed for 92 beds.

A license doesn't "contain" beds. Say licensed for or our license allows 92 beds.

How you said it

I rented my apartment for two years.

The natural version

I rented my apartment out for two years.

rent = you pay to live there; rent out = you are the owner and someone pays you.

How you said it

I hardly go out the house.

The natural version

I hardly leave the house (go out of the house).

Say leave the house or go out of the house.

How you said it

I showed him the operation room devices and arrangement.

The natural version

I showed him the operating room equipment and layout.

It's the operating room. For machines in general use equipment (uncountable); for how things are arranged, use layout.

How you said it

Violet the law.

The natural version

Violate the law.

violate (VY-uh-layt) = break a rule; violet (VY-uh-lit) = a purple flower or color.

How you said it

If I have wisdom, I act like I didn't hear.

The natural version

If I'm wise, I pretend I didn't hear (I act as if I didn't hear).

Use the adjective wise; and pretend / act as if for something that isn't true.

1b Already right

These needed no correction at all.

We are in a different league.

Excellent idiom — it means you are much better than the others.

I haven't seen this in any other hospital.

Perfect present perfect with any — great for comparing experiences.

2 Grammar tips

Present perfect + any / ever

Use the present perfect for experience up to now.

I haven't seen this in any other hospital. · Have you ever been inspected?

pretend / act as if

Use pretend (that) or act as if + past for something that isn't true.

I pretend I didn't hear. · He acts as if he knew everything.

rent vs rent out

rent (from someone) = you pay; rent out (to someone) = you receive the money.

I rent a flat from my cousin. · I rent out my apartment.

Word families (verb → noun)

Learn the pairs together.

violate → a violation · inflate → inflation · justify → a justification

boundaries vs borders

boundaries = limits between people; borders = lines between countries.

I set boundaries with my staff. · We crossed the border into Jordan.

hard vs hardly

hard = with a lot of effort; hardly = almost not / very rarely.

I work hard. · I hardly take a walk. ("Working hard or hardly working?")

3 New words and phrases

4 Pronunciation

·consequenceKON-suh-kwensStress the first syllable, KON.
·directorateduh-REK-tuh-ritStress on REK.
·inflationin-FLAY-shunStress on FLAY.
·leagueLEEGOne syllable; the "ue" is silent.
·violateVY-uh-laytEnds with "layt". Don't confuse it with violet (VY-uh-lit).

Practise these sounds

5 Practice sentences

01Someone filed a complaint with the ministry of health, so an inspection committee came.
02They found a few small administrative violations, nothing serious.
03Our hospital is licensed for 92 beds.
04I showed the inspector around and explained our equipment and layout.
05He said he hadn't seen anything like it in any other hospital — we're in a different league.
06I rented out my apartment for two years.
07Could you put in a good word for me with the director?
08His name is on the tip of my tongue, but I can't remember it.
09If I overhear gossip, I pretend I didn't hear it.
10Sometimes it's better to confront people than to talk behind their backs.
11I set clear boundaries, because everything has a consequence.
12I work hard, so I hardly have time to take a walk.

6 Model sentences

Read these out loud three times.

After the complaint, an inspection committee from the directorate visited the hospital.
I showed them around, and they couldn't find any serious violations.
Honestly, our operating room is on another level.
No one in my hospital is allowed to talk about colleagues behind their backs.
When I overhear gossip, I either pretend I didn't hear or I confront the person directly.
A good management style sets boundaries and explains the consequences.
I don't need to justify myself to my employees, but I do explain my decisions.
Are you working hard, or hardly working?

7 Mini-dialogue

A
I heard the ministry sent inspectors to your hospital.
B
Yes, someone filed a complaint. The inspection committee came on Monday.
A
Did they find any violations?
B
Only small administrative ones. I showed them around, and they were impressed.
A
Do you know who filed the complaint?
B
Not exactly, but I overheard some gossip.
A
Will you confront them?
B
No. I'll set clear boundaries instead — everything has a consequence.

Read A, say B's line yourself, then check.

8 Homework

Writing: Describe the inspection in 6 sentences using file a complaint, inspection committee, violation, and show someone around.
rent vs rent out: Write 2 sentences with rent and 2 with rent out.
hard vs hardly: Write 3 pairs of sentences, e.g. "I work hard." / "I hardly sleep."
Word families: Write the noun for violate, inflate, and justify, and use each noun in a sentence.
Opinion: Write a short paragraph — should a manager confront gossip, or ignore it? Use behind someone's back, set boundaries, and consequence.
Speaking: Say these out loud three times each and record yourself — violate / violet, compulsory, directorate, consequence, league.

9 Self-check

Today I described the ministry inspection and the complaint. I can now use official words like inspection committee, directorate, administrative, violation, and compulsory.

I need to remember: rent vs rent out, hard vs hardly, and violate vs violet. Also, a hospital is "licensed for" beds, and we say "operating room equipment".

I enjoyed the idioms — in a different league, on the tip of my tongue, put in a good word, behind someone's back. They make my English sound much more natural.