Common English Mistakes in Medical Reports by Arabic Speakers

This page focuses on errors typically made by native Arabic speakers from Saudi Arabia when writing a Medical Report in English.

Mistake Example #1

Misuse of verb tense (e.g., 'He go to school' instead of 'He goes to school')

PThe patient isa 45-year-old male who hascomplained of chest pain since last night. He says thatthe pain radiates to his left arm and he feels dizzy. We recommend that he undergo further tests to determine thecause ofhis symptoms.

Text corrected by:
Jennifer, Detroit, Michigan USA

"I corrected some issues with the verb tense and made a couple of other small changes."

The patient is a 45-year-old male who has complained of chest pain since last night. He says that the pain radiates to his left arm and he feels dizzy. We recommend that he undergo further tests to determine the cause of his symptoms.

Patient is 45-year-old male who complain of chest pain since last night. He say that pain radiate to his left arm and he feel dizzy. We recommend that he undergo further tests to determine cause of symptoms.

Mistake Example #2

Confusion between masculine and feminine pronouns

PThe patient is a 45-year-old male who presented with chest pain. He reports that she has been experiencing discomfort for the past three days. Upon examination, he was found to have elevated blood pressure, and she was advised to undergo further testing. It is important that he follows up with heris cardiologist next week to ensure the proper management of his condition.

Text corrected by:
Jennifer, Detroit, Michigan USA

"I just made a few small changes, including making sure the pronouns are consistent with a male patient (he/him/his)."

The patient is a 45-year-old male who presented with chest pain. He reports that he has been experiencing discomfort for the past three days. Upon examination, he was found to have elevated blood pressure, and he was advised to undergo further testing. It is important that he follows up with his cardiologist next week to ensure the proper management of his condition.

Patient is a 45-year-old male who presented with chest pain. He reports that she has been experiencing discomfort for the past three days. Upon examination, he was found to have elevated blood pressure, and she was advised to undergo further testing. It is important that he follows up with her cardiologist next week to ensure proper management of his condition.

Mistake Example #3

Overuse of formal expressions ('I am honored to inform you...')

I amwould honorliked to inform you that the patient, Mr. Ahmed, has been admitted to our esteemedhospital with symptoms of severe abdominal pain. It is with great respect that I convey tThe results of the tests, which indicate a diagnosis of acute appendicitis. We are privilegedto have the opportunity to provide him with the highest standard of care and are committed to ensuring his swift recovery.

Text corrected by:
Miss E., Cyprus, Europe

"I made changes to tone down on the overuse of formal expressions."

I would like to inform you that the patient, Mr. Ahmed, has been admitted to our hospital with symptoms of severe abdominal pain. The results of the tests indicate a diagnosis of acute appendicitis. We are privileged to provide him with the highest standard of care and are committed to ensuring his swift recovery.

I am honored to inform you that the patient, Mr. Ahmed, has been admitted to our esteemed hospital with symptoms of severe abdominal pain. It is with great respect that I convey the results of the tests, which indicate a diagnosis of acute appendicitis. We are privileged to have the opportunity to provide him with the highest standard of care and are committed to ensuring his swift recovery.