ESL General English Grammar Questions

Re: Doc, is this a placebo?

Jackson6612 — Sun, 11 May 2008 17:14:54 GMT

Thank you, everyone.

Re: Doc, is this a placebo?

Pter — Sun, 11 May 2008 16:19:26 GMT

I watched a few episodes of House. The shots very often start at the middle of the converstation between Dr House and the patient. But don't they need to say hi or something at the beginning?

By the way, I also think the dialogue posted by Jackson is extremely unlikely to happen. No doctor would use such terms when talking to a patient, unless perhaps the patient is also a doctor!

Re: Doc, is this a placebo?

Huevos — Sun, 11 May 2008 16:08:36 GMT

Pter
So, how do they address their doctors? By surname?

I doubt it. I think what Clive means is it is not necessary to address the doctor by title or name because it is obvious whom you are talking to. On the other hand if there were several people in the room there is nothing wrong with addressing him as doctor.

Re: Doc, is this a placebo?

Pter — Sun, 11 May 2008 15:48:58 GMT

So, how do they address their doctors? By surname?

Re: Doc, is this a placebo?

Yankee — Sun, 11 May 2008 15:27:07 GMT

Jackson6612
Please correct the following sentences:

Patient: Doc, is this a placebo?
Doc: No, it's a pharmacologically active.
Patient: I thought it was an inert.

You should delete the indefinite article in the second and third sentences.

- "pharmacologically active" = adverb + adjective (i.e. there is no noun)

- "inert" = adjective (i.e. there is no noun)

Re: Doc, is this a placebo?

Clive — Sun, 11 May 2008 15:25:28 GMT

Hi,

Patient: Doc, is this a placebo?
Doc: No, it's a pharmacologically active.
Patient: I thought it was an inert.

The first remark is OK, but the second and third use terms that most patients would not be familiar with.

Patient:Is this a placebo?
Doc: No, it's actual medicine.
Patient: I thought it wasn't.

Where I live, I'd say that patients don't commonly address their doctor as 'Doctor' or 'Doc'.

Best wishes, Clive

Doc, is this a placebo?

Jackson6612 — Sun, 11 May 2008 13:25:46 GMT

Please correct the following sentences:

Patient: Doc, is this a placebo?
Doc: No, it's a pharmacologically active.
Patient: I thought it was an inert.