Question: What abbreviations can I use in OET writing?
Answer: NONE! People often confuse the use of acronyms such as ACL – Anterior Cruciate Ligament with abbreviations such as hrs – hours. There is quite a difference when writing in a formal tone. Firstly, the thing to remember most when sitting the OET is that it is an English test, not medical. If you do not know the medical meaning of an acronym, you don’t need to know it! You can simply write the acronym as it is written on the test paper. Abbreviations, on the other hand, have no place in a formal writing test. Many people get used to using abbreviations, both in the listening test and in everyday life. Below are some common errors people make when using abbreviations.
Try never to use any of these in your writing component:
Pt – patient Hrs – hours Hrly – hourly Wkly – weekly Min – minutes D/C – discharge L – left R – right O2 – oxygen O/A – on admission Yr – year Yrs – years
