Communi

cative
English
for
Nurses:
AnFrom
Intensive Training

Classroo
Module for First-Year
Nursing Students

m to
 Who inspired you to become a
nurse?

"Why I Chose What do you feel when helping

patients?
Nursing" My What is your dream as a future
Voice, My Story nurse?

Why is nursing important to you

or your family?
 Parts of Speech Overview
Part of Speech Example (Nursing)

Noun nurse, hospital

Pronoun she, it
Verb examine, treat
Adjective sick, healthy
Adverb gently, daily
Preposition on, under, at
Conjunction and, but
Interjection oh!, wow!
“The nurse gives medicine daily to the
patient.”
 Let’s do practice
1. Oh! The nurse gave him a strong injection quickly in the arm, but he didn’t cry.

2. Wow! The doctor told her to be gentle while she spoke softly to the child and she
obeyed.

3. Hey! The patient said he felt better after taking medicine regularly under the
nurse’s care, and he smiled.

4. Alas! The baby cried when she removed the tight bandage gently from the wound,
but calmed down soon.

5. Ouch! The student said he injected the wrong medicine accidentally into the vein,
and reported it.

6. Hurray! The nurses clapped when we completed the final project successfully on
hospital care, and celebrated.
 Simple Tense
Tense Type Structure Example

Simple Present Affirmative Subject + V1 + Object I check the patient.

Negative Subject + do/does + not + V1 + Object I do not check the patient.

Interrogative Do/Does + Subject + V1 + Object? Do you check the patient?

Simple Past Affirmative Subject + V2 + Object I checked the patient.

Negative Subject + did + not + V1 + Object I did not check the patient.

Interrogative Did + Subject + V1 + Object? Did you check the patient?

Simple Future Affirmative Subject + will + V1 + Object I will check the patient.

Negative Subject + will + not + V1 + Object I will not check the patient.

Interrogative Will + Subject + V1 + Object? Will you check the patient?

 Continuous Tenses
Tense Type Structure Example

Present Continuous Affirmative Subject + am/is/are + V1+ing + Object I am checking the patient.

Negative Subject + am/is/are + not + V1+ing + Object I am not checking the patient.

Interrogative Am/Is/Are + Subject + V1+ing + Object? Are you checking the patient?

Past Continuous Affirmative Subject + was/were + V1+ing + Object I was checking the patient.

Negative Subject + was/were + not + V1+ing + Object I was not checking the patient.

Interrogative Was/Were + Subject + V1+ing + Object? Were you checking the patient?

Future Continuous Affirmative Subject + will be + V1+ing + Object I will be checking the patient.

Negative Subject + will not be + V1+ing + Object I will not be checking the patient.

Interrogative Will + Subject + be + V1+ing + Object? Will you be checking the patient?
 Perfect Tenses
Tense Type Structure Example

Present Perfect Affirmative Subject + has/have + V3 + Object I have completed the report.

Negative Subject + has/have + not + V3 + Object I have not completed the report.

Interrogative Has/Have + Subject + V3 + Object? Have you completed the report?

Past Perfect Affirmative Subject + had + V3 + Object I had completed the report.

Negative Subject + had + not + V3 + Object I had not completed the report.

Interrogative Had + Subject + V3 + Object? Had you completed the report?

Future Perfect Affirmative Subject + will have + V3 + Object I will have completed the report.

Negative Subject + will not have + V3 + Object I will not have completed the report.

Interrogative Will + Subject + have + V3 + Object? Will you have completed the report?
 NURSING EVENT CARDS TABLE
Part A: Patient Care Part B: Clinical Tasks Part C: Administrative Tasks

Checked patient’s temperature Given an injection Written a patient’s report

Assisted a patient to walk Cleaned a wound Updated medical charts

Helped in feeding Monitored blood pressure Filed patient documents

Changed bed sheets Collected blood samples Sent an email to doctor

Bathed a patient Dressed a wound Filled in discharge forms

Comforted a crying patient Sanitized equipment Answered the phone

Gave oral medicine Adjusted IV drip Booked an appointment

Taken a patient to X-ray room Measured oxygen levels Submitted stock requests

Applied ointment Cleaned the catheter Entered vitals into system

Observed breathing pattern Removed stitches Reported a case to the supervisor

 Perfect Continuous Tenses
Tense Type Structure Example

Present Perfect Affirmative Subject + has/have + been + V1+ing + Object I have been writing the report.
Continuous

Negative Subject + has/have + not + been + V1+ing + Object I have not been writing the report.

Interrogative Has/Have + Subject + been + V1+ing + Object? Have you been writing the report?

Past Perfect Continuous Affirmative Subject + had + been + V1+ing + Object I had been writing the report.

Negative Subject + had + not + been + V1+ing + Object I had not been writing the report.

Interrogative Had + Subject + been + V1+ing + Object? Had you been writing the report?

Future Perfect Affirmative Subject + will have been + V1+ing + Object I will have been writing the report.
Continuous

Negative Subject + will not have been + V1+ing + Object I will not have been writing the report.

Interrogative Will + Subject + have been + V1+ing + Object? Will you have been writing the report?
 NURSING EVENT CARDS TABLE
Part A: Ongoing Patient Care Part B: Repetitive Medical Tasks Part C: Long Administrative Work

Assisting a patient to walk Monitoring a patient’s pulse Updating patient records

Feeding patients Checking IV lines Entering data into the system

Observing patient's breathing Taking temperature readings repeatedly Writing case notes

Talking to a lonely patient Applying medicines to multiple patients Arranging discharge papers

Holding a patient during procedure Cleaning the same wound multiple times Filling medicine stock forms

Supporting a faint patient Giving oral medicine to 5+ patients Organizing patient files

Helping in lifting patients Measuring BP of each patient on the floor Preparing shift report

Massaging an old patient’s legs Drawing blood for multiple tests Copying prescriptions from charts

Calming down a crying child Changing dressings in all rooms Waiting at the nurse’s station for a file
 Let’s Talk Modals: Use in Hospital Talk
Modal Verb Example Sentence Usage / Meaning

can Can you move your hand? Ability / Permission

should You should take rest. Advice / Suggestion

must You must wear gloves. Strong obligation / Necessity

may May I check your BP? Formal Permission / Possibility

will I will bring the file. Future Intent / Promise

 Fill in the Blanks with the Correct Modal

1. You ______ wash your hands before the injection.

2. ______ I help you sit up on the bed?

3. The nurse ______ bring the report in the next round.

4. Patients ______ stay hydrated during medication.

5. You ______ not skip the daily dressing.

Rewrite the Sentences Using the Correct
Modal
Change the verbs in brackets using can, should, must, may, will:

1. The patient (drink) water after taking the tablet.

2. The doctor (visit) the ICU tomorrow.

3. (I/help) you with the wheelchair?

4. You (not/touch) the wound without gloves.

5. We (submit) the report today itself.

 Modal Auxiliaries
Modal Use Example (Nursing Context)
Can Ability / Permission I can lift the patient. Can I help you?
Could Past ability / polite Could you bring the file, please?
request
May Permission / possibility May I take your temperature?
Might Weak possibility The patient might have fever.
Shall Suggestion (formal) Shall we begin the report?
 Modal Auxiliaries
Should Advice / expectation You should wear gloves.
Must Strong necessity / rule You must sanitize your hands.
Will Future / certainty I will check the file now.
Would Politeness / conditional Would you please wait outside?
Need to Necessity / requirement You need to fill the chart.
Ought to Moral duty We ought to respect our
patients.
 Nurse Drama: What Should I
🏥 Scenario Title
Do?
Situation Description

Emergency Ward A patient faints suddenly. What should the nurse do? What must the attendant
Panic do?

Late for Duty A nurse arrives late. She gives excuses. The head nurse gives rules using
modals.

New Nurse A senior nurse explains the duties to a new joiner using must, should, can, may.
Orientation

Missing Medicine Medicine is missing from the trolley. Team discusses what could have happened.
Drama

Health Camp Students guide villagers using should, must, may (e.g., "You should drink clean
water.")

Doctor Inspection Nurses prepare the ward using modals to guide each other.
Day
 WH-Questions
WH-Word Used For Example (Nursing Context)
What Asking for things What medicine did you give?
Where Asking for place Where is the patient file?
When Asking for time When will the doctor visit?
Who Asking about Who is the on-duty nurse?
person
Whom Asking object of Whom did you inform? (Less common in
verb speech)
Whose Asking about Whose report is this?
possession
Why Asking for reason Why was the injection delayed?
Which Asking choice Which medicine should I give first?
How Asking in what way How do you check blood pressure?
How Quantity How much glucose should I add?
much (uncountable)
How Quantity How many patients are in Ward A?
many (countable)
How Duration How long have you been working today?
long
How Frequency How often do you change bandages?
often
 💡 Sample Role Play Scenarios:
Scene Title Prompt Description
“Emergency Ward Vlog” Nurse influencer shows daily duties using modals + WH-
questions.

“New Nurse Interview” One student acts like interviewer; the other as nervous new
nurse.

“Health Tips with Sister A nurse gives health tips to villagers or juniors in vlog style.
Meena”

“Hospital Gossip Café” Nurses chatting in the canteen using modals to gossip
professionally 😄

“Doctor’s Rounds Nurse reports to doctor using must, should, may, etc. with
Drama” questions.
 Transforming
Direct
to Indirect Speech
 📍 Tense Change Rules in Detail

Direct Speech Tense Indirect Speech Tense

Simple Present Simple Past Will Would

Present Continuous Past Continuous Shall Should / Would

Present Perfect Past Perfect Can Could

May Might
Present Perfect Continuous Past Perfect Continuous
Must Had to
Simple Past Past Perfect
Might / Would / No change
Past Continuous Past Perfect Continuous Could
⏳ Time & Place Words
Direct Speech Indirect Speech

now then

today that day

yesterday the day before

tomorrow the next day

last night the previous night

next week the following week

here there

this that

these those
 💡 Requests / Suggestions /
Advice- Pronoun Changes
Direct Indirect Form
Form

“Please requested me to… Direct Indirect

…”
I → he/she you → me/him/her
“You advised me to…
we → they my → his/her
should…
” your → my/their our → their
“Let’s…” suggested that we should… /
suggested doing…

“Shall suggested that we…

we…?”
 Yes/No Questions WH-Questions

Aspect Rule / Change Aspect Rule / Change

Reporting asked if / asked whether Reporting asked + WH-word
Verb Verb
Remove Use statement order Keep (who, what, where, when, why,
Question (Subject + Verb) Question how)
Form Word
Pronouns Change as per context Sentence Change to statement order
Order
Example “Do you feel cold?” → He
asked if I felt cold. Example “Where is the nurse?” → He asked
where the nurse was.
✏️Practice Examples:

🔹 Statements:

1. Direct: She said, “I am tired.”

➤ Indirect: She said that she was tired.

2. Direct: The nurse said, “The patient is

stable.”
➤ Indirect: The nurse said that the
patient was stable.
 ✏️Practice Examples:
Yes/No Questions: 🔹 WH-Questions:
3. Direct: The doctor asked, 5. Direct: He asked, “Where is the
“Are you feeling better?” patient’s file?”
➤ Indirect: The doctor asked ➤ Indirect: He asked where the
if I was feeling better. patient’s file was.

4. Direct: She asked, “Have you 6. Direct: The doctor asked, “What
taken the medicine?” is your problem?”
➤ Indirect: She asked ➤ Indirect: The doctor asked
whether I had taken the what my problem was.
medicine.
 ✏️Practice Examples:
🔹 Commands and Requests: 🔹 Advice / Suggestions:
7. Direct: The nurse said, “Wash 9. Direct: The senior nurse said,
your hands.” “You should wear gloves.”
➤ Indirect: The nurse told me to ➤ Indirect: The senior nurse
wash my hands. advised me to wear gloves.

8. Direct: The doctor said, “Please 10. Direct: He said, “Let’s check the
take rest.” report again.”
➤ Indirect: The doctor requested ➤ Indirect: He suggested that
me to take rest. we check the report again.
Thank
You