The articles with scientific writing

Members help members on grammar, vocab, pronunciation...

Moderator: EC

Post Reply
User avatar
pjaneczek
Member
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Dec 30, 2022 5:26 pm
Status: Learner of English
Location: Suffolk

The articles with scientific writing

Post by pjaneczek »

Hi friends!

I work at a microbiology laboratory and English isn't my first language. I have to write short and formal comments on the system.

I struggle to put the determiners in the right place in this comment:
'_clotted sample received. Unsuitable for _cell count. White blood cells were determined from _Gram stain.'

Do I need the articles in this comment or not? And most important why?

Thank you.
User avatar
Joe
Admin/Teacher
Admin/Teacher
Posts: 1788
Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2003 6:56 am
Status: Teacher of English
Location: England

Re: The articles with scientific writing

Post by Joe »

pjaneczek wrote: Fri Dec 30, 2022 6:02 pm Hi friends!

I work at a microbiology laboratory and English isn't my first language. I have to write short and formal comments on the system.

I struggle to put the determiners in the right place in this comment:
'_clotted sample received. Unsuitable for _cell count. White blood cells were determined from _Gram stain.'

Do I need the articles in this comment or not? And most important why?

Thank you.
If I understand the comment, I would say no, the main reason being that the whole thing is abbreviated. If you're cutting verbs you might as well cut determiners.

The third part stands out. It probably could be:

White blood cells were determined from a Gram stain.

OR

White blood cells determined from Gram stain.
"We are not wholly bad or good, who live our lives under Milk Wood :-| " — Dylan Thomas, Under Milk Wood

eBooks: English Prepositions List | Essential Business Words | Learn English in Seven
Post Reply