Читать книгу Writing: B2+ - Els Geyte Van - Страница 30

Look at the following conclusion:

The institute for health improvement has identified that an open visiting policy in intensive care units is an important aspect of quality improvement. (1) The aim of this paper was to evaluate and compare the benefits and risks of open and restricted visiting policies. (2) Although the advantages and benefits of visitors for patients have been reported in various studies, the risks and disadvantages have also been discussed.

(3) It is difficult to adapt the same visiting policy across intensive care units and every situation should be assessed on an individual basis. To avoid any adverse effects of visits on staff and patients, staff should be educated on visitor needs and behaviour, and also brochures should be developed and provided which outline the visiting policies.

Notice how the student repeats the aim of the paper in sentence (1). He also says what type of evidence has been discussed in the essay in sentence (2). The overall conclusion and recommendations come at the end (3).

Have a look at the tenses used in the underlined words in the conclusion above. The aim has now been fulfilled, so is referred to in the past simple. The essay itself is not completely finished yet, so the present perfect is used: this tense provides a link between the past and the present. In conclusions that refer to concrete facts, the present tense is used. Recommendations are often made by using ‘should’.

Exercise 4

Answer the following questions.

1  Fill in the correct verb forms in the following sentences, taken from conclusions.

1 This essay (to discuss)________________the economic factors that contributed to …

2 In this essay, I (argue)________________that globalization is not a recent phenomenon.

3 This essay (explore)________________the causes of the conflict …

1  What tense did you use in sentences a–c?

2  The following sentences summarize the evidence and give an indication of their importance. You need to use a different tense here. Which one and why?

1 These findings (to suggest)________________that …

2 The evidence (to seem)________________to indicate that …

3 A consequence of this (to be)________________that …