Proofreading of two passages

[Rachel Adams]

Hello.
Both passages are written by me. Which of the two passages sound more natural? It is an answer to the question if cancer patients should be told the truth.
"Terminally ill patients should be told the truth. Maybe they have some things they want to finish or maybe they have wishes they want to fulfill or just spend the rest of time in the way they want."

"Terminally ill patients should be told the truth. They may have unfinished business and may want to spend the time they have left/the time that is left for them in a particular way." Or "The time that is left for them."

 

[emsr2d2]

I wrote both the passages below. [STRIKE]are written by me.[/STRIKE] Which [STRIKE]of the two passages[/STRIKE] sounds more natural? It is an answer to the question [STRIKE]if[/STRIKE] of whether cancer patients should be told the truth.

1. "Terminally ill patients should be told the truth. Maybe they have some things they want to finish, or [STRIKE]maybe they have[/STRIKE] wishes they want to fulfill, or they just want to spend the rest of their time in the way they want."

2. "Terminally ill patients should be told the truth. They may have unfinished business and may want to spend the time they have left[STRIKE]/the time that is left for them[/STRIKE] in a particular way." [STRIKE]Or "The time that is left for them."[/STRIKE]

Note my changes above. "... the time they have left" is the standard way of saying it (in BrE, at least). I would say "I believe that terminally ill patients should be told the truth about their prognosis. That way, they can choose how to spend the/whatever time they have left".

 

[Rachel Adams]

Note my changes above. "... the time they have left" is the standard way of saying it (in BrE, at least). I would say "I believe that terminally ill patients should be told the truth about their prognosis. That way, they can choose how to spend the/whatever time they have left".

If I use "this" or "it" instead of "that", it would sound unnatural. For example, "If a member of my family is terminally ill, I think it would be better to tell them about that." Right?
I did some research... "It" "this" and "that" can all be used but "it" doesn't give any special emphasis."This/that" both do. "This" is preferred when there is more to say about the new subject of discussion. Then if I understand correctly none of them is wrong in my sentence. I was using "Practical English Usage" by Michael Swan.

I also added "that" after "wishes" but removed it later. "Maybe he has some wishes that he wants to fulfill."

 

[Tarheel]

If I use "this" or "it" instead of "that", it would sound unnatural. For example, "If a member of my family is terminally ill, I think it would be best to tell them."

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

If I use "this" or "it" instead of "that", it would sound unnatural. For example, "If a member of my family is terminally ill, I think it would be better to tell them about that." Right?

Do you mean the word I underlined? All three are grammatical and mean the same thing, but it is the most natural.

I did some research... "It" "this" and "that" can all be used but "it" doesn't give any special emphasis."This/that" both do. "This" is preferred when there is more to say about the new subject of discussion. Then if I understand correctly none of them is wrong in my sentence. I was using "Practical English Usage" by Michael Swan.

You and Swan are right. All three are correct.

I also added "that" after "wishes" but removed it later. "Maybe he has some wishes that he wants to fulfill."

I don't see wishes in the quote.

It sounds like the Swan book is good.

Note: Quotation marks are best used just for quotes. For emphasis, italics, bold, underlines, and colors are better.

 

[Rachel Adams]

It sounds like the Swan book is good.

Note: Quotation marks are best used just for quotes. For emphasis, italics, bold, underlines, and colors are better.

Yes, I added it later. "Maybe he has some wishes that he wants to fulfill."
Swan also says that "this" is preferred when there is more to say. In my sentence I also added more information by saying that "maybe the patient has some things he wants to do, etc. So I am also adding new information. Thus in this sentence "If a member of my family is terminally ill, I think it would be better to tell them about this/that/it.For emphasis "this/that." "It" is general. Or as they book says doesn't give any special emphasis but I can still use it. "This" is preferred when just as in my sentence there is more to say about the new subject of discussion.

 

[Tarheel]

If a member of my family is terminally ill, I think it would be better to tell them about this/that/it.

Try:

If a member of my family is terminally ill I think it would be best to tell them.