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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak

CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com

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decline to consent

Grammar usage guide and real-world examples

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "decline to consent" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is typically used to express a situation in which someone is refusing to give their permission or approval for something. For example, "Jane declined to consent to the request to have more work added to her job duties."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Individuals can decline to consent to taking part in the study and their medical care will not be affected.

In conventional controlled trials, subjects may decline to consent because of their a priori preferences for one of the treatments, or their outcomes may be worse because of poor adherence or a negative placebo-like effect.

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

She declined to consent to such an arrangement.

News & Media

The New York Times

We approached 209 patients for potential enrollment, 61 declined to consent.

These trials had a mean of 25% missing data, with one [79] unable to account for outcomes of almost 50% of randomised participants, who later declined to consent to study procedures (although this dropout was equal across both trial arms).

Of these, 98 patients were recruited and 8 patients could not be studied either because they declined to consent to participate in the study (n = 6) or because they returned home to Lao PDR (across the Mekong River from Thailand) before the culture became positive and follow up was not possible (n = 2).

Science

Plosone

The observed clinicians obtained patient consents prior to each encounter and no patients declined to consent.

Almost all (>90%) persons who refused participation did not give a reason for why they declined to consent.

People declining to consent were mostly older compared with the study participants (mean (SD) 64 (7) versus 58 (8) years, respectively).

If a school declines to consent the next school on the list will be invited, following the same procedure above.

In this census survey, 27% of patients without an AVF were adjudged not to be suitable for this on technical grounds, or declined to consent to the procedure.

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Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about research studies or medical procedures, use "decline to consent" to clearly indicate that individuals have the right to refuse participation. For instance, ensure that the participant is informed of their right to "withdraw consent" at any time.

Common error

Avoid using "decline to consent" interchangeably with simply "disagreeing". "Decline to consent" implies a formal process where consent is explicitly requested, whereas "disagreeing" can refer to a broader range of situations.

Antonio Rotolo, PhD - Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Antonio Rotolo, PhD

Digital Humanist | Computational Linguist | CEO @Ludwig.guru

Source & Trust

83%

Authority and reliability

4.5/5

Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Linguistic Context

The phrase "decline to consent" functions primarily as a verb phrase. It is used to describe the action of refusing to give permission or approval for something, especially in contexts where formal consent is required. Ludwig provides examples across various domains where this phrase is used to indicate a refusal of permission or participation.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "decline to consent" is a phrase used to formally express the refusal to give permission or approval, often in medical, research, and legal contexts. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and commonly used. While alternatives like "refuse consent" or "withhold consent" exist, "decline to consent" provides a clear and professional tone. This phrase appears most frequently in scientific and news sources, indicating its importance in formal documentation and reporting.

FAQs

What does "decline to consent" mean?

"Decline to consent" means to refuse to give permission or approval for something. It's often used in medical or research contexts when individuals are asked to provide their "informed consent".

How is "decline to consent" used in a sentence?

You can use "decline to consent" in sentences like, "The patient "refused to consent" to the surgery after learning about the risks" or "Many participants "declined to participate", and therefore declined to consent to the study.".

What are some alternatives to "decline to consent"?

Alternatives include "refuse consent", "withhold consent", "not give permission", or "opt out", depending on the context.

Is it better to say "decline to consent" or "refuse to consent"?

Both "decline to consent" and "refuse to consent" are correct and have similar meanings. "Decline" may sound slightly more formal than "refuse", but they are largely interchangeable.

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Source & Trust

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Authority and reliability

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Expert rating

Real-world application tested

Most frequent sentences: