he was HIV-negative

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "he was HIV-negative" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in medical or health-related contexts to indicate that an individual does not have the HIV virus. Example: "After undergoing testing, he was relieved to find out that he was HIV-negative."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

Formal & Business

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

He was HIV-negative.

International Journal of Emergency Medicine

Nearly one-quarter (23%) reported that her primary sexual partner was HIV-positive, 29% reported that he was HIV-negative, and 42% did not know her partner's HIV status.

Plosone

He was HIV-negative with normal CXR and there was no AFB in three consecutive (spot-early morning-spot) sputum samples (induced in two occasions).

BMC Infectious Diseases

"When my son was a year-and-a-half, we did the Elisa test [an HIV detection test] and he was HIV-negative," María said.

Unicef

Among those who believed a partner would assume he was HIV-negative if he insisted on using condoms, reduced concern about HIV due to ART increased the likelihood of belonging to the outcome group.

BMC Public Health

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Since he was HIV negative, the HIV had to come from another source, which turned out to be one of the physician's patients, while another patient had hepatitis C. A phylogenetic analysis of the woman's HIV DNA sequence clustered with another patients HIV sequence: the physician had used the tainted blood in a vitamin injection given to the mistress in August 1994.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

We didn't use a condom and I incorrectly assumed, because I had asked if he was safe, that he was HIV negative.

Huffington Post

He was HIV negative but EBV positive and had cancer cells in the CSF.

BMC Pediatrics

The donor had no apparent risk factors; he was HIV negative with no exposure to steroids or other immunosuppressants.

CKJ: Clinical Kidney Journal

He drank the muti and when he went back to test he was told he was HIV negative.

Global Health Action

Expectations of HIV status disclosure prior to sex were assessed separately for HIV-positive and HIV-negative partners, each with one item: "I'd expect an HIV-positive man to tell me he was HIV positive before we had sex", and "I'd expect an HIV-negative man to tell me he was HIV negative before we had sex".

AIDS Care - Psychological and Socio-Medical Aspects of AIDS/HIV

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In sensitive contexts, provide additional information about the testing methodology or timing if relevant to avoid ambiguity or misinterpretations.

Common error

Avoid using "he was HIV-negative" to describe his current status if he has been tested recently. Instead, use "he is HIV-negative" to indicate his current status based on the latest test.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "he was HIV-negative" functions as a statement of a past medical condition or test result. The verb 'was' indicates the past tense, and 'HIV-negative' acts as a predicate adjective describing his condition at that time. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

40%

Formal & Business

30%

News & Media

30%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "he was HIV-negative" is grammatically sound and commonly used to denote a past HIV test result. Ludwig AI confirms this. Its primary function is to state a medical fact, often within scientific, business, or news contexts. When using the phrase, ensure that the tense aligns with the timeline you are describing, as there is a distinction between past ("he was") and present ("he is") status. Related phrases include "he tested negative for HIV" and "he is not HIV-positive". While generally neutral in register, accuracy and context are key in sensitive discussions about HIV status.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

he tested negative for HIV

Replaces 'was' with 'tested' emphasizing the act of testing and result.

his HIV test came back negative

Focuses on the test result itself being negative.

he is not HIV-positive

Uses the opposite phrasing to indicate a negative status.

he is free from HIV

Emphasizes the absence of the virus in his system.

he does not have HIV

States directly that he is not infected with HIV.

he's been cleared of HIV

Implies a formal clearance or confirmation of his negative status.

he showed no signs of HIV

Highlights the absence of any indicators of HIV infection.

he's confirmed HIV-negative

Adds emphasis on the confirmation of the result.

he remains HIV-negative

Suggests a continuous or ongoing negative status.

HIV was not detected in him

Focuses on the lack of detection of the virus.

FAQs

What is the difference between "he was HIV-negative" and "he is HIV-negative"?

"He was HIV-negative" indicates a past test result, while "he is HIV-negative" indicates the current status. Use "he was" for historical context and "he is" for present circumstances.

What are some alternatives to saying "he was HIV-negative"?

Alternatives include "he tested negative for HIV", "his HIV test came back negative", or simply "he is not HIV-positive".

Is it appropriate to use "he was HIV-negative" in formal writing?

Yes, "he was HIV-negative" is appropriate in formal writing, particularly in medical or research contexts. Ensure that the tense aligns with the timeline you're describing.

How do I use "he was HIV-negative" in a sentence?

Example: "During the initial examination, he was HIV-negative, which ruled out certain opportunistic infections".