At the doctor's office

What's in the lesson

1. 1Warm-up
2. 2In this lesson
3. 3Guess the words (1)Vocabulary exercise
4. 4Guess the words (2)Vocabulary exercise
5. 5Check the wordsVocabulary
6. 6Check your understandingReading comprehension
7. 7Listen: a message for the doctorListening comprehension
8. 8Use the new wordsVocabulary exercise
9. 9What did they ask?Grammar exercise
10. 10Reported questions and requestsGrammar rule
11. 11Report the questionGrammar exercise
12. 12Say it naturallySpeaking practice
13. 13Role-play: at the doctor'sSpeaking practice
14. 14Let's discussDiscussion
15. 15Wrap-up

Homework

1. 1Homework: closest meaningVocabulary exercise
2. 2Homework: your sentencesVocabulary exercise
3. 3Homework: what did the nurse ask?Grammar exercise
4. 4Homework: a message for the doctorDiscussion

Words

• symptom/ˈsɪmptəm/

  a sign that you are sick, like a fever or a cough

• appointment/əˈpɔɪntmənt/

  a time that you arrange to see a doctor, a dentist or another professional

• examine/ɪɡˈzæmɪn/

  to look at someone carefully to find out what is wrong

• prescription/prɪˈskrɪpʃn/

  an order from a doctor that lets you get a medicine

• pharmacy/ˈfɑːrməsi/

  a store where you can get medicine

• painkiller/ˈpeɪnkɪlər/

  a medicine that makes pain go away

• allergic/əˈlɜːrdʒɪk/

  having a bad reaction to something, like a food or a plant (allergic to something)

• dizzy/ˈdɪzi/

  feeling that everything is turning around you

• rash/ræʃ/

  red, often itchy spots on your skin

• sprain/spreɪn/

  to hurt your ankle or wrist by turning it suddenly

Two slides from the lesson

Warm-up

Let's talk about health.

1. When did you last see a doctor? What was it for?
2. Do you go to the doctor quickly, or do you wait until you feel really bad?
3. Would you feel comfortable explaining a health problem in English?

Grammar rule

Reported questions and requests

Yes / no questions: ask if (or whether) + statement order

"Do you have a fever?" → She asked if I had a fever. (not She asked if did I have)

Wh- questions: ask + wh- word + statement order

"Where does it hurt?" → She asked where it hurt. (not where did it hurt)

Requests: ask someone (not) to do something

"Please sit down." → He asked me to sit down. · "Please don't eat anything." → He asked me not to eat anything.

As in reported statements, the tense usually moves back: "Are you taking anything?" → She asked if I was taking anything. A reported question has no question mark: She asked where it hurt. If it is still true, you can keep the present: She asked where I live.