Casa ESL · A1 Beginner · Unit 12 of 20 · Step 1

Health & Body

The Body & Feeling Ill

✓Name parts of the body in English
✓Use 'I have + ailment' to say you feel ill
✓Have a simple conversation at the doctor's

Name

Date

Vocabulary

head

noun

The top part of your body with your face and brain.

"My head hurts."

arm

noun

The part of your body from your shoulder to your hand.

"I broke my arm last year."

leg

noun

The part of your body you use to walk and stand.

"My leg is sore from running."

stomach

noun

The organ in your body that digests food.

"I have a pain in my stomach."

cold

noun

A common illness with a runny nose and coughing.

"I have a cold and I feel terrible."

fever

noun

A high body temperature caused by illness.

"The doctor said I have a fever."

pain

noun

An unpleasant feeling in a part of your body.

"I have a pain in my back."

medicine

noun

A substance you take to treat an illness.

"Take this medicine twice a day."

Grammar Focus

I have + ailment (I have a headache / a cold / a fever)

Use 'I have a' or 'I have' before the name of an illness or body problem.

I have a headache.

She has a cold.

He has a fever and he feels terrible.

I have a pain in my stomach.

Exercises

Exercise 1

Fill in the blank with the correct illness or body word.

1. I cannot walk. I have a pain in my .

2. She is sneezing. She has a .

3. His temperature is 39 degrees. He has a .

4. I cannot eat. I have a ache.

5. The doctor gave me some to take.

Exercise 2

Match the symptom to the likely problem.

1. runny nose and sneezinga cold
2. high temperaturea fever
3. pain when eatinga stomachache
4. pain above your eyesa headache
5. difficulty walkinga leg injury

Reading

At the Doctor's

Paul does not feel well today. He has a headache and a fever. He goes to the doctor. The doctor asks: 'What is wrong?' Paul says: 'I have a pain in my head and I feel hot.' The doctor checks his temperature. It is 38.5 degrees. The doctor says: 'You have a cold. Rest at home and drink a lot of water.' She gives Paul some medicine. He goes home and rests.

1. What symptoms does Paul have?

2. What does the doctor tell Paul to do?

Speaking

Discuss these questions with a partner or your teacher.

1How do you feel today? Do you have any aches or pains?
2Role-play a doctor's appointment. One person is the doctor, one is the patient.

Writing

Write 3–5 sentences about a time you felt ill. What was wrong? What did you do?

Example: Last week I had a bad cold. I had a headache and a sore throat. I stayed at home and took medicine. After three days I felt better.

Answer Key — For Teacher Use

Exercise 1

1. leg · 2. cold · 3. fever · 4. stom · 5. medicine

Exercise 2

1. runny nose and sneezing → a cold · 2. high temperature → a fever · 3. pain when eating → a stomachache · 4. pain above your eyes → a headache · 5. difficulty walking → a leg injury

Reading Comprehension

1. Paul has a headache and a fever. · 2. The doctor tells Paul to rest at home and drink a lot of water.

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