Health and Illness Vocabulary in English
Do more with this exercise
Learn the words you need when you are ill: pains and illnesses, people and places that help you, and things to do to get better. Read each word and its example, then do the exercises. Use should, must and have to to give advice.
How do you feel?
illnot well: you feel bad in your body
My mother is ill today.
sickill (the usual word in American English)
My son is sick and can't go to school.
wellnot ill: in good health
I don't feel very well today.
tiredyou want to sleep or rest
I'm very tired after the trip.
Pains and illnesses
headachepain in your head
I have a headache.
stomachachepain in your stomach
She has a stomachache after lunch.
toothachepain in your tooth
My brother has a toothache.
sore throatwhen your throat hurts, for example when you talk or eat
I have a sore throat and a cough.
cougha loud noise from your throat when you are ill
I've got a bad cough.
colda small illness that gives you a sore throat and a cough
I have a cold, so I'm staying at home.
flua bad illness like a cold, but worse
Half of my class has the flu.
fevera very hot body when you are ill
The child has a fever and a headache.
hurtto feel pain
My feet hurt.
Doctors, hospitals and medicine
doctora person who helps ill people
You should see a doctor.
nursea person who works with doctors in a hospital
The nurse is very kind.
dentista doctor for your teeth
I go to the dentist twice a year.
hospital
My mother works in a hospital.
ambulance
Call an ambulance! Quickly!
appointmenta time to see a doctor
I have an appointment with the doctor at 3 p.m.
medicinewhat you take when you are ill to get better
You must take this medicine every day.
tableta small medicine that you take with water (more common in British English)
Take one tablet after lunch.
pilla small medicine that you take with water (more common in American English)
I take a pill every morning.
What should you do?
restto stop work and relax
You should rest and drink water.
stay in bednot to get up
You have to stay in bed today.
see a doctorto go and talk to a doctor
If it hurts, you should see a doctor.
take medicineto use medicine when you are ill
I take medicine for my cold.
Practice exercises
Match the Words
Match each word with its picture or meaning.
Choose a word on the left, then its match on the right.
Choose the Correct Word
Choose the correct word for each sentence.
8.My head hurts. I have a ___.
9.You have a fever. You ___ stay in bed.
10.You must ___ a doctor if you have a high fever.
11.I have a toothache, so I have an appointment with the ___.
12.My feet ___ after the long walk.
13.I'm tired, so I have to ___.
14.In the USA, people often say ___ for tablet.
Fill in the Blank
Type the missing word.
Health and illness in English
When you are ill, you can say what hurts: I have a headache, a stomachache, a toothache or a sore throat. You can also say my head hurts or my feet hurt. A cold is a small illness, and the flu is worse. With a fever, your body is very hot.
In British English, people say ill. In American English, they usually say sick. Both mean not well. To say you are fine, use well: I don't feel very well today.
Doctors, nurses and dentists help you. You make an appointment, go to the doctor, and take medicine. If it is an emergency, call an ambulance and go to the hospital. A small medicine that you take with water is often a tablet in British English and a pill in American English.
To give advice, use should: You should rest and drink water. For something more important, use must or have to: You must take this medicine. She has to stay in bed. After all of these words, use the base verb.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between ill and sick?
Both mean not well. Ill is common in British English: I'm ill. Sick is common in American English: I'm sick. In British English, to be sick also means to vomit, so ill is safer.
Do I say a headache or headache?
Say I have a headache. For pains with ache, we use a: a headache, a stomachache, a toothache. In British English, many people also say toothache without a. We also say my head hurts, and my feet hurt.
What is the difference between a cold and the flu?
A cold is a small illness: you have a sore throat, a cough and you feel a little bad. The flu is worse: you often have a fever and you stay in bed. We say a cold, but the flu.
Should, must or have to for advice?
Use should for advice: You should rest. Use must or have to when it is very important: You must take this medicine. She has to stay in bed.
Is it tablet or pill?
Both mean a small medicine that you take with water. Tablet is more common in British English and pill is more common in American English. Medicine is the general word, and it is uncountable.
Answer key
1. hospital
Answer: 🏥
A hospital is a big building where doctors and nurses help ill people.
2. ambulance
Answer: 🚑
An ambulance is a special car that takes ill people to the hospital.
3. headache
Answer: pain in your head
A headache is pain in your head. Head + ache.
4. toothache
Answer: pain in your tooth
Toothache is pain in your tooth. Tooth + ache.
5. dentist
Answer: a doctor for your teeth
You go to the dentist when you have a problem with a tooth.
6. fever
Answer: a very hot body when you are ill
A fever is a high temperature. Your body is very hot.
7. appointment
Answer: a time to see a doctor
You make an appointment to see a doctor at a certain time.
8. My head hurts. I have a ___.
Answer: headache
Head + ache = headache. The pain is in your head.
9. You have a fever. You ___ stay in bed.
Answer: should
Use should + a verb to give advice: you should stay in bed.
10. You must ___ a doctor if you have a high fever.
Answer: see
We say see a doctor. Look and watch are not used with doctors.
11. I have a toothache, so I have an appointment with the ___.
Answer: dentist
A dentist is a doctor for your teeth.
12. My feet ___ after the long walk.
Answer: hurt
My feet is plural, so there is no s: my feet hurt.
13. I'm tired, so I have to ___.
Answer: rest
After have to, use a verb: have to rest. Sick and fever are not verbs.
14. In the USA, people often say ___ for tablet.
Answer: pill
A tablet is a small medicine. In American English, people often call it a pill.
15. I have a sore ___ and I can't talk.
Answer: throat
A sore throat is pain when you talk or eat.
16. You have a fever. You should ___ a doctor.
Answer: see
You should see a doctor. Call a doctor and visit a doctor are also possible.
17. Take one ___ after lunch. It's your medicine.
Answer: tablet
Tablet is more common in British English and pill in American English. Both are correct.
18. Anna has a fever. She ___ to stay in bed.
Answer: has
She is he/she/it, so we say has to: she has to stay in bed.
19. Call an ___! He can't walk.
Answer: ambulance
An ambulance takes people to the hospital.
20. I don't feel ___. I think I have the flu.
Answer: well
I don't feel well means I feel ill. I don't feel good is also correct.
21. The doctor says: "You ___ drink a lot of water."
Answer: should
Use should or must + a verb for advice: you should drink, you must drink.