Exercise 1
Choose the correct word to complete each sentence about health and the body.
Example: I have a pain in my ___. (head / hand / heart)
Answer: I have a pain in my head.
Health and the Body
Your body is amazing! Every day, you use different parts of your body to walk, talk, eat, and feel. It is also important to talk about your health — how you feel and what happens when you are sick or well.
In this lesson, you will learn essential English words for parts of the body, common health problems, and everyday health actions. These words are very useful for talking to a doctor, a friend, or a family member.
A Simple Situation
Read this short conversation:
Anna feels sick today. She has a headache and a sore throat. Her mother says, "You need to rest and drink water." Anna calls the doctor and makes an appointment.
In this lesson, you will learn all the words in bold and many more!
Key Vocabulary & Meaning Breakdown
1. Parts of the Body
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech & Meaning | Example Sentence | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| head | noun — the top part of your body, where your brain is | I wear a hat on my head in winter. | Also: headache = pain in the head |
| eye | noun — the part of your face that you use to see | She has big brown eyes. | Plural: eyes |
| ear | noun — the part of your head that you use to hear | He puts his ear close to the door to listen. | Plural: ears |
| nose | noun — the part of your face that you use to smell and breathe | My nose is cold outside. | Common phrase: runny nose |
| mouth | noun — the part of your face that you use to eat and talk | Open your mouth wide for the dentist. | Inside the mouth: teeth, tongue |
| throat | noun — the inside of your neck; used for swallowing and speaking | I have a sore throat today. | Common phrase: sore throat |
| neck | noun — the part of your body that connects your head and shoulders | I wear a scarf around my neck. | Also a verb: to crane your neck (at higher levels) |
| shoulder | noun — the top part of your arm, where your arm joins your body | She carries her bag on her shoulder. | Plural: shoulders |
| arm | noun — the long part of your body from shoulder to hand | He broke his arm playing football. | Plural: arms |
| hand | noun — the part at the end of your arm, with five fingers | She washes her hands before eating. | Parts: fingers, thumb, palm |
| finger | noun — one of the five long parts at the end of your hand | I cut my finger with the knife. | Plural: fingers |
| back | noun — the rear part of your body, from your shoulders to your waist | My back hurts after sitting all day. | Common phrase: backache / back pain |
| stomach | noun — the organ in your body that digests food; also the front of your middle body | I have a pain in my stomach. | Common phrase: stomachache |
| leg | noun — the long part of your body from your hip to your foot | She has long legs. | Plural: legs |
| knee | noun — the joint in the middle of your leg that bends | He hurt his knee when he fell. | Plural: knees |
| foot | noun — the flat part at the bottom of your leg, used for walking | My feet are tired after the long walk. | Irregular plural: feet |
| tooth | noun — one of the hard white parts in your mouth, used for biting and chewing | She brushes her teeth twice a day. | Irregular plural: teeth |
2. Health Problems & Symptoms
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech & Meaning | Example Sentence | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| sick | adjective — not well; having an illness | I feel sick today. I cannot go to school. | Also: ill (more British English) |
| ill | adjective — not healthy; unwell | She is ill and is resting in bed. | Same meaning as sick in British English |
| headache | noun — pain in your head | I have a headache. I need some water. | Say: I have a headache (not I have headache) |
| stomachache | noun — pain in your stomach | He has a stomachache after eating too much. | Also written: stomach ache (two words) |
| cold | noun — a common illness; a runny nose, sore throat, and cough | She has a cold and stays home from work. | Say: I have a cold (not I have cold) |
| cough | noun / verb — a sudden sound and push of air from your throat | He has a bad cough. He coughs all night. | Both noun and verb forms are common |
| fever | noun — a high body temperature; a sign of illness | The child has a fever of 39 degrees. | Also: temperature; Say: have a fever |
| pain | noun — a feeling of hurt in a part of your body | I have a pain in my leg. | Adjective form: painful |
| tired | adjective — feeling a need to rest or sleep | I am very tired after work. | Verb form: to feel tired |
| hurt | verb — to feel pain; to cause pain | My back hurts today. | Irregular: hurt / hurt / hurt |
3. Health Actions & People
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech & Meaning | Example Sentence | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| doctor | noun — a person whose job is to help sick people get better | I go to the doctor when I am ill. | Also: GP (General Practitioner) in British English |
| nurse | noun — a person who works in a hospital and cares for patients | The nurse gives me medicine. | Can be male or female |
| hospital | noun — a large building where sick or injured people are treated | She goes to the hospital after her accident. | Say: go to hospital (British) / go to the hospital (American) |
| medicine | noun — a substance (tablet, liquid, etc.) you take to feel better | Take this medicine twice a day. | Also: medication, tablet, pill |
| rest | verb / noun — to stop activity and relax so your body can recover | You need to rest and sleep when you are ill. | Noun: a good rest |
| exercise | noun / verb — physical activity that keeps your body healthy | She does exercise every morning. | Common phrase: do exercise or go for a walk |
| healthy | adjective — in good health; good for your body | Eat healthy food to stay well. | Opposite: unhealthy |
| well | adjective — in good health; not sick | I feel well today, thank you. | Opposite: unwell |
| appointment | noun — a time you arrange to see a doctor or other professional | I have a doctor's appointment at 10 o'clock. | Phrase: make an appointment |
Collocations & Useful Expressions
Collocations are words that go together naturally in English. Learn these common health collocations at A1 level:
have + a headache / a cold / a fever / a cough / a stomachache
I have a headache today.
She has a cold this week.
feel + sick / ill / tired / well / better
I feel sick this morning.
He feels better after taking the medicine.
see + a doctor
You should see a doctor if you feel ill.
take + medicine / tablets
Take this medicine three times a day.
make + an appointment
I need to make an appointment with my doctor.
go to + hospital / the doctor's
She goes to hospital for her operation.
I go to the doctor's every year.
do + exercise
He does exercise every morning to stay healthy.
drink + water
Drink lots of water when you have a fever.
get + better / worse
I hope you get better soon!
My cold is getting worse.
stay + in bed / at home
You should stay in bed when you have a fever.
Important Differences & Confusing Words
Sick vs Ill
Both sick and ill mean not healthy, but in British English there is a small difference:
- Ill is more common in British English to mean unwell in general.
She is ill and cannot come to school. - Sick can also mean feeling like you want to vomit in British English.
I feel sick on the bus. (= I feel like I want to vomit) - In everyday British English, both words are often used the same way.
I am sick / I am ill. (= I am not well)
Pain vs Ache
- Pain is a general word for any hurt in the body.
I have a pain in my shoulder. - Ache is usually a dull, continuous pain. It is often used in compound words:
headache, stomachache, backache, toothache - You can say both: I have a toothache or I have a pain in my tooth.
Tired vs Sick
- Tired means you need sleep or rest — it is not always an illness.
I am tired after my long day at work. - Sick / ill means your body has a health problem.
I am ill. I have a fever and a cough.
Foot vs Feet
- Foot is singular (one).
My right foot hurts. - Feet is the irregular plural (two or more).
My feet are cold! - Remember: tooth → teeth is also irregular.
I have a toothache. My teeth are very clean.
Common Mistakes
❌ I have headache.
✅ I have a headache. — Always use the article a before headache, cold, fever, and similar health nouns.
❌ My foots hurt.
✅ My feet hurt. — Foot has an irregular plural: feet.
❌ I am sick from three days.
✅ I have been sick for three days. — Use for (not from) to talk about how long you have been ill.
❌ She does a stomachache.
✅ She has a stomachache. — Always use have with health problems, not do.
❌ I go to see the doctor for make an appointment.
✅ I go to make an appointment with the doctor. — Use to + infinitive to explain why you go somewhere.
❌ He is very tire today.
✅ He is very tired today. — Tired is an adjective and must end in -d.
❌ My tooths hurt.
✅ My teeth hurt. — Tooth has an irregular plural: teeth.
❌ I feel pain in my stomatch.
✅ I feel pain in my stomach. — The correct spelling is stomach.
Health and the Body: Quick Summary & Review
Excellent work! In this lesson on Health and the Body, you have learned:
- Parts of the body — head, eye, ear, nose, mouth, throat, neck, shoulder, arm, hand, finger, back, stomach, leg, knee, foot, tooth
- Health problems — sick, ill, headache, stomachache, cold, cough, fever, pain, tired, hurt
- Health actions and people — doctor, nurse, hospital, medicine, rest, exercise, healthy, well, appointment
- Key collocations — have a cold, feel sick, take medicine, make an appointment, get better
- Confusing words — sick vs ill, pain vs ache, tired vs sick, foot vs feet
Remember these top tips:
- Use have with health problems: I have a cold. She has a headache.
- Use feel to describe how you feel: I feel tired. He feels better.
- Remember the irregular plurals: foot → feet and tooth → teeth.
- When you are unwell, say: "I don't feel well" or "I feel sick."
Now practise Health and the Body vocabulary in the exercises below.
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