You make an appointment to see the doctor at a set time. A checkup is a normal visit to make sure you are healthy.
Planning a visit
appointment /əˈpɔɪnt.mənt/ — a doctor's appointment
checkup /ˈtʃɛk.ʌp/ — a health checkup
Try it: Choose the word: (appointment / symptoms / prescription) Answer: appointment — This is an appointment.
Feeling ill
Your symptoms are the signs that you are ill, like a cough. Pain is the bad feeling when part of your body hurts.
symptoms /ˈsɪmp.təmz/ — my symptoms
pain /peɪn/ — back pain
Try it: Choose the word: (symptoms / appointment / medicine) Answer: symptoms — These are symptoms.
Getting better
The doctor writes a prescription, a note that lets you get medicine to help you feel better.
prescription /prɪˈskrɪp.ʃən/ — a prescription
medicine /ˈmɛd.ɪ.sɪn/ — take medicine
Try it: Choose the word: (prescription / checkup / pain) Answer: prescription — This is a prescription.
At the clinic
When a part of your body gives you pain, it hurts. The nurse checks your temperature to see if you have a fever. To arrange a time for a visit, you schedule it. For one part of the body, the doctor sends you to a specialist.
hurt — My arm hurts when I move it.
temperature — The nurse checks my temperature.
schedule — I want to schedule a checkup.
specialist — a heart specialist
Try it: Ethan's doctor cannot help with his heart, so she sends him to a ___. (specialist / checkup / prescription) Answer: specialist — A doctor for one part of the body is a specialist. A checkup is a normal visit and a prescription is a note for medicine, so neither one is a person.