Health and Illness: Symptoms & Injuries (A2 Vocabulary)
Your symptoms are the signs that you are sick. A cold is not very bad. The flu is worse: you have a fever and feel very sick.
When you are sick
Try it: Man: I have a high fever, and I'm too sick to get up. Woman: Oh no. It sounds like ___. Choose what the woman says. (a cold / the flu / a burn) Answer: the flu — He has a high fever and is too sick to get up, so it sounds like the flu.
Word
Pronunciation
Example
symptoms
Write your symptoms on this form.
a cold
I have a cold.
the flu
My son has the flu.
Cough and sore throat
When you cough, a loud sound comes from your throat. With a sore throat, it hurts to eat or talk.
Try it: Woman: Are you okay? Man: Yes, don't worry. It's just a ___. Look at the picture. Choose what the man says. (fever / headache / cough) Answer: cough — He coughs into his arm, so it is just a cough.
Word
Pronunciation
Example
cough
My cough is worse at night.
sore throat
Hot tea is good for a sore throat.
Dizzy, throw up, allergic to
When you are dizzy, the room moves around you. When you throw up, the food in your stomach comes back out. If you are allergic to something, it makes you sick.
Try it: Man: Come in! Do you like cats? We have three. Woman: Oh no. I'm ___ cats. They make my eyes red. Choose what the woman says. (afraid of / allergic to / bored with) Answer: allergic to — Cats make her eyes red, so she is allergic to them.
Word
Pronunciation
Example
dizzy
Sit down if you feel dizzy.
throw up
Sometimes the baby throws up after she eats.
allergic to
I'm allergic to penicillin.
Cuts, burns and sprains
You sprain an ankle or a wrist when you turn it the wrong way. A cut is a small open line in your skin. A burn comes from something hot.
Try it: Woman: Careful! There is broken glass here. Man: Too late. Now I have a small ___ on my foot. Look at the picture. Choose what the man says. (burn / cut / sprain) Answer: cut — He walked on broken glass, so he has a cut on his foot.