Seeing a doctor — ready-made English lesson, B2

Lesson goal: Students can describe symptoms, understand a doctor's advice and report what a doctor said.

Add the lesson to get your own copies of the word set and exercises; the lesson opens in the builder, where you can adjust the steps and teach it.

Lesson plan

1
Warm-up
Questions to get the student talking and lead into the topic.
- How often do you go to the doctor?
- Do you prefer to treat a cold with medicine or with home remedies?
- Have you ever been to hospital?
- Do you look up your symptoms online? Is it a good idea?
2
New words
Meet the words and practise them in games.
FlashcardsCrossword
symptom · diagnose · prescription · treatment · recover · surgery · chronic · infection · vaccine · appointment · GP · injury · dose · immune system · painkiller
All words in the set
3
Exercises
The lesson's words in context. Only you see the answers.
1. Fill the gap
  A sore throat and a high temperature are typical ___ of flu.
  Answer: symptoms
2. Fill the gap
  The doctor gave me a ___ and I picked up the medicine at the chemist's.
  Answer: prescription
3. Fill the gap
  The doctor told me that I ___ (should / rest) for a few days.
  Answer: should rest
4. Fill the gap
  She asked me how long I ___ (have) the pain.
  Answer: had had / 'd had
5. Multiple choice
  An illness that lasts for a long time or keeps coming back is ...
  chronicinfectiousminoracute
6. Multiple choice
  'Do you have any allergies?' The nurse asked ...
  if I had any allergies.do I have any allergies.if did I have any allergies.
7. Multiple choice
  If I'd taken a painkiller earlier, the headache ___ so bad.
  wouldn't have gotwon't getdidn't get
8. True / false
  Read: "After the operation on his knee, Mark expected to recover in two weeks. In fact, it took two months. His doctor explained that the injury was worse than they had thought." Mark recovered faster than he expected.
  Answer: False
9. True / false
  A GP is the doctor you usually see first, before a specialist.
  Answer: True
10. Discussion question
  Describe the last time you were ill. What were your symptoms, and what did the doctor tell you to do?
  Sample answer: Last winter I had a bad cough and a temperature. The doctor said it was a chest infection and gave me a prescription for antibiotics. She told me to stay in bed and drink plenty of water, and I recovered in about a week.
4
Speaking
The student answers using the new words.
- What's the best way to look after your immune system?
- Should vaccines be compulsory? Why or why not?
- Is it a good idea to take painkillers for every small pain?
- What makes a good doctor, apart from medical knowledge?
- If you could change one thing about the health system in your country, what would it be?
5
Review
A quiz on the lesson's words. With a student, it's homework on their link.
Quiz

Lesson plan

Warm-up

Questions to get the student talking and lead into the topic.

How often do you go to the doctor?
Do you prefer to treat a cold with medicine or with home remedies?
Have you ever been to hospital?
Do you look up your symptoms online? Is it a good idea?

New words

Meet the words and practise them in games.

FlashcardsCrossword

symptom · diagnose · prescription · treatment · recover · surgery · chronic · infection · vaccine · appointment · GP · injury · dose · immune system · painkiller

All words in the set

Exercises

The lesson's words in context. Only you see the answers.

Fill the gap
A sore throat and a high temperature are typical ___ of flu.
Answer: symptoms
Fill the gap
The doctor gave me a ___ and I picked up the medicine at the chemist's.
Answer: prescription
Fill the gap
The doctor told me that I ___ (should / rest) for a few days.
Answer: should rest
Fill the gap
She asked me how long I ___ (have) the pain.
Answer: had had / 'd had
Multiple choice
An illness that lasts for a long time or keeps coming back is ...
chronicinfectiousminoracute
Multiple choice
'Do you have any allergies?' The nurse asked ...
if I had any allergies.do I have any allergies.if did I have any allergies.
Multiple choice
If I'd taken a painkiller earlier, the headache ___ so bad.
wouldn't have gotwon't getdidn't get
True / false
Read: "After the operation on his knee, Mark expected to recover in two weeks. In fact, it took two months. His doctor explained that the injury was worse than they had thought." Mark recovered faster than he expected.
Answer: False
True / false
A GP is the doctor you usually see first, before a specialist.
Answer: True
Discussion question
Describe the last time you were ill. What were your symptoms, and what did the doctor tell you to do?
Sample answer: Last winter I had a bad cough and a temperature. The doctor said it was a chest infection and gave me a prescription for antibiotics. She told me to stay in bed and drink plenty of water, and I recovered in about a week.

Speaking

The student answers using the new words.

What's the best way to look after your immune system?
Should vaccines be compulsory? Why or why not?
Is it a good idea to take painkillers for every small pain?
What makes a good doctor, apart from medical knowledge?
If you could change one thing about the health system in your country, what would it be?

Review

A quiz on the lesson's words. With a student, it's homework on their link.

Quiz