Everyday English (Vocabulary Building)

Topic: Health & Illness

Lesson Notes June 3, 2025 (Vocabulary Building)

Words & Phrases

• Two weeks ago, my nose wouldn’t stop running. (NOT I couldn’t stop my nose running)

• Tokyo has diversity. (More formal; often found in reports, essays, or discussions about demographics, culture, or social issues.)

• Tokyo is diverse. (More natural and conversational; common in everyday speech or descriptive writing.)

• My old iPhone’s capacity was very small.

• My old iPhone didn’t have much storage.

• I don’t have much available capacity on my phone right now.

• I’m almost out of storage on my phone.

• I don’t have much free space on my phone.

Grammar

“Do you write tanka?”

• We usually say “write” for poetry in English (like “write haiku” or “write poems”). The verb “make” is more commonly used for physical objects or food, not creative writing.

Health & Illness

Section 5 Part A: Sample Answers

• 1. What are the patient’s symptoms?

• He has a stomachache, diarrhoea, headaches, and a slight fever. He also feels hot and sweaty, then cold and shaky.

• 2. What does the doctor think is wrong with him?

• The doctor thinks he may have eaten something bad, possibly the fish from the restaurant.

• 3. What advice does the doctor give?

• She tells him to drink plenty of liquids and rest for a day or two.

• 4. What prescription does she give him?

• She gives him tablets for the stomachache and diarrhoea. He has to take one tablet every twelve hours for three days.

Section 8

• Under the weather (idiom); Feeling slightly ill or not well.

• I didn’t go to work today because I was feeling under the weather.

• You look a bit pale — are you under the weather?

• As fit as a fiddle (idiom); Very healthy and full of energy.

• My grandmother is ninety and still as fit as a fiddle.

• After resting for a few days, he was as fit as a fiddle again.

• Out of shape (idiom); Not physically fit, often due to lack of exercise.

• I got so out of shape during the holidays that even stairs make me tired.

• He used to run marathons, but now he’s totally out of shape.

• Death warmed up (idiom, informal); Looking very ill or exhausted.

• After the all-night flight, I felt like death warmed up.

• You shouldn’t be at work — you look like death warmed up!

• A clean bill of health (idiom); A statement or decision that someone is completely healthy.

• After all the tests, the doctor gave me a clean bill of health.

• She was nervous, but thankfully the check-up ended with a clean bill of health.

• Skin and bones (idiom); extremely thin, to the point of appearing unhealthy.

• After the illness, he was all skin and bones.