Practice
English practice: health and wellbeing vocabulary
Sign in to saveAt a pharmacy, a clinic, or in a conversation with a friend, one clear word can make a situation easier to explain. Health vocabulary helps you describe what happened, ask for information, and understand the next step.
Use common English health and wellbeing vocabulary accurately and respectfully when describing symptoms, appointments, treatment, and everyday habits.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
Could I make an appointment, please? /kʊd aɪ meɪk ən əˈpɔɪntmənt pliːz/
The short answer
Start with a simple description: name the symptom or situation, say when it began, and ask a direct question. Choose neutral words such as symptom, appointment, treatment, recover, and wellbeing when they fit the situation.
I've had a sore throat since Monday. Could I make an appointment?
Why it works: The speaker gives a symptom, a time reference, and a clear request.
5 more examples
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I have a headache, so I am going to rest in a quiet room.
Have is a common verb with everyday symptoms.
Not this:I
feel tiredafter the long journey. What changes: Feel describes a general state rather than naming a specific symptom. -
She booked a dentist appointment for next Thursday.
Book is a common verb for arranging a time with a health professional.
Not this:She
cancelled the appointmentbecause she was travelling. What changes: Cancel means to say that a planned appointment will not happen. -
The pharmacist explained how to take the medicine.
Take is the usual everyday verb for using prescribed or bought medicine.
Not this:The pharmacist suggested speaking to a doctor
if the pain continued. What changes: The sentence reports practical guidance without making a diagnosis. -
After the flu, he needed a few days to recover.
Recover means to return gradually to usual health or strength after an illness or injury.
Not this:He
is still recovering, so he is working shorter hours. What changes: The present continuous shows that recovery is in progress. -
Regular sleep can support your wellbeing.
Wellbeing is a broad word for how healthy and settled someone feels in daily life.
Not this:A short walk helped her
clear her mindafter work. What changes: This informal phrase describes feeling less mentally crowded or stressed.
Read the full guide
Learn the words in useful groups instead of as a long list. First separate a symptom from a diagnosis. Then learn the verbs that go with appointments and treatment. Finally, practise short sentences that sound considerate when you speak about another person's health.
Describe a symptom without guessing a diagnosis
A symptom is what a person notices or feels. You can say I have a cough, I have a sore throat, or I feel dizzy. These statements describe your experience. They do not claim to know the medical cause.
I have had stomach pain since this morning.
Since this morning tells the listener when the symptom began. It is more useful than saying only I feel unwell.
How could you describe a sore throat that started yesterday?
You could say: I have had a sore throat since yesterday.
Choose have, feel, and get carefully
Have is common with named symptoms: have a headache, have a fever, or have a cold. Feel works well with states such as tired, dizzy, better, or unwell. Get can describe a change: get better, get worse, or get sick. The words are simple, but the verb changes the meaning.
I feel much better after a full night's sleep.
Feel better describes the speaker's condition now. Get better describes the change over time.
Her cough got worse during the night.
Got worse shows that the cough changed for the worse.
Talk about appointments and people who provide care
You can make or book an appointment with a doctor, dentist, nurse, therapist, or another appropriate professional. Use see when you attend the appointment: I am seeing the dentist on Friday. A pharmacist can give information about many medicines and may advise you to speak to a doctor when needed.
Could I book an appointment for Friday afternoon?
Book an appointment is a polite, direct request. It does not need a long explanation.
What could you say when you need to change the time?
You could say: I need to reschedule my appointment, please.
Use treatment and medicine vocabulary with care
Treatment is the care used for an illness or injury. Medicine is a substance a person takes or uses as instructed. Prescription describes medicine that a clinician has authorised for a particular patient. These words are useful for understanding instructions, but they do not tell you what treatment a person needs.
Please read the label before you take the medicine.
The label is the written information on the medicine package. Read is the natural verb here.
The doctor discussed the treatment options with the patient.
Discussed shows a conversation about possible care. It does not state which option the patient chose.
Speak respectfully about another person
Health can be private. Ask open but gentle questions, and accept a brief answer. Are you feeling better? is usually more considerate than demanding details. When reporting an absence, share only the information that is necessary for the situation.
I'm sorry you have been unwell. Is there anything I can do?
The question offers help without requiring the other person to explain their condition.
How can you ask a colleague about their recovery without sounding intrusive?
Try: How are you feeling now? I hope you are recovering well.
Connect wellbeing with ordinary routines
Wellbeing is wider than the absence of illness. Learners often use the word when speaking about sleep, movement, time outdoors, social contact, and managing stress. Use support or improve with wellbeing when you are talking about a helpful routine, without promising a medical result.
Taking a break from the screen helped my wellbeing this week.
Helped my wellbeing is a personal observation. It does not claim that one habit works the same way for everyone.
He is trying to build a healthier sleep routine.
Build a routine describes a gradual habit, not a single action.
Before you go
Remember this
Use have with many symptoms and feel with a general condition. Book or make an appointment, take medicine only as directed, and use recover for a gradual return to health. Keep questions clear and considerate when the topic is personal.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "English practice: health and wellbeing vocabulary"
What is the difference between a symptom and a diagnosis?
A symptom is something a person notices or feels, such as a cough, pain, or tiredness. A diagnosis is the name a health professional gives to a condition after an assessment. In ordinary English, describe the symptom you know instead of guessing a diagnosis.
I have a headache, so I am going to rest in a quiet room.
Which verb goes with common symptoms in English?
Use have with many named symptoms, including have a headache, have a cough, and have a sore throat. Use feel for general states such as feel tired, feel dizzy, or feel better. The choice depends on whether you name a symptom or describe a condition.
I feel tired after the long journey.
How do I ask for a medical appointment in English?
Make a simple request with book or make an appointment. For example, you can ask if an appointment is available on a particular day. If you already have one, use reschedule when you need a different time or cancel when you cannot attend.
She booked a dentist appointment for next Thursday.
What does recover mean in health English?
Recover means to return gradually to usual health or strength after an illness, injury, or demanding period. It often describes a process that takes time. You can say someone is recovering when the process is still happening.
She cancelled the appointment because she was travelling.
How can I speak about someone else's health respectfully?
Ask a gentle question and let the other person decide how much to share. Are you feeling any better? and Is there anything I can do? are useful choices. Avoid asking for personal details unless they are needed and the person is comfortable discussing them.
The pharmacist explained how to take the medicine.