ESL CONNECT

Going to the Doctor

A B1 ESL CONNECT lesson on going to the doctor, helping learners describe symptoms, answer follow-up questions and understand practical advice.

Section 1
Doctor speaking with a patient in a modern medical consultation room
Lesson preview

Describe symptoms clearly and handle a GP appointment with confidence

This lesson helps learners talk about symptoms, answer medical questions, understand a diagnosis, and confirm treatment instructions in clear, professional English.

B1CEFR level
40 minInteractive lesson
6 stagesMedical communication
Stage 1 — Warm-up
At the GP surgery
5 minutes · Discussion and context

Discuss with your partner:

1. Have you ever visited a doctor in English? What was it like?

2. What information does a doctor always ask for? Think of at least five questions.

3. What is the difference between a symptom, a diagnosis, and a prescription?

Teacher note: Elicit body vocabulary. Highlight: "I have a pain" vs "it hurts" vs "it is painful." Teach: ache, throb, sting, swell. Introduce present perfect for duration: "I have had this for three days."

Today's scenario — a GP appointment at Westfield Medical Centre:

Patient information — Student A
Main problemPersistent sore throat and fatigue for 5 days.
Other symptomsMild headache, difficulty swallowing, slight fever (38.2°C).
Medical historyNo allergies. No current medication. Had tonsillitis twice as a child.
LifestyleWorks in a busy open-plan office. Has been under a lot of stress recently.
GP appointmentMedical EnglishFormal register
5 min
Stage 2 — Vocabulary
Key medical vocabulary
10 minutes · Gap-fill exercise
Click a word from the box, then click a blank. Hover for definitions.
symptom
prescription
diagnosis
swollen
fatigue
antibiotic
allergic
chronic

Complete the sentences with the correct word from the box.

My main is a very sore throat that has lasted five days.

The doctor gave me a for antibiotics and told me to rest.

After examining me, the doctor's was a bacterial throat infection.

My throat is very — it is painful even to drink water.

I have been suffering from for over a week and feel exhausted all the time.

The doctor prescribed an and said I should feel better within 48 hours.

I am not to penicillin, so the standard medication should be fine.

My back pain is — my doctor says I will need regular physiotherapy.

10 min
Stage 3 — Functional language
Phrases for the doctor's appointment
8 minutes · Study and practise

Describing symptoms

I have had a sore throat for about five days.
It started with a mild headache and then got worse.
I have been feeling very tired and run-down.
It is painful when I swallow.

Answering the doctor's questions

No, I am not taking any medication at the moment.
I have no known allergies.
My temperature was 38.2 degrees this morning.
I had tonsillitis twice as a child.

Asking the doctor questions

What do you think is causing it?
Is it serious?
How long should I take the medication for?
Should I come back if it does not improve?

Understanding the diagnosis

So it is a bacterial infection, not a virus?
Could you explain what that means exactly?
Is there anything I should avoid while taking the medication?
Do I need to take time off work?

Closing the appointment

Thank you, doctor. That is very reassuring.
Just to confirm — I take two tablets a day for seven days?
Should I make a follow-up appointment?
I will rest and come back if the symptoms continue.
When describing pain to a doctor always say: WHERE it hurts, HOW it feels (sharp, dull, throbbing), HOW LONG you have had it, and WHAT makes it better or worse.
8 min
Stage 4 — Question forms
Medical English grammar drill
10 minutes · Multiple choice
10 min
Stage 5 — Role play
The GP consultation
12 minutes · Pair work
How to use: Student A = Patient. Student B = Doctor (GP). Patient describes symptoms clearly; doctor asks diagnostic questions, gives a diagnosis, and explains treatment.
Student A — Patient

Sore throat (5 days), headache, difficulty swallowing, fever 38.2°C, fatigue. No allergies, no current meds. History of tonsillitis as a child. Busy office, stressed recently.

Student B — Doctor (GP)

Ask about symptoms, duration, history, allergies, lifestyle. Diagnose bacterial throat infection. Prescribe: one antibiotic tablet twice daily for 7 days. Advise rest, fluids, no alcohol. Return in 3 days if no improvement.

Doctor — Student B
Good morning. Please take a seat. What seems to be the problem?
Patient — Student A
[Greet the doctor. Describe your main symptom — a persistent sore throat — and say how long you have had it. Use the present perfect.]
Doctor — Student B
I see. Have you noticed any other symptoms? Any fever, headache, or difficulty swallowing?
Patient — Student A
[Confirm all three: mild headache, difficulty swallowing, slight fever of 38.2 degrees. Say you have also been feeling very tired.]
Doctor — Student B
How long have you been feeling this way? Has anything like this happened before?
Patient — Student A
[Say the symptoms started about five days ago. Mention your history of tonsillitis as a child.]
Doctor — Student B
Are you currently taking any medication, and do you have any known allergies?
Patient — Student A
[Say no to both. Mention you work in a busy open-plan office and have been under a lot of stress.]
Doctor — Student B
Let me take a look at your throat... Yes, it is quite inflamed and your glands are swollen. I think this is a bacterial infection.
Patient — Student A
[Ask if it is serious. Ask what is causing it. Use an indirect question for at least one of these.]
Doctor — Student B
It is not serious, but it needs treatment. I am prescribing antibiotics — one tablet twice a day for seven days. Please finish the full course.
Patient — Student A
[Confirm the instructions: one tablet, twice a day, for seven days. Ask if there is anything to avoid while taking the medication.]
Doctor — Student B
Avoid alcohol. Get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids. If you are not better after three days, come back and see me.
Patient — Student A
[Thank the doctor. Ask whether you need a follow-up appointment. Ask if you should take time off work. Close politely.]

Swap roles — new symptoms!

Student B is now a patient with lower back pain getting worse for two weeks. Worse in the morning and when sitting. Student A is the doctor. Diagnose muscle strain; advise physiotherapy and over-the-counter pain relief.

12 min
Stage 6 — Summary
Lesson complete!
5 minutes · Review

Today's lesson

B1 — Intermediate

Going to the Doctor

~40 minutes

What you practised:

8 key medical vocabulary words: symptom, diagnosis, prescription, and more
Phrases for 5 consultation stages: describing, answering, asking, understanding, and closing
6 grammar drills: present perfect with for, present perfect continuous, indirect questions, conditionals
A complete GP consultation role play with a real patient information card

Homework ideas:

1. Write 80-100 words describing a time you felt ill. Use present perfect and past simple.
2. Prepare to describe in English: a broken finger, stomach ache, a rash, insomnia for two weeks.
3. Look up how to book a GP appointment in the UK — what information do you need to give?
Great work! Talking about health in a foreign language can feel stressful, but the right vocabulary and structures make a real difference.