ESCOLA

SUPERIOR
DE SAÚDE

FACULDADE DE CIÊNCIAS DA SAÚDE

E
ESCOLA SUPERIOR DE SAÚDE

LÍNGUA INGLESA I

2021 – 2022

Docentes: Allison Byrne, Elsa Simões, Paula Reis, Susana Teixeira

1
Programme Contents

1. Socio-Professional Situations
1.1. Socialising
1.2. Travelling
1.3. Importance of English in the health area

2. Health

2.1. Hospital Environment

2.1.1. The Hospital Team
2.1.2. In and Around the Hospital
2.1.3. Hospital Admissions
2.2. Human Body
2.2.1. Parts of the body
2.3. Health complaints
2.3.1. Accidents and Emergencies
2.3.2. Pain
2.3.3. Symptoms
2.3.4. Medication
2.4. Doctor-patient dialogues

3. Project Work

Presented orally for assessment

2
Assessment

CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT consists of a written test and an oral presentation, at the end of the semester.
The final mark is the result of various written and oral contributions. Students’ participation in class and in the
activities proposed will also be taken into account.

WRITTEN PART ORAL PART

Written test = 50% Oral participation and

presentation of project work =
50%

The EXAM consists of 2 parts: written and oral. The oral is compulsory whenever the student has 7.5 or
more in the written part, since it corresponds to 50% of the final mark.

The PROJECT is an important part of your assessment. Research a theme in English in order to present it in
class. Choose ONE of the following themes:

1. OBESITY is the responsibility of the individual.

2. The main problem in OBESITY lies in the output – exercise, caloric-burning activities – rather than in the
input – healthy nutrition in reasonable amounts.
3. OBESITY is a fault of the food industry and marketing – McDonalds, Burger King, KFC, …
4. All ads for junk FOOD should be banned.
5. Is society guilty of double standards by aspiring to thinness yet treating ANOREXIA as a disease?
6. BULIMIA is just a minor eating disorder and presents no health problems.
7. Lack of time is a common reason for not EXERCISING.
8. No matter where you live, work, or go to school, you can find ways to move more (EXERCISE) and sit less
throughout your day.
9. Doing PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES that you enjoy will help you get fit and lose weight.
10. I'd be happier going out with friends than spending hours sweating and EXERCISING.
11. Poor diet and lack of EXERCISE cause more illnesses than smoking.
12. It should be the free choice of each individual whether to SMOKE or not.
13. SMOKING affects everyone. Your decision to smoke is not just about you. It's also about those around you.
14. Taxes on TOBACCO pay for all its health costs.
15. ALCOHOL is a source of pleasure and enjoyment.
16. ALCOHOL is a mandatory experience in youth.
17. ALCOHOL is a social drug and should be banned.
18. DRUG consumption is just a moral issue.
19. Should all DRUGS be legalized?
20. Eating CHOCOLATE is addictive.
21. CAFFEINE affects your body like any other drug.
22. Is a SUN tan a ‘healthy glow’?
23. Should we spend time in the SUN?
24. SUNBEDS: Fashion to die for…

3 Themes continued on next page

 25. STRESS is nothing but a modern alibi for the stress of life.
26. How much STRESS is good for us?
27. Hospitals should have rules regarding MOBILE PHONE use.
28. Are MOBILE PHONES a health hazard?

Tips for weaker students

How to Learn Vocabulary
1) One: Read, Read, Read! Most vocabulary words are learned from context. The more words you're exposed to,
the better vocabulary you will have. While you read, pay close attention to words you don't know. First, try to
figure out their meanings from context. Then look the words up. Read and listen to challenging material so that
you'll be exposed to many new words.
Two: Improve your context skills. Research shows that the vast majority of words are learned from context.
To improve your context skills pay close attention to how words are used. Doing a search on a word using
dejanews.com (for searching newsgroups) will give you many examples of how that word is used in context.
Three: Practice, practice, practice. Learning a word won't help very much if you promptly forget it. Research
shows that it takes from 10 to 20 repetitions to really make a word part of your vocabulary. It helps to write the
word - both the definition and a sentence you make up using the word - perhaps on an index card that can later
be reviewed. As soon as you learn a new word, start using it. Review your index cards periodically to see if you
have forgotten any of your new words. Also, do a search on a word using dejanews.com (for searching
newsgroups) to get many examples of how the word is actually used.
Four: Make up as many associations and connections as possible. Say the word aloud to activate your
auditory memory. Relate the word to words you already know. For example, the word GARGANTUAN (very
large) has a similar meaning to the words gigantic, huge, large, etc. You could make a sequence: small,
medium, large, very large, GARGANTUAN. List as many things as you can that could be considered
GARGANTUAN: Godzilla, the circus fat lady, the zit on your nose, etc. Create pictures of the word's meaning
that involve strong emotions. Think "the GARGANTUAN creature was going to rip me apart and then eat me!"
Five: Use mnemonics (memory tricks). For example, consider the word EGREGIOUS (extremely bad). Think
EGG REACH US - imagine we've made a mistake so bad that they are throwing eggs at us and a rotten EGG
REACHes US. Such funny little word pictures will help you remember what words mean, AND they are fun to
make up. Also, find out which learning style suits you best. Everyone learns differently!
Six: Get in the habit of looking up words you don't know. If you have a dictionary program on your
computer, keep it open and handy. America Online and other internet services have dictionaries and
thesauruses on their tool bars. Find them and look up any word you are not absolutely sure of. Use a thesaurus
when you write to find the word that fits best.
Seven: Play with words. Play Scrabble, Boggle, and do crossword puzzles. These and other word games are
available for the computer, so you are not dependent on a partner to play. Also, try out the Franklin Electronic
Dictionary that features built-in word games.
Eight: Use vocabulary lists. For the serious vocabulary student, there are many books that focus on the
words most commonly found in standardized tests, such as the SAT and GRE. There are also many interesting
word sites on the Internet, many of which will send you a word a day by email.
Nine: Take vocabulary tests. Playing games, such as the ones on this site, that test your knowledge will help
you learn new words and also let you know how much progress you're making.
Ten: Get excited about words! Come to appreciate the sometimes-subtle differences between them. Do you
know the difference between something that denotes something else and something that connotes something
else? If not, look it up.
Eleven: Don’t Be Shy. Learn a key phrase such as “can you repeat that please” so you can manage difficult
conversations. Don’t get tongue-tied by grammar – it can be a real confidence killer, and making the effort is
far more important. After all, have you ever laughed in the face of a tourist speaking imperfect English?

FROM http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/vocabulary_tips.htm
4
2) 100 words. According to "The Reading Teachers Book of Lists,"1, the following 100 words make up 50
per cent of all written material in English. So, if you’re having trouble staying motivated, break this
down to 10 words a day. In less than a fortnight you’ll have a good grasp of the basics. The table is
ordered by frequency, so “the” is the most common word and “part” is the 100th most common.

The First Hundred

1. the 21. at 41. there 61. some 81. my

2. of 22. be 42. Use 62. her 82. than
3. and 23. this 43. Na 63. would 83. first
4. a 24. have 44. each 64. make 84. water
5. to 25. from 45. which 65. like 85. been
6. in 26. or 46. she 66. him 86. call
7. is 27. one 47. Do 67. into 87. who
8. you 28. had 48. how 68. time 88. oil
9. that 29. by 49. their 69. has 89. its
10. it 30. word 50. If 70. look 90. now
11. he 31. but 51. will 71. two 91. find
12. was 32. not 52. Up 72. more 92. long
13. for 33. what 53. other 73. write 93. down
14. on 34. all 54. about 74. go 94. day
15. are 35. were 55. Out 75. see 95. did
16. as 36. we 56. many 76. number 96. get
17. with 37. when 57. then 77. no 97. come
18. his 38. your 58. them 78. way 98. made
19. they 39. can 59. these 79. could 99. may
20. I 40. said 60. So 80. people 100. part

NB
Para quem tem muitas dificuldades:
Há muitos recursos na internet, há livros, e há cursos de CDROM (em Vobis/ Fnac). Além dos livros
da disciplina (Inglês é o intermédio), há dois livros que possam ajudar:
Essential Grammar in Use Edition With Answers, by Raymond Murphy, Cambridge University
Press
English Vocabulary in Use Elementary Book and CD-ROM by Michael McCarthy, Felicity
O'Dell, and Geraldine Mark
Na internet, há muitíssimos recursos. Escreva “English for beginners” no Google ou veja
http://esl.about.com/od/beginningenglish/Learning_English_for_Beginners_Beginning_ESL_EFL.htm
http://www.learn-english-online.org/

Sites em Português: http://www.tecnofagia.com/internet/aprenda-ingles-via-internet-gratis

http://www.inglescurso.net/
Não se esqueça também os recursos que tem à sua volta: televisão, filmes, musica, amigos que
falam Inglês, etc.
1
"The Reading Teachers Book of Lists," 3rd edition (2002); by Edward Bernard Fry, Ph.D, Jacqueline
E. Kress, Ed.D & Dona Lee Fountoukidis. Jossey-Bass
5
Essential Classroom Language

How many of these phrases do you know?

1. I don't understand. / Can you repeat that, please?
2. How do you say "copo” in English?
3. What does "width" mean? / What is the meaning of "width"?/ Could you explain it once more,
please?
4. Can you speak more slowly / loudly?
5. What is the opposite meaning of "hot"?
6. What page is it?
7. How can I pronounce "height"?
How do you pronounce this word?
How do you spell "height"?
8. What does “P.T.O.” stand for?
9. Would you give us an example?
10. Excuse me, can I talk to you for a minute?
11. I'm sorry I am late.
12. Can I go to the bathroom?

The Magic Words

Parts of speech and punctuation

Verb Adjective Noun Adverb
Preposition Pronoun Quotations Apostrophe
Comma Semicolon/ Colon Question mark Hyphen
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvw xyz

Greetings/Small Talk
Good morning everybody. Good afternoon everyone. See you tomorrow/
Friday/next week.
How are you today? Fine. Not too bad.
What's up? Not much. Have a nice/good day

http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/factsheet/jo10tech-l1-f-formal-informal-emails

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Personal Information Quiz

1. When did you last see a film? 2. How many times have you been abroad?
3. What type of books do you like reading? 4. When were you born?
5. How long have you been learning English? 6. What will the weather be like tomorrow?
7. What were you doing at 7 o'clock yesterday evening?
8. What are your parents doing? 9. Where are your classes taught?
10. What are you going to do after this course finishes?

What are the names of the tenses used in the above questions?

Exercise: Write the correct auxiliary verb (are, is, was, were, do, does, did, has, have, or will) in the
space:
1. He ____ playing the guitar at the moment.
2. Jackie ____ been living in Paris for a few months.
3. Which sports _____ he like?
4. They _____ travelled all over the world.
5. My shoes _____ made in Italy.
6. Peter ____ going to fly to London next Thursday.
7. Do you think the current government ____ change soon?
8. Yamaha pianos ____ made in Japan.
9. Jane ____ doing her homework when I came home last night.
10. When ____ you arrive last night?
11. How many languages ____you speak?

7
1. Socio-Professional Situations

1.1. Socialising

1.2. Travelling

1.3. Importance of English in the health area

8
 Socialising quiz

1. Look at the words and phrases in bold and italics in the dialogues below.
Decide if they are correct or incorrect. If there is a mistake, correct it.

1. You arrive at a restaurant. It’s 8:30 p.m. A: Good night. Have you reserved a table?
B: Yes, a table for three. The name’s Stevens.
2. You’re meeting someone for the first time. A: How do you do?
B: Fine, thanks.
3. You’re greeting someone on their birthday. A. Many happy returns.
B. Thank you.
4. You’re leaving the office on Friday afternoon. A: Have a nice weekend.
B: Yes, same for you.
5. You’re saying goodbye to a friend. A: Bye. See you soon.
B: Bye.
6. You’re speaking to a friend. A: Oh, no! I’ve failed my driver’s licence again!
B: Oh, hard luck.
7. You’re at a friend’s house. A: Do you want tea or coffee?
B: I would have tea.
8. You’re on the train. A: Do you mind if I sit here?
B: That’s fine, please do.
9. You’re having breakfast. A: Could you pass me the sugar, please?
B: Sure, here you are.
10. You’re walking down the street. A: Will I help you with those bags?
B: That’s very kind of you. Thanks very much.

2. Complete the explanations using ONE word in each gap.

1. Before an exam, we say ‘ …………… ……………’ to wish people well for the exam.
2. When we have an alcoholic drink with friends, we sometimes hold up our glasses and say
‘……………’ before we start drinking.
3. When people sneeze, we say ‘………… ……’ and they can answer by saying ‘……………
……………’.
4. When we want to get past someone in a crowded place, we say ‘………… ……………, please.’
5. To warn someone about a danger or an accident that might happen, we shout ‘………… out!’
6. On Christmas Day, we wish people a ‘…………… Christmas.’
7. On January 1st, we say ‘…………… …………… Year.’
8. If you have misheard or misunderstood something, you say ‘……………?’
9. Asking someone permission to open a door, you say ‘Do you ………..… if I open the door?’

3. Say the expressions on the left in a different way!

1. You passed. Congratulations! You passed. …………… ……………!
2. That’s your coat. I’m very sorry. That’s your coat. I beg your … … …… … … ….. .
3. Hi. How are you? Hi. How’s it ……………………..?

4. True or False? Correct the false statements.

1. When we meet someone for the 1st time in a formal situation, we can say How are you?
2. When people say How are you? a common response is Not bad. How about you?
3. Cheerio is another way of saying ‘Hello’.
4. Before going to bed, we say good night to other people.
5. We can say Sorry if we don’t hear what someone says and we want them to repeat it.
6. British people say Good morning up to lunchtime, but in the afternoon, they say Good day.
7. The French say Bon appetit before a meal, but there isn’t a similar expression in English.
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Introductions and Greetings
Steven, I’d like to introduce you to
Jane Murray, my assistant. Jane, this
is Steven Jones, from Sydney.
How do you do, Ms
Murray. Pleased to
How do you do, Mr Jones. meet you, too.
Pleased to meet you.

1. How would you reply to the following introductions? (F = Formal, I = Informal, others = neutral)
1. May I introduce you to … (Dr Petersen)? (F) ..............................................................................
2. I’d like to introduce you to … (Tomas Tauber).
3. Can I introduce myself? My name is / I’m … (Ralph Keller). ............................................................
4. Can I introduce …(a colleague of mine)? This is … (Pedro Romero).
.................................................................................
5. I don’t know if you remember me. We met … (in Prague last year).
.................................................................................
6. Hello. I don’t think we’ve met before. (I) ...........................................................................................
7. I don’t think you two know each other, do you? (I) ............................................................................
8. Excuse me. Would you by any chance be … (Signor Tavazzi)? .......................................................
9. Hello, you must be … (Leena). (I) .................................................................................
10. How do you do. ............................................................................... ............................
11. Pleased to meet you. ..................................................................................................
12. Please call me … (Anna). ............................................................................................

2. Look at these different ways of greeting someone.

Good / Nice to see you again. I haven’t seen you for ages!
How are you?  Very well, thanks. And you?
How’s work?  Not too bad, thanks. Very busy.
How’s business?  Not too good, I’m afraid.
How are things going?  Fine, thanks. What about you?

Welcoming a visitor

1. The visitor’s journey (Reply to the following situations.)

1. Did you have a good flight / journey? ..............................................................................................
2. How was your journey? .............................................................................................................
3. I hope you had a good trip. .......................................................................................................
4. How was the flight? ........................................................................................................ .................
5. Did you have any problems finding us? ....................................................................................

2. Accommodation
Where are you staying? What’s your hotel like? I hope everything is OK at the hotel.

3. Home town/country and visit (Imagine you’re travelling abroad. Reply to these questions.)
1. Which part of … Portugal are you from? ............................................................................................
Where in Portugal do you live? .........................................................................................................
Where were you born? .....................................................................................................................
Have you always lived in … (London)? .............................................................................................

10
 2. Is this your first visit to … (Prague)? ........................................................................................
Have you been to … (Brussels) before? ...................................................................................
What do you think of … (New York)? .......................................................................................
Do you like … (the food)? .........................................................................................................
Are you here on business/holiday? .........................................................................................
How long are you here for? .................................................................................................. .....

4. Interests, travel and holidays

1. What do you do in your spare time? Are you interested in sport?
How do you spend your weekends?
2. Do you often travel abroad? Where did you spend your last holiday?
Which countries have you visited? Have you (ever) been to … (Brazil)?

5. Weather
What was the weather like when you left … (Montreal)?
.....................................................................................
What’s the weather been like in … (England)?
...................................................................................
Isn’t this weather wonderful / terrible?
...................................................................................

6. Work
What do you do? / Who do you work for? / Where are you based?
How long have you been with … (the company)?

Invitations
1. Inviting 2. Accepting
I’d like to invite you … (to dinner).  Thank you. That would be very nice.
Would you like to join us for … (lunch)?  Thank you. I’d enjoy that.
Would you like to … (go to the theatre)?  Thanks. I’d love to.
What about … (going out for a meal)? (I)  That’s a good idea. (I)

3. Declining
I’d love to but … (I’m afraid I’ve made another arrangement).
That’s kind of you but (unfortunately I won’t be able to. I’m leaving.).
Thanks but … (I can’t. I’m too busy). (I)
 
LISTENING ACTIVITIES
1. Complete these three short conversations in which people are meeting and being introduced to
each other. Then listen to the conversations to check your answers.
1. Alex White, a new employee, meets Chris Grey.
Alex White: I’d just like to ............................................ My name’s Alex White
and I’m the new export sales co-ordinator.
Chris Grey: Oh, yes. I’ve heard of you. How .........................................? I’m
Chris Grey. .......................................... you. (…)
2. Liz Jones, a colleague from Canada, is visiting the office in London.
Tony Harris: Ms Smith, I’d ............................................................. Mrs Jones. Mrs Jones is from
our sales office in Toronto.
Liz Jones: Hi!
Claire Smith: ………………………….., Mrs Jones? I’ve been looking ……………. …. meeting you.
Liz Jones: Oh, please .................................... Liz.
Claire Smith: And I’m Claire.
Liz Smith: Hi.
Claire Smith: Well, Liz, did you ...............................................?
Liz Smith: Yeah, not too bad. …

11
 3. Miss Lucas, a visitor from Australia, is introduced to Mr Evans.
Mrs Green: Mr Evans, ................................................................. Miss Lucas? She’s from Argentina.
Mr Evans: Yes, I think we’ve met before. It’s ..........................................................................!
Miss Lucas: That’s right, hello again. ....................................................................?
Mr Evans: Fine, thanks. …

2. Eric Carlin arrives at NVP to meet Piet van Els. Listen to the conversation and answer these questions.
1. What does Piet say when he greets Eric? ........................................................................................
2. How does Piet introduce Eric to Claire? ...........................................................................................
3. What do Eric and Claire say when they are introduced? ..................................................................

3. Piet van Els is welcoming Bob Wyatt, a visitor from Toronto, Canada. Read the conversation. What
questions do you think they asked? Then listen to the conversation to check your answers.
Piet: Mr Wyatt? How do you do.
Mr Wyatt: How do you do, Mr van Els.
Piet: Do come into my office. Did you have any problems finding us?
Mr Wyatt: No, none at all. I walked here. My hotel is only a few minutes away.
Piet: Oh really? Which .................................................................................?1
Mr Wyatt: I’m staying at The Garrick. It’s in King Street. Do you know it?
Piet: I know the name. What .................................................................................?2
Mr Wyatt: Oh, it’s very pleasant. I always stay there when I come to London. I like the fact that it’s
small and friendly.
Piet: How often .................................................................................?3
Mr Wyatt: Quite often. Four or five times a year. What about you? ..............................................?4
Piet: Yes, I do quite a lot of travelling – mostly in Europe, but I go to Canada and the States as
well – about two or three times a year.
Mr Wyatt: That’s interesting. .................................................................................?5
Piet: No, I’ve never been to Toronto, but I had a wonderful holiday on Vancouver Island not
long ago.
Mr Wyatt: Really? That’s where I was born. I lived there until I was twenty. Which
.................................................................................?6

4. Read later extracts from the conversation between Piet and Mr Wyatt. What questions do you think
they asked? Then listen to the conversation to check your answers.
1. Mr Wyatt: .................................................................................................................... ?
Piet: Yes, although there was quite a bit of turbulence over the Atlantic.
2. Piet: .................................................................................................................... ?
Mr Wyatt: Just three days this time. I’m flying back the day after tomorrow.
3. Piet: ............................................................................................................................. ..?
Mr Wyatt: I’ve been with Star TV for four years now. Before that I was a television producer.
4. Mr Wyatt: .................................................................................................................... ?
Piet: No, I was born in Holland but I’ve lived here in London for a long time.
5. Mr Wyatt: .................................................................................................................... ?
Piet: Yes, it is. We do get good weather in London sometimes!
6. Piet: ..............................................................................................................................?
Mr Wyatt: I went to New Zealand with my wife and our two daughters. We had a really
great holiday. And you? Have you been to New Zealand?
7. Piet: .................................................................................................................... ?
Mr Wyatt: Yes, I play ice-hockey in winter and I do quite a bit of sailing in the summer.

12
 CONSOLIDATION ACTIVITIES
1.  In pairs, match FIVE of these introductions with the situations below.

a. Mr Lavisse, I’d like to introduce you to a colleague of mine, Claire

Smith.
b. Mr Chang, may I introduce you to our Managing Director, Sheila
Blaire. Sheila, this is Mr Chang, Chairman of Li Corp.
c. Hello. I don’t think we’ve met before. My name’s Pete Banson.
d. Good morning. My name is Ralph Lanson. I have an appointment with
Mr Brown at 10.
e. Can I introduce myself? I’m Pedro Costa from Lisbon.
f. Hello, you must be Phil. I’m Sue. I’m a friend of your brother’s.
g. Excuse me. Would you by any chance be Mrs Tate?
h. I don’t think you know each other, do you? Sarah, this is Matt.

1. You are at a conference. Introduce yourself to the person sitting next to you.
2. You are meeting a visitor you have never met before at the airport. You see someone you think might
be your visitor. Speak to her.
3. Introduce a person visiting your organisation to a colleague.
4. You arrive at a company for an appointment. Introduce yourself to the receptionist.
5. Introduce two friends of yours at a party.

2. In pairs, practice further dialogues using the above situations.

3. Match the phrases to appropriate responses. The first one is an example.
1. How's work? __b__ a. Then you must call me Anna.
2. How are you? _____ b. Not too bad thanks. A bit hectic.
3. Pleased to meet you. _____ c. Everything’s going fine thanks. What about you?
4. I haven’t seen you for ages! _____ d. Yes, that’s right.
5. How are things going? _____ e. Pleased to meet you, too.
6. Please call me Paul. _____ f. It’s good to see you again, too.
7. How do you do. _____ g. Very well, thanks. And you?
8. Nice to see you again! _____ h. No, I’ve been away a lot recently.
9. Hello, you must be Marco. _____ i. How do you do.

LANGUAGE
1. Tick ()the words or phrases which are used with DO and which are used with MAKE.

Do Make Do Make Do Make

a business trip dentistry our best
a cookery course the homework arrangements
an appointment  a speech a mistake
Sport a complaint a decision
the photocopying the shopping money

2. Complete with the correct form of the verbs MAKE or DO.

1. ………….. your homework and ………….. sure that you don’t ………….. many mistakes!
2. I must ………….. an appointment to visit my doctor.
3. Excuse me, could you ………….. me a favour and watch my suitcase for a moment?
4. Peter is ………….. a phone call at the moment, he'll be back shortly.
5. She really doesn't want to ………….. that decision.
6. We usually ………….. the cleaning on Saturday morning.
7. If you don't ………….. the travel arrangements soon, it will be too late.

13
Requests, offering to help and asking permission

 What needs/problems do passengers have on planes? Match the passenger’s problems/

requests with the steward’s offers, then role play these exchanges. 
Key Request / complaint Offer
1. Can you tell me when we land? a. I’ll get you a blanket.
2. I’m hungry. b. I’ll get you a sandwich.
3. I’m bored. c. I’ll bring you a glass of water.
4. I have lost my wallet/passport/ticket. d. I’ll get you a newspaper.
5. I can’t sleep. e. I’ll help you look for it.
6. I’m a bit cold. f. I’ll bring you a pillow.
7. I can’t hear the music. g. I’ll get you some more headphones.
8. I’m thirsty. h. I’ll just go and find out.
9. I can’t put my seatbelt on. i. I’ll help you.

Making Requests: There are many ways of making polite requests in English, e.g.
Can you help me, please? Can I speak to you one moment, please?
Could you tell me where the station is, please? Could I ask you a question?
Would you pass me the salt, please?
Would you mind helping me, please? (= would mind + verb-ing: here you ask someone else to do it)
Would you mind if I opened the window? It's rather hot in here. (here, you ask the other person if
you can do it yourself).

Waiter, could I have some

more water –right away?

In pairs, look at the pictures and discuss these questions:

What’s happening in each picture?
What exactly are the people going to say? (Fill in the speech bubbles!)
3.
1. Requests 2.
1.

4. 5.

14
 2. Offering to help (What would you say in the first situation? What would the person reply?)

2.
1. 3.

4. It’s cold in here!

5.
6.

3. Asking permission
1.

30

CONSOLIDATION

Requesting (Replies)
I’d like you to… , please. Sure./ Certainly.
Could you … , please? I won’t be able to … because ….
Do you think you could …? I’m sorry but ….
Would you mind …ing …? I’m afraid that’s not possible because ….
Offering to help (Replies)
Would you like a hand with …? Yes, please. Thanks a lot.
Would you like me to …? No, thanks. I think I can manage.
Shall I …? That’s very kind of you, but ….
Asking permission (Replies)
May/Could I …? Sure, go ahead.
Do you mind if I …? By all means.
Do you think I could …? No, I’m afraid you can’t because ….
Is it all right if I …? I’m sorry but …
 Remember that sounding polite and helpful doesn’t just depend on the words you use, but also on
the way you say them and (when talking to someone face-to-face) your body language.

ACTIVITIES:  Complete the sentences given so that they mean the same as the first one.
1. I’d like you to call Sue in New York, please.
a) Would you mind .................................................................................................................... ?
b) Could ............................................................................................................................. ........?
c) Do you think you ....................................................................................................................?
2. Would you like me to check today’s correspondence? a) Shall ................................................?
3. May I open the window? a) Do you mind ..........................................................................?

15
1.1.1 Travelling
Air Travel

WARM-UP: 1. Fill in the spaces using the vocabulary in the box below.

At an airport, departing ………………… go to the ………….. - in desk to

get a seat number and ……………………… pass. They leave any
…………………. that they will not take into the cabin. They can then go
through ………………. Usually, there is a …………… detector that
everyone must walk through. From here, they proceed to …………………
control and on into the ………………………. lounge and boarding
…………. for their flight. Passengers on international flights can visit …………………. shops before
departure.
At the destination, passengers enter the terminal building and go to ……………………. where they show
their passports. They collect their baggage from the baggage …………….. and proceed to
…………………. , where passengers can have their baggage searched for illegal goods. Finally, they can
go through to the ……………………… hall where friends, relatives or colleagues may be waiting for them.
Arrivals baggage boarding check Customs
Departure duty-free gate immigration metal
Passengers passport reclaim security

2. Role-play. Prepare and act out a dialogue with a colleague explaining the check-in process at the
departing airport and the check-out process at the arriving airport. In the dialogue include the
following:

At departures: At the destination:

Check-in luggage Leave the plane
Check if the flight will leave on time Claim your luggage
Pass through security Go through customs
 Put your hand luggage on the belt  Say hello to the attendant
 Take out your bag of liquids  Give the attendant your passport
 Take off your shoes and coat  Answer why you are coming into
 Put your shoes and coat in a tray the country
 Keep your boarding pass in your  Answer how long you will be in
Hand the country
 Go through the detector  Tell the attendant where you will
 Get your things be staying
 Ask how to get to boarding gate

16
3. Crossword: All the answers can be found at an airport!

Across Down
3. The cheapest place to buy alcohol 1. Another word for baggage
5. They might check your bags 2. Do you have anything to .....?
7. You need this to leave the country 4. They let you enter the country
8. The place where you get on the plane 6. You need this to get on the plane
9. Get on a plane
10. You need this to go to some countries
11. The first place you go to at the airport
12. People on a plane
13. Your bags go round and round on this

17
Transport

John and Fiona have just arrived in London at Heathrow Airport. John is going to a hotel in King's
Cross and Fiona's going to stay with her uncle in Camden. They need to work out how to get into the
centre of town and decide on what type of transport to use.

For the following activities, complete the conversations by choosing from the given options.
Then listen to the recording on the BBC Learning English website to check your answers

4. Choosing transport from Heathrow into town

After they collect their luggage, John and Fiona think about the best way to get into the centre of
London. They know a taxi will be too expensive, but they can't agree on the best form of transport.2

Options: We could get stuck in a traffic jam on the coach.

So let's take the Tube now, it is more convenient.
Well, we could take the Tube.
The Heathrow Express is quicker, but it's expensive.

Fiona: How shall we get into the city centre?

John: ……………………………………………………………………………
Fiona: I suppose we could, but how about taking the 'Airbus' coach?
John: ……………………………………………………………………………
Fiona: Yes, it is rush hour. So, what about the Heathrow Express?
John: ………………………………………………………………………………
Fiona: And we'll have to change onto the Tube later anyway.
John: ………………………………………………………………………………

5. At the ticket office

John and Fiona are about to make their way to their accommodation and have decided to take the
Tube.
John is going to a hotel in King's Cross and Fiona's going to stay with her uncle in Camden. John
goes to buy some tickets. 3

Options: Oh, one to Camden Town and the other to King's Cross.
I'd like 2 tickets please.
Thanks.
Single, please.

Ticket seller: Yes?

John: ………………………………………………………………………………
Ticket seller: Where to?
John: ………………………………………………………………………………
Ticket seller: Single or return?
John: ………………………………………………………………………………
Ticket seller: That's £7.40.
John: ………………………………………………………………………………

2
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/multimedia/london/unit1/listen1.shtml
3http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/multimedia/london/unit1/listen2.shtml
See also https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/word-street/transport-and-travel

18
6. Taking a taxi

Warm-up:  Do you often take a taxi?

Where did you go the last time?
Do you tip taxi drivers? If so, how much?
Do you make ‘small talk’ with the driver?

https://fineartamerica.com/art/drawings/london+taxi

Conversation:  Practice this dialogue with a colleague.

Role-play:  Use these role play cues to have conversations with a colleague.

19
At the Hotel
7. At the hotel reception
Receptionist: Good evening. Can I help you?
Guest: Yes, please. I'd like a room for the night.
Receptionist: Would you like a single room, or a double room?
Guest: A single room, please. How much is the room?
Receptionist: It's $55 per night.
Guest: Can I pay by credit card?
Receptionist: Of course. We take Visa, Master Card and American Express. Could you fill in
this form, please?
Guest: Do you need my passport number?
Receptionist: No, just an address and your signature. Here's your key, room number 212.
Guest: Thank you.
Receptionist: Thank you. If you need anything, dial 0 for the reception area. Have a good stay!

Key Vocabulary Can I help you? I'd like a room…

single, double room Can I pay by credit card?
Fill in this form Reception
passport number room number

8. Mixed Up Conversation: At the Front Desk of a Hotel

Below is a mixed up conversation.

Rearrange the conversation so that it makes sense (Write 1, 2, 3…).
Circle an F if the front desk is saying the line or a G if the guest is saying the
line.

….. (F) (G) Would you prefer a single or a double?

….. (F) (G) 10 P.M.? Thanks. Oh! And can I get a wake-up call for 6:30 A.M.
….. (F) (G) And how about a restaurant?
….. (F) (G) Great. What time do the restaurants close?
….. (F) (G) It’s $145.00 a night. How many nights will you be staying?
….. (F) (G) It’s D-A-V-I-E-S.
….. (F) (G) I’d like a room, please.
….. (F) (G) Great. I’ll pay with VISA then. What time is checkout?
….. (F) (G) And how do you spell that, sir?
….. (F) (G) So that’s D-A-V-I-E-S. How would you like to pay for the room?
….. (F) (G) Do you take VISA?
….. (F) (G) There are restaurants on the 1st and 3rd floor and there’s a café next to the lobby.
….. (F) (G) Yes, we do. We take VISA, Mastercard, and American Express.
….. (F) (G) A double, please. How much is that?
….. (F) (G) Checkout is at 10 o’clock. Your room number is 505. Is there anything else you
would like to know?
….. (F) (G) Yes, there is. It’s on the 2nd floor. But you have to bring the towel from your room.
…. (F) (G) OK. One night comes to $145.00 plus tax. May I have your name please?
….. (F) (G) Is there a pool here?
….. (F) (G) Welcome to the Beachside Inn. How may I help you?
….. (F) (G) They both close at 10:00 P.M.
..... (F) (G) Sure. No problem. Wake-up call for 6:30 A.M. Enjoy your stay.
….. (F) (G) Just tonight.
….. (F) (G) It’s Davies. Robertson Davies.

20
9. Room Service

Phrase bank: Travel and accommodation

I have a few hours to kill. I have an early morning/afternoon/evening.
I’d like a chance to shower.
stretch out.
relax.
sleep off the jet-lag.
They offer luxury at an affordable price. The price was very reasonable.

21
Eating Out

10. Going out to a restaurant

John persuades Fiona to go out with him one evening for a curry. They have been for a few drinks in east
London and decide to go to Brick Lane for something to eat. This is an area famous for restaurants where
you can buy a curry. 4

Options: Would you like something to drink?

Certainly. Here you are.
This way please. Can I take your coats?
Smoking or non-smoking?

John: Hi, a table for two please.

Waiter: ………………………………………………………………………………
John: Smoking.
Waiter: ………………………………………………………………………………
John: Oh, yes thanks.
Waiter: ………………………………………………………………………………
John: Yes. Can we have a look at the wine list?
Waiter: ………………………………………………………………………………

11. Ordering a meal

John and Fiona are in an Indian restaurant in Brick Lane. They are looking at the menu and
discussing what they want to order. 5

Options: Do you want any vegetables, any side dishes?

I'll have the house wine, a red I think.
I think so. I'll have the chicken korma with plain rice.
Shall we have some poppadoms to start?

John: Are you ready to order?

Fiona: ……………………………………………………………………………
John: The lamb tikka looks nice. I think I'll have that.
Fiona: ……………………………………………………………………………
John: Yeah, an onion bhaji and a garlic nan bread.
Fiona: ……………………………………………………………………………
John: OK. I think I'll have a pint of lager as well.
Fiona: ………………………………………………………………………………

REVIEW
12. Quiz: Circle the correct alternative.
1. Which of these is correct?
a) I spent three hours in a meeting b) I passed three hours in a meeting
2. Someone says 'Have you got a cigarette, mate?' When do we say 'mate' in English?
a) When we are speaking to a man in a very informal situation.
b) When we are speaking to a woman in a very informal situation.
3. Which of these means 'I'm a little late'?
a) I'm a bit late. b) I'm pretty late.
4. Which of these means 'Business is not good'?
a) Business is cold. b) Business is slow.
5. May says she was 'fed up'. What does she mean?
a) She has eaten a good dinner and she is full. b) She is upset.
6. May found that it was raining heavily. Which means 'very wet'?
a) Rather wet. b) Soaking wet.

4 http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/multimedia/london/unit6/listen1.shtml
5 http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/multimedia/london/unit6/listen2.shtml
22
 7. Which is the best way to ask for the time in English, informally?
a) Have you got the time please? b) Please tell me the time.
8. May says she is 'very miserable'. What does she mean?
a) She is very sad. b) She has no money left.

13. Hotel Services: Number the lines in the dialogue in the correct order.

Receptionist
 Yes, sir. What would you like?
 Room service. Katherine speaking. Can I help you?
 Well, I’ll have to ask in the kitchen to see if they have any foie gras. Would you like it with some
toast?
 You’re welcome, sir. Goodbye.
 Yes. Dry, medium or sweet?
 Right, sir. It will be with you in a few minutes.
Guest
 Hello, Katherine. This is room 208 here. I’m feeling a bit
hungry. I’d like to order a snack.
 Thank you, Katherine.
 Oh, as dry as possible, please, and nicely chilled.
 Oh, I don’t know. Perhaps a little foie gras?
 Yes, please. And I’d also like some champagne.

14. Air travel: Imagine you are flying from Europe to the USA. Number the following events in the logical
order.

 Book your flight over the internet or by phoning the airline.

 Check in at least 45 minutes before your flight
 Go through the metal detector and wait for your flight to be announced.
 Fasten your seat belt and take off.
 Show your boarding pass at the boarding gate and get on the plane.
 Check the details of your reservation and seat assignment
 Go through customs.
 Take a taxi to your hotel.
 Land at JFK airport and get off the plane.
 Go through passport control and pick up luggage in baggage reclaim

23
15. A Letter of Complaint

The letter below was sent by a customer complaining about the service on a recent trip to the United
States, but it has some errors. Read the letter and look carefully at each line. If there is an extra,
incorrect word in the line, write it at the side. If the line has no errors, put a tick. The first 2 lines have
been reviewed as an example.

Dear Sir,

I am writing for to complain about a recent flight to New York. First _for__
of all, when I arrived at the airport and went to check in, I could not _____
to find anyone at the desk. I had to wait for thirty minutes before I ______
was attended to. Eventually, a member of the staff came, but he ______
did not apologise to the passengers. Later, when I was in the ______
departure lounge, waiting for the flight to be called, there were ______
lots confusing announcements. ______

The first said us the gate number, but a few minutes later, after we ______
had moved, we were told that the gate was not the number four, ______
but actually thirteen. Despite of this, we finally boarded the plane ______
and took our seats. I was so tired I fell asleep, and when I was ______
awoke, the cabin crew had finished serving meals. When I asked ______
if I could have a vegetarian food, I was told that there was none ______
left. As you can imagine, I was furious by the time we arrived. ______

I would like an apology and an explanation for this a situation. ______

I look forward to receive your reply. ______

Yours faithfully,
Norma Jean Baker

24
1.2 The importance of English in the Health Area 1
Knowledge of medical English, has been one of the historical disadvantages of health-care
professionals from non-English-speaking countries. These pages focus on a practical
approach to the English that health-care professionals need in order to work with native English
speakers, focusing on the 4 skills: reading, listening, speaking and writing
I.A. WARM-UP: In pairs, discuss the advantages of knowing English /the disadvantages
of not knowing it
I.B.  Read the text then answer questions 1 – 7 on the following pages.
1. Reading professional documents is essential and familiarity with terms and grammatical structures will
enable more accurate information gathering. The goal is to feel as comfortable with English papers as with
those written in your native tongue. Checking on pronunciation and then reading out loud will triple a
reading exercise that suddenly becomes a reading-listening-speaking one. Over time, reading becomes
straightforward as words you cannot pronounce decrease. You only need to practice the words used
routinely in your specialty, together with colloquial words.
2. Listening. When attending conferences abroad, most people don’t ask questions but can still pick up
valuable information. Even in our native language, we understand more easily than we verbalize, following
almost everything in a complex talk on an unknown subject about which we could barely say a few
sentences. Developing listening skills is, therefore, paramount in our careers. Possible tactics include
hearing ourselves reading aloud, watching subtitled movies in English and even unsubtitled TV news
bulletins, which are easier to understand.
3. Speaking Once you can read and understand what others say, you will be keen to express your own
opinions. However, this requires the ability to speak correctly, and doing so fluently in a foreign language
is extremely demanding. Lack of confidence in English inhibits us from communicating with colleagues - as
professionals, it is unacceptable for us to be barely comprehensible. At international conferences, many
gravitate to others within their own language community, becoming an island within an ocean of inter-
professional communications and relationships. Incredibly, many health-care professionals return from
such events not only without having given a talk but without having spoken English at all.
4. Initially, you could speak English with non-native speakers, who are easier to understand and have the
same difficulties as you. They also make mistakes and their level may not be much higher than yours, so
you will feel comfortable talking to them. This will allow you to break the vicious circle keeping you
professionally deaf and dumb at international meetings.
5. Talking to hospital colleagues is probably one of the most challenging topics for health-care professionals
working in Britain or America because, to be honest, there is only one way to become familiar with the
hospital jargon - to work at a hospital there. We can only be truly fluent in something we discuss every day.
6. Writing fluent e-mails will allow you to strengthen links with foreign hospitals and colleagues by periodically
sending a few words. This ability will constitute a great competitive advantage which will lead to you being
called on to write messages and articles in English and, probably, become involved in more research
projects.
7. English spelling is problematic, but you can configure your computer options to flag errors and suggest
alternatives. If you keep on doing this, sooner or later your ability to write correctly will exceed your wildest
expectations.
8. Some still believe that medical English is so easy that it makes no sense to study it thoroughly. You might
hear: "Don't worry, medical terminology is the same in all languages. It is all Latin”. Unfortunately, those
who think that medical English is so easy do not give lectures overseas and, therefore, will never realize
its real difficulty.

1
The texts in this section have been adapted and abridged from Ribes, R. & Ros, P.R. (2006). Medical English. Heidelberg,
Springer

25
1. What do the following words from the text refer to?
a. those (p1) - …………………………………… b. one (p1) - ……………………………………..
b. which (p2) - ………………….………………… c. doing so (p3) - ……………………………….
d. such events (p3)- …………………..………… e. their (p4) - ……………………..……………..
f. this (p4) - ………………………………….…… g. there (p5) - …………………..………………….
h. it (p8) - ………………………………………….

2. Match the words/phrases from the text to their best meaning for the context– only one meaning each.
a) point scored in football etc.
b) only just
i. goal (p 1) – ……. c) draw attention with a mark
ii. barely (p 3) - ……. d) objective or aim
iii. flag (p 7)- ……. e) with no clothes
f) piece of cloth that represents a country

3. Explain the meaning of these words from the text.

a. aloud (p2) - ………..……….. b. keen (p3) - …………..……… c. jargon (p5) - ………………………

4. And now a more difficult task. Focus on the first two and last two paragraphs and find the following
words or phrases
a) Two different words meaning “in countries that are not your own” …………………………
…………………………
b) A phrasal verb meaning “learn something new” …………………………
c) a phrasal verb that means the opposite of “discontinue” …………………………

5. Choose the correct option to complete the sentences about the text
1. The writer says that health professionals…
a) must read documents related to their field b) must provide accurate information
c) must write in their own language
2. Listening to yourself reading…
a) improves pronunciation b) improves understanding c) both a) and b)
3. Speaking fluently in a foreign language is…
a) unacceptable b) difficult c) forceful
4. For professionals, speaking poor English is …
a) unacceptable b) difficult c) forceful
5. Writing fluent emails …
a) is a good way to do research b) helps you to network d) makes you competitive

6. Say if the following sentences about the text are True of False. Justify ALL of your answers.
1. It is important to learn and use every single new word that you encounter
______________________________________________________________________________
2. One of the most important skills for our professional advancement is to understand spoken English
______________________________________________________________________________
3. It is more difficult to understand the English in films than in the news
______________________________________________________________________________
4. Lots of people never communicate verbally in English when at international conferences
______________________________________________________________________________
5. The writer suggests you start by practicing your English with those for whom it is their first language
______________________________________________________________________________
6. The best way to acquire specific hospital terminology is to work there
______________________________________________________________________________

26
 7. Work in groups of four. Each person prepare and give to the others other 3 pieces of advice on
how to improve their skills in English. Each member choose a different skill from reading, listening,
writing or speaking. Use a variety of the expressions below.
a. You should …………………………………………………………………………………
b. You shouldn’t ………………………………………………………………………………
c. Why don’t you …………………………………………………………………………… ?
d. If I were you, I would ………………………………………………………………………
e. If I were you, I wouldn’t ……………………………………………………………………

Over to you:
What am I going to do
to improve my English?

27
2. Health

2.1. Hospital Environment

2.1.1. The Hospital Team

2.1.2. In and around the Hospital

2.1.3. Hospital Admissions

2.2. Human Body

2.2.1. Parts of the body

2.3. Health complaints

2.3.1. Accidents and Emergencies

2.3.2. Pain

2.3.3. Symptoms

2.3.4. Medication

2.4. Doctor-patient dialogues

28
The Hospital Environment

1.How would you define a hospital? How many hospitals are there in Porto? What do you know about the
UFP hospital? Have you ever been to hospital a) as a patient b) as a visitor c) as an employee? Talk about
your hospital experiences (first time, worst/most interesting events, etc.)

2. Places in the hospital.

Where would you find the following in a hospital? Fill in the missing letters.

1. all medical files, letters and reports _ EDICA _ _ ECO RD _

2. women having babies _ ABO U _ _ AR _
3. someone having an operation _ HEAT R _
4. specimens being analysed _ ABORAT OR _
5. patients who have just finished undergoing surgery _ ECO VER _ _ RE _
6. people moving between rooms and departments _ ORRIDO _
7. staff and visitors eating _ ANT EE _
8. people that have recently died _ ORT UAR _
9. seriously ill people receiving specialist nursing _ NT ENSIV _ _ AR _
10 . patients from accidents and disasters _ CCIDENT _ & _ MERG ENC _
11 . drugs being dispensed _ HARMAC _
12 . stored blood _ LOO _ _ AN _
13 . people who have had a heart attack _ ORONAR _ _ AR _ _ NI _
14 . patients being moved between floors _ IF _
15 . elderly patients _ ERIAT RI _ _ AR _

3. The Hospital Team

a. Try to memorise as many names for health professionals as possible.

anaesthetist chiropodist consultant lab technician midwife nurse

nutritionist outpatient paediatrician paramedic patient

porter pharmacist physiotherapist radiologist speech therapist surgeon

29
b. Write sentences by matching the people in A to their job in B and the place where they work
in C. One has been done for you. You will need to create 3 extra job descriptions
A
anaesthetist chemist consultant matron (ward sister)
midwife outpatient paramedic patient
physiotherapist porter surgeon

B
to perform operations to supervise the other nursing staff
to be ill in hospital to provide emergency aid
to keep the patient unconscious during an operation to help mothers have babies
to be a senior doctor who specialises in one particular area
to push patients on trolleys from the ward to the operating theatre

C
on the wards in an ambulance at the scene of an accident
in the waiting room on the maternity ward in the pharmacy
in an operating theatre in casualty

Sentences
Example: 1. A porter pushes patients on trolleys from the ward to the operating theatre.
2 . An anaesthetist …………………………………………………………………
3. ……………………………………………………………………………………….
4. ……………………………………………………………………………………….
5. ……………………………………………………………………………………….
6. ……………………………………………………………………………………….
7. ……………………………………………………………………………………….
8. ……………………………………………………………………………………….
9. ……………………………………………………………………………………….
10. ……………………………………………………………………………………….
11. ……………………………………………………………………………………….

c. Which health professional could best help the following people?

1. A woman who is admitted to hospital in labour – ……………………………………………

2. A young man who has impaired mobility in his leg following a healed fracture –
……………………………………………
3. A man with a fungal infection in his feet – ……………………………………………
4. A patient who must remain unconscious during an operation – …………………………...
5. An outpatient with a suspected broken arm – ……………………………………………
6. A patient who needs to be moved from the operating theatre to the recovery ward –
……………………………………………
7. An elderly woman who lost the ability to speak following a stroke (CVA) –
……………………………………………

The Accident and Emergency Department (A&E), also called Casualty, is where patients who are
acutely ill or have been involved in an accident, come for assessment and treatment.
Outpatients have an appointment to see a specialist; they have usually been referred to the
hospital by their GP, who writes a referral letter to the consultant explaining the patient’s problem.

30
 4. Hospital Admissions

Vocabulary – the admissions procedure

Complete the sentences with the words in the box
a triage nurse an initial assessment life-threatening registration
treatment a priority waiting room cubicle

1. Take a seat in the ___________________________________

2. The first nurse you meet will be a specialist called ___________________________________
3. The nurse will make ________________________________ of your problem.
4. This helps decide who is _____________________________________.
5. A patient with a _____________________________________.condition will see a doctor immediately.
6. A nurse will get personal details from you and fill in a hospital __________________________ form
7. When there is a free ____________________________________ a doctor will see you.
8. The doctor will decide on the _____________________________________..

Discussion. Have you ever been admitted to hospital? Do you have any stories of unusual hospital admissions?
Describe exactly what happened.

31
The Human Body
ankle – arm – back – belly – bottom – breast – calf –
cheek – chest – chin – ear – elbow – eye – eyebrow
1. Label the parts of the body.
– eyelid – eyelashes – face – finger – foot – forearm
– forehead – hair – hand – head – knee – leg – lip –
mouth – neck – nose –nostril – shin – shoulder – teeth
– thigh – thumb – toe – tongue

2. Match the body parts with the definitions below.

A. the upper front section of the human body between

the neck and the abdomen ..........................
B. the structure at the front of the face that contains
nostrils, organs of smell, and a passageway for
breathing ..........................
C. the joint between the upper and lower portions
of the human leg ..........................
D. the part on the end of the human arm, used for
grasping or holding ..........................
E. the body part below the ankle joint on which we
stand and move..........................
F. one of the limbs that support and transport the
human body ..........................
G. either of the two upper limbs of the human body,
between the shoulders and the wrists ......................
H. the organ of hearing ..........................
I. the part of the head that extends from the forehead
to the chin and from ear to ear ..........................
J. the body part that contains the brain or primary nerve
centre and the facial features ..........................
K. the organ of sight and the area close around it,
including the lids, lashes, and brow ..........................
L. the part of a human that is on the opposite side from
the chest and abdomen and between the neck and
the tailbone ..........................
M. the opening in the face through which one eats,
breathes, speaks, and emits vocal sounds, and
which includes the lips, teeth, and tongue
..........................
N. the part of the human body extending from the base
of the neck to either upper arm ..........................
O. the part of the body that connects the head with the
trunk ..........................

32
3. Bodily movements and sounds: Complete the sentences with the appropriate verb from the box. You
may have to change the verb form.
cough fold groan hiccup laugh nudge pat pet punch scratch
shake sigh sneeze sniff snore squeeze stretch whisper yawn

1. After driving a long distance, I like to get out and .................. my arms and legs.
2. If he says that again, I’ll .................. him on the nose.
3. When Cathy was small, I often ..................her on the head when she smiled at me.
4. She loves dogs, and always stops to ..................any dog.
5. She wasn’t slim enough to .................. between the two tables.
6. Timothy went to sleep during the meeting and I had to .................. him with my elbow to wake him.
7. During the lesson, he .................. quietly to his friends.
8. When someone .................., people usually say “Bless you!”.
9. He was really tired and continued to.................. all through the movie.
10. Many people get colds and .................. during the winter.
11. Some people .................. when they are bored.
12. He couldn’t stop .................. at that joke.
13. The girl .................. when her mother asked her to clean her room.
14. I’ve got a runny nose and can’t stop .................. .
15. Some people recommend holding your breath to stop ...................
16. My wife says I .................. when I sleep. It really irritates her!
17. She .................. her head to show her disagreement.
18. The teacher .................. his arms, waiting for the students to keep quiet.
19. She .................. her head thoughtfully.

4. Each picture below reflects a bodily movement or sound. Link the verbs to the pictures.

bend chew clap jump kick lift

point shrug smell swallow whisper wink

33
Health Complaints

1. Describing Aches and Pains

There are two words in English for when something hurts: ache and pain
- An ache is a general pain that goes on for a long time, and is not sharp (acute).
- A pain is usually sharper, more severe than an ache. Sometimes it is only experienced
when the injured part is moved.

I have a bad headache.

I have a sharp
pain in my head.

2. Talking about aches and pains:

If your head hurts:
If your stomach hurts:
If your back hurts:
If your tooth hurts:
If other parts of your body hurt:
"I've got a headache." or
"My head aches."
"I've got stomach ache." or
"My stomach aches."
"I've got backache." or
""My back aches."
"I've got toothache." or
"My tooth aches."
"I've got a pain in my arm / leg, etc." or
“My arm aches/ my legs ache” (e.g. muscle pain)

3. Choose the correct answer:

1. I've got a ……………………., I must go to the dentist
2. My foot ……………………., I can't walk
3. Sue had ……………………. after eating too many apples
4. I've got a terrible ……………………. in my chest. Do you think it could be serious?
5. I went to the gym yesterday, and my legs ……………………. so much I can hardly move!

4. Symptoms
a) After reading or acting out the conversation below, find words/phrases that mean.
1. a dull continuous pain …………………….
2. an allergic reaction to something ……………………
3. my head seems to be going round ……………………
4. lacking in sensation (e.g. anaesthetized) ……………………
5. an inflammation in which a part of the body becomes larger ……………………
6. burned with water or any other liquid……………………

b) Dialogue
Husband: What’s the matter, dear?
Wife: I’ve got a headache.
Husband: Then why are you rubbing your ankle?
Wife: I think I’ve sprained it.

34
 Husband: But why are you wearing that bandage on your hand?
Wife: I scalded myself with the hot water from the kettle.
Husband: Is that why you’re sneezing?
Wife: Don’t be silly! I’ve got a cold.
Husband: Is that why your face is swollen?
Wife: No, I’ve got toothache.
Husband: But what are those spots on your neck?
Wife: Can’t you see? I’ve got a rash.
Husband: And what’s that swelling on your arm?
Wife: I’ve been stung by a bee.
Husband: Why don’t you go to the doctor?
Wife: How can I? My feet are numb. Besides, I feel dizzy.
Husband: You’ve got a headache, a sprained ankle, a scalded hand, a cold, toothache, a rash,
a bee sting, numb feet and you feel dizzy. Is there any part of your body that’s still
OK?
Wife: Yes, my eyes. I can see you laughing at me!

c) Comprehension: Complete the following statements.

1. She is holding her head because …………………….…………..
2. She’s rubbing her ankle because ……………………………
3. She’s sneezing because ……………………….……………..
4. Her face is swollen because ………………………………….
5. ……………………………….……… because she’s got a rash.
6. She’s wearing a bandage on her hand because ………………….
7. ………………….…………………. because she’s been stung by a bee.
8. ………………….…………………. because her feet are numb.
9. Her head’s going round because ………………….……………

5. Use the words in the box to fill the gaps. ache hurt ill
1. I’ve eaten too much chocolate. I feel ………….. injured pain sick
2. Ten people were………………. in the accident.
3. Sometimes I have a terrible …………. in my back. It can really………….. I must see my GP.
4. I’ve got tooth…………. and a head………….. Do you have an aspirin?
5. My aunt is very …………. with cancer. We visited her in hospital yesterday.

6. Which parts of the body would be affected by the following aches and pains?
1. a cough 2. a sore throat 3. a blister 4. a sprain
5. a cut 6. numbness 7. to feel sick 8. to feel faint
9. a bump 10. concussion 11. sneezing 12. broken
13. shivering 14. runny 15. a bruise

7. Match the phrases with the symptoms.

Symptoms
a headache
stomach-ache
I can’t stop tired
weak
shivering
I feel sneezing
a sore throat
ill / sick
a bad cough
I’ve got awful
a runny nose

35
 8. Pair work.Describe one of the illnesses below using the symptoms in exercise G.
Yourpartner must try to guess which illness you are describing.

Symptoms and Treatment

 1. BRAINSTORMING: Have you recently felt ill? What was wrong with you? Think of the
different kinds of treatment for illnesses or conditions.

Treatment


 2.Look at the boxes below and answer the questions: 



36
 

 

3. a) Which verbs do you associate with the following kinds of treatment? (see next page)
b) Write a sentence to illustrate the correct usage of each phrase.

37
 ……………………………… ………………………………
……………………………… ………………………………

……………………………… ………………………………
……………………………… ………………………………

………………………………
………………………………
………………………………
………………………………

……………………………… ………………………………
……………………………… ………………………………

………………………………
………………………………
………………………………
………………………………

4. Label the pictures below.

5. Match the verbs in A with the words in B. Sometimes there is more than one possible match.

A B
Check a pill
Cure an operation
Do a prescription
Feel sick / ill
Give an injection
Have some medicine
Make the heart beat
Perform an illness / a disease
Take your temperature
Treat a diagnosis
Write a checkup

6. Match the two halves of each sentence.

1 . He needs a plaster,
2 . I'd like some lozenges
3. Put this cream
4. You're very hot,
5 . She's ill,
6. I've got a runny nose,
A. you might have a temperature.
B. she should be in bed
C. he's cut his finger.
D. on your sunburn.
E. I need some tissues.
F. for a sore throat.

38
 Doctor-patient dialogues

1) Starting 2) Asking how long the problem has lasted

What’s brought you along today? How long have they been bothering you?
What seems to be the problem? How long has it been bothering you?
What can I do for you? How long have you had them (it)?

3) Asking where the problem is 4) Getting a description of the pain

Where does it hurt? Can you describe the pain?
Which part of your … is affected? What’s the pain like?
Where is it sore? What kind of pain is it?

5) Getting more information about the pain

Is there anything that makes it better/worse? Does lying down help the pain?
Does anything make it better / worse? How long does the pain last?
What effect does food/eating/coughing have? Is there anything you feel at the same time?

1. Study this extract in which the doctor starts the interview with the patient, and asks how long
the problem has lasted.
Doctor: Well, Mrs Black. What’s brought you along today?
Patient: Well, doctor, I’ve got a bad dose of flu. (1)
Doctor: How long has it been bothering you?
Patient: Two or three days. (2)

Practise this dialogue. Your partner should play the part of the patient, selecting from lists
(1) and (2) below. Use all the ways of starting an interview and asking how long the problem
has lasted.
(1) (2)
terrible constipation since Tuesday
swollen ankles a fortnight
a pain in the stomach for almost a month

2. Study this extract in which the doctor asks where the pain is and about the type of pain.
Now work in the same way as in 1.
(3)
Doctor: Which part of your head is affected?
a feeling of pressure
Patient: Just here. very sore, like a knife
Doctor: Can you describe the pain? a burning pain
Patient: It’s a dull sort of ache. (3)
3. Study this extract in which the doctor asks if anything relieves the pain and if anything else
affects the problem.
Doctor: Does anything make it better?
Patient: If I stop for a bit, it goes away.

39
4. Complete the short dialogues below.
1. Doctor: Well, Mr Blair. What seems ....................................................?
Patient: I’ve got a terrible stomach .................
Doctor: How long have ............................................ it?
Patient: It started two weeks .............. .
Doctor: .................... does it ........................?
Patient: Here.
Doctor: What is...............................................?
Patient: It’s a sharp kind of pain. It gets worse and worse and then it goes ....... .
Doctor: What effect ...............................................?
Patient: Food makes it worse.

2. Doctor: Hello, Ms Mercer. What can ....................................................?

Patient: I’ve got a terrible ............... in my chest.
Doctor: When did you first ..................it?
Patient: Last month.
Doctor: . ............................ is it ...................?
Patient: It’s right here.
Doctor: What kind .......................................?
Patient: It’s a sharp, stabbing ...................... It’s like a knife.
Doctor: Is there anything....................................... ?
Patient: If I take a deep breath, or I cough, it’s really sore.

5. Practise further dialogues using these replies.

Pain in the side. I’ve got an annoying cough.

Since last Monday. For ten days.
Down here. Just here.
It’s a gnawing kind of pain. My chest feels raw inside.
Yes, if I eat, it gets better. No, it hurts most when I cough.

6. Complete the dialogue below with ONE word in each space.

Doctor: Oh, good morning, Mrs Adams. What ……………….. I do for you?
Mrs Adams: Hello, doctor. It’s this … I’ve got a ……………….. in my ………………... It’s really terrible
during the day.
Doctor: Yes, does it …hmmm… does it ……………….. all the time ?
Mrs Adams: Well, after I’ve been doing the … you know, bending, doing the housework and then when
I … if I stand ……………….. oh, it is so ………………..
Doctor: Yes, yes, let me just ……………….. there … Is that where it is?
Mrs Adams: Yes, ……………….. it. Ooh!
Doctor: Yes, if I can just … I think you’ve strained your ……………….. rather badly. And I advise
you to have plenty of ……………….. . Don’t do any lifting. And … um … plenty of sleep.
What sort of ……………….. do you sleep on?
Mrs Adams: Well, we sleep on a soft mattress, of course … er ….
Doctor: Yes, well, soft mattresses are not the best sort of mattress if you suffer ……………….. bad
backs. If you could possibly get a ……………….. mattress, it would be advisable.
Mrs Adams: Yes, all right. Thank you very much, doctor.
Patient: Have they sent the results of my tests yet? Patient: Doctor, my son has swallowed my pen.
Doctor: Yes, the news isn’t good, I’m afraid. What should I do?
Patient: How long have I got to live, doctor? Doctor: Use a pencil until I get there.
Doctor: Ten…
Patient: Ten WHAT? Months, weeks?
Doctor: Nine, eight, seven, six…
40
3. Project work

41
PREPARING YOUR PROJECT

The projects are short presentations in class in groups of 2 or 3 students, lasting 15-20 minutes, of an
area related to your university degree.

1. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this project are to:

a. Encourage you to read and assimilate information in the area of your university
degree. For this you need to develop appropriate READING STRATEGIES*.
b. To use appropriate sources of information, familiarize you with a variety of sources of
information, considering how useful they are for this project, and their strengths and
weaknesses.
c. To learn how to write a bibliography, and the importance of doing so.
d. How to plan and develop a presentation based on what you have researched.
e. To develop skills for working in a team (Maximum 3 students. Students may work
alone in exceptional circumstances).
f. Learn how to present information effectively and confidently in English

2. ASSESSMENT: You will be assessed on the following areas:

a. Your ability to write a simple proposal and development, following the guidelines
and deadlines that are stipulated by your teacher. There are three stages:
i. STAGE 1: PROPOSAL. Theme of the work, students names, objectives
and bibliography (YOUR BIBLIOGRAPHY MUST BE ENGLISH)
ii. STAGE 2: DEVELOPMENT. The basic ideas that you want to
communicate, and how these are divided among the students
iii. STAGE 3 Completion and presentation.
b. Your ability to look for appropriate information, and to summarize key ideas
without plagiarism.
c. Your ability to present ideas clearly, without reading, using visual aids to support
your presentation when appropriate.
d. Your communication skills, that is, the ability to express your ideas clearly in English.

3. THE RESEARCH PROCESS.

a. Where can you get information?
i. Books (including bibliography suggested by teachers)
ii. Academic journals (see the library and B-On)
iii. The internet
iv. Other sources
b. You need to think about:
i. The type of information you want
ii. The quality of the information

42
 iii. The reliability of the information (which is better, academic journals
or newspapers? Why?)
iv. How much time you have
v. How easy the information is to get and understand
c. Answer the questions that you have put to yourself in part 4, above, but be open
to important extra information that you have not considered
4. READING STRATEGIES: You don’t need to read everything in detail. You need to decide
if something is useful for you to read or not, according to your initial questions. The major
strategies are:
a. Extensive reading (reading whole books or long articles for the general idea)
b. Intensive reading (reading a section of a book or article in order to understand
a particular idea in detail)
c. Skimming (reading quickly through an article)
d. Scanning (looking for specific information in a longer article, focusing on key words)
e. Reading for gist (reading an article for a general idea even if you don’t understand
every word).

Strategies for understanding new vocabulary:

a. Is it vital for understanding the article?

b. What part of speech is it? (Adjective, noun, verb, adverb, preposition, etc.)
c. Break down the word into separate parts
d. How does it relate to other words in the text?
e. Are there diagrams that can help?
f. Try putting the word in Google to find images/ definitions/ other contexts
g. Look in dictionaries, including online dictionaries such as www.PROZ.COM that
give technical translations.

See: http://www.collegeatlas.org/esl-efl-reading-strategies.html

http://pt.scribd.com/doc/3003258/English-Class-01-Reading-Strategies

5. PLANNING: What is the main topic of your presentation? What are the main points?
a. MAIN THEME Introduction. Why is this theme important? What are you going to talk
about?
b. SUB THEMES 1, 2, 3.The points supporting your perspective
c. CONCLUSION: Why was this important? What did your presentation show? Don’t
repeat exactly what you have said, but summarise it clearly
6. THE LANGUAGE OF PRESENTATIONS (from
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/business/talkingbusiness/unit3presentations/
expert.shtml)

43
Section of presentation
Introducing the topic
Overview (outline of presentation)
Finishing a section
Starting a new section
Analysing a point and giving recommendations
Giving examples
Summarising and concluding
Paraphrasing and clarifying
Invitation to discuss / ask questions
See also: http://www.englishclub.com/speaking/presentations-lang.htm
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/writing/presentation
7. DELIVERING A PRESENTATION (see http://alfabravo.com/2007/11/presentation-skills-dos-
donts/ , http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/ and
http://www.presentationmagazine.com/Essential_Presentation_skills.htm
Language
The subject/topic of my talk is ...
I'm going to talk about ...
My topic today is…...
I’m going to divide this talk into four parts.
There are a number of points I'd like to make.
Basically/ Briefly, I have three things to say.
I'd like to begin/start by ...
Let's begin/start by ...
First of all, I'll...
Then/ Next ...
Finally/ Lastly ...
That's all I have to say about...
We've looked at...
So much for...
Moving on now to …
Turning to...
Let’s turn now to …
The next issue/topic/area I’d like to focus on …
Now we'll move on to...
I'd like now to discuss...
Let's look now at...
Where does that lead us?
Let's consider this in more detail...
What does this mean for...?
Translated into real terms...
Why is this important?
The significance of this is...
For example,...
A good example of this is...
As an illustration,...
To give you an example,...
To illustrate this point...
To sum up ...
To summarise...
Right, let's sum up, shall we?
Let's summarise briefly what we've looked at...
If I can just sum up the main points...
To conclude...
In conclusion ...
In short ...
So, to remind you of what I’ve covered in this talk, …
In other words.......
So what I’m saying is....
To put it more simply....
To put it another way....
I’m happy to answer any queries/ questions.
Does anyone have any questions or comments?
Please feel free to ask questions.
Would you like to ask any questions?
Any questions?
44
Do’s

a. Think carefully before the event: what does this audience want to hear?
b. Look at the audience, and move around the stage. Remember that 70% of your
communication is in your body language!
c. Make sure the audience see you and maintain eye contact with them.
d. Speak slowly and clearly
e. Be visual, use pictures and videos that illustrate your points.
f. Avoid monotony by using variation and surprises in your slide styles
g. Engage the audience! Ask questions and have them put their hands up.
h. Check your pronunciation in advance with your teacher.
i. All essential facts mentioned need to be visual.

Don’ts
j. Don’t read word by word from your script. You will sound like a robot and miss the
all-important eye contact with the audience. Instead use cards with key words
k. Don’t talk too fast
l. Don’t mumble
m. Never use acronyms without spelling them out and explaining what they mean.
n. Don’t read from text bullets in PowerPoint. If you have to use text bullets, keep
them very short and very few per slide, then expand on the subject.
o. Don’t hide behind the computer.
p. Don’t turn your back on your audience
8. VISUAL AIDS
a. PowerPoint
b. Overhead projector
c. Poster
d. Handouts
e. DO NOT USE VIDEOS IN ENGLISH PRESENTATIONS. There is very little time,
and you need to show your communicative capacities, not those of the video

DO
Only use KEY TOPICS
Important pictures
Talk about images and graphs you have included.
diagrams, without showing them what they mean.
Keep your slides simple
Organise visual aids
Have a good size text (at least 22 points)
Introduction, conclusion and bibliography
Use a spell checker on all your slides
Use a dark background on your slides, as it is
easier to read for the audience
DO NOT
Use a lot of text
Use a lot of confusing images
Expect your audience to interpret graphs and
Put too much information on each slide
Present visual aids in a confusing way
Have very small text
Use videos. You are the presenter!
Use Portuguese words
Kill your audience with PowerPoint animations

45
 9. CREATING A BIBLIOGRAPHY Think: why is this important for a reader? Why is it important
for it to be accurate?

 Book with one author: Adair, J. (1988). Effective time management: How to save time and

spend it wisely, London: Pan Books.

 Book with three or more authors: Fisher, R., Ury, W. and Patton, B. (1991). Getting to yes:

Negotiating an agreement without giving in, 2nd edition, London: Century Business.

 Written course material: Dhann, S. (2001). CAE0001LWR Unit 5: Note taking skills from

lectures and readings, Exeter: Department of Lifelong Learning.

 OR, IF THE AUTHOR IS UNKNOWN: Department of Lifelong Learning (2001), CAE0001LWR

Unit 5: Note taking skills from lectures and readings, Exeter

 Government publications: Department for Education and Employment (DfEE), (2001). Skills

for life: The national strategy for improving adult literacy and numeracy skills, Nottingham: DfEE
Publications.

 Conference papers: Hart, G., Albrecht, M., Bull, R. and Marshall, L. (1992). ‘Peer consultation:
A professional development opportunity for nurses employed in rural settings’, In front Outback
– Conference Proceedings, Australian Rural Health Conference, Toowoomba, pp. 143 – 148.

 Newspaper articles: Cumming, F. (1999). ‘Tax-free savings push’, Sunday Mail, 4 April, p. 1.

 OR, IF THE AUTHOR IS UNKNOWN ‘Tax-free savings push’, Sunday Mail (4 April 1999), p. 3.

 World Wide Web page: Young, C. (2001). English Heritage position statement on the Valletta

Convention, [Online], Available: http://www.archaeol.freeuk.com/EHPostionStatement.htm
[24 Aug 2001].

46
Use of Language

47
 1. English Tenses

Affirmative / Negative /
Tense Use Signal Words
Interrogative

Present A: He speaks.  action in the present taking place once, never always, every …, never,
Simple N: He does not speak. or several times normally, often, seldom,
I: Does he speak?  facts sometimes, usually
 actions taking place one after another if sentence type I (If I
 action set by a timetable or schedule win, …)

Present A: He is speaking.  action taking place in the moment of speaking at the moment, just, just now,
Continuous N: He is not speaking.  action taking place only for a limited period of Listen!, Look!, now, right now
I: Is he speaking? time
 action arranged for the future
Past Simple A: He spoke.  action in the past taking place once, never or yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in
N: He did not speak. several times 1990, the other day, last
I: Did he speak?  actions taking place one after another Friday
 action taking place in the middle of another if sentence type II (If I
won, …)
Past A: He was speaking.  action going on at a certain time in the past when, while, as long as
Continuous N: He was not speaking.  actions taking place at the same time
I: Was he speaking?  action in the past that is interrupted by another
action
Present A: He has spoken.  putting emphasis on the result already, ever, just, never, not
Perfect N: He has not spoken.  action that is still going on yet, so far, till now, up to now
Simple I: Has he spoken?  action that stopped recently
 finished action that has an influence on the
present
 action that has taken place once, never or
several times before the moment of speaking
Present A: He has been speaking.  putting emphasis on the course or all day, for 4 years, since
Perfect N: He has not been speaking. duration (not the result) 1993, how long?, the whole
Continuous I: Has he been speaking?  action that recently stopped/is still going on week
 finished action that influenced the present
Past Perfect A: He had spoken.  action taking place before a certain time in the already, just, never, not yet,
Simple N: He had not spoken. past once, until that day
I: Had he spoken?  putting emphasis only on the fact (not the if sentence type III (If I had
duration) talked, …)
Past Perfect A: He had been speaking.  action taking place before a certain time in the for, since, the whole day, all
Continuous N: He had not been past day
speaking.  putting emphasis on the duration or
I: Had he been speaking? course of an action
Future A: He will speak.  action in the future that can’t be influenced in a year, next …, tomorrow
Simple N: He will not speak.  spontaneous decision If-sentence Type I (If you ask
I: Will he speak?  assumption with regard to the future her, she will help you.)
I think, probably, perhaps
Future A: He is going to speak.  decision made for the future in one year, next week,
(going to) N: He is not going to speak.  conclusion with regard to the future tomorrow
I: Is he going to speak?
Conditional A: He would speak.  action that might take place if sentences type II
N: He would not speak. (If I were you, I would go
I: Would he speak? home.)
Conditional A: He would have spoken.  action that might have taken place in the past if sentences type III
Perfect N: He would not have (If I had seen that, I would
spoken. have helped.)
I: Would he have spoken?
Adapted from: http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/tenses

48
 2. English Irregular verbs

Past Past
Infinitive Present Past Infinitive Present Past
Participle Participle
be am, are, is was, were been let let let let
become become became become lie lie lay lain
begin begin began begun lose lose lost lost
blow blow blew blown make make made made
break break broke broken meet meet met met
bring bring brought brought pay pay paid paid
build build built built quit quit quit quit
burst burst burst burst read read read read
buy buy bought bought ride ride rode ridden
catch catch caught caught ring ring rang rung
choose choose chose chosen rise rise rose risen
come come came come run run ran run
cut cut cut cut say say said said
deal deal dealt dealt see see saw seen
do do did done seek seek sought sought
drink drink drank drunk sell sell sold sold
drive drive drove driven send send sent sent
eat eat ate eaten shake shake shook shaken
fall fall fell fallen shine shine shone shone
feed feed fed fed sing sing sang sung
feel feel felt felt sit sit sat sat
fight fight fought fought sleep sleep slept slept
find find found found speak speak spoke spoken
fly fly flew flown spend spend spent spent
forbid forbid forbade forbidden spring spring sprang sprung
forget forget forgot forgotten stand stand stood stood
forgive forgive forgave forgiven steal steal stole stolen
freeze freeze froze frozen swim swim swam swum
get get got Got swing swing swung swung
give give gave given take take took taken
go go went gone teach teach taught taught
grow grow grew grown tear tear tore torn
have have had had tell tell told told
hear hear heard heard think think thought thought
hide hide hid hidden throw throw threw thrown
hold hold held held understand understand understood understood
hurt hurt hurt hurt wake wake woke woken
keep keep kept kept wear wear wore worn
know know knew known win win won won
lay lay laid laid write write wrote written
lead lead led led
leave leave left left

49
3. Do or Make
When we use do and make with noun phrases, do focuses on the process of acting or performing
something, make emphasises more the product or outcome of an action:

When I was doing the calculations, I made two mistakes.

[action] [outcome]
I did some work for her last summer; I made a pond in her garden.

Nouns which combine with DO.

activity Damage favour job task

business Drawing gardening laundry test

cleaning Duty harm one’s best washing (up)

cooking exam(ination) homework painting work

course Exercise ironing shopping

Examples: I usually do the shopping on Fridays.

Could you do a job for me next week?
Who does the cooking in your house?

Nouns which combine with MAKE.

apology coffee excuse love offer remark

assumption comment friends lunch phone call sound

bed complaint guess mess plan soup

breakfast dinner law mistake profit speech

cake effort list money progress statement

change error loss Noise promise tea

Examples: They made me an interesting offer of a job in Warsaw.

Not many building firms will make a profit this year.
I have to make a phone call

Adapted from
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/do-or-make
(Accessed on 10 August 2018)

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4. Nouns: countable and uncountable

Countable nouns
Some nouns refer to things which, in English, are treated as separate items which can be counted.
These are called countable nouns. Here are some examples:
a car, three cars my cousin, my two cousins
a book, a box full of books a city, several big cities

Singular and plural

Countable nouns can be singular or plural. They can be used with a/an and with numbers and many
other determiners (e.g. these, a few):
She’s got two sisters and a younger brother.
Most people buy things like cameras and MP3-players online these days.
These shoes look old now.
I’ll take a few magazines with me for the flight.

Uncountable nouns
In English grammar, some things are seen as a whole or mass. These are called uncountable nouns,
because they cannot be separated or counted. Some examples of uncountable nouns are:
 Ideas and experiences: advice, information, progress, news, luck, fun, work
 Materials and substances: water, rice, cement, gold, milk
 Weather words: weather, thunder, lightning, rain, snow
 Names for groups or collections of things: furniture, equipment, rubbish, luggage
 Other common uncountable nouns include: accommodation, baggage, homework, knowledge,
money, permission, research, traffic, travel.

These nouns are not used with a/an or numbers and are not used in the plural.
We’re going to get new furniture for the living room.
Not: We’re going to get a new furniture for the living room. or We’re going to get new
furnitures for the living room.
We had terrible weather last week.
Not: We had a terrible weather last week.
We need rice next time we go shopping.

Some nouns always have plural form but they are uncountable because we cannot use numbers with
them.
I bought two pairs of trousers. Not: I bought two trousers.

Other nouns of this type are: shorts, pants, pyjamas, glasses (for the eyes), binoculars, scissors.

Warning:
Some nouns which are uncountable in English are countable in other languages (e.g. accommodation,
advice, furniture, information):
They can give you some information about accommodation at the tourist office.
Not: They can give you some informations about accommodations at the tourist office.
Can you give me some advice about buying a second-hand car?
Not: Can you give me some advices about buying a second-hand car?
A good learner’s dictionary will tell you whether a noun is countable or uncountable.

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Quantity expressions (a bit/piece)
To refer to one or more quantities of an uncountable noun, expressions such as a bit of, a piece of, an
item of or words for containers and measures must be used:
He bought a very expensive piece of furniture for his new apartment.
Maggie always has some exciting bits of news when she comes to see us.
I think we’ll need five bags of cement for the patio.
There’s a litre of milk in the fridge for you. And I bought you a bar of chocolate.

Determiners (my, some, the)

Uncountable nouns can be used with certain determiners (e.g. my, her, some, any, no, the, this, that)
and expressions of quantity (e.g. a lot of, (a) little):
They gave me some information about courses and scholarships and things.
Have you heard the news? Fran’s getting engaged.
She’s been studying hard and has made a lot of progress.
There’s no work to do here, so you can go home if you like.
This milk’s a bit old, I’m afraid.

Countable phrases for uncountable nouns

We can sometimes use countable noun phrases to talk about an individual example of the thing an
uncountable noun refers to.

Uncountable Countable

accommodation a house, a flat, a place to live, a place to stay

baggage/luggage a suitcase, a bag, a rucksack

bread a loaf (of bread), a (bread) roll

lightning a flash of lightning

luck a stroke of luck

money a note, a coin, a sum of money, a euro, a dollar

poetry a poem

rain a shower, a downpour, a storm

travel a journey, a trip

Work a job, a task

Finding a place to live is difficult if you’re a student and you’ve got no money.
(or: Finding accommodation ….) Not: Finding an accommodation …
She brought two big suitcases and a rucksack with her. Not: She brought two big luggages …

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 I read a poem once about someone riding a horse at night. Not: I read a poetry …
We went on a trip to the Amazon when we were in Brazil. Not: We went on a travel …

Countable and uncountable nouns with different meanings

Some nouns can be used either countably or uncountably, but with different meanings. E.g.

COUNTABLE USE UNCOUNTABLE USE

People believed that ships made

We bought a new iron and an ironing board.
of iron would sink.

I broke a glass yesterday. The table was made of hardened glass.

Would you like a chocolate? Would you like some chocolate?

Let’s get a paper and see what’s on at the

The printer has run out of paper.
cinema.

‘Hamlet’ is one of Shakespeare’s most

I had work to do so I couldn’t go out.
famous works.

Uncountable nouns used countably

Measures and examples

Sometimes uncountable nouns are used countably, to mean ‘a measure of something’ or ‘a type or
example of something’:
Can I have two teas and one coffee, please? (two cups of tea and one cup of coffee …?)
A: How many sugars do you want in your tea? (How many spoonfuls/lumps of sugar?)
B: Just one, please.
To some degree we tend to eat the foods that we ate as children. (i.e. types of food)

Abstract nouns
Some abstract nouns can be used uncountably or countably. The uncountable use has a more general
meaning. The countable use has a more particular meaning.
Nouns of this type include: education, experience, hatred, help, knowledge, life, love, sleep, time,
understanding.

UNCOUNTABLE USE COUNTABLE USE

Good education is the best investment in The first daughter had a very expensive
Britain’s future. education at a private school in France.
(education in general) (the time one person spent at school)

Love is like a physical pain for some I’ve always had a love of poetry, ever since I
people. was a child.

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 UNCOUNTABLE USE COUNTABLE USE

(love in general/all love) (a specific liking for something)

They have a quiz every week, with The job requires a knowledge of statistics and
questions about general knowledge. basic computing.
(all knowledge/knowledge in general) (a specific type of knowledge)

Time passes more and more quickly as you We had a great time in Ibiza. We didn’t want to
grow older. come home.
(time in general) (a specific period of time)

Adapted from
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/about-nouns/nouns-countable-and-uncountable
(Accessed on 10 August 2018)

5. Comparison: adjectives (bigger, biggest, more interesting)

Comparative adjectives
Comparative adjectives compare one person or thing with another and enable us to say whether a
person or thing has more or less of a particular quality:
Josh is taller than his sister.
I’m more interested in music than in sport.
Big cars that use a lot of petrol are less popular now than twenty years ago.

Superlative adjectives
Superlative adjectives describe one person or thing as having more of a quality than all other people or
things in a group:
The ‘Silver Arrow’ will be the fastest train in the world when it is built.
The most frightening film I’ve ever seen was Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘Psycho’.
What is the least expensive way of travelling in Japan?

Comparative or superlative?
A comparative compares a person or thing with another person or thing. A superlative compares a
person or thing with the whole group of which that person or thing is a member:
Joe’s older than Mike. (comparing one person with another)
Sheila is the youngest girl in the family. (comparing one person with the whole group she
belongs to)

When there are just two members in a group, traditionally, we use the comparative. However, in
informal situations people often use the superlative:
Who is younger, Rowan or Tony? (traditional usage)
Jan and Barbara are both tall, but Jan’s the tallest. (more informal)

Comparative and superlative adjectives: form

One-syllable adjectives (big, cold, hot, long, nice, old, tall)
To form the comparative, we use the -er suffix with adjectives of one syllable:
It’s colder today than yesterday.

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 It was a longer holiday than the one we had last year.
Sasha is older than Mark.

To form the superlative, we use the -est suffix with adjectives of one syllable. We normally
use the before a superlative adjective:
I think that’s the biggest apple I’ve ever seen!
At one time, the Empire State building in New York was the tallest building in the world.
They have three boys. Richard is the oldest and Simon is the youngest.

Spelling of comparatives and superlatives with one-syllable adjectives

TYPE OF
COMPARATIVE SUPERLATIVE
ADJECTIVE

add -er: cheaper, richer, smaller, add -

most adjectives
younger est: cheapest, richest, smallest, youngest

adjectives
add -r: finer, nicer, rarer add -st: finest, nicest, rarest
ending in -e

adjectives with
double the final consonant and add double the final consonant and add -
one vowel +
-er: bigger, hotter, thinner est: biggest, hottest, thinnest
one consonant:

One-syllable adjectives which are irregular

Some one-syllable adjectives have irregular comparative and superlative forms:
1. bad, worse, worst far, farther/further, farthest/furthest
2. good, better, best old, older/elder, oldest/eldest
The morning flight is better than the afternoon one.
His elder sister works for the government.
Olivia is Denise’s best friend.
I think that was the worst film I’ve ever seen!
Pluto is the furthest planet from the sun in our solar system.

Warning:
We do not use more or most together with an -er or -est ending:
They emigrate because they are looking for a better life. Not: … a more better life
The beach at Marmaris is one of the biggest in Turkey. Not: … the most biggest …

Two-syllable adjectives
Two-syllable adjectives ending in -y change y to i and take the -er and -est endings:

busy, busier, busiest happy, happier, happiest

easy, easier, easiest funny, funnier, funniest

We were busier last week than this week.

Are you happier now that you’ve changed your job?
That was the easiest exam I’ve ever taken.

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Some other two-syllable adjectives (especially those ending in an unstressed vowel sound) can also
take the -er and -est endings:

clever, cleverer, cleverest quiet, quieter, quietest

narrow, narrower, narrowest simple, simpler, simples

I’ve always thought that Donald was cleverer than his brother.
This new bed is narrower than the old one.
The guest bedroom is the quietest room in the house because it overlooks the garden.

We don’t normally use the -er and -est endings with two-syllable adjectives ending in -ful. Instead, we
use more and most/least:
This dictionary is more useful than the one we had before. Not: This dictionary is usefuller …
You’ll have to try to be more careful in future.
The most useful tool in the kitchen is a good sharp knife. Not: The usefulest tool …
This is the least harmful chemical in terms of the environment.

Longer adjectives
Adjectives of three or more syllables form the comparative with more/less and the superlative
with most/least:
The second lecture was more interesting than the first.
Not: The second lecture was interestinger …
That way of calculating the figures seems less complicated to me.
London is the most popular tourist destination in England.
Not: London is the popularest …
If you are going as a group, the least expensive option is to rent an apartment or villa.

Comparative adjectives: using than

We use than when we mention the second person or thing in the comparison. If the second person
mentioned takes the form of a personal pronoun, we normally use the object form of the pronoun (me,
you, him, her, us, them):
Could you carry this? You’re stronger than me. Not: You’re stronger than I.
Why did you choose Robert? Marie is more experienced than him.

In more formal situations, instead of than + object pronoun, we can use than + subject pronoun + be:
You managed to answer the ten questions correctly? Well, you’re definitely cleverer than I am!
I preferred Henrietta to Dennis. She was always more sociable than he was.

Comparative adjectives: -er and -er, more and more

To talk about how a person or thing is changing and gaining more of a particular quality, we can use two
-er form adjectives connected by and, or we can use more and more before an adjective. We don’t
follow such comparisons with than:
The weather is getting hotter and hotter.
I’m getting more and more interested in conservation these days.

Comparative adjectives: the -er, the -er and the more …, the more…
If a person or things gains more of a particular quality and this causes a parallel increase of another
quality, we can repeat the + a comparative adjective:
The colder it is, the hungrier I get. (as the weather gets colder, I get hungrier)
The more generous you are towards others, the more generous they are likely to be towards you.

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 Reduced forms after comparatives
After than, we often don’t repeat subject pronouns with impersonal subjects, or auxiliary verbs with
passive voice verbs:
The exam results were better than predicted. (preferred to … better than people predicted.)
Temperatures that summer were higher than previously recorded. (preferred to … than were
previously recorded.)

Less and not as/not so with comparatives

We use less with longer adjectives (interesting, beautiful, complicated), but we don’t normally
use less with short adjectives of one syllable (big, good, high, small). Instead we use not as … as …,
or not so … as … Not as is more common than not so:
The second method was less complicated than the first one.
This new laptop is not as fast as my old one. I’m sorry I bought it now. (preferred to is less fast
than my old one.)

Prepositions after superlative adjectives

We don’t normally use of before a singular name of a place or group after a superlative adjective:
The castle is the oldest building in the city.
Not: The castle is the oldest building of the city …
She’s the youngest musician in the orchestra.

However, we can use of with a plural word referring to a group:

All the sisters are pretty, but Sarah’s the prettiest of them all.

Comparative adjectives: typical errors

 A comparative adjective is followed by than, not that or as:
The next hotel we tried was more expensive than the first one.
Not: … more expensive that the first one … or …more expensive as the first one …
 After a superlative adjective, we don’t normally use of before a singular name of a place or group:
She was the tallest girl in the team. Not: She was the tallest girl of the team.
 We use the superlative, not the comparative, when we compare more than two people or things:
Which is the city’s biggest hotel? Not: … bigger hotel

Adapted from
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/comparatives-and-superlatives/comparison-adjectives-
bigger-biggest-more-interesting (Accessed on 10 August 2018)

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