The Flatmates
Language Point 6: Illness


When you're ill, you can describe your symptoms (changes in your body which show that you're ill) in the following ways:

You can use have got + ache (when it forms part of a compound noun) with only 5 parts of the body:

I've got (a)
backache
She’s got (a) stomach-ache
He’s got a headache
You’ve got (an) earache
He's got (a) toothache

Note: All of these aches except headache are usually uncountable in British English so you don't use a or an with them. In American English, all these aches are countable so you use a or an with them.

You can use hurt/ache (verb) with any part of the body:

My leg hurts
Her ankle
His stomach aches
Everything
His stomach
My toes hurt
His hands ache

You can use sore (adjective) with any part of the body:

I’ve got arm
She’ got a sore leg
He’s got toe
You've got head

You can use pain (noun) with any part of the body:

I feel my leg

She’s got a pain in her stomach
He has his toe

You can use be or feel + ill/sick/unwell (adjective) or
feel + awful (adjective) to talk about your health in general:

I feel
ill
He feels
awful
I'm sick
She’s unwell
We’re not well


Vocabulary:

Morning, campers! (informal greeting to more than one person): Good morning!

My head's killing me (idiom): I've got a very bad headache

A hangover (n): A headache from drinking a lot of alcohol

A fry-up (n, informal): A meal made of fried foods (fried egg, mushrooms, bacon etc)

To burn the midnight oil (idiom): To study or work until late at night

Who's for...? (offer, informal): Who wants...?

You're a pain in the neck (idiom): You're very annoying