Everyday Grammar TV: Lesson on Illnesses

John: Hi Faith! How are you feeling today? I know that you were sick over the weekend. Faith: I feel a bit better today. But over the weekend, I felt awful. John: Oh no, I’m sorry to hear that. You know, we should do a lesson on illnesses. Faith: We can talk about being ill in a few ways. We can talk about how we “feel” and our “symptoms.” Symptoms are signs that our body experiences when we are ill. John: When you go to the doctor, the doctor or nurse might ask you: “How do you feel?” You can answer with the verb “to feel” plus an adjective to describe the feeling. I felt sick all weekend! But today I feel better. Faith: We can use “not” with the adjective “well” to also say that we feel ill. While “well” is most used to describe health, “good” is also used informally. I do not feel well today. I do not feel good today. John: We can describe our symptoms by talking about the affected body part plus the verb “be” and an adjective. My skin is red and itchy. Her ankle is swollen. Faith: We can also name the affected body part and combine it with verbs like “hurt” and “ache.” “To ache” means to have dull pain for a long time. My body aches. My back hurts. John: I hope you feel even better tomorrow, Faith! And that’s Everyday Grammar TV.