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Unit 5 · Health & Wellbeing · Lesson 21

How You Feel

Learn how to describe symptoms and how you feel with B2-level precision. You'll practise natural health vocabulary and collocations so you can talk to a doctor or a friend and be understood the first time.

CEFR B255–65 minHealth lexisCore

Warm-up · §1

5 min

Get talking

reflection
Last time

When did you last feel really unwell? What was the first sign?

discussion
Doctor or Google?

Do you go to a doctor or search online first? Why?

activity
One symptom

Describe a common symptom (a headache, a sore throat) in three sentences — no repetition.

Grammar focus · §2

8–10 min

Describing symptoms — collocations, not translations

Open in Reference Centre

Quick rule

Learn the VERB with the symptom: HAVE a headache, GET a cold, FEEL dizzy, RUN a temperature, COME DOWN WITH the flu.

Pattern builder

  • Have + noun

    I've had + [a headache / a sore throat / a cough]

    e.g. I've had a sore throat for two days.

  • Feel + adjective

    I feel + [dizzy / sick / shaky / drained]

    e.g. I feel completely drained.

  • Come down with + illness

    I'm coming down with + [something / a cold / the flu]

    e.g. I think I'm coming down with the flu.

  • Be off + noun

    I'm off + [my food / work]

    e.g. I've been off my food since Monday.

  • Intensifier + symptom

    a + [splitting / pounding / mild] + noun

    e.g. a splitting headache

Compare

Weak (A2/B1)Precise (B2)Why
I have headache big.I've got a splitting headache.Use the article + a strong collocation.
I am sick.I feel really sick — I might actually be sick.'Sick' = nauseous in BrE; 'be sick' = vomit.
I have flu.I've come down with the flu.Natural verb + article.

Examples

  • →

    I've had a splitting headache since yesterday.

  • →

    I think I'm coming down with something.

  • →

    I've been feeling a bit under the weather all week.

  • →

    She's running a temperature and can't keep anything down.

  • →

    I'm completely off my food.

  • →

    It's just a mild cold — nothing serious.

Common mistakes

  • I have a fever of 39.

    ✓ I'm running a temperature of 39. / I have a temperature.

    'Running a temperature' is the natural collocation in BrE.

  • I am cold.

    ✓ I've got a cold. / I feel cold.

    'Be cold' = temperature you feel; 'have a cold' = the illness.

  • I feel me dizzy.

    ✓ I feel dizzy.

    'Feel' takes an adjective, no reflexive.

Natural English

'Under the weather' = mildly unwell. Very natural and vague — perfect when you don't want details.

Deep dive (full explanation)

At B2, symptom language is mostly collocation. You don't 'have' every symptom: you can HAVE a headache, GET a cold, FEEL dizzy, RUN a temperature, COME DOWN WITH the flu, BE OFF your food. Choosing the wrong verb sounds unnatural even when the grammar is fine. The other key move is intensity: 'a bit', 'quite', 'really', 'absolutely'.

Question 1.Best collocation:

Question 2.'I think I'm ___ with something.'

Question 3.Most natural for 'mildly unwell':

Question 4.'She's ___ a temperature of 39.'

Question 5.'I've been ___ my food for days.'

Answer all items, then check.
Conversation Builder
Say it naturally

Build the sentence → spot the natural chunks → say it aloud → reply like a real conversation.

1.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.

Step 1 · Build
Tap words below to build the sentence…

2.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.

Step 1 · Build
Tap words below to build the sentence…

3.Rebuild the sentence — then say it aloud.

Step 1 · Build
Tap words below to build the sentence…

Quick check 1.Best collocation:

Quick check 2.'I think I'm ___ with something.'

Answer all items, then check.

Vocabulary · §3

5–7 min

Words & phrases to own

Open in Reference Centre
1

a splitting headache

a very intense headache.

2

to come down with

to start becoming ill with.

3

under the weather

mildly unwell.

4

to run a temperature

to have a fever.

5

dizzy

feeling like the room is spinning.

6

drained

extremely tired, with no energy.

7

off your food

with no appetite.

8

queasy

slightly nauseous.

9

a stitch

a sharp pain in your side from running.

10

a stuffy nose

a blocked nose.

Activate it now

Use each phrase about your real life.

  1. Make it yours#1

    When did you last feel drained? What caused it?

    drained
  2. Complete#2

    Finish: 'The last time I was really under the weather, I ___ .'

    under the weather
  3. Your view#3

    Do you push through a splitting headache or stop work? Why?

    a splitting headache
  4. Rank#4

    Rank worst → most bearable: a stuffy nose, a splitting headache, feeling queasy, feeling drained.

    a stuffy nosea splitting headachequeasydrained
  5. Discuss#5

    What do you eat or drink when you're off your food?

    off your food
Matching
Match each phrase with its meaning.

Tap an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.

Answer all items, then check.
Categorise
Sort these into how you would actually use them when talking about symptoms & health lexis.
Answer all items, then check.

Pronunciation · §4

3–4 min

Weak forms in symptom sentences

Function words in symptom sentences reduce: 'I've been feeling a bit under the weather' becomes 'əv bin feelin ə bit ʌndə ðə weðə'. Stress the content words (feeling, bit, weather), swallow the rest.

  • I've BEEN feeling a BIT under the WEATHER.
  • I think I'm COMing DOWN with SOMEthing.
  • I've GOT a SPLITting HEADache.
  • She's RUNning a TEMPerature.

Reading · §5

8–10 min

The Language of 'A Bit Off'

Listen to the passage

Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.

British doctors will tell you the trickiest patients aren't the ones in obvious agony. They're the ones who say they feel 'a bit off'. That single phrase can mean anything from a mild cold to something a lot more serious, and unpacking it is half the appointment. The language of feeling unwell is quietly precise. 'A splitting headache' is not the same as 'a dull ache'. Being 'off your food' is different from 'not really hungry'. 'Under the weather' politely refuses to be specific, while 'coming down with something' quietly predicts the future. Doctors are trained to translate. If a patient says 'I feel a bit drained', they'll ask about sleep, work, water and appetite before anything else. If someone says 'I'm running a temperature', they'll ask for a number. The vaguer the phrase, the more questions it triggers. For learners of English, the lesson is the same in reverse. If you can only say 'I feel bad', you'll get a lot of follow-up questions. If you can say 'I've had a splitting headache and I've been off my food since yesterday', a doctor — or a friend — can help you much faster. Being well is easy to describe. Being unwell, precisely, is a B2 skill.

Question 1.Who does the writer say are the trickiest patients?

Question 2.What does 'under the weather' do, according to the text?

Question 3.What do doctors do with vague phrases?

Question 4.What is the lesson for learners?

Answer all items, then check.
True / False / Not Given
Decide if each statement is True or False

Q1.'A splitting headache' and 'a dull ache' mean the same thing.

Q2.Doctors ask for a number when someone says they're running a temperature.

Q3.Being unwell precisely is described as a B2 skill.

Answer all items, then check.

Listening · §6

8–10 min

A phone call between a patient (Sam) and a GP receptionist (about 1:30)

Listening audio

Tap play to listen. Replay as many times as you need.

Show transcript

Receptionist:Good morning, Highfield Surgery.

Sam:Hi, I'd like to book an appointment. I've been feeling a bit under the weather since Saturday.

Receptionist:Can you tell me a bit more? Any specific symptoms?

Sam:I've had a splitting headache for two days, I'm running a temperature — 38.4 this morning — and I'm completely off my food.

Receptionist:Any cough, or trouble breathing?

Sam:A bit of a cough, no breathing problems. I just feel really drained.

Receptionist:Anyone else in the house unwell?

Sam:My flatmate came down with the flu last week.

Receptionist:Right. I can offer you a phone appointment at 4pm today, or in-person tomorrow at 9.

Sam:Phone appointment, please. I don't think I can face the walk.

Question 1.How long has Sam felt unwell?

Question 2.What is Sam's temperature this morning?

Question 3.Who else has been ill?

Question 4.What appointment does Sam accept?

Answer all items, then check.
Tick what you hear
Tick every symptom or health phrase you actually hear.
Answer all items, then check.

Exam skills · §7

5 min

Strategy focus — Precision in Speaking Part 1 health questions

Open in Reference Centre

Task

B2 speaking often asks 'How do you look after your health?' or 'When were you last unwell?'. B1 answers stay at 'I was sick'.

Strategy

Use one precise symptom phrase and one intensifier: 'I had a splitting headache and I was completely off my food.' Then add a short cause or consequence: 'so I stayed in bed for two days.'

Example

The last time I was really unwell, I came down with the flu. I had a splitting headache, I was running a temperature of 39, and I was completely off my food for about three days. I felt drained for a week afterwards.

Practice · §8

8–10 min

Fill in the blank

Question 1.I've had a ___ headache all day.

Question 2.I think I'm ___ with something.

Question 3.I've been ___ my food since Monday.

Question 4.She's ___ a temperature of 39.

Question 5.I feel a bit ___ the weather.

Question 6.I feel completely ___ — I could sleep for a week.

Answer all items, then check.
Sentence transformation
Type a short answer (1–3 words)

Q1.'I've got a ___ headache.' (very intense)

Q2.'I've been ___ my food for days.' (no appetite)

Q3.'I'm coming ___ with something.'

Answer all items, then check.

Writing · §9

5 min

Put it in writing

Your task

Write a 130–170 word message to a friend or teacher explaining why you can't meet today because you're unwell. Use at least THREE symptom collocations from this lesson.

Your answer

0 words Restoring…
Show model answer

Hi Ana, I'm really sorry to do this last minute, but I don't think I can make our coffee this afternoon. I've been feeling a bit under the weather since Saturday, and this morning it caught up with me properly. I've had a splitting headache since I woke up, I'm running a temperature — around 38.4 — and I've been completely off my food. My flatmate came down with the flu last week, so I think I've caught it too. I've got a phone appointment with the GP later today. She'll probably tell me to rest, drink water and stay away from other people for a few days, which is what I'll do. Can we reschedule for the end of next week? I should be back to normal by then. I really was looking forward to catching up — sorry again. Speak soon, Sam

Speaking · §10

10–15 min

Make it a real conversation

Useful expressions in Reference Centre

ROLEPLAY — The Phone Appointment. Your partner (or teacher) plays a GP receptionist and asks about your symptoms. Answer in 3–4 turns using at least THREE symptom collocations. Then swap.

Useful phrases

  • • I've been feeling under the weather since…
  • • I've had a splitting headache…
  • • I'm running a temperature of…
  • • I've been completely off my food…
  • • I think I'm coming down with…
  • • I just feel really drained.
Dialogue completion
Pick the most natural B2 line.
  • FriendYou don't look great — you okay?
  • You_______________
  • FriendHave you got a temperature?
  • You_______________
  • FriendHave you called the doctor?
  • You_______________
Answer all items, then check.

Optional · Teacher-led

Teacher Activities

Optional teacher-led activities. ~23 min total

Homework · §11

Take-home

Take it home

writing

Write the 150-word 'can't meet today' message above about a real or invented illness.

speaking

Record a 60-second voice note describing the last time you were unwell using at least three symptom collocations.

vocab

Write true sentences using: splitting headache, come down with, under the weather, running a temperature, off your food, drained, queasy, stuffy nose.

listening

Watch a 3-minute health explainer clip. Note two symptom collocations you hear.

Recap · §12

2–3 min

What you've learned

  • You can describe symptoms with natural collocations (splitting headache, come down with, off your food).
  • You can grade intensity (a bit, quite, really, completely) and use 'under the weather' when you want to stay vague.
  • You can explain your symptoms clearly enough to book an appointment or cancel plans.
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