A Visit to the Doctor in English: Three Clues, Medicine Plans and One Pocket Sentence

Emily is sitting in a small clinic. The nurse looks at her and asks a short question: “How long have you had it?” (01:38). Emily knows the word throat. She knows the word medicine. But she cannot find the words for time, and she says, “My mind went blank” (01:42).

This episode is for A1 and A2 learners, and it is built to stop that moment from happening to you. Paul and Emily walk through a doctor’s visit one step at a time: the front desk, the nurse, the doctor, the medicine, and a note for work. Each step needs only a few short sentences.

Watch the episode: Watch the episode on YouTube

Time: about 21 minutes to listen, and about 30 minutes for the practice below.

Before you listen: think about the last time you were ill. Which one thing was hardest to say in English? Keep it in mind. At the end of the page you will say it in three short sentences.

How to use this page: listen once without stopping. Then read the key idea and the tables, then do the practice. The full transcript is at the bottom.

What You’ll Learn

• The pocket sentence One more time, please, and why asking again is smart, not weak
• Front desk lines: I’d like to see a doctor today and My appointment is at nine
• Clinic words: clinic, appointment, ID, insurance card, form
• The nurse’s time question, When did it start?, and two answers: since yesterday and for two days
• Symptom words: headache, fever, sore throat, cough, runny nose, weak, dizzy
• I have for things, I feel for feelings
• Do you have any allergies? and two ways to answer
• Medicine words: prescription, pharmacy, tablet, twice a day, after meals, before bed
• A role-play where you are the patient, and a quiz with pauses

Key Idea

Give the doctor three clues: what, where, since when.

Emily says it at 10:22: “I think the doctor is like a detective.” A detective needs clues. You are the person who has all the clues, so your job is to hand them over in short sentences. Paul and Emily put the three clues together at 13:26.

Clue	What it answers	The English you hear
1. What	What is wrong?	I have a sore throat.
2. Where	Where is it?	It hurts here. (point with your hand)
3. Since when	How long?	Since Saturday. / For two days.

Put them together: “I have a sore throat. It hurts here. Since Saturday.” (13:34). Paul says it is only three short sentences, and Emily says that is enough for a good start. Then Paul tries his own: “I have a headache. It hurts here. For two days.”

The second idea of the day is the pocket sentence. When you do not understand, you do not need a long apology. You say: One more time, please. Paul says it again in the recap (20:47): it is “short, polite, and it works.”

Emily’s Sore Throat Story (00:51)

Emily tells the story as a small, true-to-life scene.

What happened	The English you hear
It was a cold Saturday morning and her throat hurt a lot	I woke up, and my throat hurt a lot.
She also had a small fever and felt very tired	I felt hot and very tired.
She walked to the clinic on Monday	On Monday at eight fifteen, I walked to the clinic.
The waiting room	Six green chairs and one old plant.
The nurse asked a question and she froze	How long have you had it? … My mind went blank.
What she did next	Sorry, one more time, please.

Paul explains the word blank: “Blank means empty. No words, nothing.” The nurse smiled and said it slowly: “When did it start?” That was easy, and Emily answered, “It started on Saturday.” Paul’s comment (02:17): “You did not run away. You asked.” Emily’s answer (02:21): “Asking again is not weak. It is smart.”

Notice what Emily was missing. It was not the word throat or medicine. It was the time question. The nurse used one form, How long have you had it?, and then another, When did it start? Both ask for the same clue.

The Visit, Step by Step (02:24)

Paul is the front desk, and Emily is the patient. The scene is short and the lines repeat, which makes it easy to copy.

Step	Who speaks	The English you hear
Welcome	Front desk	Good morning. How can I help you today?
Your reason	You	I’d like to see a doctor today. (02:36)
Appointment	You	My appointment is at nine. (02:42)
ID	Front desk / you	Can I see your ID, please? / Sure. Here you are.
Insurance	Front desk	I also need your insurance card, please.
Form	Front desk	Please fill out this form. Write your name and address.
Waiting	Front desk	Then please take a seat.

Paul stops the scene at 03:13 and gives two sentences to keep. He also says you can change the time: “My appointment is at ten thirty.”

With the nurse (03:40)

Now the roles change. Emily is the nurse and Paul is the patient with a headache and a fever. The nurse checks a temperature and a blood pressure. Then she says: “So, what brings you in today?” (04:23). That question is a polite way to ask why are you here?

Paul answers with a cough, a sore throat and a headache. The nurse asks the time question twice, once for each problem:

• When did it start? — “On Sunday night. Now it is two days.” (the throat)
• And the headache came later, I think. — “Yes, this morning, on the bus to work.”
• The nurse repeats it back: So, the throat for two days. The headache since this morning.

Then Paul says, “I noticed something” (05:04): the nurse asked about time twice. Emily says, “Nurses love time questions” (05:10). The answer can be very short: Since yesterday. For two days. Both are good answers.

With the doctor (05:29)

Paul is “still the poor patient”. The doctor asks how he is feeling, looks at his throat, and asks where it hurts. Paul answers, “Yes, it hurts there. Right under my ear” (06:02). Then the question that matters most before medicine (06:12): Do you have any allergies? Paul answers, “Yes. I’m allergic to penicillin.” The doctor says that is very important, and she will give him a different medicine.

Paul and Emily pause the scene (06:29): learn your answer now, before you get sick. If you have no allergies, say, “No, I don’t.” If you do, say, “I’m allergic to …” and the name.

Medicine, questions and a doctor’s note (06:50)

What Paul wants to know	The English you hear
How to take the medicine	How often should I take it? (06:58)
The answer	Take one tablet twice a day, after meals. (07:00)
He did not understand	Sorry. Can you explain that again, please? (07:13)
Things to avoid	Is there anything I should avoid?
When to come back	When should I come back? — If you don’t feel better in five days, come back.
A paper for work	Could I have a doctor’s note, please? (07:38)

Paul asks the doctor to explain again with a longer sentence. Emily then reminds him there is a shorter way: “One more time, please.” Paul calls it “our pocket sentence, number two” (08:01).

Clinic Words: Appointment, ID, Form (08:04)

Five words from the front desk, each with a simple meaning from the episode:

• Clinic: “a small place where doctors see people.” It is smaller than a hospital, and you do not sleep there. There is a clinic near my flat.
• Appointment: “a time you plan with someone.” I have an appointment at nine. Emily had no appointment on her Monday, so she waited for forty minutes.
• ID: a card with your name and photo. Sure, here you are.
• Insurance card: Emily forgot hers at home, in her other bag. Her sentence, which Paul calls “very useful”: Sorry, I left my insurance card at home. (09:28)
• Form: “a paper with questions. You write the answers.” Please fill out this form.

Symptoms: The Doctor Is a Detective (10:02)

Emily begins with the word itself: a symptom is “a sign that something is wrong.” A headache is a symptom, and a fever is a symptom. Then she gives the detective picture and the three clues from the Key Idea above. Clue number one gets the most words.

Word	The meaning in the episode	The sentence you say with Paul and Emily
headache	your head hurts	I have a headache.
fever	your body is very hot; sometimes you also feel cold	I have a fever.
sore throat	your throat hurts when you talk or eat	I have a sore throat. / My throat hurts.
cough	the sound “hm hm”	I have a cough.
runny nose	water comes out of your nose	I have a runny nose.
weak	you have no energy; your body feels heavy	I feel weak.
dizzy	the room is moving, but it is not	I feel dizzy.

Then comes the grammar point of the whole episode (12:37): “We say I have for things. I have a headache. I have a fever. And we say I feel for feelings. I feel weak.”

Clue two is where it hurts: you just point and say, It hurts here. In her story, Emily pointed at her neck. Clue three is time. Paul and Emily give three starting points, since yesterday, since Saturday and since last night, and one length of time, for two days (13:15). The pattern is simple. After since you say where the time starts. After for you say how long it was.

Medicine Words: Twice a Day, After Meals (14:05)

Paul and Emily teach the medicine words as a chain: the doctor gives a prescription (a paper that says your medicine), you take it to the pharmacy (a shop for medicine), and the allergy question comes before all of it.

Then Paul says what many lessons skip: “Many lessons teach the question but not the answer.” You can ask How often should I take it? but then you have to understand the reply.

Say	It means	Time
once a day	one time	15:26
twice a day	two times, morning and evening	15:29
three times a day	morning, afternoon and evening	15:34
after meals	after you eat	15:43
before bed	just before you go to sleep	15:46

So “Take one tablet twice a day, after meals” means two tablets every day, each one after food. A tablet is “one small pill” (07:04). If you are not sure, you already have your pocket sentence.

Useful Language from the Episode

English	Use it to	Example
One more time, please.	ask someone to repeat	The nurse is too fast.
Can you explain that again, please?	ask for a clearer explanation	You did not understand the tablet plan.
I’d like to see a doctor today.	say why you came	At the front desk.
What brings you in today?	(you hear it) ask why you are here	Answer with your symptom.
It hurts here.	show where the problem is	Point and say it.
Since yesterday. / For two days.	answer the time question	After When did it start?
Do you have any allergies?	(you hear it) before medicine	No, I don’t. / I’m allergic to …
Could I have a doctor’s note, please?	ask for a paper for work	After the visit.

Mistake and Repair

Two mix-ups are very common for A1-A2 learners. These sample sentences were written for this page, but the rules behind them are the two rules Paul and Emily teach.

If you say	Say this instead	Why
I am headache.	I have a headache.	Have for things such as a headache, a fever, a cough (12:37).
I have dizzy.	I feel dizzy.	Feel for feelings such as weak or dizzy (12:43).

The full explanation, with four more common mistakes and a set of exercises, is on the guide linked in Keep Practicing.

Practice with the Episode

1. Listen for details

Use the times below. Try to answer before you read the answers.

1. 00:51, the story. What day did Emily’s throat start to hurt? What day did she go to the clinic?
2. 01:38, the question. What did the nurse ask? What did Emily say?
3. 03:40, the nurse. What does the nurse check first, and then second?
4. 05:29, the doctor. Where does it hurt, and what is Paul allergic to?
5. 06:50, the plan. What does one tablet twice a day, after meals mean? When should Paul come back?
6. 09:28, the card. What did Emily forget? Where was it?
7. 12:37, the grammar. Which word goes with a headache, and which with weak?

Answers

1. It started on Saturday (a cold Saturday morning). She went to the clinic on Monday.
2. How long have you had it? Emily said, Sorry, one more time, please.
3. First the temperature, then the blood pressure.
4. Right under his ear. He is allergic to penicillin.
5. One tablet two times every day, morning and evening, each after food. He should come back if he does not feel better in five days.
6. Her insurance card. It was at home, in her other bag.
7. Have goes with a headache. Feel goes with weak.

2. Say it out loud

Press pause after each line and say it after Paul and Emily.

• One more time, please.
• I’d like to see a doctor today.
• My appointment is at nine.
• I have a sore throat. It hurts here. Since Saturday.
• I feel dizzy.
• No, I don’t. / I’m allergic to penicillin.
• How often should I take it?
• Could I have a doctor’s note, please?

3. Quick quiz

Listen at 18:43. After each question, Paul and Emily count “one… two… three…” before they answer. Say your answer first.

1. Emily did not understand the nurse. What did she say?
2. Your throat started to hurt on Saturday. Say it with since.
3. What question does the doctor ask before giving medicine?
4. You want to know the plan for your tablets. What do you ask?
5. What does twice a day mean?
6. Emily left something at home that Monday. What was it?

Answers

1. Sorry, one more time, please.
2. It started on Saturday. Or: I’ve had a sore throat since Saturday.
3. Do you have any allergies?
4. How often should I take it?
5. Two times every day, morning and evening.
6. Her insurance card.

Score: five or six is great, and three or four is a good start (Emily says to listen again tomorrow).

4. Role-play: you are the patient

At 16:11 the role-play begins. Paul and Emily ask, and you answer in the pause. Try to answer these before the example comes:

They ask	A good example answer from the episode
Do you have an appointment?	Yes, my appointment is at nine.
What brings you in today?	I have a headache and a sore throat.
Where does it hurt?	It hurts here.
When did it start?	It started yesterday. Or: For two days.
Do you have any allergies?	No, I don’t. Or: I’m allergic to penicillin.
Take this medicine twice a day, after meals. (you didn’t hear well)	One more time, please.

Your small action (20:09)

Stand in front of a mirror for one minute. Think of the last time you were sick, and say your three clues out loud. Then write them in the comments of the video, in English. Emily’s example: “I have a cough. It hurts here. For three days.”

Keep Practicing

Want a guide you can use without the episode? Read How to Describe Your Symptoms in English: What, Where and Since When. It turns the three clues into a set of repairs for the sentences learners say most often, with exercises and answers.

If you want the front-desk part with a few more situations, such as updating old information or a delayed appointment, see Front-Desk English at the Doctor’s Office: Fix the Answers That Slow Down Your Check-In.

Chapters

• 00:00 At the Clinic: Your Pocket Sentence
• 00:51 Emily’s Sore Throat Story
• 02:24 At the Front Desk
• 03:40 With the Nurse: Fever and Since When
• 05:29 With the Doctor: It Hurts Here
• 06:50 Medicine, Questions and a Doctor’s Note
• 08:04 Clinic Words: Appointment, ID, Form
• 10:02 Symptoms: The Doctor Is a Detective
• 14:05 Medicine Words: Twice a Day, After Meals
• 16:11 Your Turn: The Full Visit Role-Play
• 18:43 Quiz with Pauses
• 20:09 Recap and Your Challenge

Full Transcript

Paul: Have you ever sat in a waiting room and lost every English word?

Emily: Your name is called, you stand up, and your head is empty.

Paul: That is a scary moment. Many learners know this feeling.

Emily: Welcome to English Practice Daily. I’m Emily.

Paul: And I’m Paul. This podcast episode is for A1 and A2 learners.

Emily: Today we go to the doctor together, step by step.

Paul: First the front desk, then the nurse, then the doctor.

Emily: And then the medicine, and a note for work.

Paul: By the end, you can say the whole visit yourself.

Emily: And you will have one small sentence that saves you.

Paul: Here it is. One more time, please.

Emily: One more time, please. Keep it in your pocket today.

Paul: Emily, you have a real story about this sentence.

Emily: I do. Honestly, it is a little funny now.

Emily: It was last February, on a cold Saturday morning.

Emily: I woke up, and my throat hurt a lot.

Paul: Oh no. I hope you didn’t have a fever too.

Emily: Just a small one, but I felt hot and very tired.

Emily: On Monday at eight fifteen, I walked to the clinic.

Emily: It is a small clinic, two streets from my flat.

Emily: The waiting room had six green chairs and one old plant.

Paul: I can see it. Tell us what happened inside.

Emily: The nurse looked at me and asked a question.

Emily: How long have you had it?

Emily: And I just stood there. My mind went blank.

Paul: Blank means empty. No words, nothing.

Paul: Because the question was too fast for you.

Emily: Yes. I knew the word throat. I knew the word medicine.

Emily: But I could not find the words for time.

Paul: I want to know what you said.

Emily: I said, sorry, one more time, please.

Emily: And she smiled and said it slowly. When did it start?

Emily: That was easy. I said, it started on Saturday.

Paul: I like that. You did not run away. You asked.

Emily: Right. Asking again is not weak. It is smart.

Paul: Okay. Let’s walk into a clinic now. I’m at the front desk.

Emily: And I’m the patient. I feel terrible. Let’s go.

Paul: Ready. Good morning. How can I help you today?

Emily: Good morning. I’d like to see a doctor today.

Paul: Of course. Do you have an appointment?

Emily: Yes, I do. My appointment is at nine.

Paul: Great. Can I see your ID, please?

Emily: Sure. Here you are. This is my ID card.

Paul: Thank you. I also need your insurance card, please.

Emily: Hmm, give me a second. Yes, here it is.

Paul: Perfect. Please fill out this form. Write your name and address.

Emily: Okay. I’ll write my phone number here too.

Paul: Yes, right there, at the bottom. Then please take a seat.

Emily: Thank you. I’ll sit over there by the window.

Paul: Let’s stop the scene for a moment.

Emily: Two sentences from the front desk are very useful.

Paul: Number one. I’d like to see a doctor today.

Emily: If you want, say it with us. I’d like to see a doctor today.

Paul: Number two. My appointment is at nine.

Emily: Say it with us. My appointment is at nine.

Paul: You can change the time. My appointment is at ten thirty.

Emily: Good. Now the nurse calls your name. I’m the nurse now.

Paul: And now I’m the patient. Oh, my head hurts.

Emily: Hello, Paul. Please come in and sit down here.

Emily: First, I’ll check your temperature. Then your blood pressure.

Paul: Okay, no problem. I hope it doesn’t hurt.

Emily: No, not at all. Just open your mouth a little.

Emily: Hmm. Your temperature is a bit high. You have a fever.

Paul: I thought so. I feel hot and cold at the same time.

Emily: Now your arm, please. This is for your blood pressure.

Paul: It feels tight, but I think that is normal.

Emily: Yes, it’s normal, and your blood pressure is fine.

Emily: So, what brings you in today?

Paul: Well, I have a cough, and a sore throat. And my head hurts.

Emily: I see. Let’s start with the throat. When did it start?

Paul: On Sunday night. Now it is two days.

Emily: And the headache came later, I think.

Paul: Yes, this morning, on the bus to work.

Emily: So, the throat for two days. The headache since this morning.

Paul: Yes, that’s right. You listen very well.

Emily: Thank you. Do you feel dizzy at all?

Paul: Sometimes. Yes, when I get out of bed.

Emily: Thank you, Paul. The doctor will see you soon.

Paul: Emily, I noticed something. You asked me about time twice.

Emily: Yes. Nurses love time questions. When did it start?

Paul: And the answer can be very short. Since yesterday.

Emily: Or, for two days. Say it with us. For two days.

Paul: Since yesterday. For two days. Both are good answers.

Emily: Now the doctor comes in. This time I’m the doctor.

Paul: And I’m still the poor patient. Hello, doctor.

Emily: Hello, Paul. How are you feeling this morning?

Paul: Honestly, not great. My head and my throat both hurt.

Emily: I’m sorry to hear that. Let me take a look.

Emily: Please open your mouth and say ahh.

Paul: Ahh.

Emily: Yes, your throat is very red. Now, does it hurt here?

Paul: Yes, it hurts there. Right under my ear.

Emily: Okay. Now I’ll press here, on the back of your neck.

Paul: No, that part is fine.

Emily: Good. One more important question. Do you have any allergies?

Paul: Yes. I’m allergic to penicillin.

Emily: Thank you for telling me. That is very important.

Emily: I will give you a different medicine, then.

Paul: Thank you. I hope it is nothing serious.

Emily: I don’t think so. You need rest and some medicine.

Paul: Let’s pause here. That allergy question is a big one.

Emily: Yes. Doctors ask it before they give you any medicine.

Paul: So learn your answer now, before you get sick.

Emily: If you have no allergies, you say, no, I don’t.

Paul: And if you do, I’m allergic to, and the name.

Emily: Now the doctor gives the medicine. Back to the scene.

Emily: Here is your prescription, Paul. Take it to the pharmacy.

Paul: Okay. How often should I take it?

Emily: Take one tablet twice a day, after meals.

Paul: A tablet is one small pill, right?

Emily: Yes, one small pill. So, one tablet, twice a day.

Paul: Sorry. Can you explain that again, please?

Emily: Of course. One in the morning, after breakfast.

Emily: And one in the evening, after dinner. Twice a day.

Paul: Got it. Is there anything I should avoid?

Emily: Try not to talk too much. And drink a lot of water.

Paul: Okay. When should I come back?

Emily: If you don’t feel better in five days, come back.

Paul: One more thing. I can’t go to work tomorrow.

Paul: Could I have a doctor’s note, please?

Emily: Sure. You can pick it up at the front desk.

Paul: Thank you so much, doctor.

Emily: You’re welcome. Go home and rest, Paul.

Paul: Notice my sentence there. I asked the doctor to explain again.

Emily: And there is a shorter way. One more time, please.

Paul: One more time, please. Our pocket sentence, number two.

Paul: Okay. Now let’s look at some words from the clinic.

Paul: Emily, first word. Clinic. Tell us what it means.

Emily: A clinic is a small place where doctors see people.

Emily: It is smaller than a hospital. You don’t sleep there.

Paul: Now give us a sentence with it, please.

Emily: Sure. There is a clinic near my flat.

Paul: Say it with us. There is a clinic near my flat.

Paul: Next word. Appointment. Tell us what it means to you.

Emily: An appointment is a time you plan with someone.

Emily: For example, I have an appointment at nine.

Paul: And in your story, I think you had no appointment.

Emily: No, I didn’t. So I waited for forty minutes.

Emily: So make one. Say it with us. I have an appointment at nine.

Paul: Next. ID. This is a card with your name and photo.

Emily: The front desk asks, can I see your ID?

Paul: And you answer, sure, here you are.

Emily: Say it with us. Sure, here you are.

Paul: Then the insurance card. Emily, I think you have a funny story.

Emily: Well, a small one. On that Monday, I forgot it.

Emily: It was at home, in my other bag.

Paul: Oh no. So you had to say something.

Emily: I said, sorry, I left my insurance card at home.

Paul: That is a very useful sentence, actually.

Emily: Say it with us. I left my insurance card at home.

Paul: And the last word here. Form.

Emily: A form is a paper with questions. You write the answers.

Paul: Name, address, phone number, date of birth.

Emily: The front desk says, please fill out this form.

Paul: Say it with us. Fill out the form.

Emily: Good. Clinic, appointment, ID, insurance card, and form.

Emily: Paul, let me tell you how I think about symptoms.

Paul: Please. Symptoms are hard for many learners.

Emily: First, a symptom is a sign that something is wrong.

Emily: A headache is a symptom. A fever is a symptom.

Paul: Okay. Tell us how you think about them.

Emily: I think the doctor is like a detective.

Paul: A detective, like in a movie. Interesting.

Emily: Yes. The detective needs clues to find the answer.

Emily: And you are the person with all the clues.

Paul: I like that. Now tell us the clues the doctor needs.

Emily: Only three clues. What is wrong, where it is, and since when.

Paul: What, where, and since when. That is easy to remember.

Emily: Let’s start with clue number one, what is wrong.

Paul: Okay. Word one. Headache. Emily, tell us the meaning.

Emily: Your head hurts. That is a headache.

Paul: Say it with us. I have a headache.

Emily: Word two. Fever. Paul, tell us how a fever feels.

Paul: Your body is very hot. Sometimes you also feel cold.

Emily: Say it with us. I have a fever.

Paul: Word three. Sore throat. This is from your story, Emily.

Emily: Yes. Your throat hurts when you talk or eat.

Emily: You can say, I have a sore throat.

Paul: Or the simple way. My throat hurts.

Emily: Say both with us. I have a sore throat. My throat hurts.

Paul: Word four. Cough. Like this. Hm hm.

Emily: Ha. Yes, that is a cough. I have a cough.

Paul: Say it with us. I have a cough.

Emily: Word five. Runny nose. Water comes out of your nose.

Emily: Say it with us. I have a runny nose.

Paul: Now two feelings. Weak and dizzy.

Emily: Weak means you have no energy. Your body feels heavy.

Paul: Say it with us. I feel weak.

Emily: Now tell us about dizzy.

Paul: Dizzy means the room is moving, but it is not.

Emily: That is a good way to say it. I feel dizzy.

Paul: Say it with us. I feel dizzy.

Emily: Notice something. We say I have for things.

Emily: I have a headache. I have a fever.

Paul: And we say I feel for feelings. I feel weak.

Emily: Good. That is clue number one. Now clue number two.

Paul: Clue number two is where it is, and this one is very easy.

Emily: You just point and say, it hurts here.

Paul: Say it with us. It hurts here.

Emily: In my story, I pointed at my neck. It hurts here.

Emily: Now clue number three, since when.

Paul: We learned this with the nurse. Since yesterday.

Emily: Since Saturday. Since last night. For two days.

Paul: Say it with us. Since yesterday. For two days.

Emily: Now the detective gets all three clues together. Listen.

Emily: I have a sore throat. It hurts here. Since Saturday.

Paul: Only three short sentences. That is all.

Emily: Yes. That is enough for a good start.

Paul: Let me try one. I have a headache. It hurts here. For two days.

Emily: Perfect. The detective is very happy with you.

Paul: Now you try. Say your three clues out loud.

Emily: What, where, since when. One… two… three…

Paul: Great job. Now, after the clues, the doctor gives medicine.

Emily: So let’s learn the medicine words. Paul, start us off.

Paul: Medicine. This is what you take to get better.

Paul: Say it with us. I need some medicine.

Emily: Next, prescription. Paul, please explain this one.

Paul: It is a paper from the doctor. It says your medicine.

Emily: And you take the prescription to a special shop.

Paul: To the pharmacy. A pharmacy is a shop for medicine.

Emily: Say it with us. Where is the pharmacy?

Paul: Next word. Allergy. This one is serious.

Emily: An allergy means your body has a bad reaction.

Emily: Some people have an allergy to a food, or to a medicine.

Paul: The doctor asks, do you have any allergies?

Emily: Say your answer with us. No, I don’t.

Paul: Or, I’m allergic to penicillin. Change the name if you need.

Emily: Now, the most important part. The answer to how often.

Paul: Yes. Many lessons teach the question but not the answer.

Emily: And then you go home and you don’t know the plan.

Paul: So let’s learn the answers. Once a day means one time.

Emily: Twice a day means two times. Morning and evening.

Paul: Three times a day means morning, afternoon, and evening.

Emily: Say it with us. Twice a day.

Paul: And now when. After meals means after you eat.

Emily: Before bed means just before you go to sleep.

Paul: Say it with us. Twice a day, after meals.

Emily: So the doctor says, take one tablet twice a day, after meals.

Paul: And you understand it. Two tablets every day, after food.

Emily: And if you are not sure, you have our pocket sentence.

Paul: One more time, please.

Emily: Exactly. Now it’s your turn to be the patient.

Paul: I’m the front desk again. Emily is the nurse.

Emily: We ask, you answer. After each question, we count to three.

Paul: Pause the video if you need more time. Let’s start.

Paul: Good morning. How can I help you?

Emily: One… two… three…

Emily: For example, I’d like to see a doctor today.

Paul: Do you have an appointment?

Emily: One… two… three…

Emily: For example, yes, my appointment is at nine.

Paul: Can I see your ID, please?

Emily: One… two… three…

Emily: For example, sure, here you are.

Paul: Thank you. Please fill out this form and take a seat.

Emily: Now I’m the nurse. Hello. What brings you in today?

Paul: One… two… three…

Emily: For example, I have a headache and a sore throat.

Emily: Where does it hurt?

Paul: One… two… three…

Emily: For example, it hurts here.

Emily: And when did it start?

Paul: One… two… three…

Emily: For example, it started yesterday. Or, for two days.

Emily: Do you feel dizzy?

Paul: One… two… three…

Emily: For example, yes, I feel dizzy in the morning.

Paul: Now I’m the doctor. Do you have any allergies?

Emily: One… two… three…

Emily: For example, no, I don’t. Or, I’m allergic to penicillin.

Paul: Take this medicine twice a day, after meals.

Emily: You didn’t hear well, so ask the doctor to say it again.

Paul: One… two… three…

Emily: For example, one more time, please.

Paul: And the last one. You can’t go to work tomorrow.

Emily: Ask the doctor for a paper for work.

Paul: One… two… three…

Emily: For example, could I have a doctor’s note, please?

Paul: Wonderful. You just did a full visit to the doctor.

Emily: In English. From the front desk to the doctor’s note.

Paul: Now a short quiz. Let’s see what you remember.

Paul: Question one. Emily did not understand the nurse. What did she say?

Emily: One… two… three…

Paul: She said, sorry, one more time, please.

Emily: Question two. My throat hurt from Saturday. Say it with since.

Paul: One… two… three…

Emily: It started on Saturday. Or, I’ve had a sore throat since Saturday.

Paul: Question three. Say the one question the doctor asks before medicine.

Emily: One… two… three…

Paul: Do you have any allergies?

Emily: Question four. You want to know the plan for your tablets. What do you ask?

Paul: One… two… three…

Emily: How often should I take it?

Paul: Question five. What does twice a day mean?

Emily: One… two… three…

Paul: Two times every day. Morning and evening.

Emily: Question six. I left something at home that Monday. Say what it was.

Paul: One… two… three…

Emily: My insurance card. I hope you remembered.

Paul: Count your answers now. Five or six is great.

Emily: And three or four is a good start. Listen again tomorrow.

Paul: So, let’s look back at what we learned today.

Emily: First, the visit. Front desk, nurse, doctor, medicine, and note.

Paul: Second, the three clues for the detective. What, where, since when.

Emily: Third, the medicine plan. Twice a day, after meals.

Paul: Here is one small job for today.

Emily: Stand in front of a mirror for one minute.

Paul: Think of the last time you were sick, and say your three clues out loud.

Emily: And when you feel lost, remember: one more time, please.

Paul: One more time, please. It is short, polite, and it works.

Emily: Now a question for you. Write it in the comments.

Paul: Tell us your three clues, and write them in English.

Emily: For example, I have a cough. It hurts here. For three days.

Emily: In the next episode, we go to the pharmacy together.

Paul: If this lesson helped you, please subscribe to English Practice Daily.

Emily: Take care of your body, and take care of your English.

Paul: See you next time. Bye for now.

Emily: Bye, everyone.