In British English, we use have got when we talk about illnesses and symptoms. This is more natural than just "have" in UK English.
| Pronoun | Affirmative ✅ | Negative ❌ | Question ❓ |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | I've got a cold. | I haven't got a fever. | Have I got the flu? |
| You | You've got a headache. | You haven't got earache. | Have you got a temperature? |
| He / She / It | She's got backache. | He hasn't got a rash. | Has she got a sore throat? |
| We / They | They've got the flu. | We haven't got toothache. | Have they got earache? |
We join certain body parts with -ache to describe a continuous, dull pain. Only five body parts commonly do this:
There are three structures for describing pain. Learn all three — doctors and friends use all of them!
| Structure | Formula | Examples | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| A) HURT (verb) | My [body part] hurts / hurt | My leg hurts. / My eyes hurt. | Any body part. Add -s for singular, NO -s for plural. |
| B) SORE (adjective) | I've got a sore [body part] | I've got a sore throat. / My knee is sore. | Any body part. Common for throat, eyes, muscles. |
| C) -ACHE (noun) | I've got [body part]ache | I've got a headache. / She's got bad earache. | Only head, tooth, back, stomach, ear. |
This is one of the most important differences between British English and American English. In the UK, these two words are NOT interchangeable:
We use should to give advice or recommendations. It means "this is a good idea" or "I recommend this."
| Type | Example | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ✅ Good advice | You should rest in bed. | No change for he/she/it |
| ✅ Good advice | She should see her GP. | Never "shoulds" — wrong! |
| ❌ Bad idea | You shouldn't eat junk food. | shouldn't = should not |
| ❓ Question | Should I call a doctor? | Should comes first |
This is a very common mistake for Bulgarian learners. In Bulgarian you can say "Имам главоболие" and the verb is simply "to have" — it has no continuous form. In English, there are two types of verbs:
Present Simple is used for habits and routines:
| Use | Example | Signal word |
|---|---|---|
| Habit / routine | She takes vitamins every morning. | every day / always / usually |
| Habit / routine | He goes to the GP once a year. | once a year / regularly |
| Current symptom (stative) | I've got a headache right now. | right now / today / at the moment |
| Current symptom (stative) | She's got the flu this week. | this week / today |
Most nouns in English add -s in the plural (arm → arms, leg → legs). But a few body-part words are irregular — they change completely. You must learn these by heart!
| Singular | Plural | Bulgarian | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| foot | feet | крак → крака | My feet are cold. |
| tooth | teeth | зъб → зъби | I've got two bad teeth. |
| arm | arms ✅ regular | ръка → ръце | My arms hurt. |
| leg | legs ✅ regular | крак → крака | Both my legs are sore. |
| eye | eyes ✅ regular | oko → очи | My eyes hurt. |
| ear | ears ✅ regular | ухо → уши | Both ears hurt. |
When you point to a body part or describe pain to a doctor, you use prepositions. These are the four most important ones in health situations:
| Preposition | Use | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| in | Pain inside the body | I have a pain in my chest. / It hurts in my knee. |
| on | Surface of the body / skin | I've got a rash on my arm. / There's a plaster on my finger. |
| at | A specific place / location | I'm at the surgery. / I'm at A&E. |
| from | Cause of the pain | My legs are sore from running. / Tired from work. |
The NHS (National Health Service) is the UK's public health system. It is paid for by taxes and is available to everyone living in the UK.
You cannot walk into a GP surgery without an appointment. You must book in advance.
Remember: "Surgery" in UK English = the doctor's clinic/office.
999 is the UK emergency number. (Like 112 in Europe, 911 in the USA)
Call 999 ONLY if:
111 is a free NHS phone service. Trained advisors tell you what to do.
Call 111 if:
1. Where does Tom live?
2. What were Tom's symptoms on Monday? (Choose the best answer)
3. What did Tom's mum advise him to do?
4. Who told Tom to take paracetamol three times a day?
5. Where did Tom go on Friday?
1. How long has Maria lived in London?
2. Who told Maria to call the surgery?
3. What were Maria's symptoms?
4. What did the GP give Maria?
5. What was Maria happy about at the end?
6. How should Maria take her antibiotics?