Medical English Exercise 

| Topic: English for Doctors/Patients/Health 1 

QUESTIONS: 
(Choose the best response for each one)

1. If pain disappears and then comes back again, it's referred to as "___RECURRENT__________" pain. 

   recurrent

   reclusive

   current

2. We'll have to ___RUN_______________________ ( = do) some blood tests.

   race

   run

   jog

3. I need you to __TAKE A DEPP BREATH________________________.

   take a heavy breath

   make a deep breath

   take a deep breath

4. I _EXAMINED_________________________ the patient last week. He seemed very healthy.

   examined

   examination

   exam

5. Your test came back ____NEGATIVE______________________. You are healthy! 

   positive

   increase

   negative

6. If someone is HIV-_____POSITIVE_____________________, it means that he/she has the HIV virus. 

   neutral

   positive

   negative

7. If you give someone a "clean _BILL OF HEALTH____", it means that you have determined that the person is
completely healthy. 

   bill of health

   sheet of health

   paper of health

8. What's another word for "doctor" ?

   shrink

   physician

   physiologist

9. My mother has a ______FEAR____________________ of needles. = She is afraid of needles.

   horror

   fear

   panic
10. Hopefully we can __DETERMINE______________________ ( = find out) what's wrong with you.

   name

   deter

   determine

Medical English Exercise | Topic: English for Doctors/Patients/Health 2 

QUESTIONS: 
(Choose the best response for each one)

1. Take these pills. They'll help _____EASE_____________________ ( = diminish) the headaches. 

   ease

   facilitate

   rectify

2. If someone asks you to __STRIP DOWN___________ to your waist, it means they would like you to take
off all the clothes above your waist. ( = your shirt, blouse, etc.)

   strip down

   take off

   take down

3. What are some of the __SIDE EFFECTS___________________ of this medicine?

   sideways action

   side action

   side effects

4. I'm going to prescribe some __PAIN KILLERS______________________ for you.

   pain-removers

   pain-killers

   pain-takers

5. If something is "sensitive TO THE TOUCH____________", it hurts when you touch it.

   to contact

   to the touching

   to the touch

6. I've __HAD MIGRAINES_____________________ since I was a little girl. 

   had migraines

   had a migraine

   been migrated

7. ______GET DRESSED____________________. = Put your clothes on. 

   Get dressed

   Get dressed up

   Get up

8. What's the opposite of the question above?

   Dress yourself

   Get down
    Get undressed

9. ____DOES IT HURT______________________ when I touch it? 

   Is it pain

   Does it hurt

   Is there anguish

10. Some physical symptoms are actually caused by _____ANXIETY___________________ or stress.

   anxious

   anxiety

   nervous

Medical English Exercise | Topic: English for Doctors/Patients/Health 3 

QUESTIONS: 
(Choose the best response for each one)

1. We can ___RULE OUT_____________________cancer. = It's definitely not cancer. 

   rule up

   rule out

   rule in

2. Last year my grandfather was _____DIAGNOSED______________with Alzheimer's.

   diagnosis

   made a diagnosis

   diagnosed

3. I can't ____AFFORD________________ ( = don't have enough money to buy) these brand-name drugs. 

   pay

   afford

   pay off

4. My doctor told me I was ____AT RISK ____________ for diabetes ( = that there was a chance I'd develop
diabetes).

   at risk for

   very risky

   a risk taker

5. You should never neglect the ___WARNING SIGNS____ of an illness. Go see a doctor immediately!

   warning signs

   warning touch

   road signs

6. D: Do you have a ___FEVER_______________________? P: No, my temperature is normal. 

   burn

   thermometer

   fever
7. It's not hopeless. This is something we can ___TREAT_______________________.

   treat

   treatment

   give treatment

8. General __ANESTHESIA________________________, which makes you unconscious, is used for some procedures.

   anesthesia

   narcosis

   passing out

9. I need to have surgery. = I need to have an __OPERATION________________________. 

   operative

   operation

   apparatus

10. Let me ask you a couple of questions about your medical __HISTORY________________________.

   life-history

   past

   history
Medical English Exercise | Topic: English for Doctors/Patients/Health 4 

QUESTIONS: 
(Choose the best response for each one)

1. I checked your __________________________ x-ray. Your lungs seem fine.

   chest

   foot

   head

2. I think I'm __________________________ with something. = I think I'm starting to get sick.

   coming to

   coming down

   coming apart

3. You will not feel any pain. = You won't feel __________________________. 

   things

   painless

   a thing

4. He's a __________________________ professional with over 20 years experience.

   highly-qualified

   high-qualifications

   high-qualified

5. I'm going to refer you to a __________________________ of mine ( = a person I work with).

   collage

   college

   colleague
6. I'm sorry, Dr. Beck is __________________________ patients today. 

   not having

   not seeing

   not healing

7. There is still no __________________________ for the common cold!

   cure

   save

   treatment

8. Let me check my __________________________. Yes, tell Mr. Johnson that I can see him at 2:00 PM on
Thursday.

   graph

   schedule

   time

9. Is it a sharp pain or a __________________________? 

   dull

   dull one

   dulled one

10. I don't have __________________________ in my right index finger.

   a feeling

   any feelings

   any feeling
Medical English Exercise | Topic: English for Doctors/Patients/Health 5 

QUESTIONS: 
(Choose the best response for each one)

1. After you see a doctor, you might have to schedule a __________________________ appointment to see how
things are progressing.

   follow-up

   follow-through

   fellowship

2. I think this might be the __________________________ of your illness.

   cause

   reasoning

   reason

3. I think this might be the __________________________ behind your illness.

   reasoning

   cause

   reason

4. D: Do you have any allergies? P: Yes, I'm __________________________ to penicillin.

   having an allergy
   allergic

   allergy

5. A person who specializes in a particular field of medicine is called a __________________________.

   surgeon

   special doctor

   specialist

6. My back is __________________________ me! = My back hurts very much! 

   killing

   destroying

   paining

7. Does this __________________________?

   hurt

   pain

   painful

8. It's too early to __________________________ a diagnosis.

   express

   tell

   make

9. She is ____ON THE PILL______________________. = She is taking birth control pills. 

   on pills

   on the pill

   on a pill

10. I almost ____PASSED OUT______________________ ( = lost consciousness) from the pain.

   passed forward

   passed out

   passed over

Medical English Exercise | Topic: English for Doctors/Patients/Health 6 

QUESTIONS: 
(Choose the best response for each one)

1. What type of university do doctors finish?

   Med school (Medicine school)

   Med school (Medical school)

   Med school (Medication school)

2. There is no physical ______BASIS____________________ for these symptoms. I believe that the cause of your
problems is psychological.

   base

   basic

   basis

3. He is __UNDERGOING____________( = in the process of receiving) treatment for a rare disease.

   underwriting
   undergoing

   understanding

4. This usually ____INVOLVES______________________ ( = includes) some kind of radiation therapy.

   involves

   evokes

   evolves

5. You have to ____AVOID______________________ fatty foods. = Don't eat fatty foods.

   avoid

   averse

   avail

6. D: Have the symptoms disappeared? P: No, but they've ____DECREASED__________________ considerably.

   decimated

   decried

   decreased

7. This is not a ___FATAL_______________________ disease. = You will not die from this disease.

   fatal

   fatalistic

   fatality

8. If a patient is ___TERMINALLY____________________ ill, he/she will likely die from their disease.

   terminally

   tactfully

   totally

9. An ______OUTPATIENT__________________ is someone who comes into a clinic/hospital periodically to receive

treatment. 

   outdoors type

   outpatient

   outside patient

10. Is this the first time you've ____EXPERIENCED

( = had) these symptoms?

   explained

   expressed

   experienced

Medical English Exercise | Topic: English for Doctors/Patients/Health 7 

QUESTIONS: 
(Choose the best response for each one)

1. Is "pulse" the same as "heart rate"?

   yes

   no

   only in Australia
2. You're a little __________________________. You have to lose about 10 pounds.

   heavy-set

   overweight

   really fat

3. There's not much I can tell you until we get __________________________ (from the lab).

   your tests over

   your tests have returned

   your tests back

4. Depression is often caused by a chemical deficiency or __________________________ ( = improper proportion of

several chemical elements).

   imbalance

   balance

   unbalance

5. It hurts when I __________________________ ( = urinate).

   pay

   peel

   pee

6. Don't worry, it's only a __________________________ cut. It's not serious.

   major

   minor

   minority

7. Cough, fever, and bruises are examples of minor __________________________ that people commonly suffer.

   ailments

   sicknesses

   illnesses

8. I feel cold. = I have the __________________________.

   chill

   chills

   chilies

9. If your nose or sinuses become congested, or __________________________, a decongestant medicine may help
you. 

   stuck

   stuffed

   stuffy

10. The doctor game me some __________________________ of the antibiotic.

   no-charge examples

   free examples

   free samples

Medical English Exercise | Topic: English for Doctors/Patients/Health 8 

 
QUESTIONS: 
(Choose the best response for each one)

1. The __________________________ ( = first ) symptoms of this condition are nausea and a high fever.

   initial

   initialed

   initiative

2. These things are often __________________________. If your father had it, you might get it too.

   hereditary

   heresy

   hearsay

3. An __________________________ is something that rids your body of disease-causing free radicals.

   anti-toxin

   anti-depressant

   antioxidant

4. An __________________________ medication is one that doesn't require a prescription. 

   over-extended

   over-the-counter

   over-prescription

5. Which one of these does NOT mean "to pay attention to"?

   to keep an eye on

   to monitor

   to repress

6. This is a __________________________ dangerous condition. You have to seek treatment right away.

   potentially

   possibly

   passively

7. Which tests are you going to __________________________? What can I expect to experience during these
tests? 

   perform

   perforate

   profess

8. He was really sick, but he has made a __________________________. 

   completely healthy

   better health

   complete recovery

9. Another word for "high blood pressure" is __________________________. 

   hypotension

   hypertension

   hypoallergenic

10. Taking this medication will __________________________ your risk of a heart attack.
   take down

   lower

   make less

Medical English Exercise | Topic: English for Doctors/Patients/Health 9 

QUESTIONS: 
(Choose the best response for each one)

1. How many treatments will I need, and how much will it __________________________? ( = how much will I have
to pay)

   charge

   cost

   pay

2. You'll have to quit smoking to get your asthma __________________________.

   under pressure

   out of control

   under control

3. Your cholesterol levels are __________________________ ( = incredibly high).

   off topic

   off the scale

   off color

4. It'll take about three weeks __________________________ start feeling better. 

   for you to

   in which you

   for a while

5. Under __________________________ circumstances should you drink alcohol. = You shouldn't drink alcohol no
matter what.

   no

   not

   any

6. To "OD (oh-dee)" means to __________________________ (on a drug, etc.)

   overdrive

   overkill

   overdose

7. I suggest you stop taking these sleeping pills. - You're becoming __________________________ ( = slightly
addicted to) them. 

   dependent on

   depending on

   dependent with

8. Will my health care plan __________________________ ( = pay for) this visit? 

   cover

   pay
   bankroll

9. I have to take special __________________________ ( = steps/ safeguards) because of your pacemaker. 

   prevention

   precautions

   premises

10. Just because your mother had breast cancer doesn't mean that you'll __________________________ it too.

   diagnose

   do

   develop
Medical English Exercise | Topic: English for Doctors/Patients/Health 10 

QUESTIONS: 
(Choose the best response for each one)

1. My grandfather was __________________________ to (the) hospital yesterday.

   prescribed

   admitted

   accepted

2. There were two doctors __________________________ ( = working) when we arrived.

   doing their duty

   on demand

   on duty

3. P1: Does the patient have health __________________________? P2: No, she is uninsured.

   assurance

   insurance

   assistance

4. If you're unable to quit smoking altogether, you should at least __________________________. ( = do it less) 

   cut down

   cut off

   cut around

5. Everything went smoothly. There were no __________________________.

   complications

   compliments

   completions

6. To "OD (oh-dee)" means to __________________________ (on a drug, etc.)

   overdrive

   overkill

   overdose

7. I've been taking birth control pills __________________________. ( = for many years) 

   for years
   on a yearly basis

   yearly

8. There's nothing to worry about. This is a __________________________ ( = standard) procedure.

   routine

   routing

   rooted

9. Even if you are infected, the symptoms might not __________________________ ( = appear) for weeks. 

   show off

   show up

   show

10. This is a contagious disease that can only be __________________________ by/through sexual intercourse.

   transferred

   transplanted

   transmitted

1. I'm __________________________ for surgery ( = having surgery) tomorrow.

   going in

   going up

   going out

2. The tests are __________________________. We have to retest you.

   incredulous

   inconclusive

   inclined

3. Are you experiencing any __________________________? = Do you feel tired?

   dizziness

   pain

   fatigue

4. Please __________________________ me ( = let me know) of any changes in your condition.

   notify/inform

   note

   review

5. When there is a decrease in or disappearance of signs and symptoms of cancer, you can say that the cancer is in
__________________________. 

   regression

   remittance

   remission

6. How __________________________ is this treatment? ( = how well does this treatment work?)

   affected

   effective

   ineffectual
7. I have a strange __________________________ ( = red patches) on my skin. 

   rash

   rush

   reach

8. This won't __________________________ long. = This won't require a lot of time.

   do

   take

   make

9. Your regular doctor is often referred to as your "__________________________ care doctor". 

   primal

   primary

   principal

10. Most operations are not emergencies and are considered __________________________ surgery. ( = surgery
that you choose to have)

   choosy

   picked

   elective