English course

Lesson 104 of 240

New here? This is lesson 104 of a free 240-lesson English course.

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Where it hurts in English

Ana has a cold. She walks into Dr. Okafor's clinic across from the Blue Plate. She wants to name every part that hurts.

Dr. Okafor is calm. She asks Ana to start with one place, not a long list.

By the end, you can name a headache, a sore throat, a stomach, a back, and a hand. You can also point and say it hurts here.

Keep the line short. Point if you need to.

By the end of this lesson

Name body parts and say where it hurts.

  • I have a headache.You feel pain in your head.
  • I have a sore throat.Your throat feels sore or painful.
  • My stomach hurts.You feel pain in your belly.
  • My back hurts.You feel pain in your back.
  • It hurts here.You point to the painful place.
  • I hurt my hand.You injured your hand.

Scene — across the street

The family clinic sits next to the drugstore across from the diner. Pale walls, a high couch, a window onto Larch Street.

Ana stands by the couch in her mustard cardigan. Dr. Okafor wears a white coat. She waits with a calm look.

Ana wants to list every part. The doctor will ask her to start with here.

Ana sits on the high couch as Dr. Okafor waits nearby in the pale clinic room.

Learn — name the part

Six short lines name the head, throat, stomach, back, and hand.

You also learn how to point and say it hurts here.

  1. Ana sits on the couch with both palms at her temples as she indicates head pain.

    I have a headache.

    You feel pain in your head.

    When to use it: Say this when your head is in pain.

    Have a headache is one piece that names pain in your head.

    Say it: Stress the first part of headache.

  2. In profile, Ana rests her fingertips at the front of her throat.

    I have a sore throat.

    Your throat feels sore or painful.

    When to use it: Say this when your throat feels sore or painful.

    A sore throat often comes with a cold.

    Say it: The th in throat is a soft sound.

  3. Ana leans forward on the couch with both hands over her belly while Dr. Okafor listens.

    My stomach hurts.

    You feel pain in your belly.

    When to use it: Say this when your belly is in pain.

    Say my, then the body part, then hurts.

    Say it: The -s on hurts is a small extra sound.

  4. Ana reaches one hand to her lower back while Dr. Okafor watches from farther back.

    My back hurts.

    You feel pain in your back.

    When to use it: Say this when your back is in pain.

    Back means the area along the back of your body, from your neck to your waist.

  5. Ana points to the front of her throat to indicate one painful place.

    It hurts here.

    You point to the painful place.

    When to use it: Point to the place while you say this.

    Use this when you cannot name the body part.

  6. Ana holds one hand in her other palm and presents it to Dr. Okafor.

    I hurt my hand.

    You injured your hand.

    When to use it: Say this after you injure your hand.

    Hurt here is past tense, and the word looks the same as now.

Story — start with here

Watch Ana at the clinic. She names every part, then Dr. Okafor asks her to start with here.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.

  1. Ana stands by the high couch. The window looks onto the street.
  2. Dr. OkaforHave a seat. Are you okay?Please sit down, then she asks if Ana is all right.
  3. Ana sits on the couch.
  4. AnaI have a headache. I have a sore throat.She names head pain and says her throat feels sore.
  5. Dr. Okafor nods. She wants a short answer, not a long list.
  6. Dr. OkaforStart with here, please.Begin with one place on your body.
  7. AnaIt hurts here.You point to the painful place.
  8. Ana points at her throat.
  9. Dr. OkaforSo, your throat.She checks that the place is Ana's throat.
  10. AnaI have a sore throat.Your throat feels sore or painful.
  11. Dr. OkaforAnything else?She asks if another part also hurts.
  12. AnaMy stomach hurts. My back hurts.She names pain in her belly and back.
  13. Dr. OkaforI'm sorry to hear that.I feel sad about your bad news.
  14. AnaI hurt my hand.You injured your hand.
  15. Dr. OkaforLet me look at your hand.She will check Ana's hand now.

Practice — tell the doctor

Nine quick exercises wait here. You will listen, pick, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay short, so the round moves fast.

0 of 9 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What does it mean?

    I have a sore throat.

  3. What do you say?

    Your belly is in pain. Tell the doctor.

  4. Fill the gap

    You feel pain in your back.

    My back ____.

  5. Build the line

    You point to the painful place.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  6. Pick the reply

    Dr. Okafor says:

    What happened to your hand?

    She asks how you injured your hand.

    And you reply with:

  7. Swap the word

    Ana walks in. Ask her to sit down.

    ____ a seat.

  8. True or false?

    This line asks if someone is all right.

  9. What do you say?

    Ana said her back hurts. Show you feel sad for her.

Say it — say where it hurts

Now you're Ana at the clinic. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap play first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. Dr. OkaforAre you okay?I want to know if you are all right.
  2. Ana (you)Tell her your head is in pain.

    I have a headache.

    You feel pain in your head.

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

EnglishSimple English
I have a headache.You feel pain in your head.
I have a sore throat.Your throat feels sore or painful.
My stomach hurts.You feel pain in your belly.
My back hurts.You feel pain in your back.
It hurts here.You point to the painful place.
I hurt my hand.You injured your hand.
Next: lesson 105At the clinic

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