HEALTH IDIoms

WARM UP

Think about health and illness.

• Do you ever have small aches and pains?
• Have you ever been off colour?
• Do you know someone who is fit as a fiddle?
• Have you ever had a sore throat and felt like you have a frog in your throat?
• What helps you get back on your feet after you are sick?

Answer in full sentences.

VOCABULARY – HEALTH IDIOMS

Health idioms

• aches and pains = small body discomforts
• fit as a fiddle = very healthy
• undergo surgery = have a medical operation
• hard of hearing = cannot hear well
• have a frog in your throat = voice sounds rough
• be off colour = feel slightly ill
• be the picture of health = look very healthy
• get back on my feet = recover after illness
• be full of beans = have a lot of energy

Example sentences

• After the gym, I had some aches and pains.
• My grandmother is 80 but she is fit as a fiddle.
• He had to undergo surgery last year.
• My uncle is hard of hearing.
• I can’t speak well today. I have a frog in my throat.
• I’m a bit off colour today.
• She looks the picture of health.
• It took me a week to get back on my feet.
• The kids are full of beans this morning.

GRAMMAR – CLEFT STRUCTURES

We use cleft structures to give special focus to one part of a sentence.

Structure 1: It + be + focus + that/who + clause

• It is the gym that keeps me fit as a fiddle.
• It was the doctor who told me to undergo surgery.
• It is rest that helps me get back on my feet.

Structure 2: What + clause + be + focus

• What I have today is a few aches and pains.
• What she needs is to get back on her feet.
• What he suffers from is being hard of hearing.

Use cleft structures to emphasise important information.

DIALOGUE – TALKING ABOUT HEALTH

Anna: You don’t look well.

Mark: I’m a bit off colour. I think I have a frog in my throat.

Anna: Really? Yesterday you were full of beans.

Mark: I know. What I need is some rest.

Anna: It’s rest that will help you get back on your feet.

Read again and replace the health idioms.

SHORT ARTICLE

Last month, I had to undergo surgery. Before that, I was the picture of health and fit as a fiddle. After the operation, I had some aches and pains, and I felt off colour for a few days. What helped me most was rest. It was support from my family that helped me get back on my feet quickly. Now I am full of beans again.

Read the article twice. Notice the cleft structures.

LANGUAGE SUPPORT

Giving emphasis with cleft structures

• It is … that/who …
• What I need is …
• What helps is …

Using health idioms

• I feel off colour.
• I have some aches and pains.
• I’m fit as a fiddle.
• I’m finally back on my feet.

Full sentence model

• It is exercise that keeps me fit as a fiddle.
• What I hate is having aches and pains.

PERSONAL QUESTIONS

Answer in full sentences. Try to use cleft structures.

• Have you ever had serious aches and pains?
• Do you know someone who is hard of hearing?
• Have you ever had to undergo surgery?
• When was the last time you were off colour?
• What helps you get back on your feet?
• Are you usually full of beans in the morning?
• Do you know anyone who is the picture of health?
• What keeps you fit as a fiddle?

HOMEWORK (WRITE & RECORD)

Writing

Write 6 sentences:

• 3 sentences using health idioms
• 3 sentences using cleft structures

Recording

Read your sentences aloud clearly.
Emphasise the focus part of each cleft structure.
Listen to your recording during the week for repetition training.