Health Phrasal Verbs

Bring up: To mention or vomit (depending on context).
1. Interrogative: "Did the patient bring up any concerns about side effects?"
2. Negative: "No, I didn’t bring up anything about nausea."
3. Affirmative: "I brought up the possibility of trying a different medication."
Come down with: To become sick with a specific illness.
1. Interrogative: "Do you think you’ve come down with something recently?"
2. Negative: "No, I haven’t come down with any symptoms so far."
3. Affirmative: "I came down with a fever last night."
Get over: To recover from an illness or difficulty.
1. Interrogative: "How long did it take you to get over the flu?"
2. Negative: "I haven’t gotten over the pain in my lower back yet."
3. Affirmative: "I got over the infection in about two weeks."
Pass out: To lose consciousness.
1. Interrogative: "Did you pass out after the procedure?"
2. Negative: "No, I didn’t pass out at all."
3. Affirmative: "I passed out briefly after the injection."
Throw up: To vomit.
1. Interrogative: "Have you thrown up since last night?"
2. Negative: "No, I haven’t thrown up despite feeling nauseous."
3. Affirmative: "I threw up twice after eating seafood."
Break out: To develop a skin rash or condition suddenly.
1. Interrogative: "When did you break out in hives?"
2. Negative: "I haven’t broken out in any rash so far."
3. Affirmative: "I broke out in a rash after using the lotion."
Look after: To take care of someone or something.
1. Interrogative: "Who is looking after your recovery process?"
2. Negative: "No one has been looking after me recently."
3. Affirmative: "My sister is looking after me while I’m sick."
Cut back on: To reduce the amount of something (often unhealthy habits).
1. Interrogative: "Have you tried cutting back on sugar intake?"
2. Negative: "No, I haven’t cut back on my caffeine consumption yet."
3. Affirmative: "I’ve cut back on smoking significantly."
Check up on: To verify the health or condition of someone.
1. Interrogative: "Have you checked up on your blood pressure lately?"
2. Negative: "I haven’t checked up on my cholesterol levels in a while."
3. Affirmative: "I checked up on my medication adherence last week."
Follow up: To pursue additional information or care.
1. Interrogative: "When will you follow up with the specialist?"
2. Negative: "I didn’t follow up on my lab results."
3. Affirmative: "I will follow up with my doctor next week."
Run through: To quickly review or discuss something.
1. Interrogative: "Can we run through your symptoms one more time?"
2. Negative: "I didn’t run through my medical history before the appointment."
3. Affirmative: "We ran through the treatment options together."
Warm up: To prepare for physical activity or treatment.
1. Interrogative: "Did you warm up before the exercise?"
2. Negative: "I didn’t warm up properly before starting my routine."
3. Affirmative: "I warmed up with some light stretching."
Take off: To remove something, such as clothing or a bandage.
1. Interrogative: "When should I take off the bandage?"
2. Negative: "I didn’t take off my shoes before the examination."
3. Affirmative: "I took off the splint after the doctor advised me."
Check in: To report or update on a condition or progress.
1. Interrogative: "Have you checked in with your therapist recently?"
2. Negative: "I haven’t checked in on my progress since last month."
3. Affirmative: "I checked in with my nutritionist last week."

The Most Important Points to Remember

Understand Context: Many phrasal verbs have multiple meanings. Ensure you are aware of the medical meaning.
Ask for Clarification: If unsure of a patient's phrasing, politely ask them to explain or rephrase their statement.
Practice Usage: Regularly use health-related phrasal verbs in simulated patient interactions to become more fluent.
Encourage Simplicity: When teaching patients, use simple phrasal verbs they are likely to understand.

Common Pitfalls

Overloading Patients: Avoid using too many phrasal verbs in a single explanation to prevent confusion.
Misinterpreting Meaning: Some phrasal verbs can have colloquial meanings. Ensure your phrasing is clear in a medical context.
Ignoring Patient Familiarity: Gauge whether your patient is familiar with the terms and adjust accordingly.

Tips for Learning and Remembering Phrasal Verbs

Create Flashcards: Write the phrasal verb on one side and its definition/examples on the other.
Use Role-Playing: Simulate patient interactions with a focus on incorporating phrasal verbs effectively.
Review Frequently: Regular practice and review help solidify understanding and recall.

Do This

When communicating with patients, incorporate health phrasal verbs naturally into the conversation. Ensure your usage matches the context and always provide clear explanations when needed. Use active listening to pick up on patient responses and guide the discussion with appropriate follow-up questions. Document patient responses using phrasal verbs for clarity and accuracy.

Don't Do This

Refrain from using technical terms or complex medical language that might confuse or intimidate the patient. Avoid dismissing the patient’s concerns or downplaying their pain, as this could undermine trust and the effectiveness of the diagnosis. Lastly, never neglect to verify details or probe further if something seems unclear, as incomplete anamneses can result in misdiagnoses.

It is okay to use phrasal verbs with native English speakers… in fact, it is even better to; it makes the conversation more natural. On the other hand, you have to be careful about using them with non-native speakers. They may not understand many of them.

Exercises and Other Activities

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