Vocabulary for describing hospitals (with detailed pictures and sentences!), Level A2-B1

At the end of this lesson, you will know how to describe hospitals in a thorough way.

This ‘Describing Hospitals‘ lesson will be done 10 Steps. It is better to do 1 Step at a time for lasting results.

Use a unilingual or bilingual dictionary for maximum efficiency. Checking how the words are pronounced is also a useful thing to do.

You can equally write down the words that you wish to remember.

Let’s start.

a) Describing Hospitals (Step 1): Types

There are many types of hospitals. Do you recognise any of the above? How can we use these words in context? Below are a few examples:

• Rural hospitals are found in remote areas.
• Mental hospitals treat psychiatric diseases.
• Students can learn in academic as well as teaching hospitals.
• Geriatric hospitals are for elderly people.
• Public hospitals are often free or very cheap while private hospitals are expensive and unaffordable for most people.

Your turn: Pick five words from the picture and make sentences. Pay attention to spelling.

Now, let’s go to Step 2. It is all about describing a hospital ward.

b) Describing Hospitals (Step 2): Adjectives 

It is difficult to imagine how a hospital ward can be if you have never been hospitalised. In the picture above, you saw different types of words that can be used to describe a hospital ward. I have provided positive and negative Adjectives.

Below are a few examples:

• Being in a crammed ward can be distressing.
• Private hospitals often have wards that are safe, clean and nurturing.
• Spacious wards are good for a patient’s wellbeing.
• Crowded wards are unwelcoming.
• Bright and welcoming wards are much better than dark and dirty wards.

Your turn: Can you think of five other sentences to complete this series?

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Once you have finished, we can proceed to Step 3. It is about describing hospitals in a general manner.

c) Describing Hospitals (Step 3): General Description

Some hospitals are excellent whereas some are mere death traps. Do you live near a hospital? What is it like?

Here are some examples that can help you to describe such a hospital.

• Understaffed hospitals are life-threatening.
• If you see a dilapidated hospital, don’t go there.
• Neglected hospitals cost people’s lives.
• Well-equipped hospitals are often expensive.
• Independent hospitals receive better funding.

Your turn: Make five sentences that use some of the vocabulary in the picture. Two of the sentences should include transitional words such as BUT and BECAUSE.

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Once you are done, we can move on to Step 4. In this step, we describe different types of diseases.

d) Describing Hospitals (Step 4): Diseases

It is difficult to find positive words to describe diseases. When we are sick, we do not feel well and diseases are often debilitating. Have you ever been seriously ill? How can you describe that sickness?

• Common diseases are easy to treat.
• Incurable diseases are terrible.
• Infectious diseases are often found in warm or hot countries.
• Chronic diseases are exhausting.
• Acute diseases can be lethal.

Your turn: Find 5 different types of diseases and describe them. This is not very easy so take your time.

***

Was it difficult? Step 5 should be easier then. Here we go.

e) Describing Hospitals (Step 5): Objects 

A hospital is more likely to treat someone well and heal him or her if it has all the necessary equipment. Have you ever gone to a hospital which lacked the most basic necessities such as painkillers or gloves? What other objects are essential in a hospital?

Here are a few examples for inspiration.

• A doctor often uses a privacy screen or a curtain when examining a patient.
• A dialysis machine is used for patients whose kidneys are not functioning well.
• A used syringe or any type of hospital waste should be properly disposed of.
• A nurse uses a thermometer to take the patient’s temperature.
• Hospitals should provide a chair for any type of guardian.

Your turn: What other sentences can you think of? Write them down and read them to someone if you want to.

***

When you are done, we can start Step 6. It is about the different types of places that you can find in a hospital.

Why don’t we start?

f) Describing Hospitals (Step 6): Places 

Hospitals are usually big and it is easy to get lost in them. What other places come to your mind when you think of the word ‘hospital?’

What can we write about these places?

• Expectant mothers deliver in a maternity ward.
• Surgeons work in the operating theatre.
• Sick children are taken to a paediatric ward.
• People who have been involved in an accident are treated in the emergency room.
• Relatives will often stay in the waiting room.

Your turn: What else can we write about these places?

***

I am sure you had a lot to say. Now that you are done, we can move on to Step 7. It is about the different types of people that you can find in a hospital.

g) Describing Hospitals (Step 7): People 

Nurses and doctors often come to our minds when we think of people that we can find in a hospital. However, there are other people that we can see in hospitals as you can see in the above picture.

How can we use these words in context?

Let’s see in the following examples:

• A psychologist deals with people that have a mental disease.
• It is possible to find a social worker in a hospital setting.
• A good cook is always needed in a hospital.
• A guardian looks after the patient when the nurse is not around.
• Most of the times, a visitor cannot stay long in a hospital ward.

Your turn: As usual, make 5 sentences (or maybe more!) using words from the picture. Be as creative as possible and use transition words such as NEVERTHELESS, PROVIDING THAT, INDEED, etc.

***

In Step 8, we will be describing patients.

h) Describing Hospitals (Step 8): Patient

The behaviour of patients varies depending on individual personalities or circumstances. What type of patient are you? How do you behave when you are sick? Are you calm or agitated? Do you deal with whatever illness you have with courage or do you complain all the time?

Let’s see how you can express that in the following examples.

• Calm patients are capable of receiving treatment in a courageous way.
• A patient that is cooperative is easier to deal with.
• It is difficult for a patient to be patient and stoic when he or she is suffering.
• A desperate patient needs a lot of help.
• Hopeful patients are often resilient.

Your turn: Think of other 5 sentences in which you describe a real or imaginary patient.

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Well done. We can now tackle Step 9. It is about describing people who take care of patients. These are called…

-nurses of course!

i) Describing Hospitals (Step 9): Nurse

Nurses are in close contact with patients so their behaviour is important. What type of nurse would you love to have in a hospital?

Let’s have a look at the following examples:

• Nurses are often emotionally strong.
• It is better to have a careful and meticulous nurse than a careless one.
• Nurses in developing countries are often resourceful.
• Compassionate and competent nurses are in high demand.
• Incompetent and unpredictable nurses cannot look after a patient well.

Your turn: What can you say about the above examples? Can you think of your own sentences to illustrate this topic?

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Once we have described a nurse, it is only logical that we write about a doctor as well. Step 10 is all about that.

Let’s go straight into it then.

j) Describing Hospitals (Step 10): Doctor

When we are ill, we all want to have a good doctor who can make the right diagnosis. The last thing we want is to have a callous and incompetent doctor! What experiences have you ever had with doctors? How can you describe the doctor that treated you? Was he or she compassionate?

Below are a few examples for inspiration:

• Dedicated and devoted doctors are not that hard to find.
• Empathetic doctors treat patients with care.
• Authoritarian doctors will not get along with an agitated patient.
• Cruel doctors should not be allowed to treat patients.
• Doctors should be principled and caring.

Your turn: Think of your own 5 sentences in which you describe a doctor. This is the last step so you can take your time.

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We have now come to the end of the lesson. It was long but worthwhile. What did you like the most?

Remember to check the words that you do not understand in a unilingual or bilingual dictionary. You can also read your sentences to someone to practise your pronunciation.

You can also record yourself! The possibilities are endless.

Well, it was nice to have you around.

Until next time!

BONUS:

Further Exploration: (Describing hospitals)

Read:

• Short Story: UNDER?, Level B1-B2, Learn English With Africa, October 2018
• Short Story: I WILL NOT LEARN UNDER A MANGO TREE, Level A2-B1, Learn English With Africa, September 2018
• Media and Journalism Vocabulary, Learn English With Africa, October 201