English speaking lesson · Health & Wellbeing
Booking a doctor's appointment
You're on the phone with your doctor's surgery, trying to book an appointment. You practice it as a real conversation, at whichever of the four levels fits you — the room and the steps stay the same, only the words get harder.
A phone call to the surgery · you talk to the surgery receptionist
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What you have to do
Ask for an appointment, say why you'd like to come in, pick a time, and confirm the booking. You finish the lesson by getting there in conversation — not by answering questions about it. The tutor never stops to correct you; the feedback appears beside your own messages, and the completion screen collects it all.
How it opens
Good morning, Park Road Surgery — how can I help?
Spoken aloud by the tutor playing the surgery receptionist.
The 5 steps that finish it
A step clears when you say the thing that clears it. The steps are identical at all four levels — only the example line fades, and at Natural there is none at all.
- 01
Ask for an appointment
Say hello, and say you'd like to book an appointment.
“Hi! I'd like an appointment, please.”
- 02
Say why you're coming in
Say briefly why you'd like to come in.
“It's for a bad cough.”
- 03
Ask about times
Ask what times are available.
“What time is free this week?”
- 04
Check the booking
Choose a time, and check the booking is right.
“Yes, that time is fine. My name is Kim.”
- 05
Confirm and finish
Say thanks, and finish the call politely.
“Thanks a lot! See you then.”
The words, at all four levels
The same room and the same steps, four vocabularies. These are the words the lesson listens for and scores you on — with what each one means and how it sounds when you are talking to the surgery receptionist.
Starter
A1 – A2Simple, everyday words with a full hint on every step.
- appointment
- a planned meeting, like with a doctor
- “I'd like an appointment.”
- doctor
- a person who treats sick people
- “I'd like to see the doctor.”
- today
- this day
- “Is anything free today?”
- week
- seven days
- “This week, please.”
- morning
- the early part of the day
- “In the morning, please.”
- time
- the hour something happens
- “What time is free?”
- yes
- used to agree or confirm
- “Yes, that time is fine.”
- name
- what you are called
- “My name is Kim.”
- please
- a polite word when you ask
- “An appointment, please.”
- thanks
- a short way to say thank you
- “Thanks a lot!”
Conversational
A2 – B1Common words at a natural pace, with hints to lean on.
- regarding
- about, concerning
- “It's regarding a cough.”
- available
- free to be booked
- “What's available this week?”
- slot
- a specific time set aside
- “Is there an earlier slot?”
- convenient
- suitable and easy for you
- “Wednesday would be convenient.”
- confirm
- to say something is definitely settled
- “Could you confirm the time?”
- surgery
- a doctor's office or clinic
- “Thanks for fitting me in at the surgery.”
- details
- your personal information
- “Shall I give my details now?”
- correct
- right, with no mistakes
- “Yes, that's correct.”
- cheers
- informal thanks
- “Cheers for that!”
- appreciate
- to be grateful for
- “I appreciate you fitting me in.”
Confident
B1 – B2Richer, more specific words, with only light hints.
- brief
- short — 'in brief', concisely
- “In brief, it's a persistent cough.”
- urgency
- how quickly something needs attention
- “There's no real urgency to it.”
- earliest
- the soonest possible
- “What's the earliest availability?”
- waitlist
- a list for cancelled slots
- “Could I go on a waitlist too?”
- reschedule
- to change the agreed time
- “Could I reschedule if needed?”
- registered
- officially signed up as a patient
- “I'm already registered there.”
- notify
- to let someone know officially
- “Could you notify me by text?”
- confirm
- to say something is definitely settled
- “Could you confirm by text?”
- sorted
- arranged and settled
- “That's sorted, thanks.”
- appreciate
- to be grateful for
- “I'd appreciate that.”
Natural
B2 – C1Advanced, idiomatic words — no hints at all.
- squeeze
- to fit someone in when it's tight
- “Any chance you could squeeze me in?”
- niggling
- mildly persistent and annoying
- “Just a niggling cough, really.”
- dropout
- a cancelled slot that frees up
- “Any dropout going this week?”
- pencil
- to note something down loosely
- “Could you pencil me in?”
- shuffle
- to rearrange things around (informal)
- “I might need to shuffle it later.”
- ping
- to send quickly (informal)
- “Could you ping me a reminder?”
- sorted
- dealt with and settled
- “Brilliant, we're sorted.”
- obliged
- grateful for a favour
- “Much obliged.”
- cheers
- informal thanks
- “Cheers, appreciated.”
- spot
- an available slot, informally
- “Any spot at all works.”
More Health & Wellbeing lessons
- Doctor's appointment
- Pharmacy & symptoms
- Dentist appointment
- Eye test
- Physiotherapy session
- Blood test
- Vaccination
- Personal trainer session
- Therapist check-in