30 Words for Emergencies | Oxford 3000

First AidEmergencies are never fun, especially if you encounter one whilst travelling abroad and are unfamiliar with the local language. We’re sure you’ll agree then, that it’s a good idea to brush up on some basic medical vocabulary before you go, to make sure you’re prepared for any eventuality.

To help, we’ve created a list of medical-related words sourced from the Oxford 3000 word list. The Oxford 3000 is a list of the most common and important English words to learn. It should make up your core vocabulary. All words in the Oxford 3000 have been carefully selected for their frequency and relevance to learners of English.

Learn and practice the words below. Click on each word to see its definition, learn how it’s pronounced, and to see examples of how it can be used in various sentences and contexts.

Hospitals

Accident

Emergency

Accident and Emergency

Hospital

Ambulance

Doctor

Nurse

First Aid

Symptoms

Sick

Fever

Cold

Flu

Ill

Cut

Injury

Hurt

Pain

Injured

Blood

Faint

Light-headed

Shock

Broken

Breathing

Treatments

Pills

Medicine

Tablets

Bandage

Surgery

Help

Top travelling tip! It’s good practice to always know the local emergency telephone number before your travel, as different countries may use different numbers. For example in the United Kingdom, the number is 999, whereas, in the United States, the number is 911. It’s always worse to find out that you’ve got the wrong number during a real emergency.

Want to add any words to the list? Leave a comment!

Test yourself! How many of these sentences can you complete? Use the images to help you!

Author: Oxford University Press ELT

The official global blog for Oxford University Press English Language Teaching. Bringing teachers and learners top quality resources, tools, hints and tips, news, ideas, insights and discussions to help people around the world to learn English.

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