IELTS Speaking: Antibiotics and Public Health
Antibiotics and public health
Answers and an explanation for each question appear once you add this activity to your own library.
How to use this lesson
For the Teacher:
Guide learners through vocabulary and sentence patterns before individual speaking tasks, taking around 10 minutes. Review answers using the automatic feedback check and focus on natural pronunciation.
For the Learner:
First, complete the word review and collocation quiz to build your speaking toolkit. Next, read the sentence patterns aloud and try the fun fact quizzes before moving to Module 2.
Module 1: Build-up
Get comfortable with key medical words and natural speaking structures before answering IELTS prompts.
1. Vocabulary Review
Complete each sentence with the correct word from our unit: bacteria, infection, dose, prescribe, resistant.
1. If you forget to take your morning ____, you should ask the pharmacist when to take the next one.
2. Doctors should only ____ powerful pills when they are truly necessary.
3. Not all ____ are harmful; many kinds actually live inside us and support our digestion.
4. A minor cut can develop into a serious skin ____ if it is not cleaned properly.
5. Overusing pills can cause germs to become ____, meaning standard treatments will no longer work.
2. Matching: Collocations to Meanings
Match each everyday medical pair to its plain explanation.
1. bacterial infection
2. miss a dose
3. prescribe antibiotics
4. become resistant
5. sudden outbreak
6. poor hygiene
3. 4 Useful Sentence Patterns for Speaking
Use these time-connector patterns to tell clear stories about being sick and getting treated.
Pattern: The moment I felt ill, I...
Why this works: Connects how quickly you acted right after noticing your symptoms.
Pattern: No sooner had I... than...
Why this works: Shows two actions happening one immediately after the other.
Pattern: By the time we got to the clinic, it was already...
Why this works: Builds a vivid picture of the situation when you arrived.
Pattern: It was only when... that I decided to...
Why this works: Explains the turning point that made you finally seek help.
4. Fun Facts: Test Your Knowledge
Make a guess first, then check the verified answer and source.
Fun Fact 1: A Lucky Laboratory Accident
In what year did Alexander Fleming notice the bacteria-killing green mould in his laboratory?
The Nobel Prize organisation confirms that Fleming spotted the mould that led to penicillin in 1928.
Fun Fact 2: Modern Drug Resistance
How many infections per year in the United States are caused by drug-resistant bacteria and fungi?
The US CDC estimated that antibiotic-resistant bacteria and fungi cause more than 2.8 million infections a year in the United States.
Module 2: Long Turn (Part 2)
Take one minute to organise your thoughts, then speak for one and a half to two minutes about taking medicine.
Describe a time when you or someone you know was ill and had to take medicine.
You should say:
- • what the problem was
- • what medicine was taken
- • how long it took to get better
- • and explain how you felt about the treatment.
Record Your Response (90-120 seconds)
Click record and answer all bullet points. Speak continuously until the timer finishes.
[Bài tập luyện nói]
Well, to be honest, I can remember a time when my brother had a really bad chest infection. It happened a couple of winters ago, and, um, he was coughing non-stop and running a high temperature. My mum made him an appointment right away. The doctor examined him and decided to prescribe some antibiotics, along with a soothing cough syrup to help him sleep at night. He had to take two pills every single day for a whole week, after meals. Within three or four days, he started to bounce back, though the doctor insisted he must finish the entire course so the sickness wouldn't return. Personally, I felt really relieved that the medicine worked so quickly, but it also made me realise how important it is not to mess around with prescription drugs. Seeing him perk up after just a few days was such a relief for everyone in our house.
Useful Phrases & Plain Notes:
running a high temperature
having a fever that makes your body feel hot
prescribe some antibiotics
officially order medicine to treat a bacterial infection
bounce back
recover quickly and feel active and healthy again
finish the entire course
take all the medicine until the full prescription is done
Module 3: Discussion (Part 3)
Give your opinion on broader issues around healthcare, medicine, and community safety.
Why do some people stop taking medicine as soon as they feel better?
Share your thoughts out loud. Aim for three to four sentences with reasons and a short example.
[Bài tập luyện nói]
Well, to be honest, I think a lot of people mistakenly assume they are cured the minute their fever drops. Like, my cousin stopped taking his throat tablets halfway through because he felt fine, and, um, the bug came right back. Many patients also dislike dealing with uncomfortable side effects like tiredness or nausea, so they want to quit as early as possible. On top of that, once folks are back on their feet and back at work, it is simply easy to forget to take their daily pills.
Useful Phrases & Plain Notes:
assume they are cured
wrongly believe the illness has completely gone
side effects
unpleasant secondary reactions caused by a medicine
back on their feet
recovered enough to walk around and do normal tasks
forget to take
not remember to do something you have to do every day
Should doctors be the only people who can give out antibiotics?
Take a clear position and explain why strict rules around these medicines protect the public.
[Bài tập luyện nói]
Yes, definitely. I think trained doctors should always be the gatekeepers because antibiotics are such potent medications. Ordinary patients cannot tell whether an illness comes from a simple virus or harmful bacteria. In my area, some neighbours used to pick up strong pills over the counter for a minor winter cold, which, um, is useless and eventually creates superbugs. Doctors know the exact doses needed, so having strict medical oversight makes good sense to keep all of us healthy and safe.
Useful Phrases & Plain Notes:
potent medications
very powerful drugs that require careful handling
over the counter
bought directly in a shop without a written prescription
creates superbugs
causes germs to adapt so common drugs no longer work
makes good sense
is a sensible and practical course of action
How can schools and workplaces stop illnesses from spreading?
Suggest practical day-to-day steps that managers and teachers can enforce.
[Bài tập luyện nói]
Well, um, I think basic everyday hygiene habits make the biggest difference. Workplaces and classrooms should install hand-cleaning stations and encourage everyone to wipe down shared surfaces like desks and keyboards frequently. More importantly, managers must allow staff to stay home when they catch something nasty. A colleague of mine once came to work coughing constantly, and half our office caught it two days later. Providing proper sick leave and opening windows for fresh air can truly stop germs in their tracks.
Useful Phrases & Plain Notes:
wipe down shared surfaces
clean tables and equipment that many people touch
catch something nasty
become infected with an unpleasant illness or bug
stop germs in their tracks
prevent bacteria and viruses from spreading any further
Who should do more to protect public health: governments or ordinary people?
Weigh up the duty of national authorities against personal responsibility in your community.
[Bài tập luyện nói]
Well, to be honest, I believe both sides have to work together, though the authorities probably take more responsibility. Governments have the money to fund modern hospitals and organize informative public awareness campaigns. For instance, my local town puts up bright signs reminding people about washing their hands during flu season. Even so, individuals must also do their part by washing regularly and staying home when sick. Good health policies cannot work unless citizens actively follow through on simple advice every day.
Useful Phrases & Plain Notes:
take more responsibility
do a bigger share of the work and be responsible for more
public awareness campaigns
programmes aimed at teaching the public about health rules
do their part
fulfil personal duties to help the larger group succeed
follow through
put instructions into practice continuously over time
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