Pharmacies and Everyday Medicines
Pharmacies and everyday medicines
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Pharmacies and Everyday Medicines 💊
Learn essential pharmacy words, practice using them in context, and perfect your pronunciation.
📋 How to use this lesson
Guide students through the word table first, then set 10 minutes for the practice exercises. Check answers together by having students read whole sentences aloud.
Read the word meanings and memory tips carefully before starting. Complete the 16 practice questions and finish by recording your voice in the shadowing section.
Word Table
Study these 10 everyday pharmacy words and their simple memory tips.
Pattern Example: The pharmacist told me to take this medicine three times daily.
1. What you buy
| Word | Meaning | Collocations | Forms | Example | Memory Tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ointment | A thick smooth cream for skin healing | apply ointment, soothing ointment | – | Apply the ointment to your dry skin twice a day. | Think of "oil" put on a painful point. |
| capsule | A small soluble case with medicine inside | swallow a capsule, daily capsule | – | Take one red capsule every morning after breakfast. | Sounds like a little "cap" holding medicine. |
| lozenge | A small medicinal sweet dissolved in mouth | throat lozenge, suck a lozenge | – | Suck a throat lozenge to quiet your cough. | Picture a drop that calms your cough. |
| painkiller | A medicine that reduces or stops pain | take a painkiller, strong painkiller | – | She took a painkiller for her headache. | Pain + killer (it kills the pain!). |
2. Taking it
| Word | Meaning | Collocations | Forms | Example | Memory Tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| prescription | Doctor's official written note for medicine | doctor's prescription, fill a prescription | prescribe (v) | Hand your prescription to the chemist. | Pre (before) + script (write). |
| refill | An extra supply of a prescribed medicine | request a refill, monthly refill | – | Call the pharmacy if you need a refill. | Re (again) + fill (fill up container). |
| drowsy | Feeling sleepy or making you feel sleepy | feel drowsy, drowsy effect | drowsiness (n) | This cough syrup might make you feel drowsy. | Think of heavy eyes slowly closing. |
3. The shop
| Word | Meaning | Collocations | Forms | Example | Memory Tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| chemist | A shop selling medicine, or a pharmacist | local chemist, visit the chemist | – | The chemist explained how to take the medicine. | Works with chemicals in a pharmacy shop. |
| dispense | To prepare and hand out medication | dispense medicine, dispense pills | dispenser (n) | The chemist will dispense your pills in five minutes. | Think of a dispenser giving out one thing at a time. |
| expiry | The end of the time something can be used | expiry date, check expiry | expire (v) | Always check the expiry date on medicine bottles. | "Ex" = out. The time runs out. |
Practice
Complete these 16 exercises from easy to hard.
Collocation Matrix
Match each verb on the left with its correct noun phrase.
1. Match verb: take
2. Match verb: apply
3. Match verb: check
4. Match verb: request
Gap-Fill with Word Bank
Use words from the box below to complete the sentences.
5. I went to the local ____ to get my prescription filled.
6. Suck on this throat ____ to soothe your bad cough.
7. Put this soothing skin ____ on your red dry skin.
8. Do not drive a car because this syrup makes you feel ____ .
Choose the Word
Select the option that best fits the sentence meaning.
9. I need to ask the pharmacy for a _____ of my daily pills.
10. If your throat hurts, suck on a throat _____.
11. You cannot buy these strong antibiotics without a doctor's _____.
12. The local _____ advised me on which cough medicine to choose.
Word-Formation
Change the word in brackets to its correct derivative form.
13. The doctor will ____ (prescription) the correct pills for your symptoms.
14. This strong syrup can cause extreme daytime ____ (drowsy).
15. The automatic pill ____ (dispense) releases tablets at regular times.
16. Check the date on the box to see when the medicine will ____ (expiry).
Shadowing Studio
Listen, repeat aloud, and record your pronunciation (12 short audio items).
[Bài tập luyện nói]
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