Magic verbs for speaking Flashcards
X stimulates Y
What does X stimulate? /What is stimulated by Y?
Coffee stimulates the brain. The brain is stimulated by coffee
Caffeine stimulates the adrenal glands to produce adrenaline. This can lead to cramps.
- also in conversation people say ‘This is stimulating’ to mean ‘this is interesting/fun / motivating’, eg. ‘Basketball is stimulating’ / ‘Teaching clever doctors is stimulating’
X prevents Y from (happening / noun)
X prevents Y noun
Fibre prevents constipation.
There was nothing you could have done to prevent this condition as it is congenital.
Anaesthesia prevents movement during an operation.
Take regular breaks from the computer to prevent your hand from staying in one position.
Mask wearing prevents COVID from spreading
Good hand hygiene prevents COVID from spreading
Vaccination prevents serious illness if you’re infected.
*more formally ‘Vaccination is effective in preventing serious illness’
X relieves Y
SAME: X reduces Y
Taking painkillers can relieve the pain in the short term.
Exercising your hand can relieve any cramps
Mindfulness often relieves stress
Getting a good night’s sleep relieves fatigue.
Wearing natural fibres often relieves the itchiness.
Applying calamine lotion can relieve the soreness.
*Don’t say ‘improve a bad thing’, eg. ‘Painkillers improve pain’. This is illogical. Only say ‘reduce/relieve’ a bad thing’
X damages Y
Often this is a heavy sentence , so lead with ‘Can we talk about the effects of (smoking / drinking too much / using tanning beds) ?
- smoking damages the lungs
- Drinking too much alcohol damages the liver
- Using tanning beds excessively damages the skin
Often you’ll need to follow up with a couple of sentences explaining this…
Someone feels ( bad adjective)
- concerned
- anxious
- bored
- frustrated
- impatient
- embarrassed
- relieved
- angry
- confused
- tired
- uncomfortable
- some /any pain
- unhappy
Y improves
Y improves Z
Your health will improve.
Your quality of sleep tends to improve if you simply get into bed earlier.
Being vaccinated significantly improves your immunity
Vaccination improves herd immunity (by reducing the number of infected people who can pass on a pathogen)
Eating more fibre improves your digestion.
Someone is susceptible to X bad thing
Hint: Often related to comorbidities or lifestyle
Older people are susceptible to falls
People with weakened immune systems are susceptible to infections.
Alcoholics are susceptible to mood swings
X stops Y process (transitive verb)
Someone/something stops someone/something doing another thing
*also ‘X compromises Y’ where Y is something positive.
Vaccination stops a pathogen spreading through the population (inappropriate to say ‘compromise’ here)
Playing football too soon after an injury might (stop/compromise) your bone healing.
Putting weight on an injured limb could (stop/compromise) the fusion.
*Gaining too much weight could (stop/compromise) your joints recovering
Reducing your caffeine intake stops the production of adrenaline and you’ll feel calmer.
In biliary atresia, the bile ducts are blocked, which stops the liver digesting fat.
This medication cannot stop a migraine, but it can bring some relief.
Other pattern ‘I was advised to stop smoking’
My injury stopped me playing football.
X carries something from place A to B
Blood carries oxygen from the heart to the rest of the body
X protects SOMEONE AGAINST bad thing Y
Antibiotics will protect you and your family against pertussis.
Vaccines protect up to 3 million people worldwide against serious disease.
Practising safe sex protects people against sexually transmitted infections.
Contraception protects against unwanted pregnancy.
Washing your hands protects your family against flu.
Physical distancing protects you against COVID.
X encourages Y to do Z good thing
I encourage you to try this!
The doctor encouraged the patient to walk further.
The dietician encouraged the patient to comply
X slows Y
This enzyme slows the production of bile.
Consuming fermented products slows the destructive cells.
A (X TEST) rules out (Y condition)
You need a skin biopsy to rule out cancer
You need a blood test to rule out diabetes
You need a pathergy test to rule out allergies
X builds Y
Pool running and hydrotherapy will build your stamina
Eating more protein is one way to build muscles.
Eating more fresh foods builds your immunity
Trying new activities builds your resilience
Meeting different people builds your social network
Negative patterns…
- Excessive alcohol consumption builds a tolerance to alcohol
- Eating fatty foods builds plaque :(
Smoking leads to a build up of tar in the lungs :(
**Cautious pattern: build up to something
‘The rehabilitation program will help you to build up to a safe return to playing basketball after your operation’
to promote (something good, usually lifestyle related)
Exercising regularly will promote weight loss.
Eating regularly will promote healthy growth
Using this cream will promote cell regrowth (*this can be a dodgy / suspicious sly fox seller of snake oil)
Someone feels (good adjective)
better
calmer
happier
More comfortable with…(same things as confident)
More confident (about exercising, about going outside, about talking to new people)
reassured (about their condition/ prognosis / the procedure / the operation / symptoms / what’s going to happen)
Often ‘reassured is good with “a little more… as being reassured is the opposite to fear/worry/confusion
to resume something (that had been suspended due to illness or management)
After the operation, you can resume sexual activity in a month.
You cannot resume football until your leg has completely healed.
You should only resume football when your leg has completely healed.
(X ) aggravates/worsens (Y condition)
Hint: lifestyle
Going without sleep worsens/aggravates your mood.
Washing your face 4 times a day aggravates acne.
Does anything seem to aggravate the condition?
Does anything seem to worsen the condition?
Obviously is weaker than X damages Y.
*Not seeing people increases feelings of loneliness.
to have feelings of xxx ( abstract noun)
This is a good way to PARAPHRASE/echo back what was said.
A - ‘I was really sad and down during lockdown. I didn’t have any interest in things I usually liked’
B - ‘My sister was on her own for six months, it was hard on her’.
C - ‘My dad kept forgetting where he was and sometimes he missed meetings. It wasn’t like him’.
A - ‘You had feelings of depression?
B - ‘I see. It sounds like she had feelings of loneliness. ‘
C - ‘So, your father had feelings of confusion. You think it might be Alzheimers’..
*also ‘experience feelings of xxx’ but this is heavier.
START AND STOP AND REOCCUR Intransitive verbs
eg. This is for describing something in its own terms, with no reference to other causes.
When did your symptoms start?
Have any of those symptoms stopped?
Do any of your symptoms reoccur? How often do they reoccur?
I can assure you that this tumour is unlikely to reoccur once you have had it removed.
I have a recurring nightmare about Reading C.
X deteriorates (intransitive)
Our eyesight tends to deteriorate with age.
Unfortunately, your condition (will/might) deteriorate if we don’t do anything.
Someone or something supports someone or something else. (transitive)
with social relationships… *keep an eye on someone/ watch out for someone
Your friend can hold your hand and support you while you have the injection.
Your adrenal glands need to be supported with medication.
This wheelie walker will support you (as you regain your strength.)
I encourage you to go to a breastfeeding drop in group. The leaders will support you through this transition…
Do you have anyone close by to support you while you recover?
to warn someone about (bad thing)
I must warn you that continuing to smoke will damage your health.
(Maybe follow with … How do you feel about that? Would you be willing to quit? )
I see from your notes that you’ve been warned about the risks of not taking insulin when you are diabetic.
Maybe follow with ‘Tell me what you understand/Tell me how you feel…’
to explain something (to someone)
*avoid ‘I want to explain you’
Can I explain the benefits of this medication?
Can I explain the risks of your current behaviour?
Can I explain the treatment options?
Note: ‘to you/ to him / to her’ can be added after each case, but I advise against doing this. It’s redundant.
to stress (something) Here, ‘to stress’ is a verb, not the noun meaning ‘anxiety’
Often IMPORTANCE/VALUE/BENEFIT/RISK OF X ACTION/noun
I stress the importance of taking your medication
I stress the benefit of a really getting a good night’s sleep before your test
I stress the value of seeing another specialist
I stress the value of (being patient/patience)
