Unit 7: Health and Lifestyle — Intermediate English Course

Vocabulary

Health, fitness, and lifestyle.

Diet

The food and drink a person regularly consumes

You should improve your diet and eat more vegetables.

Exercise

Physical activity done to improve health and fitness

You ought to exercise at least three times a week.

Stress

A feeling of worry and pressure, often from work or life

You had better find ways to manage your stress levels.

Symptom

A sign that something may be wrong with your health

If your symptoms get worse, you should see a doctor.

Prescription

A doctor's written instruction for medicine

You ought to take the full prescription, even if you feel better.

Lifestyle

The way someone lives, including diet, exercise, and habits

You should make some lifestyle changes if you want to feel healthier.

Wellbeing

The state of being comfortable, healthy, and happy

Regular exercise improves both physical and mental wellbeing.

Habit

Something done regularly, often without thinking

You had better break this habit before it becomes a serious problem.

Balanced

Having a good mix of different elements

You should eat a balanced diet with plenty of variety.

Recovery

The process of returning to health after illness or injury

You ought to rest properly to speed up your recovery.

Surgeon

A doctor who performs operations

The surgeon said I should avoid exercise for six weeks.

Chronic

Lasting a long time or recurring frequently

You had better address this now before it becomes a chronic issue.

Vocabulary exercises

Grammar

Modals of advice: should, ought to, had better

We use modal verbs to give advice — to say what we think is the right or best thing to do.

Should — general advice or recommendation: You should drink more water.
Ought to — similar to should, slightly more formal: You ought to see a doctor.
Had better — strong advice, often with a warning of consequences: You had better rest — this could get serious.

Modal	Positive	Negative	Strength
should	You should exercise more.	You shouldn't eat so much sugar.	General advice
ought to	She ought to take her medication.	You ought not to ignore it.	Slightly formal
had better	You'd better see a doctor soon.	You'd better not miss the appointment.	Strong — implies consequences

Had better is often contracted: You'd better… It refers to the present or near future, not the past. Don't confuse it with would better — that doesn't exist in English.

Grammar exercises

Reading

Read the article, then answer the questions.

Sleep: the most underrated health habit

Most people know they should eat well and exercise regularly. But according to sleep researchers, there is a third pillar of good health that is just as important and far more neglected: sleep. Adults ought to get between seven and nine hours of sleep per night, yet surveys consistently show that a large proportion of the population gets far less.

The consequences of poor sleep are well documented. People who sleep fewer than six hours regularly are more likely to suffer from heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and depression. If you are frequently tired during the day, you had better take this seriously — chronic sleep deprivation is not something you can simply push through.

Experts recommend a consistent sleep schedule. You should go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even at weekends. You also shouldn't use your phone or watch bright screens in the hour before bed, as the blue light interferes with your body's production of melatonin, the sleep hormone.

If lifestyle changes don't help, you ought to speak to a doctor. Sleep disorders such as insomnia and sleep apnoea are common and treatable. You shouldn't try to manage serious sleep problems without professional support.

Comprehension questions

Writing

Guided writing task.

Task: Health advice paragraph

Write a paragraph (80-120 words) giving health advice to someone with a stressful lifestyle. Use should, ought to, and had better.

Give advice about sleep using should
Give advice about diet using ought to
Give a strong warning using had better
Use health vocabulary from this unit

0 words

Unit test

10 questions. You need 80% to pass.

Unit 6 All units Unit 8