Learn English: Sick vs Ill & Under the Weather (Idiom)

Hello.

This is Jack from tofluency.com.

And in this English lesson, we're going to talk about illness.

More specifically, we'll look at the difference between 'sick' and 'ill' and also the idiom

'under the weather'.

Now, I used this idiom in one of my Periscope lessons recently.

So, let's have a look at that first and then, we'll look at the language - and at the end,

there is a question for you to answer...

"At the weekend, I didn't sleep as much as usual.

And this meant that I started to feel a little bit sick.

So, I was fighting something off, but now, I'm feeling a little bit under the weather."

In the video, I said, ""At the weekend, I didn't sleep as much as usual.

And this meant that I started to feel a little bit sick.

So, I was fighting something off, but now, I'm feeling a little bit under the weather."

So, let's concentrate on that last part first.

To feel under the weather means to feel a little sick.

So, we use this when we feel a little bit sick - not when we're fully sick and in bed

and feel terrible, but we use it when we feel a little bit sick.

Now, I also talked about fighting something off.

So, to fight something off means that your immune system is stopping you from getting

sick - this is when your body is working so that you don't get sick.

But when this happens, you are low on energy.

You feel tired.

So, I was fighting something off last week and my body felt tired.

I didn't have any energy.

Now, let's have a look at 'ill' and 'sick' because they both mean to be unwell.

I feel sick.

I feel ill.

They both mean the same thing.

However, we can also use 'sick' as a verb which means to vomit.

And I think this is used mainly in British English - but if you know American English,

let me know if you use this verb too.

Now, I have a question for you: "What is something you can drink or take when you're starting

to get sick?"

So, "What is something you can drink or take when you're starting to get sick?"

Leave you answers below this video.

Thanks for watching - and I'll see you next time!