Shadowing Practice: Calling An Ambulance | Emergency English Phrases | A1–B1 - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Tom, I can't get up.
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My angle, it really hurts.
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Lily, oh no, don't move.
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I'm calling 911 right now.
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Hurry, Tom.
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Hello?
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Hello?
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I need an ambulance.
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My friend fell, and she can't walk.
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Welcome back to Daily English Talk.
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Yes, hello, hello.
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Don't worry, I'm okay now.
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That was just a little preview of today's lesson.
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A little preview.
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Lily, you were lying on the floor of a parking lot in New York City.
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It was very dramatic, yes, but today we have a very important topic for you.
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Today we are going to teach you how to call an ambulance in English.
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Emergency English.
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This is one of the most useful lessons we have ever made, because emergencies happen, and when they do, you need to speak fast and speak clearly.
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And after today's lesson, you will know exactly what to say, so stay with us.
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Let's go!
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But first, before we start, we have a question for you.
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Yes, we want to hear from you.
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Have you ever seen an emergency?
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Or have you ever called for help?
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Write your answer in the comments right now.
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Tell us where were you, what happened.
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Write in English.
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Even one sentence is perfect.
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We read every comment, every single one, so write it down.
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Okay, now let's talk about our story.
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Because Tom and I, we actually lived through a real emergency together in the United States.
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That day, I will never forget it.
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So this happened when Tom and I were visiting New York City.
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We were walking near Central Park.
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It was a beautiful afternoon.
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Blue sky, sunshine, people everywhere.
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was eating a pretzel.
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I love pretzels.
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Anyway, I was walking and looking at my phone at the same time. As always.
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And suddenly I stepped off the sidewalk the wrong way and I twisted my angle really badly.
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I heard the sound like a loud pop, and Lily just went down.
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She fell to the ground.
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I couldn't stand up.
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I tried, but the pain was terrible.
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I said, "Tom, I think I need an ambulance." And this is where your daily English talk lessons came in handy,
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because I knew exactly what to do.
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I called 911.
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And he was so calm.
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I was crying on the floor and Tom was on the phone.
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Very professional.
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Inside, I was not calm at all.
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But I knew the words, and that made everything so much easier.
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And that is why we are teaching you this today.
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You never plan for an emergency, but you can prepare for one.
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So now let us teach you everything Tom said on that phone call, step by step.
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Okay, before the vocabulary, let's look at some grammar, because in an emergency, your grammar needs to be simple and clear.
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Yes, this is not the time for long, complicated sentences.
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Short, direct clear when you call 9 -1 -1 the operator will ask you questions
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and you need to answer fast
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so today we are going to practice two grammar structures number
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one stating a problem number two giving a location number one
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stating a problem the structure is my person plus has or is plus "My friend has fallen.
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My friend is not breathing.
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My friend is unconscious.
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Thank you.
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Great.
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And what about yourself?
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If it's you, you say, "I have fallen." "I am bleeding." "I cannot breathe." Perfect.
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Simple subject, simple verb, simple problem.
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That's it.
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Number two: giving your location.
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This is so important.
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The dispatcher needs to know where you are.
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The structure is I am at near on, plus location.
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For example, I am at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street.
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I am near Central Park on the south side.
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I am in front of a coffee shop called Blue Cup.
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Be as specific as you can.
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Look around you.
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Read street signs.
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Look at building names.
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And if you don't know the exact address, just describe what you see.
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Like what?
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Like, I can see a red building on my left.
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There is a pharmacy across the street.
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That is actually really helpful.
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Even native speakers do that.
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Exactly!
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Okay, now let's get into the main vocabulary.
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Alright, let's go through the most important emergency phrases and words, step by step, just like a real 911 call.
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And we are going to use our New York story to teach each one.
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Ready?
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Ready.
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"I need an ambulance." The very first thing Tom said when he called 911 was,
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"I need an ambulance." Say it with us.
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"I need an ambulance." An ambulance is the emergency vehicle.
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It carries sick or injured people to the hospital.
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In our story, Tom called 911 and said this immediately.
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He didn't say, "Hello, how are you?" first.
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The 911 operator actually said, "Go ahead, sir.
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Tell me what happened.
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They are trained to stay very calm." So practice this phrase right now.
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Say it out loud.
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I need an ambulance.
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My friend has fallen and she can't get up.
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This was a situation exactly.
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I fell, I was on the ground, I couldn't stand.
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So I said, my friend has fallen and she can't get up.
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Very dramatic.
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Key word here.
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"Fallen." This is the past participle of "fall." "She has fallen." "He has fallen." "I have fallen." Another example:
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"My grandfather has fallen in the bathroom."
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or "A man has fallen on the subway platform." What if the person is unconscious, not awake?
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Great question!
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You say, "He is unconscious," or, "She is not responding." Let's say it together.
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"My friend has fallen and she can't get up." She is in a lot of pain.
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Yes, this was also very true.
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After I explained what happened, the operator asked, "Is she conscious?
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Is she in pain?" And I said, "Yes, she is conscious.
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She is in a lot of pain." in a lot of pain means it hurts very much.
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You can also say, "She is in severe pain." Severe means very strong, very serious.
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Or, if you're describing yourself, "I am in a lot of pain.
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Please hurry." You can add "Please hurry" at the end.
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This is polite but urgent.
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Please hurry.
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Yes, exactly like that.
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I am at location.
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This is so important.
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The ambulance needs to find you.
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The operator asked, "What is your location?" and I looked around fast.
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We were near the entrance of Central Park on 59th Street.
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So I said, "I am near the entrance of Central Park on 59th Street.
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There is a fountain nearby." He did so well.
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The operator said, "Thank you.
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Help is on the way." And I felt such relief.
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Key phrase, help is on the way.
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This is what they say when the ambulance is coming.
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It means, the ambulance is coming to you.
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Such beautiful words in a scary moment.
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Yes.
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Okay, practice your location phrases.
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I am at the corner of Main Street and Park Avenue.
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I am in front of a supermarket.
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I am inside a shopping mall near the food court.
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Look around you right now, just as practice, how would you describe where you are?
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"Stay with me.
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Help is coming." While Tom was on the phone, he was also talking to me, keeping me calm.
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I said, "Stay with me, Lily.
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Help is coming.
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You're going to be okay." Huh.
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I was so scared.
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But those words really helped.
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This phrase, stay with me, is used when someone is hurt and you want them to stay conscious.
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Stay awake.
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Stay focused.
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You also hear this in movies.
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Stay with me, don't close your eyes.
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Very dramatic.
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But in real life, it works.
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And you can also say, "You're going to be okay.
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The ambulance is coming.
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Just breathe.
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Stay calm." These are calming phrases for the person who is hurt, very important.
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Can you describe the symptoms?
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After the ambulance arrived, the paramedics asked us questions.
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A paramedic is the medical professional who comes in the ambulance.
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The paramedic said, "Can you describe her symptoms?" Symptoms, this is a very important medical word,
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symptoms are the signs of a problem, what you feel, what you see.
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For example, symptoms can be pain, swelling, dizziness, bleeding, difficulty breathing,
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high fever, I said, "My ankle is swollen and the pain is very bad.
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I cannot put weight on it." Put weight on it means you can't stand on it.
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You can't use it to support your body.
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Other useful symptom phrases: He is having trouble breathing.
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She has a very high fever.
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He is bleeding from his head.
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She feels dizzy and nauseous.
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So many useful phrases in one lesson!
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And we are just getting started.
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Do you have any allergies?
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The paramedic also asked, "Does she have any allergies?
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Is she on any medication?" Allergies.
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This is when your body reacts badly to something, like certain foods, medicines, or plants.
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For example, "I am allergic to penicillin." Penicillin is a type of medicine.
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Or, "She has no known allergies." No known allergies is a very common phrase in medical situations.
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It means, as far as we know, no allergies.
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And, "medication." This means medicine: pills, injections, treatments.
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pressure, or "No, she doesn't take any medication." Write these down.
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These are real questions you will hear from real paramedics.
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Okay, vocabulary review time.
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Let's go through five keywords from today's lesson.
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Repeat after us.
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Ambulance.
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Am -bu -lance.
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Three syllables.
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I called an ambulance.
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Say it.
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I called an ambulance.
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The ambulance arrived in five minutes.
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Repeat.
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The ambulance arrived in five minutes.
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Emergency.
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E -mer -gen -see.
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Four syllables.
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This is an emergency.
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Say it.
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This is an emergency.
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Call 911 in an emergency.
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Repeat.
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Call 911 in an emergency.
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Unconscious.
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Un -con -cious.
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Three syllables.
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She is unconscious.
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Say it.
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She is unconscious.
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The man is unconscious on the floor.
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Repeat.
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The man is unconscious on the floor.
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Symptoms, sim -tums, two syllables.
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Can you describe your symptoms?
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Say it.
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Can you describe your symptoms?
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Her symptoms include pain and swelling repeat her symptoms include pain
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and swelling paramedic paramedic four syllables the paramedic helped her
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immediately say it the paramedic helped her immediately a paramedic is
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a medical professional repeat a paramedic is a medical professional amazing you just learned five Thank you.
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Say them one more time, fast.
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Ambulance.
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Emergency unconscious symptoms paramedic Yes, perfect!
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Okay, let's review what you learned today.
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Here is your Emergency English Checklist.
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Number 1.
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When you call 911, say the most important thing first: "I need an ambulance." Number two: Describe what happened.
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Use simple sentences.
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"My friend has fallen.
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She is unconscious.
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He is not breathing.
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Number 3: Give your location clearly.
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I am at the corner of 5th Avenue and 23rd Street.
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Number 4: Describe the symptoms.
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She is in a lot of pain.
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He has a high fever.
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She cannot breathe.
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number five stay calm speak slowly listen to the operator the
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911 operator will help you they are trained for this trust them
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and remember knowing these phrases in english could one day help you
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or someone you love this is real english important english you are learning so well every day your And yes,
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the ambulance came, the paramedics checked my ankle.
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It was not broken.
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Just a bad sprain.
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I had to use crutches for two weeks, but I was okay.
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She was not okay.
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She complained every single day.
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Um...
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I'm kidding.
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She was very brave.
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Oh my goodness.
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Okay, now, your homework.
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Yes, homework time!
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Number one: write a comment below.
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Tell us, have you ever seen an emergency?
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What happened?
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Number two: practice these phrases out loud, right now, before you close this video.
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Say, I need an ambulance.
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My friend has fallen.
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We are near the park.
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Do it, even if you feel a little silly.
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Say it out loud.
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We say it out loud every day.
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That is how we learn.
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If you learned something new today, give us a thumbs up.
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It really helps our channel grow.
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And if you are new here, welcome to the Daily English Talk family.
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We are so happy you are here.
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Subscribe and join us every week.
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Your English is growing every single day.
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Keep going.
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Don't stop.
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You are doing so well.
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We will see you in the next video.
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take care of each other.
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About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will learn how to effectively communicate during emergencies by calling an ambulance in English. The scenario presented in the video highlights the importance of being able to speak clearly and quickly when every second counts. You will practice critical phrases that can help you describe an emergency situation and request assistance. By the end of this lesson, you will not only be able to call for help but also feel more confident when faced with unexpected situations. Therefore, this is an essential skill for anyone looking to learn English with YouTube and navigate real-life situations.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Calling an ambulance - the action of requesting medical help urgently.
- Emergency - a serious, unexpected situation requiring immediate action.
- Help! - a cry for assistance in an urgent situation.
- I need an ambulance. - a crucial phrase to communicate your need for medical assistance.
- My friend fell - a simple way to describe an accident involving someone else.
- She can't walk - a useful phrase to inform the operator about the victim's condition.
- Hurry! - a request for quick action, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.
- I think I need help - a common phrase to indicate a need for assistance in emergencies.
Practice Tips
To make the most of this lesson and truly improve your English pronunciation, consider using shadowing techniques with the video. Start by listening closely to the dialogue. Pay attention to how the speakers manage their emotions while also articulating urgent phrases clearly. It’s crucial to practice shadow speaking to replicate not just the words, but also the tone and urgency in their voices. Practice these phrases at a slower pace to get comfortable, then gradually increase your speed to match the video. Using shadowspeak, repeat directly after the speakers without pausing. This will help enhance your fluency and ability to respond quickly in real-life conversations, especially during emergencies. Remember, the goal is to feel confident enough to express your needs clearly and concisely, regardless of the pressure of the situation you may find yourself in.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | have ever made · Have you ever seen · have you ever called |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | are trained · is hurt · is swollen |
| Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past | were lying · were visiting · were walking |
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | the most useful · the most important |
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.