Emergency situations: asking for help

A1
90 min
Free
1

Think about these questions before reading. Share your ideas with a partner.

  1. Who do you ask for help when you are lost?
  2. What is a small problem? What is a big problem?
  3. In your city, who can you call for help? A doctor? The police?
2

Asking for Help in an Emergency

Listen to the dialogue. Notice how the vocabulary and grammar from the lesson are used.

3

Read the article and answer the questions.

01What are some important words for an emergency?
Sample answerImportant words are emergency, police, hospital, and help.
02What grammar do you use to give instructions?
Sample answerYou use imperatives to give instructions or commands.
03Why is it important to learn phrases to ask for help?
Sample answerBecause you might be in a new city and have a problem.
04What can you learn to be ready for an emergency?
Sample answerI can learn new words and phrases to ask a stranger for help.
4

Key vocabulary

Vocabulary
These expressions will help you talk about emergency situations.
Examples
call an ambulance — to phone for a special car that takes sick or hurt people to the hospital.
Usage note: Use this when someone is very sick or hurt. You can also say 'call the police' or 'call the fire department'.
I need help — a simple way to say you have a problem and you want someone to assist you.
Usage note: This is a very direct and clear phrase. You can say it loudly if the situation is serious.
Where is the nearest...? — a question to ask for the location of a place that is close to you.
Usage note: Use this when you are lost or need something quickly. For example: 'Where is the nearest hospital?'.
stay calm — to not be scared or worried in a difficult situation.
Usage note: This is good advice for yourself or for another person in an emergency. For example: 'Please stay calm. Help is coming'.
What's wrong? — a question you ask when you see someone looks sad, hurt, or worried.
Usage note: This is a kind way to offer help to someone. It means 'What is the problem?'.
5

People and things in an emergency

Match the word with its meaning.

Drag or click to match
Definitions
6

Grammar: imperatives

Grammar
We use imperatives to give instructions or tell someone to do something. They are very important in an emergency. To make an imperative, we use the base form of the verb.
Examples
Call the police!
Use the base verb 'call'. This is a direct command.
Help me, please.
You can add 'please' to make the command more polite.
Don't move.
For a negative command, use 'Don't' + the base verb.
Key points
  • Use the base form of the verb (e.g., go, stop, help).
  • For a negative imperative, use 'Don't' before the verb.
  • You don't need a subject (like 'I', 'you', 'he'). Say 'Come here!', not 'You come here!'.
7

Complete the sentences with words from the box. One word is extra.

Word bank
01Please me! I am lost.
02My friend is very sick. Please call an .
03You look sad. What's ?
04Excuse me, where is the hospital?
05It's okay. Try to stay and breathe.
8

Choose the best answer based on what you heard in the article.

01Why do we use imperatives?
02What is the practical situation in the lesson?
03Which word is in the key vocabulary list from the article?
04Which activity does the article NOT mention for the lesson?
9

Discuss these questions with a partner. Try to use vocabulary from the lesson.

  1. In your country, is it easy to ask a stranger for help, for example, 'Where is the nearest hospital?'
  2. In an emergency, what is more important: to stay calm, or to call for help very fast?
  3. You see a person on the street. They look lost. What is a good thing to say to them?