Cómo responder en inglés a noticias de salud en un correo personal (B2): frases cálidas y present perfect simple o continuous

Responde a las noticias de salud de un amigo en cinco pasos: reacciona a la noticia, cuenta brevemente algo tuyo, haz una pregunta pertinente, despídete con cariño y añade una posdata (PS) solo si tiene una función. Sé un amigo, no un médico: pregúntale cómo lo lleva en lugar de recomendarle medicamentos. La gramática clave es el present perfect: “I’ve just heard about your ankle” para una noticia con resultado, “I’ve been thinking about you all week” para la duración. Es un tema de nivel B2 (intermedio alto) para adultos que escriben correos personales en inglés.

¿Para quién es este artículo?

Adultos de nivel intermedio alto que escriben a amigos, familiares o compañeros en inglés y quieren que sus respuestas suenen cálidas, no de fórmula.
Estudiantes que conocen el present perfect pero todavía dudan entre “I’ve done” y “I’ve been doing”.
Personas que viven en el extranjero y necesitan hablar de enfermedades, lesiones o recuperación en inglés cotidiano.
Demasiado pronto: si todavía te cuesta enlazar varios mensajes cortos sobre un mismo hecho, empieza por cinco mensajes conectados sobre un viaje (B1+).
Demasiado fácil: si ya eliges entre simple y continuous sin pensar, pasa a un artículo de reflexión C1 sobre un recuerdo que cambió de sentido.

Abrir las páginas de muestra

Tarjetas de vocabulario

experience: ever / never

Use present perfect simple for an experience at an unspecified time.

Have you ever fainted? I have never broken a bone.

recent completion: just / already / yet

Use simple for a completed action with present relevance.

The nurse has just called; she has already reviewed the notes but has not arrived yet.

superlative or numbered occasion

Use simple after the best/worst and first/second/last time.

This is the worst headache I have ever had.

state continuing to now

Use simple with non-action verbs and for/since.

Maya has known this doctor for twelve years.

quantity or frequency

Use simple when the amount completed matters.

How many tablets have you taken today?

unfinished duration

Use continuous with an action continuing now.

Owen has been coughing since Tuesday.

Conversación

maya You have been rehearsing for two hours, haven’t you?

owen I have, and I have hardly drunk any water.

maya Sit down. You look pale, and you said you felt dizzy.

owen I feel better already. Could you tell me whether the room is unusually warm?

maya It is. The heating has been running since early morning. I’ll open the door and get water.

owen Then I’ll change out of this tight woollen jacket before we continue.

Estructura de la frase

repeated recent activity

Use continuous for repeated action over a period.

I have been checking my temperature all morning.

just-finished activity with a result

Use continuous when visible evidence comes from recent activity.

Her shoes are muddy because she has been walking outside.

completion versus process

Simple foregrounds finished result; continuous foregrounds duration or incompleteness.

Maya has written the health update; Owen has been writing his but has not finished.

dual-behaviour verbs

Meaning controls form: have a possession is a state; have lessons is an activity.

He has had this monitor for years, but he has been having weekly therapy since May.

live / work flexibility

Both forms can describe duration; continuous often sounds more temporary.

She has worked here since 2020; she has been working from home this month.

Más práctica

A complete informal health email

Maya and Owen check a repaired tap and its rubber seal at a sink.

Hi Lena,

Sorry I haven’t been in touch for a while, but I've been dealing with a strange problem at the studio. Five members have reported irritated hands since a tap was repaired, and one colleague has had an allergic reaction. Fortunately, nobody has needed emergency treatment. We've stopped using the tap, and the building manager has already replaced its latex seal.

How are you and your family? Have you been enjoying the new flat? I'm feeling less anxious now that we have found the cause. I've been writing a simple materials checklist so that contractors mention possible allergens before future work.

Anyway, that's all for now. Please give my regards to Amir. Hope to hear from you soon.

Take care,

Maya

PS Could you send me the name of the antihistamine guide you mentioned?

Reply with evidence and warmth

The rash that followed the repair

Maya has managed a co-working studio for six years, but she has never closed it for a health concern. This week, five members have reported itchy hands. Two have developed a rash, and one has been sneezing whenever she enters the kitchen.

At first, the team blamed a new cleaning spray. They have stopped using it, yet the symptoms have continued. Owen has been comparing the incident times with maintenance records. Every report occurred after someone used the repaired hot-water tap. A plumber had fitted a rubber seal containing latex, and one member has already confirmed a serious latex allergy.

Maya has now isolated the tap and informed the building manager. No one has had difficulty breathing, but the allergic member has taken an antihistamine after medical advice. The building has replaced the seal and has begun checking material declarations for future repairs. A minor maintenance job has exposed a procurement gap that the studio had not considered before.

Aprende esta unidad

¿Cómo quieres aprender?

¿Ya tienes cuenta?

Una cuenta gratis abre una unidad para siempre.

Un plan en cinco partes para tu respuesta

En 140–190 palabras, dedica a cada parte entre una y tres frases:

Reacciona a la noticia: “I was so sorry to hear about your fall. What a relief nothing is broken!”
Tus novedades, brevemente: “Things have been busy here: I’ve just started a new project at work.”
Una pregunta pertinente: “Have you been able to sleep properly?”
Una despedida cálida: “Take care, and give my love to the kids.”
Una PS solo para pedir u ofrecer algo: “PS I can bring some shopping on Saturday if that helps.”

Responder con cariño sin dar consejos médicos

Elige la frase según la noticia y deja el tratamiento a los médicos. “Que te mejores” se dice “Get well soon” o “I hope you feel better soon”.

Mala noticia: “I’m so sorry to hear you’ve been unwell.”
Buena noticia: “I’m so glad you’re feeling better.”
Noticia mixta: “It must have been frightening, but it sounds as if you’re over the worst.” Over the worst significa que lo peor ya ha pasado.
Pregunta, no recetes: “Have you been able to see a doctor?”, no “You should take antibiotics.”
Ofrece ayuda: “Is there anything I can do?”

Vocabulario de salud para que tu noticia sea precisa

Las colocaciones precisas le dicen a tu amigo qué pasó de verdad. Cuidado con un falso amigo: “constipated” significa “estreñido”; un resfriado es “a cold”.

Have a cold, have flu, have a sore throat. En inglés británico, have a temperature significa tener fiebre.
Un sprained ankle es un esguince de tobillo; un swollen ankle es un tobillo hinchado.
Feel dizzy (estar mareado), faint o pass out (desmayarse un momento), come round (volver en sí).
En inglés británico, feel sick significa tener náuseas; en inglés americano, sick suele significar simplemente enfermo.

Present perfect simple: resultados, experiencia y cantidades

Usa el simple cuando una acción terminada, su resultado o una cifra importan ahora:

Already y yet: “The nurse has already reviewed the notes but has not arrived yet.”
Experiencia: “Have you ever fainted? I have never broken a bone.”
Después de un superlativo: “This is the worst headache I have ever had.”
Cantidades y frecuencia: “I’ve phoned the clinic three times this morning.”
Verbos de estado con for o since (know, be, have en el sentido de poseer): “I have known my doctor for twelve years.”

Present perfect continuous: duración y actividad

En español dices “tose desde el martes”, en presente; en inglés hace falta el present perfect continuous. Úsalo cuando importan la actividad, su duración o que todavía no ha terminado.

Prepárate para explicar una elección en una frase: “I chose ‘I’ve been resting’ because the rest is still going on.”

Algo que sigue ocurriendo: “He has been coughing since Tuesday.”
Algo repetido durante un periodo: “I have been checking my temperature all morning.”
Huellas visibles: “Her shoes are muddy because she has been walking outside.”
Proceso frente a resultado: “I’ve been writing a checklist” (sin terminar) frente a “I’ve written to the clinic” (hecho).

Aprende esta unidad a tu manera

Escucha el contraste en un diálogo breve

Dos compañeros están ensayando cuando uno se encuentra mal. ¿Por qué “hardly drunk any water” va en simple y “has been running since early morning” en continuous?

En la primera importa la cantidad; en la segunda, la calefacción sigue encendida.

Maya You have been rehearsing for two hours, haven’t you?

Owen I have, and I have hardly drunk any water.

Maya Sit down. You look pale, and you said you felt dizzy.

Owen I feel better already. Could you tell me whether the room is unusually warm?

Maya It is. The heating has been running since early morning. I’ll open the door and get water.

Errores frecuentes

Revisa estos puntos en tu borrador:

“I am ill since Monday.” Di “I have been ill since Monday.”
“I have seen the doctor yesterday.” Con un momento ya pasado, usa el past simple: “I saw the doctor yesterday.”
“Since two days.” “Desde hace dos días” es “for two days”; “desde el martes” es “since Tuesday”.
Un diagnóstico: “It’s probably an allergy, so take antihistamines.” Mejor pregunta: “What did the doctor say?”

Práctica diaria de 10 minutos

Usa una noticia real o inventada; escribe la respuesta completa el fin de semana.

3 minutos: escribe tres frases sobre tu semana con just, since y el continuous.
3 minutos: cambia una frase de simple a continuous, o al revés, y di en voz alta cómo cambia el significado.
4 minutos: responde en voz alta a una pregunta, con un motivo: “Is a message or a phone call better when a friend is ill?” “How much health detail is it fine to share by email?”

Siguiente paso

Después, en B2, convierte un núcleo de 50 palabras en un relato corto y escribe un texto equilibrado sobre los cursos de aventura. En C1, escribe un artículo de reflexión sobre un recuerdo que cambió de sentido.

Preguntas frecuentes

¿Qué diferencia hay entre el present perfect simple y el continuous?

El simple destaca un resultado o una cantidad: “I’ve written three emails.” El continuous destaca la actividad y su duración: “I’ve been writing emails all morning.”

¿Cómo se responde a una mala noticia de salud en un correo en inglés?

Muestra empatía, haz una pregunta pertinente, ofrece ayuda y despídete con cariño: “Take care of yourself.” Deja los consejos médicos a los médicos.

¿Se dice “I am ill since Monday” o “I have been ill since Monday”?

“I have been ill since Monday.” En español se dice “estoy enfermo desde el lunes”, en presente, pero since une un punto de partida pasado con el presente, así que el inglés usa el present perfect.