ulcer

Everyday

1. An ulcer is a sore place on the skin or inside the body where the surface has broken down; it is slow to heal and can hurt. tree →
2. A mouth ulcer is a small, painful white or yellow spot inside your mouth. tree →
3. A stomach ulcer is a sore in the lining of the stomach. tree →

In the lessons

In health and science lessons, ulcers show what happens when the body's lining gets damaged; mouth ulcers are common and harmless, while stomach ulcers need a doctor. In everyday life children say «I've got a mouth ulcer, it stings when I eat crisps.» Phrases: «a mouth ulcer», «a stomach ulcer», «leg ulcer».

Examples

• I have a mouth ulcer, so orange juice really stings. tree →
• Mouth ulcers usually heal on their own in a week or two. tree →
• Grandad's doctor treated his stomach ulcer with medicine. tree →
• The nurse put a dressing on the ulcer on Gran's leg. tree →
• Biting your cheek by accident can cause an ulcer. tree →
• Salty crisps make my ulcer hurt. tree →

Note

Countable, «an ulcer» (starts with a vowel sound, UL-ser). Myth: stomach ulcers were long thought to come only from worry and spicy food; scientists found that most are caused by a germ (bacteria) called H. pylori, and they won a Nobel Prize in 2005 for it. An ulcer that does not heal should be shown to a doctor.