Beginner· A1–A2Work & career6 min

Calling in sick to work

Tell your manager you are sick, say what you can do and when you will update them.

The scene

You wake up with a fever and cannot go to work. You call your manager before your shift starts.

Speaker A
Manager
Speaker B
You (employee)

Your goals

  • Say clearly that you are sick and cannot come in
  • Explain briefly what is wrong
  • Arrange how your work will be covered

Key vocabulary

Press the speaker to hear each word or phrase.

  • to call in sick

    to phone work to say you are too ill to come

    I need to call in sick today.

  • fever

    a high body temperature

    I have a fever of 39 degrees.

  • to feel under the weather

    to feel a little ill (informal)

    I'm feeling under the weather.

  • to cover

    to do someone's work while they are away

    Can someone cover my shift?

  • doctor's note

    a letter from a doctor saying you were ill

    Do you need a doctor's note?

  • to get well

    to become healthy again

    Get well soon!

Useful phrases

  • I'm sorry, but I'm sick and can't come in today.

    Telling your manager you are not coming

  • I have a fever and a bad headache.

    Explaining your symptoms briefly

  • I'll keep you updated.

    Promising to send more news later

  • … can cover my meeting.

    Suggesting who can do your work

  • I hope to be back tomorrow.

    Saying when you expect to return

Practice studio: speak the dialogue

Pick your role and press Start. Your partner's lines are read aloud; then say your line into the microphone (or type it) and see which words you got right.

Your role

  1. Manager

    Good morning, this is Rachel.

  2. You (employee)

    Hi Rachel, it's Marco. I'm sorry, but I'm sick and can't come in today.

  3. Manager

    Oh no. What's wrong?

  4. You (employee)

    I have a fever and a bad sore throat. I didn't sleep much last night.

  5. Manager

    That doesn't sound good. Do you have anything important today?

  6. You (employee)

    I have a client call at two. Lucy knows the project, so she can cover it.

  7. Manager

    OK, I'll ask her. Will you be back tomorrow?

  8. You (employee)

    I hope so. I'll see a doctor this morning and keep you updated.

  9. Manager

    Thanks, Marco. Rest and get well soon.

  10. You (employee)

    Thank you. I'll send Lucy my notes by email.

You speak 5 lines as You (employee); Manager is read aloud for you.

Speech recognition is done by your browser (in Chrome and Edge this uses the browser maker's online service). Nothing is stored by AltFTool.

Your turn: speak freely

Answer out loud in your own words. There is no score here: aim for full sentences and fewer filler words.

  1. 1. Call your manager and say you cannot come to work today. Explain why in one sentence.

  2. 2. Suggest who can do your work today and what they need to know.

  3. 3. Say when you think you will be back and how you will update your manager.

Quick quiz

Choose an answer to see if you are right and why.

  1. 1. What does 'call in sick' mean?
  2. 2. Which sentence is clear and polite?
  3. 3. 'Can Lucy cover my meeting?' means…
  4. 4. What do people say to someone who is ill?

0 of 4 answered

Common mistakes

  • Avoid: I am sick since yesterday.

    Say: I've been sick since yesterday.

    Use the present perfect with 'since' for something that is still true.

  • Avoid: I have a headache very bad.

    Say: I have a very bad headache.

    Adjectives and their adverbs go before the noun in English.

  • Avoid: I can't come to the work.

    Say: I can't come to work.

    We say 'go to work' and 'come to work' without 'the'.

Tips

  • Call or message before your start time, not after.
  • Keep it short: you do not need to give every medical detail.
  • Offer a plan for your urgent tasks so your manager does not have to guess.

Questions about this lesson

How do you say you are sick in English at work?

Say 'I'm sorry, but I'm sick and won't be able to come in today.' Add one short reason, such as 'I have a fever.'

What does 'under the weather' mean?

It is an informal way to say you feel a little ill: 'I'm a bit under the weather today.'

Is 'I'm ill' or 'I'm sick' correct?

Both are correct. 'Sick' is more common in American English; 'ill' is common in British English.

Finish the lesson

Finish the practice studio and the quiz and this lesson is marked complete for you.

Next lesson: Asking for a deadline extension

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