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NAATI CCL Tamil medical practice test

Health is the topic candidates are most likely to meet on the day and the one that costs the most marks, because a medical dialogue hides its difficulty inside ordinary-sounding sentences. This page gives you a complete emergency-department dialogue worked in full — every segment, every model answer in Tamil with transliteration — plus the other eighteen health scenarios on this site and the terminology examiners keep coming back to.

Exam mode

Sit this dialogue under exam conditions

Model answers stay hidden. You’ll hear one segment at a time, interpret it out loud, then either record yourself for an automatic NAATI-style mark or reveal the answer and mark yourself. At the end you get a mark out of 45 against the 29 every dialogue has to clear on its own.

Dialogues
1
Segments
8
Marks
45
Pass
29

Free, no account, nothing to install. A microphone is optional — you can self-mark instead.

How examiners build a health & medical dialogue

A medical CCL dialogue is built around a decision the clinician has to make and the information they need in order to make it. That is why the segments are dense with facts that look conversational: an allergy, a fasting window, a dose, a frequency, how long ago something happened. The examiner is not testing whether you know medicine — they are testing whether every one of those facts survives the crossing. The second thing being tested is emotional content. Patients in these dialogues are frightened, embarrassed, or worried about money, and that worry is information the clinician acts on. A candidate who renders "I'm scared of needles" as "he doesn't want an injection" has changed what the doctor hears and will lose marks for distortion, not for style.

Where marks go on this topic

01Collapsing two symptoms into one

Tamil speakers routinely list symptoms in pairs — numb feet and blurred vision in one segment, nausea and vomiting in another. Candidates hear the first, start speaking, and the second never arrives. Every one of those pairs is a separate clinical signal, and dropping half of it is scored as an omission on a load-bearing fact. Train yourself to hold the segment to its full stop before you open your mouth.

02Turning tentative language into certainty

Clinicians hedge constantly, and the hedge is the message. "You may have broken a bone", "it usually settles", "this could be a sign" are not softeners you can tidy away — they are the difference between a diagnosis and a suspicion. In Tamil the hedge sits in the verb (இருக்கலாம், பொதுவா), so it is easy to lose when you are reaching for the noun. Render the uncertainty as explicitly as the clinician stated it.

03Generalising a concrete deliverable

A medical certificate is not "a note". A mental health care plan is not "some help". A referral for a foot assessment is not "a check-up". These are named Australian health products with specific consequences for the patient's work, money and treatment, and the examiner marks them as terminology. Learn the handful that recur — bulk-billing, referral, consent form, medical certificate — and say them.

04Dropping the safety-net instruction

Almost every health dialogue ends a clinician turn with a conditional instruction: if this happens, contact us; don't walk barefoot; avoid eating or drinking. They come last, when your memory is fullest, and they are the first thing candidates cut. They are also the segments where an omission does real-world harm, which is exactly why the examiners put them there.

05Translating drug and test names instead of transliterating them

Metformin, Ozempic, Medicare, HbA1c, X-ray. These stay recognisable in Tamil — மெட்ஃபோர்மின், ஓசெம்பிக், மெடிகேர், எக்ஸ்-ரே — so that a Tamil speaker can repeat them to a pharmacist. Inventing a Tamil equivalent, or leaving the word in English mid-sentence in a way the audio can't carry, both cost marks. Acronyms are spelled letter by letter with dots.

Terms worth drilling before you sit this

The full health & medical glossary — 25 terms with example sentences and audio — is on the health & medical vocabulary page.

Register in this setting

Tamil patients address Australian clinicians with marked deference — டாக்டர் சார், நீங்க throughout, and honorific verb endings (பண்ணுங்க) even when frightened or in pain. That register is not decoration: dropping to நீ would be socially wrong in the room and is marked as a register error in the exam. Going the other way is a subtler trap. Clinicians in these dialogues speak plainly and warmly, and candidates often over-formalise them into textbook Tamil — நீரிழிவு for what every Tamil speaker in Australia calls சுகர். Match each speaker's own level: the doctor sounds like a person, the patient sounds respectful, and neither sounds like a news bulletin.

The worked dialogue, with model answers

274 words in 8 segments — the length and shape of a real exam dialogue. Every model answer is in Tamil with a transliteration, and every line has audio.

Worked dialogue · 45 marks

Emergency Department: A Wrist Fracture and Consent

A Tamil-speaking factory worker comes to a hospital emergency department after slipping and falling on his hand. The emergency doctor assesses a likely wrist fracture, gives pain relief, checks allergies and fasting status, orders an X-ray, and discusses setting the bone under sedation, a plaster cast and consent. The patient raises pain, fear of needles, costs of time off work and waiting for his wife.

Speakers: Emergency department doctor · Tamil-speaking man with a wrist injuryLength: 274 words in 8 segmentsDirection: 4 into Tamil · 4 into EnglishLevel: intermediate
  1. Segment 1 · Doctor · 41 wordsEnglish → Tamil

    Hello, I'm the emergency doctor. I understand you slipped and fell onto your outstretched hand about an hour ago. Your wrist is swollen and painful. We'll need an X-ray, but from the look of it you may have broken a bone.

    Model answer

    வணக்கம், நான் எமர்ஜென்சி டாக்டர். நீங்க கிட்டத்தட்ட ஒரு மணி நேரம் முன்னாடி வழுக்கி கை நீட்டி விழுந்திருக்கீங்கன்னு தெரியுது. உங்க மணிக்கட்டு வீங்கி இருக்கு, வலி இருக்கு. நாங்க எக்ஸ்-ரே எடுக்கணும், ஆனா பார்த்தா எலும்பு முறிஞ்சிருக்கலாம் மாதிரி தெரியுது.

    vanakkam, naan emergency doctor. neenga kittathatta oru mani neram munnaadi vazhukki kai neetti vizhundhirukkeenganu theriyudhu. unga manikkattu veenki irukku, vali irukku. naanga X-ray edukkanum, aanaa paarthaa elumbu murinjirukkalaam maadhiri theriyudhu.

    wrist மணிக்கட்டுmanikkattubroken bone / fracture எலும்பு முறிவுelumbu murivu

    💡 'May have broken' is tentative — don't render it as certain. Keep the mechanism (fell on the outstretched hand) and the timing (about an hour ago).

  2. Segment 2 · Patient · 26 wordsTamil → English

    ஆமா சார், வலி ரொம்ப அதிகமா இருக்கு, கையை அசைக்கவே முடியல. வலிக்கு ஏதாவது மருந்து தர முடியுமா? எனக்கு பயமா இருக்கு — ஆபரேஷன் பண்ணணுமா? ஊசி பார்த்தா எனக்கு ரொம்ப பதற்றமா ஆயிடும்.

    aamaa saar, vali romba adhigamaa irukku, kaiyai asaikkave mudiyal. valikku edhaavadhu marundhu thara mudiyumaa? enakku bayamaa irukku — operation pannanumaa? oosi paarthaa enakku romba padhatramaa aayidum.

    Model answer

    Yes, the pain is very bad; I can't move my hand at all. Can you give me something for the pain? And I'm scared — will I need an operation? I get very nervous about needles.

    pain relief வலிக்கான மருந்துvalikkaana marundhuoperation / surgery ஆபரேஷன்operation

    💡 Three points here — the request for pain relief, the worry about surgery, and the needle anxiety. Keep all three; don't drop the emotional content.

  3. Segment 3 · Doctor · 44 wordsEnglish → Tamil

    I'll give you some pain relief right away, through the vein. First I need to ask: are you allergic to any medicines, and have you eaten or drunk anything in the last six hours? That matters in case you need a procedure under sedation.

    Model answer

    நான் இப்பவே நரம்பு வழியா வலிக்கான மருந்து தர்றேன். முதல்ல நான் கேக்கணும்: உங்களுக்கு எந்த மருந்துலயும் அலர்ஜி இருக்கா, கடந்த ஆறு மணி நேரத்துல ஏதாவது சாப்பிட்டீங்களா, குடிச்சீங்களா? உங்களுக்கு மயக்க மருந்து கொடுத்து ஒரு பிராசீஜர் பண்ணணும்னா, இது முக்கியமா ஆகும்.

    naan ippave narambu vazhiyaa valikkaana marundhu tharren. mudhalla naan kekkanum: ungalukku endha marundhulayum allergy irukkaa, kadandha aaru mani neradhula edhaavadhu saappittheengalaa, kudichcheengalaa? ungalukku mayakka marundhu koduthu oru procedure pannanumnaa, idhu mukkiyamaa aagum.

    through the vein நரம்பு வழியாnarambu vazhiyaasedation மயக்க மருந்துmayakka marundhu

    💡 The fasting question (six hours) is clinically critical — keep the number exact. 'In case you need' is conditional. The allergy check is standard pre-sedation practice; keep all parts.

  4. Segment 4 · Patient · 28 wordsTamil → English

    எனக்கு எந்த மருந்துலயும் அலர்ஜி இல்ல. ஆனா கிட்டத்தட்ட ஒரு மணி நேரம் முன்னாடி நான் தேநீரும் ஒரு பரோட்டாவும் சாப்பிட்டேன். என் மனைவிக்கு வழியில போன் வந்துச்சு, அவங்க வர்றாங்க. நாங்க அவங்க வர்றது வரைக்கும் காத்திருக்கலாமா?

    enakku endha marundhulayum allergy illa. aanaa kittathatta oru mani neram munnaadi naan thenneerum oru parottaavum saappitten. en manaivikku vazhiyila phone vandhuchu, avanga varraanga. naanga avanga varradhu varaikkum kaathirukkalaamaa?

    Model answer

    I'm not allergic to any medicine. But about an hour ago I had tea and a paratha. My wife got a call on the way and she's coming. Can we wait until she arrives?

    paratha பரோட்டாparottaawife மனைவிmanaivi

    💡 The recently-eaten meal is clinically relevant to sedation timing — it must be rendered, not skipped as small talk. Keep the request to wait for his wife.

  5. Segment 5 · Doctor · 44 wordsEnglish → Tamil

    Thank you, that's helpful — because you've just eaten, we'll wait a few hours before any sedation to keep you safe. We can certainly wait for your wife. Meanwhile the X-ray confirms a clean break in your wrist that we can set without surgery.

    Model answer

    நன்றி, இது உதவியா இருக்கு — நீங்க இப்பதான் சாப்பிட்டதால, உங்க பாதுகாப்புக்காக மயக்க மருந்து கொடுக்குறதுக்கு முன்னாடி நாங்க கொஞ்ச நேரம் காத்திருக்கறோம். உங்க மனைவிக்காக நிச்சயமா காத்திருக்கலாம். இதுக்குள்ள, எக்ஸ்-ரேல உங்க மணிக்கட்டுல ஒரு சுத்தமான முறிவு இருக்குன்னு தெரியுது, இதை ஆபரேஷன் இல்லாம சரி பண்ணலாம்.

    nandri, idhu udhaviyaa irukku — neenga ippadhaan saappittadhaala, unga paadhukaappukkaaga mayakka marundhu kodukkuradhukku munnaadi naanga konja neram kaathirukkarom. unga manaivikkaaga nichayamaa kaathirukkalaam. idhukkulla, X-rayla unga manikkattula oru suthamaana murivu irukkunnu theriyudhu, idhai operation illaama sari pannalaam.

    clean break சுத்தமான முறிவுsuthamaana murivuto set (a bone) எலும்ப சரி பண்றதுelumba sari pannradhu

    💡 The good news 'without surgery' must be clear. 'Set the bone' is a specific technique, not just 'fix'. Keep the safety reason for waiting — that he's recently eaten.

  6. Segment 6 · Patient · 23 wordsTamil → English

    ஆபரேஷன் வேண்டாம்னு கேட்டதும் நிம்மதியா இருக்கு. ஆனா நீங்க எலும்ப சரி பண்றப்போ வலிக்குமா? பிளாஸ்டர் எத்தனை நாள் இருக்கும்? நான் ஃபேக்டரில வேலை பார்க்குறேன், கையால உழைச்சு வேலை பண்ணணும்.

    operation vendaamnu kettadhum nimmadhiyaa irukku. aanaa neenga elumba sari pannrappo valikkumaa? plaster edhdhanai naal irukkum? naan factoryla velai paarkkuren, kaiyaala uzhaichu velai pannanum.

    Model answer

    I'm relieved to hear there's no operation. But when you set the bone, will it hurt? And how long will the plaster cast stay on? I work in a factory and have to do manual work with my hands.

    plaster cast பிளாஸ்டர்plastermanual work கையால உழைக்கிற வேலைkaiyaala uzhaikkira velai

    💡 Two questions here — pain during setting, and how long the cast stays on — plus a livelihood concern about manual work. Keep all three elements.

  7. Segment 7 · Doctor · 44 wordsEnglish → Tamil

    During the procedure you'll be sedated, so you won't feel the bone being set. The cast usually stays on for about six weeks. Given your manual job, I'll give you a medical certificate so you can safely take time off work while it heals.

    Model answer

    பிராசீஜர் நடக்கும்போது உங்களுக்கு மயக்க மருந்து கொடுப்போம், அதனாலே எலும்ப சரி பண்றப்போ உங்களுக்கு ஒண்ணுமே தெரியாது. பிளாஸ்டர் பொதுவா கிட்டத்தட்ட ஆறு வாரம் இருக்கும். நீங்க கையால உழைக்கிற வேலை பார்க்குறதால, நான் உங்களுக்கு மெடிக்கல் சர்ட்டிபிகேட் தர்றேன், அதுல குணமாகற வரைக்கும் நீங்க வேலைக்கு விடுமுறை எடுக்கலாம்.

    procedure nadakkumbodhu ungalukku mayakka marundhu koduppom, adhanaale elumba sari pannrappo ungalukku onnume theriyaadhu. plaster podhuvaa kittathatta aaru vaaram irukkum. neenga kaiyaala uzhaikkira velai paarkkuradhaala, naan ungalukku medical certificate tharren, adhula gunamaagara varaikkum neenga velaikku vidumurai edukkalaam.

    medical certificate மெடிக்கல் சர்ட்டிபிகேட்medical certificatesix weeks ஆறு வாரம்aaru vaaram

    💡 The reassurance 'you won't feel it' depends on the negation — keep it. The cast duration (six weeks) is specific. Keep the medical certificate concrete, not generalised to 'a note'.

  8. Segment 8 · Patient · 24 wordsTamil → English

    ரொம்ப நன்றி டாக்டர். இப்போ எனக்கு ரொம்ப நிம்மதியா இருக்கு. என் மனைவி வர்றது வரைக்கும் காத்திருக்குறேன், நீங்க சொன்ன மாதிரி, சாப்பிடாம குடிக்காம இருக்குறேன். சம்மத காகிதங்கள அவளோட சேர்ந்து முடிக்குறேன்.

    romba nandri doctor. ippo enakku romba nimmadhiyaa irukku. en manaivi varradhu varaikkum kaathirukkuren, neenga sonna maadhiri, saappidaama kudikkaama irukkuren. sammadha kaagidhangala avalota serndhu mudikkuren.

    Model answer

    Thank you very much, doctor. I feel much reassured now. I'll wait until my wife arrives, and as you said, I'll avoid eating or drinking. I'll complete the consent paperwork together with her.

    consent paperwork சம்மத காகிதங்கள்sammadha kaagidhangalto avoid / abstain சாப்பிடாம இருக்குறதுsaappidaama irukkuradhu

    💡 The patient confirms the fasting instruction and references the consent paperwork — keep both; this teach-back lets the examiner verify the instructions were understood.

Glossary for this dialogue

emergency department எமர்ஜென்சி டிபார்ட்மென்ட்wrist மணிக்கட்டுfracture / broken bone எலும்பு முறிவுX-ray எக்ஸ்-ரேsedation மயக்க மருந்துfasting / nil by mouth வெறும் வயிறா இருக்குplaster cast பிளாஸ்டர்consent / paperwork சம்மதம் / காகிதங்கள்

Cultural & register notes

  • — Before sedation a patient usually needs to be fasting for several hours; the patient's offhand mention of tea and a snack he had earlier is actually clinically decisive and must be rendered accurately, not treated as small talk.
  • — Family members often come along to the emergency department and may try to answer for the patient; the interpreter conveys what the patient and the clinician each say, and must not let a relative speak on the patient's behalf.
  • — Addressing the doctor as 'டாக்டர்' with the polite spoken forms (நீங்க, -ங்க endings) throughout reflects how this patient would actually speak in a hospital.
  • — A medical certificate to cover time off manual work is a concrete, financially significant outcome for a factory worker — keep it specific, not reduced to a vague 'note'.

The other 18 health & medical scenarios

Every one is a full CCL-format dialogue with audio and model answers, inside the course. 6 of them are open on a free account; the rest come with the Pass.

Open the free dialogues →See what the Pass includes

Questions about health & medical dialogues

What medical topics come up in the NAATI CCL Tamil test?
GP consultations, hospital and emergency, maternity and antenatal care, mental health, pharmacy, dental, aged care assessments and specialist referrals all appear in the published topic range. The scenarios on this page cover all of them, because you do not get to choose which one you are given.
Do I need medical knowledge to pass a health dialogue?
No, but you do need the vocabulary. The examiners are testing transfer, not diagnosis — nobody expects you to know what an HbA1c measures. They do expect the number, the drug name and the frequency to come out the other side intact, and they expect you to know the everyday Tamil for symptoms, dose, referral and consent.
How many marks is one medical dialogue worth?
45, and you must score at least 29 on it regardless of how well the other dialogue went. Two dialogues make 90 marks, with 63 needed to pass. That per-dialogue floor is why practising a topic you find hard matters more than polishing one you find easy.
Should I interpret a patient's fear and embarrassment?
Yes. Emotional content is information the clinician uses, and it is marked. "I get very nervous about needles" and "I don't want my community to find out" change what the clinician does next. Render them at the same intensity they were said — neither played down nor dramatised.
How is this different from just reading a medical glossary?
A glossary teaches you words in isolation; the exam gives you 35 words at a time under time pressure with a chime at the end. Every scenario here is a full dialogue with audio, so you practise holding a whole segment and producing it aloud, which is the skill actually being marked.

Next

One topic at a time builds accuracy. A full paper tells you whether it adds up to 63.

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