idiom · neutral
an apple a day keeps the doctor away
UK/ən ˌæpəl ə deɪ ˌkiːps ðə ˈdɒktə əˈweɪ/US/ən ˌæpəl ə deɪ ˌkiːps ðə ˈdɑːktər əˈweɪ/an·AP·ple·a·DAY·keeps·the·DOC·tor·a·WAY
eating healthy (especially fruit) helps prevent illness; proverb encouraging healthy habits
Examples
“She always says, 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away' to encourage her kids to eat fruit.”
“While the proverb is simple, it stresses the importance of daily healthy habits.”
“This proverb is useful in Task 2 essays about diet and prevention.”
Band 8 sentence
“When discussing preventive healthcare in essays, you can mention that 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away' to illustrate the value of simple daily habits.”
Collocations
- stick to the idea that an apple a day keeps the doctor away
- believe that an apple a day keeps the doctor away
Common mistakes
An apple a day keeps doctor away→An apple a day keeps the doctor away
one apple a day no doctor→an apple a day keeps the doctor away
Say it for a higher band
5eat fruit to stay healthy→6healthy eating prevents illness→7+an apple a day keeps the doctor away
Synonyms
healthy eating prevents illness
Easily confused
healthy diet
“A healthy diet can reduce the risk of many diseases.”
Related words
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In Health
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