Family is a common topic that often appears in IELTS exams, especially in Speaking Part 1. Although this is a familiar topic, candidates should not be subjective. Instead, they need to proactively cultivate and expand their IELTS vocabulary on the topic of family to use it more flexibly and uniquely.
Why the Topic of Family Is Important in IELTS
Family Types
Vocabulary | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
Nuclear family | /ˈnuː.kli.ər ˈfæm.əl.i/ | A basic family with parents and children | Nuclear family is mostly found in Vietnam. |
Immediate family | /ɪˈmiː.di.ət ˈfæm.əl.i/ | Close blood relatives | Immediate family is close-knit. |
Extended family | /ɪkˈsten.dɪd ˈfæm.əl.i/ | A large family with many relatives | On Tet, extended families gather together. |
Dysfunctional family | /dɪsˈfʌŋk.ʃən.əl ˈfæm.əl.i/ | A troubled or unstable family | Ben grew up in a dysfunctional family. |
Single parent | /ˈsɪŋ.ɡəl ˈper.ənt/ | A parent raising a child alone | More people prefer to become single parents today. |
Adoptive parents | /əˈdɒp.tɪv ˈper.ənts/ | Parents who adopted a child | The adoptive parents of Nicole changed her life. |
Only child | /ˌəʊn.li ˈtʃaɪld/ | A child without siblings | Thomas is an only child, so he acts very selfishly. |
Family Members
Vocabulary | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
Ancestor | /ˈæn.ses.tər/ | A family member from the past | His ancestors had royal blood. |
Parent | /ˈpeə.rənt/ | Mother or father | Marie and Ben just became parents. |
Grandfather / Grandmother | /ˈɡræn.fɑː.ðər/ /ˈɡræn.mʌð.ər/ | Grandparents | The factory was built by his grandfather. |
Father / Mother | /ˈfɑː.ðər/ /ˈmʌð.ər/ | Dad or mom | My father and mother married in 1996. |
Brother / Sister | /ˈbrʌð.ər/ /ˈsɪs.tər/ | Male/female sibling | My sister lives in another city for her career. |
Sibling | /ˈsɪb.lɪŋ/ | Brother or sister | Sibling rivalry was part of my childhood. |
Daughter / Son | /ˈdɔː.tər/ /sʌn/ | Female/male child | Albert's son is very cute. |
Twin / Triplet | /twɪn/ /ˈtrɪp.lət/ | Two or three siblings born together | Michelle wants twins after watching a reality show. |
Stepfather / Stepmother | /ˈstep.fɑː.ðər/ /ˈstep.mʌð.ər/ | Stepparents | It is challenging to be a stepfather. |
Half-brother / Half-sister | /ˈhɑːf ˌbrʌð.ər/ /ˈhɑːf ˌsɪs.tər/ | Half-siblings | I have a half-brother from my dad’s side. |
Stepbrother / Stepsister | /ˈstepˌbrʌð.ər/ /ˈstepˌsɪs.tər/ | Step-siblings | I have a stepbrother who is five. |
Nephew / Niece | /ˈnef.juː/ /niːs/ | Son or daughter of your sibling | My nephew looks like an angel. |
Relatives
Vocabulary | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
Cousin | /ˈkʌz.ən/ | Child of your aunt or uncle | We have many cousins in California. |
Distant relative | /ˈdɪs.tənt ˈrel.ə.tɪv/ | Distant family member | Our distant relatives visited last night. |
Uncle / Aunt | /ˈʌŋ.kəl/ /ɑːnt/ | Siblings of your parents | My aunt Lisa is also my art teacher. |
In-laws
Vocabulary | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
Father-in-law | /ˈfɑː.ðər ɪn lɔː/ | Spouse's father | Her father-in-law got sick after the wedding. |
Mother-in-law | /ˈmʌð.ər ɪn lɔː/ | Spouse's mother | They often argue with the mother-in-law. |
Parents-in-law | /ˈpeə.rənts ɪn lɔː/ | Spouse's parents | We are visiting our parents-in-law in Turkey. |
Son-in-law / Daughter-in-law | /ˈsʌn ɪn lɔː/ /ˈdɔː.tər ɪn lɔː/ | Your child’s spouse | Our daughter-in-law is an excellent cook. |
Sister-in-law / Brother-in-law | /ˈsɪs.tər ɪn lɔː/ /ˈbrʌð.ər ɪn lɔː/ | Your spouse’s siblings or your sibling’s spouse | My brother-in-law is a pilot. |
Family-Related Verbs
Verb | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
Get together | /ɡet təˈɡeð.ər/ | Gather as a family | We get together every Sunday. |
Adopt | /əˈdɒpt/ | Legally raise a child | Angelina Jolie adopted a Vietnamese boy. |
Look after | /lʊk ˈæf.tər/ | Care for someone | My grandmother looked after me since I was a child. |
Bring up | /brɪŋ ʌp/ | Raise a child | Lisa brings up her nephew. |
Grow up | /ɡrəʊ ʌp/ | Become older | Kids grow up believing they are the center of the universe. |
Give birth to | /ɡɪv bɜːθ tə/ | Deliver a baby | After giving birth, he realized what responsibility means. |
Take after | /teɪk ˈɑːf.tər/ | Resemble | Milan takes after his half-brother. |
Settle down | /ˈset.l daʊn/ | Establish residence | Our ancestors settled in the South in 1954. |
Tell off | /tel ɒf/ | Scold | His mom always tells him off. |
Make up with | /meɪk ʌp wɪð/ | Reconcile | Dad bought flowers to make up with Mom. |
Divorce | /dɪˈvɔːs/ | End a marriage | She decided to file for divorce. |
Common Family Idioms
Idiom | Meaning | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
Black sheep of the family | Unusual or troubled member | Cinderella was the black sheep of the family. |
Fall out with | Argue and stop speaking | He fell out with his parents. |
Own flesh and blood | Someone related by blood | I could not leave him. He’s my own flesh and blood. |
Blood is thicker than water | Family ties are the strongest | Despite issues, blood is thicker than water. |
Breadwinner | Family income earner | He is the sole breadwinner in the family. |
Run in the family | A trait shared in the family | Baldness runs in my family. |
Wear the trousers | Be the decision-maker | My mom wears the trousers in our house. |
Common Speaking Questions – Family Topic
Part 1 Questions
How much time do you spend with your family?
Do you get along well with your family?
Is yours a nuclear family?
Who are you closest to in your family?
How often does your family get together?
Part 2 Questions
Describe a family celebration you attended
Describe a family argument that made you feel sad
Describe a touching moment in your family
Describe a family member you admire
Describe someone in your family you are closest to
Part 3 Questions
What roles do elderly people play in the family?
How has the family structure changed recently?
Should husbands and wives share responsibilities equally?
What is more important: family or romantic relationships?
What is the ideal family model?
Recommended Resources to Learn Family Vocabulary
Duolingo
Great for beginners, Duolingo organizes vocabulary into levels and reminds learners to stay consistent.
Self-Study Book: 2000 English Words by Topic
Includes themed word lists, audio for pronunciation, and exercises to reinforce learning.
5000 Most Common English Words
Uses mnemonic techniques like humor or music to help learners memorize words faster.
Collins Vocabulary for IELTS
A must-have for IELTS candidates, this book covers 20 key topics with vocabulary, exercises, and practice tests.
With this complete list of IELTS vocabulary for the Family topic, you can confidently face any family-related question in your IELTS test. Continue practicing and exploring more topics with IDP’s rich IELTS resource collection!
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