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IELTS Speaking Lesson about Family - Part 4

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Family : Lesson Notes

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IELTS Speaking Vocabulary: Family

  • A sibling (n.) /ˈsɪb.lɪŋ/ = a brother or sister

I have two siblings.

  • A younger sister / brother
  • A little sister / brother  (col.)
  • An older sister / brother (col.)
  • A big sister / brother (col.)
  • An elder sister / brother

I have an elder brother and a younger sister.

My little sister is two years younger than me.

I’m the oldest of 3 children

My brother is the one in the middle.

  • To be an only child = to have no brothers or sisters

I am an only child.

  • A neighbourhood (n.)  /ˈneɪ.bə.hʊd/ = the area around your home.
  • In the countryside (collocations):
    • A rural _____ (adj.)
    • A remote _____ (adj.)
    • A ______ out in the sticks

I live in a remote neighbourhood out in the sticks

  • In or near the city (collocations)::
    • An urban _____ (adj.) = an area in the city
    • A suburban _____ (adj.) = an area next to and around the city

I prefer to live in a suburban neighbourhood. It’s quiet, but close to the city.

  • To gather (a)round (p.v.) = to come together around a particular place.

They gathered around the fireplace and shared meals

The family gathered around the table and played card games

Similar words

  • To huddle round
  • To get together

We huddled round the table and played cards.

We got together round the table and drank tea.

Grammar Note: Past Activity

  1. We gathered round the table.
  2. We used to gather around the table.
  3. We got to gather around the table.
  4. We would gather round the table.
  • To raise someone (v.) /reɪz/ =To take care of someone/ something until they are an adult.

They raised and educated him with love.

My parents raised me to be honest.

Note: We often use these in the passive to talk about yourself

I was raised in Manchester

I was brought up in Manchester by my grandmother

Note: To grow up, is not used in the passive.

I grew up in Manchester

Collocations

  • To raise children
  • To raise a family
  • To raise chickens (normally in a farm context)

Similar words

  • To bring up
  • To educate
  • To rear

Listening Activity about Family

1. Listen to this Interview with Mr. Li, now a famous and successful business man.

Anna: Hi, Tom, how are you doing?

Tom: Not bad – same old, same old!

Anna: Yeah, I know what you mean, sometimes I feel like I’m stuck in a rut. I was reading an article the other day about the benefits of routines. What do you think? Do you think routines are a good thing?

Tom: Hmm, I think they can be both good and bad. I’m still a student, so I try to follow a daily routine at uni. I tend to go to the library most mornings, I’ll have lectures in the afternoon, and I typically review my notes in the evenings. That routine helps me stay on track with my studies.

Anna: That makes sense. I work full-time now, and you know what? Although routines can be boring, they help me be more productive. More often than not, I work on my projects first thing in the morning and then only do emails after lunch. It gives me a sense of progress.

Tom: Exactly. And repetition helps too. I mean, perfection comes through repetition, right?

Anna: True, but don’t you ever feel bored? Sometimes my routine feels so monotonous.

Tom: Yeah, I get that. If I study the same way every day, I feel bored to tears.

Anna: I think routines are good for some people, like children. They give a sense of safety and clear boundaries.

Tom: And maybe for older people too. My grandma says routines can reduce stress and give her a sense of certainty.

Anna: Sure, but for me, I need some variety. Otherwise, life feels a bit dull.

Tom: I know what you mean. Maybe the best thing is balance—a routine, but with some flexibility. 

Language Note

To be one for doing something = To like doing it and do it regularly.

My dad was one for telling jokes.

I am one for listening to music when I read books.

dad jokes

Song To Review Vocabulary About Family

🎶 Family Bonds

Verse 1
Out in the sticks, far from the town,
A small old house with fields all around.
Li had a sibling, a sister so kind,
They shared their dreams and spoke their mind.

Each evening they would gather round,
The fireplace warm, safe and sound.
Their parents worked to bring them up well,
To raise them strong, as you can tell.

They walked two miles to buy some bread,
Simple lives the family led.
But in that home, love was strong,
It helped them grow their whole life long.

Chorus
From a small village far away,
To a city bright one day.
With hope inside and dreams so wide,
Brother and sister side by side.

Verse 2
After school, Li moved away,
To Beijing city, busy and grey.
College life and future plans,
Building dreams with his own two hands.

With his sister and their uncle too,
They knew exactly what to do.
They set up a business in the town,
Working hard, not backing down.

Long, long days and sleepless nights,
Learning how to win their fights.
Slowly, slowly, they could see,
Their hard work brought success to be.

Learn Vocabulary So That It Sticks

“I love the live lessons, but I forget a lot of the new words”

How most people learn vocabulary.

  1. See a new word
  2. Make a note
  3. Forget about it

A simple system to learn words and make them stick

  1. Discover new words
  2. Repeat and pronounce them correctly
  3. Make a note and say aloud some phrases  
  4. Hear them in different contexts (stories)
  5. Test yourself
  6. Review (stories, songs, visualisations, podcasts)

You can get this ready-made system for 22 topics in

You can get this ready-made system for 22 topics in
The Vocabulary Vault!
The vocabulary vault

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