Lesson 5 · Lesson guide
Family, Friends and Relationships
Hello, my dear student!
Hello, my dear student!
Family and friends are a favourite topic in IELTS Speaking Part 1. The examiner may ask: Do you have a big family? Who are you closest to? Many students say “mother”, “father”, “brother”… and then they stop.
Today you will learn more words: relatives, cousins, aunts and uncles, best friends and flatmates. You will also learn useful verbs like get on well with, look like and keep in touch with, and you will listen to people talk about their families.
Uzbek has different words for older and younger brothers and sisters: aka, uka, opa, singil. English is simpler: brother and sister. When it matters, say older brother or younger sister. After this lesson you can talk about the people in your life in two or three good sentences.
See you in the exercises,Your teacher
Your browser has no English voice, so the listen buttons are hidden. Everything is written on the page.
The people in your life
Family
Parents, grandparents and relatives
Parents = your mother and father. Grandparents = your parents’ mothers and fathers. Relatives = all the people in your family, near and far.
- I live with my parents.(Men ota-onam bilan yashayman.)
- My grandparents live in Samarkand.(Buvim va bobom Samarqandda yashaydi.)
- I have a lot of relatives.(Qarindoshlarim koʻp.)
Family
Aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews and nieces
Your aunt is your mother’s or father’s sister. Your uncle is their brother. Their children are your cousins. Your brother’s or sister’s son is your nephew, and their daughter is your niece.
- My aunt is a teacher.(Xolam (ammam) oʻqituvchi.)
- My cousin Sardor is twenty.(Amakivachcham Sardor yigirma yoshda.)
- My niece is three years old.(Jiyanim uch yoshda.)
Status
Single, married, divorced
Use be: He is single (not married). She is married. Married to + a person: My sister is married to a doctor. Divorced = married before, but not now. An only child has no brothers or sisters. Twins are two children born together to the same mother.
- My brother is married.(Akam (ukam) uylangan.)
- I’m an only child.(Men oilada yolgʻiz farzandman.)
- My cousins are twins.(Amakivachchalarim egizak.)
Friends
Best friend, close friend, classmate, flatmate
Your best friend is your number one friend. A close friend is a very good friend; you can have many. A classmate is in your class. A flatmate shares a flat with you (British English); in American English it’s a roommate.
- Malika is my best friend.(Malika mening eng yaqin dugonam.)
- Aziz is my classmate.(Aziz mening sinfdoshim.)
- I live with two flatmates.(Men ikki kishi bilan bir kvartirada yashayman.)
Verbs
Verbs for relationships
get on well with = have a friendly relationship. look like = have the same face. take after = be like an older family member, often in character. grow up = become an adult (past: grew up). keep in touch with = still talk or write. spend time with = be together.
- I get on well with my sister.(Singlim (opam) bilan yaxshi chiqishaman.)
- I look like my father.(Men dadamga oʻxshayman.)
- I take after my mother.(Men oyimga tortganman.)
- I grew up in Bukhara.(Men Buxoroda oʻsib-ulgʻayganman.)
- I keep in touch with my old classmates.(Eski sinfdoshlarim bilan aloqani uzmayman.)
Remember!
English has one word for aka and uka: brother. Add older or younger when it matters: my older sister.
Family words
Tap each word to hear it. The notes show who is who.
my parents
my mother and father
my grandparents
my grandmother and grandfather
my aunt
my mother’s or father’s sister
my uncle
my mother’s or father’s brother
my cousin
my aunt’s or uncle’s child
my nephew
my brother’s or sister’s son
my niece
my brother’s or sister’s daughter
my in-laws
my husband’s or wife’s family
Remember!
Cousin is for a boy or a girl. A nephew is a boy; a niece is a girl.
Words to describe people
In IELTS Speaking, don’t just name a person: say what they are like. Tap to hear.
My mother is very kind.
kind = good and caring
My brother is really funny.
funny = he makes people laugh
My uncle is very friendly.
friendly = nice to everyone
My best friend is always helpful.
helpful = she likes to help
My grandfather is quiet.
quiet = he doesn’t talk much
My cousin is very hard-working.
hard-working = works a lot
IELTS Speaking Part 1: family
A real kind of Part 1 conversation. Notice that every answer has two or three sentences.
- Examiner
Let’s talk about your family. Do you have a big family?
- Candidate
Yes, I do. I live with my parents, my grandmother, my older sister and my two younger brothers. I also have a lot of relatives in Namangan.
- Examiner
Who are you closest to in your family?
- Candidate
I’m closest to my older sister. She’s very kind and funny, and we spend a lot of time together.
- Examiner
Do you look like anyone in your family?
- Candidate
People say I look like my father. We both have dark hair and brown eyes.
- Examiner
Do you spend much time with your friends?
- Candidate
Not much, because I’m busy at university. But I keep in touch with my best friend every day.
The answer first (Yes, I do. / I’m closest to…), then a detail or a reason. Never just “Yes.”
Mistakes I hear every day
Not: My family is consist of five people.Say: There are five people in my family.
Consist is a verb, so no is: My family consists of five people. Easier and more natural: There are five people in my family.
Not: I get well with my sister.Say: I get on well with my sister.(Singlim (opam) bilan yaxshi chiqishaman.)
Don’t forget on: get on well with someone.
Not: She is married with a doctor.Say: She is married to a doctor.
In Uzbek we say “bilan”, but English uses married to + a person.
Not: I am single child.Say: I’m an only child.(Men oilada yolgʻiz farzandman.)
A child with no brothers or sisters is an only child. Single means not married.
Not: I keep in touch my school friends.Say: I keep in touch with my school friends.
Keep in touch with + a person. You need with.
Not: My sister is look like my mother.Say: My sister looks like my mother.
Look like is a verb. Don’t add is; add -s for he and she: looks like.
Check yourself
What do you call your mother’s brother?
Bekzod has no brothers or sisters. What is he?
Complete: I get on well ___ my cousin.
The examiner asks: “Do you have a big family?” Is “Yes.” a good answer?
Now it’s your turn!
6 short parts, each a little harder than the one before. Take your time: mistakes are how we learn.
— Your teacher