FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS

INTRODUCTION

Family relationships are an important part of our lives, from birth of children, to weddings, to our
old age. However, learning to get along with everyone is sometimes a challenge. Listen to the
words below and consult a dictionary if you need a definition. Write a sample sentence for each
word to learn how it is used in context. You can use the Internet to find such sentences and
related information.

1. brother
2. cousin
3. ex-husband
4. family
5. father
6. father-in-law
7. fiancée
8. girlfriend
9. grandparents
10. husband
11. mother
12. nephew
13. niece
14. sister
15. step-brother
16. twin
17. widow / widower
18. wife
19. get a long (well) with
20. get divorced
21. get married / tie the knot
22. hang out with

PRACTICE

Now, complete the sentences below with the best answer:

1. Michael _________ everyone he meets because he is very sociable and easygoing. He has
five brothers and two sisters, so that probably helped him learn how to deal with people.

A. gets divorced B. gets along well with C. gets married

2. My _________ and I are planning on getting married in June. I'm a teacher, and I don't have
classes during the summer, so that is the best time for us to tie the knot.

A. wife B. husband C. fiancée

3. When I ask my girlfriend to marry me, I had to talk with my future ___________ to get his
permission.

A. father-in-law B. widow C. cousin

ASK YOUR TEACHER FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS ON THIS TOPIC.

DISCUSSION/ESSAY

Talk about your family, including what they do for a living, if they are married or not, and how
well you get along with each member. Then, discuss what things contribute to a happy family
(e.g., having things in common, sharing the same ideals and feelings, etc.). Search for advice
and keys on raising a happy family. Finally, are these keys to success different from culture to
culture?

LISTENING
Listen and answer the questions.

a) How many people are in his family?

5
6
4

b) His older brother works for _________,

a bank
the government
a computer company

c) What does his mother do for a living?

a teacher
a cashier
a florist

https://www.esl-lab.com/vocab/v-family.htm

http://www.trainyouraccent.com/readings/family-relationships