IELTS Family Vocabulary: 50 Words with Examples
This list of IELTS family vocabulary covers parents and children, family life and how families are changing, which are popular topics in Speaking and Writing. Each word has a simple meaning, its sound, a band level, examples for Writing and Speaking, and the mistake to avoid.
50 words · free quiz and flashcards · updated October 2026
siblings
SIB·lings · noun, pluralYour brothers and sisters.Band 6 · everyday
Collocations
- older siblings
- have siblings
- siblings get along
Similar: brothers and sisters
WritingChildren with siblings often learn to share and compromise early.
SpeakingI have two siblings: an older brother and a younger sister.
Common mistake: Saying “brothers” to mean brothers and sisters together. Use “siblings”.
relatives
REL·a·tives · noun, pluralPeople in your family, like aunts, uncles and cousins.Band 6 · everyday
Word family: related (adjective)
Collocations
- close relatives
- distant relatives
- visit relatives
Similar: family members, relations
WritingIn many cultures, relatives help to raise young children.
SpeakingWe visit our relatives in the countryside every summer.
Common mistake: Saying “my familiars”. Use “relatives” or “family members”.
extended family
ex·TEND·ed FAM·i·ly · nounA family that includes grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.Band 6 · everyday
Collocations
- live with the extended family
- a large extended family
- extended family members
Similar: wider family
WritingLiving with the extended family gives children support from several adults.
SpeakingMy extended family meets every Friday for lunch.
Common mistake: Saying “big family” when you mean relatives beyond parents and children. The term is “extended family”.
nuclear family
NU·cle·ar FAM·i·ly · nounA family of only parents and their children.Band 6 · everyday
Collocations
- the traditional nuclear family
- live in a nuclear family
- the decline of the nuclear family
Similar: immediate family
WritingThe nuclear family has become the most common household in many cities.
SpeakingI grew up in a small nuclear family: just my parents and me.
Common mistake: Thinking it is about energy. In families, “nuclear” means the central group.
single-parent family
SIN·gle-PAR·ent FAM·i·ly · nounA family where one parent raises the children alone.Band 6 · everyday
Collocations
- grow up in a single-parent family
- support single-parent families
- the number of single-parent families
Similar: one-parent family
WritingSingle-parent families often need extra help with childcare costs.
SpeakingMy best friend grew up in a single-parent family, and her mum was amazing.
Common mistake: Saying “single family”, which means something else. Say “single-parent family”.
childhood
CHILD·hood · nounThe time when you are a child.Band 6 · everyday
Collocations
- a happy childhood
- childhood memories
- in early childhood
Similar: early years
WritingExperiences in early childhood shape a person’s personality.
SpeakingI had a really happy childhood in a small village.
Common mistake: Saying “my childness”. The noun is “childhood”.
teenager
TEEN·ag·er · nounA young person aged from 13 to 19.Band 6 · everyday
Word family: teenage (adjective)
Collocations
- a typical teenager
- teenagers today
- teenage years
Similar: adolescent
WritingTeenagers need some independence to become responsible adults.
SpeakingAs a teenager, I argued with my parents all the time.
Common mistake: Using “adolescent” when you speak. It is formal; in conversation, “teenager” is more natural.
raise
RAISE · verbTo look after a child until they are an adult.Band 6 · everyday
Collocations
- raise children
- raise a family
- be raised by
Similar: bring up
WritingBoth parents now share the job of raising children in many families.
SpeakingMy grandmother raised me while my parents worked.
Common mistake: Mixing up “raise” and “rise”. You raise children; prices rise.
bring up
bring UP · phrasal verbTo care for a child and teach them how to behave.Band 6 · everyday
Word family: upbringing (noun)
Collocations
- bring up children
- be brought up by
- well brought up
Similar: raise
WritingIt can be harder to bring up children in a big city than in a village.
SpeakingMy grandparents helped to bring up my brother and me.
Common mistake: Saying “grow up my children”. You grow up; parents bring you up.
childcare
CHILD·care · nounLooking after children while their parents work.Band 6 · everyday
Collocations
- affordable childcare
- childcare costs
- provide childcare
Similar: daycare
WritingFree childcare would help more mothers return to work.
SpeakingChildcare is so expensive here that my sister stayed at home.
Common mistake: Writing “child care” as two words. British English usually writes “childcare”.
household chores
HOUSE·hold CHORES · noun, pluralJobs you do at home, like cooking, cleaning and washing.Band 6 · everyday
Collocations
- do household chores
- share household chores
- help with household chores
Similar: housework
WritingCouples today are more likely to share household chores equally.
SpeakingMy brother never helps with the household chores!
Common mistake: Saying “make the chores”. You “do” chores.
grandparents
GRAND·par·ents · noun, pluralThe parents of your mother or your father.Band 6 · everyday
Word family: grandchildren (noun)
Collocations
- live with grandparents
- visit grandparents
- grandparents look after
Similar: grandma and grandpa
WritingGrandparents often provide free childcare for working parents.
SpeakingI spent every summer with my grandparents by the sea.
Common mistake: Saying “great parents”. Your parents’ parents are your “grandparents”.
adopt
a·DOPT · verbTo legally take another person’s child into your family as your own.Band 6 · everyday
Word family: adoption (noun) · adopted (adjective)
Collocations
- adopt a child
- adoptive parents
- adopted children
Similar: take in
WritingMore couples now choose to adopt children from other countries.
SpeakingMy cousin was adopted when she was a baby.
Common mistake: Mixing it up with “adapt”, which means to change.
get on with
get ON with · phrasal verbTo have a friendly relationship with someone.Band 6 · everyday
Collocations
- get on well with
- get on with your parents
- get on with your siblings
Similar: get along with
WritingTeenagers who get on with their parents are less likely to take risks.
SpeakingI get on with my brother much better now than when we were kids.
Common mistake: Leaving out “with”: “I get on my sister”. Say “I get on with my sister”.
look after
look AF·ter · phrasal verbTo take care of someone.Band 6 · everyday
Collocations
- look after children
- look after elderly parents
- look after yourself
Similar: take care of
WritingIn many countries, adult children look after their elderly parents.
SpeakingI look after my little brother after school.
Common mistake: Saying “look for” when you mean “look after”. “Look for” means search.
family gathering
FAM·i·ly GATH·er·ing · nounAn event when family members meet, like a meal or a celebration.Band 6 · everyday
Word family: gather (verb)
Collocations
- a big family gathering
- attend family gatherings
- family gatherings at holidays
Similar: family get-together
WritingFamily gatherings help children feel connected to their relatives.
SpeakingWe have a huge family gathering every New Year.
Common mistake: Saying “family meeting” for a party. A meeting is formal; a celebration is a “family gathering”.
only child
ON·ly CHILD · nounA child with no brothers or sisters.Band 6 · everyday
Collocations
- be an only child
- grow up as an only child
- only children
Similar: child with no siblings
WritingSome people believe an only child gets too much attention.
SpeakingAs an only child, I sometimes felt lonely.
Common mistake: Saying “a single child”. The term is “an only child”.
twins
TWINS · noun, pluralTwo children born to the same mother at the same time.Band 6 · everyday
Word family: twin (adjective)
Collocations
- identical twins
- a twin brother
- have twins
Similar: two siblings born together
WritingStudies of twins help scientists understand how genes affect behaviour.
SpeakingMy cousins are twins, and I still can’t tell them apart.
Common mistake: Saying “a twins”. One person is “a twin”; two are “twins”.
upbringing
UP·bring·ing · nounThe way a child is cared for and taught by their parents.Band 7 · less common
Word family: bring up (phrasal verb)
Collocations
- a strict upbringing
- a happy upbringing
- have a good upbringing
Similar: childhood, rearing
WritingA person’s upbringing strongly influences their values.
SpeakingI had a fairly strict upbringing, but I’m grateful for it.
Common mistake: Saying “uprising”, which means a revolt. The word for how you were raised is “upbringing”.
generation gap
gen·er·A·tion GAP · nounThe differences in ideas and habits between young and old people.Band 7 · less common
Word family: generation (noun)
Collocations
- bridge the generation gap
- a wide generation gap
- the generation gap in families
Similar: age gap
WritingTechnology has widened the generation gap between parents and children.
SpeakingThere’s a real generation gap between me and my grandparents about music.
Common mistake: Saying “generation difference”. The usual phrase is “generation gap”.
role model
ROLE MOD·el · nounA person whose behaviour other people copy.Band 7 · less common
Collocations
- a positive role model
- act as a role model
- a role model for children
Similar: example, inspiration
WritingParents are the first role models for their children.
SpeakingMy older sister was always my role model.
Common mistake: Writing “roll model”. A role is a part someone plays.
close-knit
close-KNIT · adjectiveDescribing a family or group whose members are very close to each other.Band 7 · less common
Collocations
- a close-knit family
- a close-knit community
- very close-knit
Similar: tight-knit, united
WritingChildren from close-knit families tend to have more emotional support.
SpeakingMy family is very close-knit; we talk every day.
Common mistake: Saying the k. The k is silent: “close-nit”.
working parents
WORK·ing PAR·ents · noun, pluralParents who have jobs outside the home.Band 7 · less common
Collocations
- support working parents
- children of working parents
- working parents struggle
Similar: employed parents
WritingFlexible hours make life easier for working parents.
SpeakingAs the child of working parents, I spent a lot of time with my gran.
Common mistake: Saying “work parents”. Use “working parents”.
parenting style
PAR·ent·ing STYLE · nounThe way parents raise and treat their children.Band 7 · less common
Word family: parent (verb)
Collocations
- a strict parenting style
- different parenting styles
- a relaxed parenting style
Similar: way of raising children
WritingA warm but firm parenting style usually produces confident children.
SpeakingMy parents had very different parenting styles.
Common mistake: Saying “parent style”. The usual phrase is “parenting style”.
strict
STRICT · adjectiveMaking people obey rules and behave well.Band 7 · less common
Word family: strictness (noun)
Collocations
- strict parents
- strict rules
- be strict with
Similar: firm, tough
WritingVery strict parents may make teenagers rebel.
SpeakingMy dad was really strict about homework.
Common mistake: Saying “strict to” children. Use “with”: “strict with their children”.
spoil
SPOIL · verbTo give a child too much, so that they behave badly.Band 7 · less common
Word family: spoilt (adjective)
Collocations
- spoil a child
- spoilt children
- spoil grandchildren
Similar: indulge
WritingGiving children everything they want may spoil them.
SpeakingMy grandparents always spoil me with sweets.
Common mistake: Thinking it is only about food going bad. It also means giving a child too much.
sibling rivalry
SIB·ling RI·val·ry · nounJealousy and competition between brothers and sisters.Band 7 · less common
Word family: rival (noun)
Collocations
- sibling rivalry between
- a lot of sibling rivalry
- cause sibling rivalry
Similar: competition between siblings
WritingComparing children too often can cause sibling rivalry.
SpeakingThere was lots of sibling rivalry between me and my brother at school.
Common mistake: Saying “sibling rivality”. The noun is “rivalry”.
nurture
NUR·ture · verb / nounTo care for a child and help them grow and develop.Band 7 · less common
Word family: nurturing (adjective)
Collocations
- nurture children
- a nurturing environment
- nature or nurture
Similar: foster, care for
WritingSchools and parents should nurture children’s natural talents.
SpeakingMy teachers really nurtured my love of music.
Common mistake: Mixing it up with “nature”. Nature is what you are born with; nurture is how you are raised.
breadwinner
BREAD·win·ner · nounThe person in a family who earns most of the money.Band 7 · less common
Collocations
- the main breadwinner
- the family breadwinner
- be the sole breadwinner
Similar: earner
WritingIn many families, women are now the main breadwinner.
SpeakingMy mum has always been the breadwinner in our house.
Common mistake: Writing “bread winner” as two words. Write “breadwinner”.
family values
FAM·i·ly VAL·ues · noun, pluralIdeas about what is important in family life, like respect and loyalty.Band 7 · less common
Collocations
- traditional family values
- strong family values
- teach family values
Similar: traditional values
WritingSome people worry that modern life is weakening traditional family values.
SpeakingFamily values are really important in my culture.
Common mistake: Saying “family’s values” in general. The usual phrase is “family values”.
adolescence
ad·o·LES·cence · nounThe time when a child is becoming an adult.Band 7 · less common
Word family: adolescent (noun / adjective)
Collocations
- during adolescence
- early adolescence
- the problems of adolescence
Similar: the teenage years
WritingAdolescence is a time when young people need support as well as freedom.
SpeakingMy adolescence was quite difficult, to be honest.
Common mistake: Spelling it “adolesence”. Write “adolescence”, with “sc”.
household
HOUSE·hold · nounAll the people who live together in one home.Band 7 · less common
Collocations
- a single-person household
- household income
- the head of the household
Similar: home, family unit
WritingThe number of single-person households has grown in big cities.
SpeakingMy household has five people, including my grandmother.
Common mistake: Mixing up “household” (the people) and “house” (the building).
care for the elderly
CARE for the EL·der·ly · nounLooking after old people.Band 7 · less common
Word family: elderly (adjective)
Collocations
- care for the elderly
- elderly care
- homes for the elderly
Similar: elderly care
WritingIn some cultures, care for the elderly is seen as a family duty.
SpeakingIn my family, caring for the elderly is something we all share.
Common mistake: Saying “the olds”. Say “the elderly” or “older people”.
stay-at-home parent
STAY-at-HOME PAR·ent · nounA parent who stays at home to look after the children instead of working.Band 7 · less common
Collocations
- become a stay-at-home parent
- a stay-at-home dad
- stay-at-home mothers
Similar: full-time parent
WritingMore fathers are now choosing to be a stay-at-home parent.
SpeakingMy uncle is a stay-at-home parent while my aunt works.
Common mistake: Saying “house parent”. The term is “stay-at-home parent” (or mum, or dad).
overprotective
o·ver·pro·TEC·tive · adjectiveTrying too hard to protect a child from danger or difficulty.Band 7 · less common
Word family: protect (verb)
Collocations
- overprotective parents
- be overprotective of
- overly protective
Similar: overcautious
WritingOverprotective parents may stop children from learning independence.
SpeakingMy mum is a bit overprotective; she calls me every hour.
Common mistake: Writing “over protective” as two words. Write “overprotective”.
birth rate
BIRTH RATE · nounThe number of babies born in a country in a year, compared with its population.Band 7 · less common
Collocations
- a falling birth rate
- a low birth rate
- boost the birth rate
Similar: fertility rate
WritingA falling birth rate means fewer young workers in the future.
SpeakingThe birth rate in my country has dropped a lot.
Common mistake: Saying “born rate”. The term is “birth rate”.
family bond
FAM·i·ly BOND · nounThe strong feeling of love and connection between family members.Band 7 · less common
Word family: bonding (noun)
Collocations
- strengthen family bonds
- a strong family bond
- weaken family bonds
Similar: family ties
WritingEating meals together can strengthen family bonds.
SpeakingHolidays together really strengthen our family bond.
Common mistake: Saying “family bound”. The noun is “bond”.
dependent
de·PEND·ent · adjectiveNeeding someone else for money or care.Band 7 · less common
Word family: depend (verb) · dependence (noun)
Collocations
- financially dependent
- dependent on parents
- dependent children
Similar: reliant
WritingMany young adults remain financially dependent on their parents.
SpeakingI’m still dependent on my parents while I study.
Common mistake: Mixing up “dependent” (adjective) and “dependant” (a noun in British English: “He has two dependants.”).
formative years
FOR·ma·tive YEARS · noun, pluralThe early years of life, when a person’s character develops.Band 8 · uncommon
Word family: form (verb)
Collocations
- in your formative years
- during the formative years
- a child’s formative years
Similar: early years
WritingExperiences in the formative years shape a person for life.
SpeakingI spent my formative years in a small village.
Common mistake: Saying “formation years”. The term is “formative years”.
intergenerational
in·ter·gen·er·A·tion·al · adjectiveInvolving people of different ages or generations.Band 8 · uncommon
Word family: generation (noun)
Collocations
- intergenerational living
- intergenerational conflict
- intergenerational projects
Similar: cross-generational
WritingIntergenerational living can reduce loneliness among older people.
SpeakingMy town has an intergenerational café where students meet older people.
Common mistake: Saying “intergeneration” as the adjective. The adjective is “intergenerational”.
dysfunctional
dys·FUNC·tion·al · adjectiveNot working in a normal or healthy way.Band 8 · uncommon
Word family: dysfunction (noun)
Collocations
- a dysfunctional family
- dysfunctional relationships
- deeply dysfunctional
Similar: troubled
WritingChildren from dysfunctional families may struggle at school.
SpeakingThat TV show is about a really dysfunctional family.
Common mistake: Spelling it “disfunctional”. Write “dysfunctional”, with “dys”.
permissive
per·MIS·sive · adjectiveAllowing a lot of freedom; not strict.Band 8 · uncommon
Word family: permission (noun)
Collocations
- permissive parents
- a permissive society
- a permissive parenting style
Similar: lenient, easy-going
WritingPermissive parents may fail to set clear limits for their children.
SpeakingMy friends’ parents were more permissive than mine.
Common mistake: Mixing it up with “permissible”, which means allowed.
family cohesion
FAM·i·ly co·HE·sion · nounHow united and supportive a family is.Band 8 · uncommon
Word family: cohesive (adjective)
Collocations
- strengthen family cohesion
- weaken family cohesion
- strong family cohesion
Similar: family unity
WritingLong working hours can weaken family cohesion.
SpeakingSunday lunches are good for family cohesion in my house.
Common mistake: Saying “cohesity”. The noun is “cohesion”.
emotional intelligence
e·MO·tion·al in·TEL·li·gence · nounThe ability to understand and manage your own and other people’s feelings.Band 8 · uncommon
Collocations
- develop emotional intelligence
- high emotional intelligence
- emotional intelligence in children
Similar: EQ
WritingParents can help children develop emotional intelligence by talking about feelings.
SpeakingMy mum has amazing emotional intelligence; she always knows how I feel.
Common mistake: Saying “emotion intelligence”. Use the adjective: “emotional intelligence”.
filial duty
FIL·i·al DU·ty · nounA child’s responsibility to respect and care for their parents.Band 8 · uncommon
Collocations
- a sense of filial duty
- filial duty to parents
- fulfil a filial duty
Similar: duty to parents
WritingIn some cultures, filial duty means adult children must care for their parents.
SpeakingI think looking after my parents is my filial duty.
Common mistake: Spelling it “fillial”. Write “filial”, with one l in the middle.
kinship
KIN·ship · nounBeing related through family.Band 8 · uncommon
Word family: kin (noun)
Collocations
- ties of kinship
- kinship networks
- a sense of kinship
Similar: family ties
WritingIn rural areas, kinship networks often provide childcare and money.
SpeakingThere’s a strong sense of kinship in my grandfather’s village.
Common mistake: Using it for friendship. Kinship usually means a family connection.
helicopter parenting
HEL·i·cop·ter PAR·ent·ing · nounWhen parents control and watch their children too closely.Band 8 · uncommon
Word family: helicopter parent (noun)
Collocations
- the effects of helicopter parenting
- criticise helicopter parenting
- a helicopter parent
Similar: overparenting
WritingHelicopter parenting may leave young adults unable to solve problems alone.
SpeakingMy friend’s mum does helicopter parenting; she even calls his teachers.
Common mistake: Using it to praise parents. It is a criticism.
empty nest
EMP·ty NEST · nounThe time when parents’ children have grown up and left home.Band 8 · uncommon
Word family: empty-nester (noun)
Collocations
- empty nest syndrome
- face an empty nest
- become empty-nesters
Similar: children have left home
WritingSome parents feel lonely when they face an empty nest.
SpeakingMy parents have an empty nest now, so they travel a lot.
Common mistake: Using it for a house that is for sale. It is about parents whose children have left home.
resilience
re·SIL·ience · nounThe ability to recover quickly from difficulties.Band 8 · uncommon
Word family: resilient (adjective)
Collocations
- build resilience
- emotional resilience
- show resilience
Similar: toughness, strength
WritingFacing small challenges helps children build resilience.
SpeakingMoving countries taught me a lot of resilience.
Common mistake: Spelling it “resiliance”. It ends in “-ence”.
Family vocabulary in IELTS Writing and Speaking
Here is how IELTS family vocabulary can come up in the test, with our own practice questions. So, try to answer them with words from the list above.
Writing Task 2
In many countries, fewer people now live with their extended family. Is this a positive or a negative development?
Speaking
- Part 1: Do you have a large family?
- Part 1: What do you usually do with your family at weekends?
- Part 2: Describe a family member you admire.
- Part 3: Who should look after elderly people: their families or the government?
- Part 3: How has family life changed in your country in recent years?
Our free tests on this topic
- Listening Practice Test 11, Part 2a talk about a summer camp for children
- Listening Practice Test 7, Part 1a call about swimming lessons for children
- Writing Practice Test 2, Task 2when children should start learning a foreign language
A model paragraph with IELTS family vocabulary
Family life has changed a great deal. In the past, many children grew up in an extended family, with grandparents helping to bring up the children. Today, the nuclear family is more common, and working parents often rely on paid childcare. However, close-knit families still offer something important: a strong family bond that helps children build resilience.
Practise this IELTS family vocabulary
Take the 10-question quiz on this IELTS family vocabulary, or go through every word with the flashcards.
Question 1 of 10
Which word means “a family that includes grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins”?
Now use the words
Write a Task 2 essay with five of these words. Then our free Writing Checker gives you a band for vocabulary and for the other three criteria.
Open the Writing Checker
Questions about IELTS family vocabulary
How do I learn IELTS family vocabulary?
Learn about ten words a day. First, read the meaning, listen to the word and say it out loud with the right stress. Then test yourself with the quiz and the flashcards on this page. Finally, use five of the words in an essay and check it with our free Writing Checker.
Which words should I learn first?
Start with the band 6 words, because you need them to explain any idea clearly. After that, add the band 7 words. However, use the band 8 words only when you are sure of their meaning, because a rare word used wrongly can lower your score.
Are these official IELTS words?
No. IELTS has no official word list. Instead, our levels follow the words of the public IELTS band descriptors: band 7 asks for some “less common” words, and band 8 for “uncommon” words used with skill.