Family

Question 1

Parents

• My parents separated when I was two, then got divorced when I was four. I was brought up by my mother.
  …
• communicate with your parents
• live with (your) parents
• I’ve fallen out with (= to have a quarrel) my parents again. We haven’t spoken to each other for a week.
  …
• strict parents
• an elderly parent
• Being a single parent isn’t easy. Bring up a family on your own is hard work.
• real parents / foster parents
• working parents
  …
• I’m completely dependent on my parents for money.

Question 2

Child

• bring up/ raise children
• teach children something
• The children were taken into care by social service because their parents had started to neglect them.
• put the children to bed
  …
• a child grows up
• children tease each other
  …
• a newborn child
• an unborn child
• a bright child (= intelligent)
• a naughty child
• an easy/difficult child (=easy or difficult to deal with)
• a problem child (=very difficult to deal with)
• street children (=living on the streets because they have no homes)
• He has three small/young children to support.
• well-behaved children
• a special school for gifted children
• an only child
• a spoilt/spoiled child
• Both our children are adopted.
• All of our children are grown-up and married now.
  …
• He was arrested on suspicion of child abuse.
• She’s an expert in child development
  …
• Nowadays, the average child spends about 20 hours a week watching television.
  …
• The hotel has a leisure center and is ideal for children.
• The film contains a lot of violence and is unsuitable for children.
• happy as a child
• treat me like a child

Question 3

Wedding

• go to a wedding
• invite (them) to the wedding
• hold a wedding in a (church)
• Fin got cold feet and call the wedding off at the last minute.
• pay for the wedding
• help with our wedding
  …
• make a speech at a wedding
• make a video of the wedding
• be a guest at a wedding
  …
• your wedding anniversary
• (cut) the wedding cake
• the wedding dress
• (send out) a wedding invitation
• We hired a local rock group to provide the music at our wedding reception.
  …
• have a big wedding
• We’ve decided to have a quiet wedding, so we’re only inviting the immediate families.

Question 4

Husband and Wife

• look for a husband/wife
• meet your husband/wife
• Margaret has left her husband. She walked out on (= to leave your husband, wife etc suddenly and go and live somewhere else) him after she found out he was having an affair.
• lose your husband/wife
  …
• your present husband/wife
• your late husband (= he is dead)
• My ex-/former wife is now a millionaire. Sometimes I wish I hadn’t divorced her.
• your last husband/wife
• (a family man and) a loving husband/wife

Question 5

Baby

• I have to feed a baby every three or four hours.
• wake a baby
• We‘re expecting our first baby in August.
  …
• The baby only weighed about 2 kilos at birth. He was born a month premature. (a premature baby, premature birth/death)
• I don’t really want to know the sex of my baby before it’s due.
• their baby is due (in August)

Question 6

Birth

• your birth certificate
• your date/time/place of birth
• congratulation on the birth of your son/daughter
• Birth control is a very difficult issue, especially in poor countries.
• It’s now quite common for fathers to be present at the birth of their children.
• She has just given birth to twins.

Question 7

Funeral

• go to/ attend a funeral
• arrange a funeral
• the funeral service is held (in a church)
• wear black at a funeral
• the funeral was a cremation(= burning a dead body)/burial
  …
• The people who attend a funeral are the mourners.
  funeral directors (= someone who is paid to organize a funeral)