IELTS family vocabulary: relationships, upbringing and society words
IELTS family and relationships vocabulary for Writing Task 2 and Speaking Part 3, with collocations about parenting, generations and modern family life.
By English Grader study guides · AI-assisted educational content · Official sources linked below
The short answer
For Task 2 and Part 3, move beyond 'mother' and 'brother' to topic language like 'nuclear family', 'upbringing' and 'generation gap'.
Why this topic matters
Task 2 questions often ask about parenting, elderly care, or working parents; Part 3 asks how family roles are changing.
Related guide: See the common Task 2 topics
Key vocabulary
Learn these as phrases.
- nuclear family / extended family
- upbringing, raise children, role model
- generation gap, elderly relatives, care homes
- dual-income households, childcare costs
- close-knit, get on well with, fall out with
Task 2 sentence
In dual-income households, grandparents increasingly play a central role in childcare, which strengthens bonds across generations.
Use it in writing
Write a paragraph on 'Should elderly people live with their families?' using four new phrases, then get feedback.
Write a family-topic essay →Test yourself
Review the list until you can recall phrases without looking.
Open vocabulary practice →Put this into practice
Open the family and relationships list and test yourself with the matching game.
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Official sources and further reading
Practice examples and study routines are illustrative advice, not official band-scored answers or predictions of exam questions.