30 Phrases to Talk about your Family

Summary

In this video, Keith from English Speaking Success teaches viewers how to speak naturally about their family in English. He covers various ways to describe family size, relationships, and specific family dynamics using natural expressions and idioms. Keith explains how to talk about siblings, parents, children, and partners with common phrases, including ways to describe similarities and differences in family members. He also introduces Cambly, a platform to practice spoken English with native speakers, offering free lessons and discounts. The video includes real-life examples, a model answer to the question 'What's your family like?', and tips for speaking confidently.

Takeaways

• 😀 Learning natural spoken English is key to succeeding in the IELTS speaking test.
• 😀 Cambly is a great platform for practicing spoken English with native speakers, offering flexible scheduling and personalized content.
• 😀 You can talk about your family size in natural ways, like saying 'There are five of us in my family' instead of 'My family has five family members.'
• 😀 The terms 'nuclear family' and 'extended family' both refer to different kinds of family structures, and it's up to you which one to talk about.
• 😀 'Siblings' refers to brothers and sisters, and the phrase 'sibling rivalry' describes the competition between them.
• 😀 Natural ways to describe family relationships include expressions like 'We have our ups and downs' and 'We don’t always see eye to eye.'
• 😀 You can express love for your family with phrases like 'I love them to bits' or 'My family means the world to me.'
• 😀 For parents, you can say 'I take after my father' or 'I'm the spitting image of my mother' to describe physical or personality resemblances.
• 😀 If you want to discuss your relationship with your partner, phrases like 'We’ve grown to love each other over time' or 'We just clicked' can be useful.
• 😀 Cambly offers a free 15-minute lesson for new users and a 40% discount on a yearly plan with the code 'newkeith' for further English practice.
• 😀 You can use the expression 'blood is thicker than water' to say that family is more important than friendships, though this concept may vary.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video script?

The main focus of the video is teaching natural spoken English to talk about family and related topics, as well as promoting Cambly as a platform for practicing spoken English.

What does the phrase 'I come from a big family' mean?

The phrase 'I come from a big family' means that the speaker has a large family, typically with many brothers and sisters.

How do you naturally describe a family with no siblings?

If you have no siblings, the natural way to describe your family is by saying, 'I was an only child.'

What is the difference between a nuclear family and an extended family?

A nuclear family refers to parents and children living together, while an extended family includes additional relatives like grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins.

What does the phrase 'two peas in a pod' mean in relation to siblings?

'Two peas in a pod' means that siblings (or people) are very similar in terms of personality or behavior.

What is 'sibling rivalry'?

Sibling rivalry refers to the competition or conflict between brothers and sisters as they try to outdo each other.

What are some phrases used to describe a close family?

Phrases like 'a close family' or 'a tight-knit family' are used to describe families that have strong bonds and a close relationship.

What is the meaning of 'I love my family to bits'?

'I love my family to bits' means that the speaker loves their family very much.

What is the difference between being overprotective and spoon-feeding your children?

Being overprotective means doing too much to shield your children from harm, while spoon-feeding refers to doing everything for them, preventing them from becoming independent.

How do you describe a relationship where both partners are very different from each other?

If two partners are very different, you might say, 'We are like chalk and cheese,' which highlights their contrasting personalities or behaviors.