IELTS vocabulary: Family

These 12 B2–C1 words and collocations are useful for discussing family issues in Writing Task 2 and Speaking Part 3.

nuclear family noun: A household consisting of two parents and their children living together.; “In many of the town's suburbs, the nuclear family remains the most common household type.”
extended family noun: A family group that includes relatives beyond the immediate parents and children, such as grandparents, aunts and uncles.; “After the move, Emma found it comforting to live near her extended family, who helped with childcare.”
single-parent household noun: A family in which one adult is responsible for raising the children.; “Policies that offer flexible working hours can make life easier for those in a single-parent household.”
blended family noun: A family formed when one or both partners have children from previous relationships and bring them together into one household.; “Adjusting to life in a blended family can take time as everyone finds new routines.”
kinship ties noun: The social bonds and obligations that connect people who are related by blood or marriage.; “Strong kinship ties in rural communities often mean relatives step in to help during crises.”
family dynamics noun: The patterns of interaction and relationships among family members.; “The counsellor asked questions about family dynamics to understand why the siblings argued so often.”
upbringing noun: The way a child is raised, including values, discipline and education provided by parents or caregivers.; “Her calm manner at work reflects the supportive upbringing she had at home.”
parental leave noun: Time off from work that parents are legally allowed to take to care for a new child.; “The company recently increased parental leave to encourage both mothers and fathers to spend time with newborns.”
to bring up verb phrase: To care for and educate a child until they become an adult (synonymous with 'raise').; “They decided to bring up their children bilingual so they could communicate with relatives abroad.”
intergenerational adjective: Relating to or involving different generations, often used when discussing relationships or programs that connect young and old.; “The community centre runs intergenerational activities where teenagers teach computer skills to seniors.”
caregiving responsibilities noun phrase: Duties involved in looking after someone who needs help, such as a child, elderly relative, or disabled family member.; “Balancing caregiving responsibilities with a full-time job is a challenge many people face.”
work-life balance noun phrase: A healthy distribution of time and energy between work commitments and family or personal life.; “Achieving a good work-life balance is often a key concern for parents returning from parental leave.”