Family & Parenting Vocabulary

Part 1: Family & Parenting Collocations

Collocations are words that naturally go together. These phrases are common when talking about family & parenting.

Collocation	Example	Meaning
close-knit family	"They're a close-knit family who spend every weekend together."	A very close and supportive family
raise a child	"It takes patience to raise a child."	Bring up and care for a child
strict parent	"Her dad was a strict parent who set a lot of rules."	A parent who enforces firm rules
extended family	"We invited our extended family to the wedding."	Family beyond parents and children
single parent	"She's a single parent raising two kids alone."	A parent raising children without a partner
family ties	"He has strong family ties to the area."	Close connections or bonds with family

Collocation	Example
nuclear family	"A nuclear family usually means parents and their children."
family resemblance	"There's a strong family resemblance between the sisters."
only child	"As an only child, she never had to share her toys."
blended family	"They're a blended family with kids from two marriages."
hands-on parent	"He's a very hands-on parent who's involved in everything."

1. They're a __________-knit family who spend every weekend together.

2. It takes patience to __________ a child.

3. Her dad was a __________ parent who set a lot of rules.

4. We invited our __________ family to the wedding.

5. She's a __________ parent raising two kids alone.

Idioms add colour and natural expression to your English when talking about family & parenting.

run in the family – a trait shared by family members "Musical talent runs in the family."
the apple doesn't fall far from the tree – children are similar to their parents "He's just as stubborn as his dad - the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."
black sheep of the family – a family member seen as different or an outcast "He's the black sheep of the family; he never wanted a normal job."
follow in someone's footsteps – do the same as a parent or relative did "She followed in her mother's footsteps and became a doctor."
spitting image – looks exactly like someone else, usually a relative "He's the spitting image of his father."
a chip off the old block – very similar to a parent in character "With his sense of humour, he's a chip off the old block."

1. Musical talent __________ in the family.

2. He's the __________ sheep of the family; he never wanted a normal job.

3. She followed in her mother's __________ and became a doctor.

4. He's the spitting __________ of his father.

5. With his sense of humour, he's a chip off the old __________.

These phrasal verbs are commonly used when talking about family & parenting.

Phrasal Verb	Meaning	Example
bring up	raise a child (or mention a topic)	"They brought up their kids in the countryside."
look after	take care of	"She looks after her younger brother."
grow up	become an adult	"He grew up in a small village."
take after	resemble a parent or relative	"She takes after her mother."
tell off	scold someone, usually a parent to a child	"Mum told him off for being late."

Bring up can mean raise a child OR mention a topic - context matters.

Take after is only used for family resemblance, never for objects.

Grow up describes the whole process of becoming an adult, not a single moment.

1. They __________ up their kids in the countryside.

2. She __________ after her younger brother while their parents work.

3. He __________ up in a small village.

4. She __________ after her mother - same eyes, same laugh.

5. Mum __________ him off for being late.

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Well done! You've mastered the family tree of English vocabulary!