IELTS Relationships Vocabulary-Useful Phrases for Common Topics in IELTS Speaking

Courtney Miller

8 min read

Updated On Oct 09, 2022

Practice

Limited-Time Offer : Access a FREE 10-Day IELTS Study Plan!

To assist their verbal and writing communication, IELTS aspirants must get precise and thorough vocabulary education. They can reach English language and discourse thanks to the specific teaching of vocabulary, which also makes it easier for them to understand texts that are increasingly more and more complex.

Have you ever found it difficult to talk about relationship such as love, friendship, family? In today’s post, I would like to share with you some phrases and expressions, which could make it easier for you to deal with the Relationship topic both in a real life situation and in a test environment.

At the very beginning, I want to provide you with some collocations to describe the positive and negative effects of relationship

Advantages of Being in a Relationship

To share laughter and happiness together

Example: At the weekend, I prefer spending time with my family, so we can share a laugh and be happy together

To have a person who is there for you whenever you need

Example: Being in a relationship means you have a person who always is there for you when you are in trouble.

Disadvantages of Being in a Relationship

To have less time for other social relationships

Example: When you are in a relationship, you will have less time for other social relationships

There is also a wide range of useful phrases to talk about relationships (Love, Friendship, Family)

Friendship

1. To get to know: begin to know someone

Example: I have known Mary since I was a little boy, and we have been best friends until now.

[do_widget id=custom_html-22]

2. To get on well with: to understand someone and enjoy similar interests Example: My girlfriend and I get on well with each other because we try to understand each other’s interests.

[do_widget id=custom_html-25]

3. To hit it off (with someone): to quickly become good friends with

Example: As a sociable person, Peter can easily hit it off with Sara.

4. To go back years: to have known someone for a long time.

Example: Mary and I go back years and we always make sure to keep in touch with each other.

5. To strike up a relationship: to begin a friendship

Example: Mia and I struck up a relationship since we were high school students and until now we still keep in touch.

6. To enjoy someone’s company: to like spending time with someone

Example: We are best friends, and we always enjoy each other’s company

7. A healthy relationship: A good, positive relationship

Example: Tom and Mia have a healthy relationship, and they always help each other out of trouble.

8. To have a lot in common: to share similar interests

Example: we became best friends since we were ten because we had a lot in common.

9. To have ups and downs: to have good and bad times

Example: All relationships have ups and downs, but some people prefer to break up rather than work it out.

10. To keep in touch with: to keep in contact with

Example: Although we have not seen each other in person for a long time, we still keep in touch.

11. To lose touch with: to not see or hear from someone any longer

Example: My high school friends make a promise to try not to lose touch with each other.

12. To drift apart: to become less close to someone

Example: I really appreciate our friendship so I hope that I will never drift apart from her.

13. to fall out with: to have a disagreement and stop being friends

Example: Having a lot of arguments for ages, we fell out with each other

14. to work at a relationship: to try to maintain a positive relationship with someone

Example: All relationships have their ups and downs. The point is that we should work at the relationship rather than give up on it

15. to cement a friendship: to make a relationship stronger

Example: I always set aside time at the weekend to come over to visit my best friend to cement our relationship.

[do_widget id=custom_html-47]

Love

1. To break up: to end a romantic relationship

Example: She decided to break up with her boyfriend because they didn’t have a lot in common

2. To fall for: to fall in love

3. fall head over heels in love: really love somebody

4. To be in relationship: to be romantically involved with someone

Example: He was not married, but he was in a stable relationship.

5. To love at first sight: to fall in love immediately you meet someone

Family

1. To see eye to eye: to agree on a subject

Example: My parents see eye to eye on many aspects of their lives, so they barely find themselves in conflict.

2. To start a family: To conceive or have a first child.

Example: After tying the knot for 2 years, we made up our mind to start a family.

3. To tie the knot: get married (= get hitched)

Example: John and Lisa tied the knot. They’re now on their way to their honeymoon.

4. Blood is thicker than water: family relationships come before any other relationship/priority.

Example: When anyone in the family gets into a problem, other members will help out because blood is thicker than water after all.

5. A close-knit family: a family get on well, support each other & see each other a lot

Example: Family is the most important thing in the whole world and we ought to prioritize to make it a happy and a close-knit family.

6. Flesh and blood: people who are part of your immediate family

Example: While she is not my flesh and blood, she is really like my sister

7. Pop the question: propose marriage

Example: They’re well matched in their interests, yet he hasn’t popped the question because both of them are not ready to settle down and have children.

Also check :

Practice

IELTS Speaking Part 1

Topic: Friendship

Do you see your friends very often?

You: Well, I used to hang out with my friends at least twice a weekbecause we enjoyed each other’s company & had a lot in common to talk about, but I am in last year of university now, so I am very busy with my study. For that reason, I don’t often have the chance to spend quality time with my friends any more.

Do you like to spend time with friends?

Yes absolutely. Usually, I spend much time with my friends. When we get together we have fun and learn to understand each other’s personalities.

Do you usually have conflicts with your friends?

Conflict is inevitable in every relationship. But I always try to maintain a healthy relationship to avoid drifting apart from my friends

Do you have a best friend?

I have a few best friends. Our friendship goes back years to when we were still young. Although they are by no means my flesh & blood, they are like sisters to me who always help me out in every matter.

How would you describe a “good relationship”?

I would say that all relationships have ups & downs but if you are on good terms with your friends, you can get over it & keep in touch with each other, and always try to work at the relationship to make it a long-lasting friendship.

Do you ever help a friend by giving advice?

Topic: Family

Do you live with your family?

Yes, I live in an extended family with my grandparents, parents & my younger brother.

How are you getting on with your parents?

I have to say that I’m the apple of my parent’s eyes. They always take care of me and give me helpful advice whenever I get into trouble.

Do you prefer to spend time with your family or with your friends?

On one hand, I always try to keep in touch & work at the relationship with my friends who I care for. On the other hand, I spend as much quality family time as I can to maintain our close knit family tradition.

Is family very important for you?

Of course, family is my first priority. They are my flesh and blood and always there to support me

If you were married, how many children would you choose to have?

If I decide to tie the knot and settle down, I will start a family when my husband & I see eye to eye on how many children we choose to have. For me, I prefer to have one daughter & son so I can raise them without being afraid of economic pressure.

[do_widget id=custom_html-47]

IELTS Speaking Part 2

Describe a person you are very close to.

You should say:

who this person is
when you met them
where you met them
and say what it is about them you like so much.

Sample Answer

Well, I would like to talk about my soulmate Jess, who used to be my classmate in high school. She was one of the most impressive friends of mine and a really talented person.

I can say that our friendship goes back years when we were little kids. Being a gregarious girl, she was the person who started our very first conversation and then we stroke up our relationship and quickly hit it off with each other. I have to admit that I really enjoy Jess’s company because we can share a lot of things with each other have had a lot in common, which makes us can talk all day long.

For me, Jess is one of the most wonderful girls on earth. I feel that Van was really diligent. I still remember she was always the first to come and the last to leave our class though she was a grade-A student in the class. I was encouraged as well. She often told me that genius comes from one percent of inspiration and ninety-nine per cent of perspiration, and I really admire and appreciate her diligence and responsibility. What amazed me more was that she was so versatile. In addition to being an excellent student, she was also talented and good in other fields. For example, she was proficient in English and Japanese; she excels in playing the piano, and more surprisingly, she was even good at calligraphy. How impressive that was!

I’m constantly amazed by her open-mindedness – she’s never judgmental. I wish I could be like that. But she’s very reliable – if I call her or give her a message, she always responds. We’ve always got on well and we hardly ever fall out with each other.

Personally, she was the one I always wanted to be, and she set a good example for me to follow.

All in all, those are the reasons why when I read the question that you gave me, Jess is the first person that came to my mind.

IELTS Speaking Part 3

Question 1: Do you think marriage is still as important as ever?

From my perspective, marriage is always a turning point for anybody. In my country, when a couple falls heads over heels in love with each other, they will tie the knot to show their commitment and to demonstrate that they are ready to start a family and go through ups and downs with each other.

Question 2: Is it important to keep in contact with our friends when we’re in a relationship?

Sure … it’s so easy to drift apart from your friends when you fall in love. But we always need to have friends’ companies so try to keep in touch with them by spending weekends to hang out, writing some letters for them each month or giving them small gifts to cement the relationship.