_______________________________________________IELTS Preparation Course: Upper-

Intermediate

IELTS TOPIC # 1: STAGES OF LIFE & FAMILY

Useful nouns

No. Word/phrase Pronunciation Definition Notes of usage

1. adolescence /ˌædəˈlesns/ the time in a person’s life when  adolescent (n)
he or she develops from a child
into an adult.
2. adulthood /ˈædʌlthʊd/ the state of being an adult.  adult (n)

3. affection /əˈfekʃn/ the feeling of liking or loving  + for sb/sth

somebody/something very  affectionate (a)
much and caring about them
4. aging, ageing /ˈeɪdʒɪŋ/ the process of growing old  age (n): at the age
of …
 aged (a)

5. balance /ˈbæləns/ a situation in which different  keep/maintain a

things exist in equal, correct or balance between A
good amounts and B

6. bond /bɒnd/ a connection between people or  + between …

groups, such as a feeling of
friendship or shared ideas and
experiences.
7. brotherhood /ˈbrʌðəhʊd/ friendship and understanding
between people.
8. character /ˈkærəktə(r)/ all the qualities and features that
make a person, groups of people,
and places different from others.
9. childhood /ˈtʃaɪldhʊd/ the period of somebody’s life  child (n), childish,
when they are a child. childlike (a)

10. conflict /ˈkɒnflɪkt/ a situation in which people,  (between ) …

groups or countries are involved (over) …
in a serious disagreement or  to be in conflict
argument
with sb
 come into conflict
with sb

11. connection /kəˈnekʃn/ something that connects two  (between )

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facts, ideas, etc.  (with)

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_______________________________________________IELTS Preparation Course: Upper-
Intermediate
No. Word/phrase Pronunciation Definition Notes of usage
12. crisis /ˈkraɪsɪs/ a time when a problem, a bad  reach + ...
situation or an illness is at its  pass + …
worst point
13. dependence /dɪˈpendəns/ the state of needing the help and  + on sb/sth
support of somebody/something  depend (v) on
in order to survive or be
 dependent (adj)
successful
14. duty, /rɪˌspɒnsəˈbɪləti a duty to deal with or take care  take responsibility
responsibility / of somebody/something, so that for sth
you may be blamed if something
goes wrong
15. family /ˈɡæðərɪŋ/ a meeting of people in the family
gathering for a particular purpose

16. fatherhood /ˈfɑːðəhʊd/ the state of being a father.

17. friendship /ˈfrendʃɪp/ a relationship between friends.  (between )

 (with)

18. independence /ˌɪndɪˈpendəns/ the freedom to organize your  Independent from

own life, make your own (a)
decisions, etc. without needing
help from other people
19. instinct /ˈɪnstɪŋkt/ a natural tendency for people  (for something or
and animals to behave in a for doing
particular way using the something)
knowledge and abilities that
 (to do something)
they were born with rather than
thought or training.

20. interaction /ˌɪntərˈækʃn/ the act of communicating with  (between );

somebody, especially while you  (of A) (with B);
work, play or spend time with
 interactive (a)
them

21. interaction /ˌɪntərˈækʃn/ the act of communicating with  between A and B

somebody, especially while you
work, play or spend time with
them
22. intimacy /ˈɪntɪməsi/ the state of having a close  intimate (a)
personal relationship with
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somebody
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_______________________________________________IELTS Preparation Course: Upper-
Intermediate
No. Word/phrase Pronunciation Definition Notes of usage
23. microcosm /ˈmaɪkrəʊkɒzə a thing, a place or a group that 
m/ has all the features and qualities
of something much larger
24. motherhood /ˈmʌðəhʊd/ the state of being a mother.

25. nature /ˈneɪtʃə(r)/ the usual way that a person or  by nature

an animal behaves that is part of  natural /ˈnætʃrəl/
their character. (a)

26. parent /ˈpeərənt/ a person’s father or mother  parenting (n)

27. puberty /ˈpjuːbəti/ the period of a person’s life  reach puberty

during which their sexual organs
develop and they become
capable of having children
28. relation /rɪˈleɪʃn/ the way in which two people,  (with Sth)
groups or countries behave  (between A and B
towards each other or deal with )
each other
29. relationship /rɪˈleɪʃnʃɪp/ the way in which two people,  (with Sb)
groups or countries behave  (between …)
towards each other or deal with
each other.
30. relative /ˈrelətɪv/ a person who is in the same  related (a)
family as somebody else.
31. resemblance /rɪˈzembləns/ the fact of being or looking  (to sth)
similar to somebody/something.  (between A and
B);
 (bear … to sth);
 resemble sth/sb
(v)

32. rivalry /ˈraɪvlri/ a state in which two people,  (between ) (for

companies, etc. are competing something);
for the same thing.  rival (n)

33. sibling /ˈsɪblɪŋ/ a brother or sister

34. teenager /ˈtiːneɪdʒə(r)/ a person who is between 13 and  teenage (a)

19 years old. /ˈtiːneɪdʒ/
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35. temperament /ˈtemprəmənt/ a person’s or an animal’s nature

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as shown in the way they behave

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_______________________________________________IELTS Preparation Course: Upper-
Intermediate
No. Word/phrase Pronunciation Definition Notes of usage
or react to situations or people
36. ties /taɪz/ a strong connection between
people or organizations
37. upbringing /ˈʌpbrɪŋɪŋ/ the way in which a child is cared  bring up (v)
for and taught how to behave
while it is growing up.

Useful adjectives

No. Word/phrase Pronunciation Definition Notes of usage

38. active role /ˈæktɪv//rəʊl/ making a determined effort and  play an … in …
not leaving something to happen
by itself
39. close /kləʊs/ knowing somebody very well  (to somebody)
and liking them very much
40. close-knit /nɪt/ (of a group of people) having 
strong relationships with each
other and taking a close, friendly
interest in each other’s activities
and problems
41. extended /ɪkˈstendɪd/ a family group with a close  >< nuclear family,
(family) relationship among the single-parent
members that includes not only family etc.
parents and children but also
uncles, aunts, grandparents, etc.
42. grateful /ˈɡreɪtfl/ feeling or showing thanks  to be grateful to sb
because somebody has done for sth
something kind for you or has  gratitude (n)
done as you asked
/ˈɡrætɪtjuːd/

43. immediate /ɪˈmiːdiət/ nearest in relationship in a

(family) family, such as parents, children,
brothers and sisters
44. loving /ˈlʌvɪŋ/ feeling or showing love and
affection for
somebody/something
45. maternal /məˈtɜːnl/ connected with being a mother  + leave, instinct,
love …

46. mutual /ˈmjuːtʃuəl/ used to describe feelings that  + feeling,

two or more people have for understanding …
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each other equally, or actions

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that affect two or more people

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_______________________________________________IELTS Preparation Course: Upper-
Intermediate
No. Word/phrase Pronunciation Definition Notes of usage
equally
47. parental /pəˈrentl/ connected with a parent or  + responsibility,
parents rights …

48. rebellious /rɪˈbeljəs/ unwilling to obey rules or accept

normal standards of behaviour,
dress, etc.
49. rewarding /rɪˈwɔːdɪŋ/ (of an activity, etc.) worth doing;
that makes you happy because
you think it is useful or
important.
50. stable /ˈsteɪbl/ firmly fixed; not likely to move,  + relationship,
change or fail upbringing …

51. striking /ˈstraɪkɪŋ/ interesting and unusual enough  = marked (a)

to attract attention  + resemblance,
contrast etc.

52. troubled /ˈtrʌbld/ (of a place, situation or

time) having a lot of problems

Useful verbs

No. Word/phrase Pronunciation Definition Notes of usage

53. accommodate /əˈkɒmədeɪt/ to help somebody by doing what  somebody (with
they want. something)

54. adopt /əˈdɒpt/ to take somebody else’s child  adoption (n)

into your family and become its
legal parent(s).

55. break down to fail  breakdown (n)

56. bring up, raise to care for a child, teaching him  upbringing (n)
or her how to behave, etc.
57. develop /dɪˈveləp/ to become better and stronger  developing (a)
 developed (a)
 undeveloped
(a)
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 development
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_______________________________________________IELTS Preparation Course: Upper-
Intermediate
No. Word/phrase Pronunciation Definition Notes of usage
(n)

58. endure /ɪnˈdjʊə(r)/ to experience and deal with

something that is painful or
unpleasant, especially without
complaining.
59. establish /ɪˈstæblɪʃ/ to start having a relationship,
especially a formal one, with
another person, group or
country
60. fly the nest (of somebody’s child) to leave
home and live somewhere else
61. get married /ˈmærid/ having a husband or wife  + to sb
 = marry sb
 marriage (n)
/ˈmærɪdʒ/

62. get together, /ˈɡæðə(r)/ to meet with somebody socially

gather or in order to discuss something
63. go through, /ɪkˈspɪəriəns/ to have a particular situation
experience affect you or happen to you
64. grow up to become adults  grown-up (a)

65. have /ˈkɒmən/ to have the same interests, ideas,  (with

something in etc. as somebody else somebody)
common

66. inherit /ɪnˈherɪt/ to receive money, property, etc.  (something)

from somebody when they die. (from
somebody)

67. interact /ˌɪntərˈækt/ to communicate with somebody,  (with

especially while you work, play somebody)
or spend time with them.  interaction (n)

68. maintain /meɪnˈteɪn/ to make something continue at

the same level, standard, etc.
69. nurture /ˈnɜːtʃə(r)/ to care for and protect  nurture (n)
somebody/something while they
are growing and developing
70. owe /əʊ/ to feel that you ought to do  + sth to sb
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something for somebody or give

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them something, especially

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_______________________________________________IELTS Preparation Course: Upper-
Intermediate
No. Word/phrase Pronunciation Definition Notes of usage
because they have done
something for you
71. relate /rɪˈleɪt/ to be able to understand and  to sb/sth
have sympathy with
somebody/something
72. settle down /ˈsetl/ to start to have a quieter way of
life, living in one place
73. share, /ɪksˈtʃeɪndʒ/ to give something to somebody  + thoughts,
exchange and at the same time receive the opinions, ideas
same type of thing from them
74. split, break up to leave somebody and stop  + with sb
having a relationship with them  get divorced
 >< make up
with sb

75. spoil /spɔɪl/ to give a child everything that  spoiled (a)

they ask for and not enough
discipline in a way that has a bad
effect on their character and
behaviour
76. take care to care for  + of sb
somebody/something/yourself;
to be careful about something

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