Family
Name the people in your family and talk about them with have got / has and the possessive ’s.
In this lesson you will
- Learn family words (parents, siblings, cousins…)
- Use the possessive ’s: my sister’s husband
- Describe your family in simple sentences
Learn
Close family: mother (mum), father (dad), parents, son, daughter, children, brother, sister, husband, wife. Brothers and sisters together are siblings.
Wider family: grandmother, grandfather, grandparents, grandson, granddaughter, aunt, uncle, cousin, niece, nephew.
Use ’s to show family relationships: Ali’s wife (the wife of Ali), my mother’s brother = my uncle. For plural nouns ending in -s, add only an apostrophe: my parents’ house.
To talk about your family, use have / has: I have two brothers. She has a daughter. Also: I’m an only child (no brothers or sisters), I’m married / single.
| Male | Female | Both |
|---|---|---|
| father / dad | mother / mum | parents |
| son | daughter | children |
| brother | sister | siblings |
| uncle | aunt | — |
| nephew | niece | cousin (both) |
| grandfather | grandmother | grandparents |
Examples
- I have one brother and two sisters.
- My father’s sister is my aunt.
- Sofia is my cousin — her mum and my mum are sisters.
- We visit my grandparents every summer.
- I’m an only child.
Vocabulary
parents
your mother and father
siblings
your brothers and sisters
cousin
the child of your aunt or uncle
aunt
the sister of your mother or father
nephew
the son of your brother or sister
only child
a person with no brothers or sisters
married
having a husband or wife
“My sister is married.”
In real life
Looking at a photo.
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Nina: Who’s this?
Omar: That’s my uncle Karim. He’s my dad’s brother.
Nina: And the little girl?
Omar: That’s his daughter, Lina — my cousin. She’s six.
Nina: Do you have any brothers or sisters?
Omar: Yes, I have an older sister. She’s married with two sons, so I have two nephews!
Practice
Your mother’s mother is your ___.
Listening: Meet my family
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I come from a big family. I have three sisters and one brother.
My parents live in a small town near the sea.
My oldest sister, Rachel, is a teacher. She’s married and she has twin daughters.
My grandmother lives with my parents. She’s ninety!
1.How many siblings does Tom have?
2.Rachel has two sons.
3.How old is Tom’s grandmother? (number)
Speaking
Show or imagine a family photo. Describe five people: who they are, how old they are, where they live and what they do.
Writing
Write about your family (50–70 words): how many people, their names, ages and one fact about each.
Lesson quiz
Your father’s father is your ___.
Review
Key points
- Family words: parents, siblings, aunt, uncle, cousin, niece, nephew, grandparents.
- Possessive ’s: my sister’s husband; parents’ house.
- I have… / She has… · I’m an only child.
What you learned
- ✓ I can name family members.
- ✓ I can use ’s for relationships.
- ✓ I can describe my family.
Grammar reference: Possessives: my, your, ’s, mine