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Welcome to our Daily English Listening Practice with this week’s series:

Family Vocabulary

Are you the oldest in the family? Do you have any kids in high school or in university? We’ll be talking about ways to talk about your kids or your siblings in today’s English Family Vocabulary, enjoy!

Please listen to the audio files for explanations.
Transcripts unavailable.

Notes from the Audio Files

Only Child / the Oldest / the youngest

• My sister came along: my sister was born
• Loved her to pieces: loved her very much
• The oldest: the oldest child in the family
• The baby: the youngest child in the family, even if they aren’t a baby anymore
• The youngest: the youngest child in the family
• 2 years apart: 2 years difference in age
• Older siblings: older brothers or sisters

How to use it:
“I definitely think that being an only child or being the baby can shape your personality, you get a lot of attention throughout your entire childhood!”
“I was the oldest of my brothers and sisters, and I had to take care of them when my parents went out, so I’ve still got that responsible side to me.”

My Oldest, My youngest

• My oldest, my youngest, my middle child
• The baby in the family: the youngest member of the family

How to use it:
“Well my middle child has just left for college, and my oldest just moved in her first apartment in the city. The baby is still my baby! He won’t be going to high school for another two years.”
“My youngest just graduated from high school – it feels like yesterday she was stll a toddler!”

3 under 3, twins, triplets

• In rapid succession: very quickly in a row
• 3 under 3: 3 children under 3 years old
  • 4 under 5; 2 under 2
  • Usually only used for young children as they’re harder to take care of
• I’ve nannied for: I’ve been a nanny for a family
• Surge: a spike or quick increase
• Twins: two babies born at the same time
• Triplets: 3 babies born at the same time
• In vitro / IVF: in vitro fertilization: a fertility process parents go through to have a baby
• Sets of twins/triplets: a set of babies, 2 or 3
• Identical twins: two boys who look exactly the same or two girls
• Fraternal twins: babies born at the same time, may not look similiar

How to use it:
“When we were in college, we weren’t really interested in having kids, but now he’s got two under two and he’s the ultimate “family man”.”
“Did you hear about Lisa and Jamie? She had triplets! They’re already looking for a bigger house.”

Teenagers/ In High School / In College

• Teenagers: between 13 and 19
• Moody: quickly changing emotions, usually negative
• Slamming doors: closing doors very hard
• Pheromones, hormones: chemicals in the body that change when you become a teenager
• Puberty: the change your body goes through from a child to an adult
• 2 kids in college, 2 kids in uni: UK
• 2 kids in high school, 2 kids in college: USA
  

How to use it:
“I can’t imagine what it was like to have 3 teenagers in the house at the same time, now that the last two are in college, I’m sure their parents are ready for some peace and quiet.”
“Now her two kids are both teenagers, and she said they spend most of their time in their bedrooms ignoring each other.”

Empty Nest, Out of the house

• Flown the coop: a coop is a chicken house, left the house
• Empty-nesters: the parents who live in the empty house after their kids leave
• Had a blast: had a fun time
• Abseiling down a building: similar to rappel, using a rope to go down the side of something, like a building or a large rock
• More of a pain than a joy: more of an inconvenience to have around than a pleasure
  

How to use it:
“The moment she left for college, they sold the house in the city and moved to the country. Rather than be empty-nesters in a big house, they moved and started a new life. I think they’d been secretly planning it for years!”
“I felt bad leaving for university because it meant my mum now had an empty-nest. She totally embraced it though, and she’s enjoying herself more now that she doesn’t have to spend money on me!”

Do you have any siblings? Were you ever the baby in the family? If any of the vocabulary is giving you trouble, let us know in the comments below!

Thanks,

Kat and Mark