Prepma logo
IELTSVocabularyTopicsFamily & Society

IELTS Family & Society Vocabulary for Beginners

User Avatar
Created by Prepma
Created 5 months ago
adoption
[noun]
/əˈdɒp.ʃən/
Definition

The legal process of taking another person's child into one's family and raising them as one's own.

Examples
  • Adoption provides children without parental care the opportunity to grow up in a stable family environment.
  • International adoption has declined in many countries due to stricter regulations and ethical concerns.
Related Expressions
  • adoption process
  • international adoption
  • adopt a child

1 / 29

  • adoption
    The legal process of taking another person's child into one's family and raising them as one's own.
    Examples
    • Adoption provides children without parental care the opportunity to grow up in a stable family environment.
    • International adoption has declined in many countries due to stricter regulations and ethical concerns.
    Related Expressions
    • adoption process
    • international adoption
    • adopt a child
  • childcare
    The care of children by people other than their parents, particularly while parents are at work.
    Examples
    • The high cost of childcare prevents many parents, especially mothers, from returning to work.
    • Government-funded childcare is seen by many as essential for promoting gender equality in the workplace.
    Related Expressions
    • childcare provision
    • childcare costs
    • affordable childcare
  • commitment
    The state of being dedicated to a relationship, marriage, or family responsibility.
    Examples
    • Some argue that marriage symbolises a deeper level of commitment than cohabitation.
    • A lack of commitment to long-term relationships is often cited as a reason for rising divorce rates.
    Related Expressions
    • commitment to marriage
    • long-term commitment
    • fear of commitment
  • culture
    The shared beliefs, values, customs, and practices of a society or group, transmitted through family.
    Examples
    • Families play a central role in passing on culture and values from one generation to the next.
    • In some cultures, elderly parents are expected to live with their adult children.
    Related Expressions
    • cultural values
    • cultural identity
    • cultural transmission
  • custom
    A traditional practice or way of behaving that is specific to a society or family group.
    Examples
    • Responsible tourists make an effort to respect the customs and traditions of the places they visit.
    • Mass tourism can undermine local customs by exposing communities to contrasting foreign values.
    Related Expressions
    • local custom
    • traditional custom
    • respect local customs
    • cultural custom
    • social custom
  • dependant
    A person who relies on another, typically a family member, for financial support and care.
    Examples
    • As populations age, the number of dependants relative to working adults is increasing rapidly.
    • Many families in developing countries support a large number of dependants on a single income.
    Related Expressions
    • financial dependant
    • elderly dependant
    • support dependants
  • discipline
    The practice of training children to obey rules through correction and instruction.
    Examples
    • Collaboration across academic disciplines has led to significant advances in medical research.
    • Students are encouraged to engage with disciplines outside their primary area of study.
    Related Expressions
    • academic discipline
    • across disciplines
    • scientific discipline
    • field and discipline
    • self-discipline
    • strict discipline
  • divorce
    The legal dissolution of a marriage, resulting in the formal separation of two spouses.
    Examples
    • Rising divorce rates in many countries reflect changing attitudes towards marriage and personal fulfilment.
    • Children of divorce are more likely to experience emotional difficulties during childhood.
    Related Expressions
    • divorce rate
    • seek a divorce
    • effects of divorce
  • domestic
    Relating to the home, household, and family life, especially tasks performed within the home.
    Examples
    • Domestic tourism surged during the pandemic when international travel was restricted.
    • Governments promoted domestic travel to support local economies during border closures.
    Related Expressions
    • domestic tourism
    • domestic travel
    • domestic tourist
    • domestic market
    • domestic policy
    • domestic issue
  • extended family
    A family unit that extends beyond the nuclear family to include grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
    Examples
    • In many Asian and African cultures, the extended family plays a central role in raising children.
    • The decline of the extended family in Western societies has placed greater pressure on nuclear families.
    Related Expressions
    • extended family support
    • role of the extended family
    • extended family network
  • generation
    All the people born and living at about the same time, regarded collectively within a family or society.
    Examples
    • Each generation tends to hold different values from the one that preceded it, leading to family tension.
    • The younger generation is more likely to prioritise personal fulfilment over traditional family obligations.
    Related Expressions
    • younger generation
    • generation gap
    • previous generation
  • guardian
    A person who has legal responsibility for caring for a child when parents are absent or unable to do so.
    Examples
    • When parents are unable to care for their children, a legal guardian assumes responsibility for their welfare.
    • Grandparents often become guardians of their grandchildren when parents face difficulties.
    Related Expressions
    • legal guardian
    • appointed guardian
    • act as guardian
  • household
    All the people who live together in a house, forming a domestic unit.
    Examples
    • Single-person households have become increasingly common in urban areas across the developed world.
    • The income of a household determines the opportunities and resources available to children within it.
    Related Expressions
    • single-person household
    • household income
    • household structure
  • maternity
    The state or experience of being a mother; also relating to the period around childbirth and associated leave.
    Examples
    • Maternity leave policies vary significantly between countries, affecting women's ability to balance work and family.
    • Inadequate maternity provision forces many women to choose between their career and having children.
    Related Expressions
    • maternity leave
    • maternity rights
    • maternity pay
  • migration
    The movement of people from one place to another, often separating families across national borders.
    Examples
    • Climate change is disrupting the migration patterns of birds and fish by altering seasonal temperature cues.
    • Environmental migration is increasing as rising sea levels and drought force communities to abandon their homes.
    Related Expressions
    • migration pattern
    • animal migration
    • seasonal migration
    • climate migration
    • migration route
    • disrupt migration
  • nuclear family
    A family unit consisting of two parents and their children, living together without other relatives.
    Examples
    • The nuclear family became the dominant family model in Western countries during the twentieth century.
    • Critics argue that the nuclear family places too much pressure on parents without the support of wider relatives.
    Related Expressions
    • nuclear family model
    • traditional nuclear family
    • decline of the nuclear family
  • obedience
    Compliance with the wishes, instructions, or rules set by parents or authority figures.
    Examples
    • In many cultures, obedience to parents and elders is considered a fundamental family value.
    • The expectation of unquestioning obedience from children has become less common in Western parenting.
    Related Expressions
    • demand obedience
    • filial obedience
    • obedience and respect
  • offspring
    A person's children or descendants, considered collectively.
    Examples
    • Couples are increasingly delaying having offspring in order to establish financial stability first.
    • Research suggests that the number of offspring a couple has is strongly influenced by socioeconomic factors.
    Related Expressions
    • raise offspring
    • number of offspring
    • support offspring
  • paternity
    The state of being a father; also relating to leave and rights granted to fathers around the time of a child's birth.
    Examples
    • Paternity leave allows fathers to bond with their newborn and share the burden of early childcare equally.
    • Many men do not take their full paternity entitlement due to workplace culture and financial concerns.
    Related Expressions
    • paternity leave
    • paternity rights
    • shared paternity
  • pension
    A regular payment made to retired people, funded by the government or a former employer.
    Examples
    • As populations age, governments face growing pressure to ensure pension systems remain financially sustainable.
    • Many elderly people rely entirely on their pension, making them financially dependent on the state.
    Related Expressions
    • state pension
    • pension system
    • pension age
  • retirement
    The point at which a person stops working permanently, typically on reaching a certain age.
    Examples
    • Increasing life expectancy means that many people spend a longer period in retirement than previous generations.
    • Raising the retirement age is seen by some governments as a necessary response to ageing populations.
    Related Expressions
    • retirement age
    • early retirement
    • retirement planning
  • screen time
    The amount of time spent using devices such as smartphones, tablets, or televisions.
    Examples
    • Excessive screen time among children has been linked to reduced family interaction and poorer social skills.
    • Many parents struggle to manage their children's screen time in an age of constant digital connectivity.
    Related Expressions
    • excessive screen time
    • limit screen time
    • screen time and children
  • separation
    The process of a couple ceasing to live together as a couple, often the precursor to divorce.
    Examples
    • Parental separation has significant emotional consequences for children, particularly younger ones.
    • In many countries, couples must undergo a period of legal separation before divorce can be finalised.
    Related Expressions
    • marital separation
    • legal separation
    • effects of separation
  • sibling
    A brother or sister; a person having one or both parents in common with another.
    Examples
    • Research suggests that siblings play a crucial role in the social development of young children.
    • Only children, who have no siblings, often develop greater independence but may lack social skills.
    Related Expressions
    • sibling rivalry
    • older sibling
    • sibling relationship
  • single parent
    A parent who raises a child or children alone, without a partner.
    Examples
    • Single parents often face significant financial hardship, particularly when childcare costs are high.
    • The number of single-parent households has risen sharply in most developed countries over recent decades.
    Related Expressions
    • single-parent family
    • single-parent household
    • challenges for single parents
  • tradition
    A long-established custom or belief passed down within a family or society from generation to generation.
    Examples
    • Many families struggle to maintain cultural traditions when they migrate to countries with different values.
    • The tension between upholding tradition and embracing modernity is a common theme in IELTS family questions.
    Related Expressions
    • cultural tradition
    • uphold tradition
    • break with tradition
  • upbringing
    The way in which a child is raised and educated by their parents or guardians.
    Examples
    • A child's upbringing is one of the most significant determinants of their personality and future success.
    • Many people argue that a strict upbringing produces more disciplined and respectful adults.
    Related Expressions
    • strict upbringing
    • privileged upbringing
    • shape one's upbringing
  • welfare
    The health, happiness, and wellbeing of a person or group, especially children and the elderly.
    Examples
    • Welfare programs can reduce poverty and inequality.
    • Some argue that welfare spending should focus on children and older people.
    Related Expressions
    • welfare system
    • welfare benefits
    • social welfare
    • welfare spending
    • child welfare
    • welfare of the elderly
  • wellbeing
    The state of being comfortable, healthy, and happy, particularly as it relates to family life and child development.
    Examples
    • Employee wellbeing has become a priority for many organisations that recognise its link to productivity and retention.
    • Governments have a responsibility to create conditions that support the wellbeing of all members of society.
    Related Expressions
    • mental wellbeing
    • physical wellbeing
    • promote wellbeing
    • sense of wellbeing
    • overall wellbeing
    • child wellbeing