Lesson 5: Talking About Family and Friends

People ask about your family within ten minutes of meeting you. These conversations give you a comfortable answer, and the questions to ask back.

How to use this lesson. Read each conversation aloud, slowly, two or three times. Do not worry about speed — clear is better than fast. Notice the expressions under each conversation, then try the practice at the end. If you can, read with a friend and take turns playing each person.

1. Your Family

Anna: Do you have a big family?

Mark: Two brothers and a sister.

Anna: Are you all in the same city?

Mark: My sister is. My brothers live abroad.

Anna: Do you see them much?

Mark: We talk online every Sunday.

Useful expressionsDo you have a big family?in the same citylive abroadDo you see them much?

2. Your Parents

Lisa: What do your parents do?

David: My father's a doctor. My mother taught for years.

Lisa: Is she still working?

David: She retired last spring.

Lisa: Do they live near you?

David: Twenty minutes away.

Useful expressionsWhat do your parents do?taught for yearsShe retired.twenty minutes away

3. Brothers and Sisters

Emma: How many brothers and sisters do you have?

Tom: An older brother and a younger sister.

Emma: Are you close to them?

Tom: To my sister, very.

Emma: What do you do together?

Tom: Coffee, mostly. We talk for hours.

Useful expressionsan older brothera younger sisterAre you close to them?We talk for hours.

4. Describing a Friend

Sara: Tell me about your best friend.

Paul: Daniel. We've known each other since school.

Sara: What's he like?

Paul: Funny, and easy to talk to.

Sara: How often do you see him?

Paul: Most weekends.

Useful expressionsTell me about ...We've known each other since ...What's he like?easy to talk to

5. Looking at Family Photos

Kate: Is this your family?

Leo: That's us, about ten years ago.

Kate: Who's the boy on the left?

Leo: My cousin. He's taller than me now.

Kate: You all look alike.

Leo: Everyone says that.

Useful expressionsThat's us.on the lefttaller than meYou all look alike.

6. Visiting a Friend's Family

John: Your parents are very welcoming.

Kate: They like having people over.

John: Can I help with anything?

Kate: You could set the table.

John: Happy to.

Kate: My brother's cooking tonight.

Useful expressionsvery welcominghave people overCan I help with anything?set the table

7. What Your Family Does Together

Ben: Does your family do much together?

Claire: Dinner on Sundays, always.

Ben: All of you?

Claire: Whoever can come.

Ben: That sounds nice.

Claire: It's the one hour nobody misses.

Useful expressionsDoes your family do much together?Whoever can come.That sounds nice.nobody misses

8. Keeping in Touch

Alex: How do you keep in touch with everyone?

Maria: Messages, mostly.

Alex: Do you call?

Maria: On birthdays, and when something happens.

Alex: That's enough, really.

Maria: It keeps us close.

Useful expressionskeep in touchMessages, mostly.on birthdaysIt keeps us close.

Words to know

abroad	in another country My brothers live abroad.
retire	to stop working at the end of your working life She retired last spring.
close to someone	having a strong, warm relationship with someone Are you close to them?
What's he like?	asks what kind of person someone is What's he like? Funny, and easy to talk to.
cousin	the child of your aunt or uncle My cousin. He's taller than me now.
look alike	to look similar to each other You all look alike.
have people over	to invite people to your home They like having people over.
keep in touch	to stay in contact with someone How do you keep in touch with everyone?

Quick practice

Complete each sentence with an expression from the lessons.

1. A: Are you all in the same city?
    B: My brothers live ________.

2. A: Is she still working?
    B: She ________ last spring.

3. A: Are you ________ to them?
    B: To my sister, very.

4. A: What's he ________?
    B: Funny, and easy to talk to.

5. A: You all look ________.
    B: Everyone says that.

6. A: How do you ________ in touch?
    B: Messages, mostly.

Show the answers

1. abroad   2. retired   3. close   4. like   5. alike   6. keep

Common mistakes

Not: My family are five persons.

Say: There are five of us in my family.

English rarely says persons. This is the sentence people actually use.

Not: How is your brother like?

Say: What is your brother like?

Use what to ask about a person's character, never how.

Not: She is my cousin sister.

Say: She's my cousin.

English has one word, cousin, for a male or a female one.

Your turn

Think of one person in your family and one friend. Say these five things aloud, one after another.

• Say how many people are in your family and where they live.
• Say what one of your parents does, or used to do.
• Describe a friend in three words and say how you met.
• Say one thing your family always does together.
• Say how you keep in touch with someone who lives far away.

Quick review

Record yourself describing your family in one minute. Then describe one friend without saying what their job is — only what they are like and what you do together. That second one is harder, and it is the one people remember.