Relationships
Relationships
vocabulary
Read the following
IELTS-style questions and answers below and pay attention to the phrases in bold. Use the ‘Definitions’ section at the
bottom of the page to check the meaning of any phrases you don’t understand.
Part 1-style questions
Examiner: Do you see
your friends very often?
Louisa: Yes … we meet
up most weekends … we all get on really well
and have a lot in common so we’re
always happy doing the same things and going to the same places.
Examiner: What do you
like about your close friends?
Anna: I think we enjoy each other’s company … we see eye-to-eye on most things so we rarely fall out with each other.
Examiner: Have you
known each other long?
Amy: Most of them yes …
although my closest friend Carrie … we struck up
a relationship at college and got on
like a house on fire … but yes … my other friendships go back years to when we were at school.
Part 2-style task
Describe a person you
are very close to. You should say:
·
who this person is
·
when you met them
·
where you met them
and say what it is
about them you like so much.
Reiko: I’d like to talk
about my boyfriend … Jose … we got to know
each other at University almost 4 years ago … we were in the same department …
initially we were just good friends
and used to go out in a group with our other friends … when Jose went back to
Spain for the holidays we would keep in touch
with each other … then one year he invited me to come to Spain with
him … and that’s when we fell for
each other I think … so you couldn’t really say it was love at first sight as it had been over a year
since we’d met … but we really hit it off
and by the time we got back to university in September we were able to tell all
our friends that we were in a relationship…
what do I like about Jose … well he’s very kind …
very funny … and very
supportive … and we’re really well matched
in our interests … he hasn’t popped the question
yet though … we’ve talked about getting married and I think we’re both ready to settle down and have children … we’ll just
have to wait and see …
Part 3-style questions
Examiner: Do you think
marriage is still as important as ever?
Cristine: Yes … it
certainly is in my country … I think the problem for some people is a lack of
commitment … all relationships have their ups
and downs …. but some people prefer to break
up rather than working at
the relationship.
Examiner: What do you
think is the ideal time to get married?
Terry: Personally … I
think you should wait until you’ve found yourself first … decided if you want a
career … perhaps do some travelling … you should do this before tying the knot … although if you fall head over heels in love plans like these
can easily be forgotten.
Examiner: Is it
important to keep in contact with our friends when we’re in a relationship?
Maria: Absolutely …
it’s so easy to drift apart from your
friends when you fall in love … but I
think both partners should try not to lose touch
with their friends … that’s the best way to have a healthy relationship with your partner.
Definitions
·
to break
up: to end a romantic relationship
·
to drift
apart: to become less close to someone
·
to enjoy
someone’s company: to like spending time
with someone
·
to fall
for: to fall in love
·
to fall
head over heels in love: to start to love
someone a lot
·
to fall
out with: to have a disagreement and stop
being friends
·
to get on
like a house on fire: to like someone’s
company very much indeed
·
to get on
well with: to understand someone and enjoy
similar interests
·
to get to
know:
to begin to know someone
·
to go
back years: to have known someone for a long
time
·
to have a
lot in common: to share similar interests
·
to have
ups and downs: to have good and bad times
·
a healthy
relationship: a good, positive relationship
·
to hit it
off: to quickly become good friends with
·
to be in
a relationship: to be romantically
involved with someone
·
to be
just good friends: to not be romantically
involved
·
to keep
in touch with: to keep in contact with
·
to lose
touch with: to not see or hear from someone
any longer
·
love at
first sight: to fall in love immediately you
meet someone
·
to pop
the question: to ask someone to marry you
·
to see
eye to eye: to agree on a subject
·
to settle
down: to give up the single life and start a
family
·
to strike
up a relationship: to begin a friendship
·
to tie
the knot: to get married
·
to be
well matched: to be similar to
·
to work
at a relationship: to try to maintain a
positive relationship with someone
***
Source: Flo-Joe, Birmingham, United Kingdom