Compilation of the best 35+ collocations about family in English

Content publishing rules

Family is one of the common topics in English vocabulary. Along with using individual words, incorporating collocations in your family-related writings or speeches will help you use English more naturally and effectively. In today's article, PREP presents you with a list of the best 35+ collocations about family. Let's dive in!

35+ most common collocations about family in English

1. I. Compilation of common collocations about family
  1. 1. Types of families
  2. 2. Family relationships
2. III. Exercises on collocations about family

I. Compilation of common collocations about family

To assist you in learning collocations about family effectively and easily, PREP has compiled over 40 commonly used collocations about family with their examples. Take a look now!

1. Types of families

No.	Collocations about family	Example
1	Nuclear family /ˈnjuːkliər ˈfæməli/	The nuclear family consists of parents and their children living together in one household.
2	Single parent family /ˈsɪŋɡəl ˈperəntˈfæmeli/	A single parent family consists of one parent who is responsible for raising their child or children alone, without a partner.
3	Extended family /ɪkˈstendɪd ˈfæməli/	In an extended family, relatives beyond the nuclear family, such as grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, live together or in close proximity.
4	Childless family /ˈtʃaɪldləs ˈfæməli/	A childless family is a household without children, either by choice or circumstance.
5	Stepfamily /ˈstepfæmeli/	A stepfamily forms when a person with children from a previous relationship marries someone who is not the biological parent of those children.
6	Grandparent family /ˈɡræn(d)ˌperənt ˈfæməli/	In a grandparent family, grandparents take on the primary caregiving role for their grandchildren.
7	Immediate family /ɪˈmiːdiet ˈfæmɪli/	My immediate family includes my parents, siblings, and me.

2. Family relationships

No.	Collocations about family	Example
1	Close relatives /kləʊs ˈrelətɪvz/	My cousins are my closest relatives; we grew up together like siblings.
2	Sibling rivalry /ˈsɪblɪŋ ˈraɪvəlri/	Sibling rivalry often arises when siblings compete for attention from their parents.
3	Sibling bond /ˈsɪblɪŋ bɒnd/	Despite their differences, the sibling bond between them remains unbreakable.
4	Sibling camaraderie /ˈsɪblɪŋ ˌkæməˈrɑːderi/	Growing up together, sibling camaraderie between Lisa and Jennie never fades.
5	Distant relative /ˈdɪstənt ˈrelətɪv/	I have a distant relative who lives in another country whom I've never met.
6	Parental authority /pəˈrentəl ɔːˈθɒrɪti/	As a parent, it's essential to establish parental authority while also fostering a supportive relationship with your children.
7	Generational gap /ˌdʒenəˈreɪʃənl ɡæp/	There's often a generational gap between parents and their children due to differences in upbringing and cultural influences.
8	Family tree /ˈfæmɪli triː/	Exploring our family tree revealed fascinating stories about our ancestors and their journeys.
9	Family members /ˈfæmɪli ˈmem.bɚ/	Having a family member already in the business is also a big advantage.
10	Loving family /ˈlʌvɪŋ ˈfæmɪli/	Jennie came from a loving family.
11	Close-knit family /kloʊs-nɪt ˈfæmɪli/	We're a close-knit family, always there for each other no matter what.
12	Dysfunctional family /dɪsˈfʌŋkʃənəl ˈfæmɪli/	Growing up in a dysfunctional family made things challenging at times.
13	Gives birth /ɡɪvz bɜːθ/	Marry gives birth to a beautiful baby girl after a long and difficult labor.
14	Parental responsibility /pəˈrentəl rɪˌspɒnsəˈbɪlɪti/	Parental responsibility includes providing for the physical, emotional, and educational needs of your children while guiding them toward independence.
15	Parental guidance /pəˈrentəl ˈɡaɪdns/	With parental guidance, children learn valuable life skills and develop a sense of responsibility.
16	Adoptive parents /əˈdɒptɪv ˈperents/	My adoptive parents have given me all the love and care I could ever ask for.
17	Single mother /ˈsɪŋɡəl ˈmʌðər/	As a single mother, Anna works hard to provide for her children.
18	Bitter divorce /ˈbɪtər dɪˈvɔːrs/	Their bitter divorce left both parties emotionally scarred.
19	Messy divorce /ˈmesi dɪˈvɔːrs/	It was a messy divorce, with disputes over assets and custody dragging on for years.
20	Mutual divorce/ separation /ˈmjuːtʃuəl dɪˈvɔːrs//ˌsepəˈreɪʃən/	They realized they were better off apart and decided on a mutual divorce.
21	Divorce settlement /dɪˈvɔːrs ˈsettlement/	The divorce settlement was finally reached after months of negotiations.
22	Broken home /ˈbrəʊkən hoʊm/	Growing up in a broken home had a profound impact on her outlook on life.
23	Parental discipline /pəˈrentəl ˈdɪsəplɪn/	Effective parental discipline sets clear boundaries and expectations while teaching children valuable lessons about behavior and consequences.
24	Carefree childhood /ˈkerˌfri ˈtʃaɪldhʊd/	Maria reminisces about her carefree childhood spent playing in the backyard with her siblings.
25	Pay child support /peɪ tʃaɪld səˈpɔːrt/	Jack’s obligated to pay child support to help with the upbringing of his children.
26	Troubled childhood /ˈtrʌbld ˈtʃaɪldhʊd/	John’s troubled childhood left deep emotional scars that still haunt him today.
27	Custody of the children /ˈkʌstədi ʌv ðə ˈtʃɪldrən/	The court granted custody of the children to the mother.
28	Grant joint custody /ɡrænt dʒɔɪnt ˈkʌstədi/	After much deliberation, the court decided to grant joint custody to both parents.
29	Sole custody /soʊl ˈkʌstədi/	Sarah was granted sole custody of the children after the divorce.
30	Award sole custody /əˈwɔːrd soʊl ˈkʌstədi/	The judge decided to award sole custody to the father due to the mother's unstable living situation.

III. Exercises on collocations about family

To gain a better understanding of collocations about family, let's complete the following exercises with PREP!

Exercise: Match vocabulary with corresponding definitions

Nuclear family; Single parent; Extended family; Childless family; Stepfamily

Vocabulary	Definition
	_______ consists of parents and their children living together in one household.
	_______ is an individual who is solely responsible for raising children in a household.
	_______ includes relatives beyond the nuclear family, often living close by or maintaining close relationships.
	_______ is a household without children, either by choice or due to circumstances.
	_______ consists of individuals who have children from previous relationships and live together with their new spouse and/or stepchildren.

Answer:

Vocabulary	Definitions
Nuclear family	A nuclear family consists of parents and their children living together in one household.
Single parent	A single parent is an individual who is solely responsible for raising children in a household.
Extended family	An extended family includes relatives beyond the nuclear family, often living close by or maintaining close relationships.
Childless family	A childless family is a household without children, either by choice or due to circumstances.
Stepfamily	A stepfamily consists of individuals who have children from previous relationships and live together with their new spouse and/or stepchildren.

After reading the article, don't forget to take note of important collocations about family and regularly review your knowledge through exercises. Good luck, Preppies!

Chloe

Product Content Admin

Hi I'm Chloe, and I am currently serving as an Product Content Administrator at Prep Education. With over five years of experience in independent online IELTS study and exam preparation, I am confident in my ability to support learners in achieving their highest possible scores.