Collocations and Expressions for Childhood

In this lesson, we give you common expressions to talk about childhood as well as collocations we use in spoken English. Read the expressions below and complete them to make them true for you. 

Note: You don't have to remember every single expression. Learn the ones that you relate to. 

If you are taking the IELTS exam or any other speaking test where you might be asked to talk about your childhood or family, it will be better for you to extend your answers. 

Example: My parents are originally from Korea, but I was born and raised in the US. They decided to name me Nicole because it's a Western name and, in fact, quite easy to remember. I grew up in Southern California in a very close-knit family. 

​EXPRESSIONS TO TALK ABOUT YOUR FAMILY AND CHILDHOOD 
​

• I'm originally from .................... : that's where I was born. (city, country) 
• I was born and raised in .................... (place: city, country) 
• I was born in ..................... (year) 
• My parents decided to name me .................... (Peter/Kate, etc.) 
• I was named after .................... (my grandmother/grandfather, etc.) 
• I grew up in .................... (place: city, village, country) 
• I spent most of my childhood in .................... (place: city, village, country) 
• I was raised by .................... (my mother/father/grandparents) 
• I was brought up by .................... (my parents/grandparents)  
• They brought me up to be a good person. 
• I was a bright child - always asking lots of different questions. 
• I don't think I was spoilt as a child. | I don't think I was a spoilt child. 
• When I was a child, I was quite stubborn, especially when my parents took me to the shops. 
• I was a difficult child and my parents didn't know what to do with me. 
• I wasn't allowed to have a TV in my bedroom. | I wasn't allowed to eat too many sweets. 
• My parents were very strict with me when I was young. | My parents weren't too strict with me. 
• My parents were comfortable with money, but not really well-off. 
• I wasn't really born with a silver spoon in my mouth or anything like that. 
• I'm from a normal family. (= financially) 
• I come from a large/big/small family. (You can add how many brothers or sisters you have.) 
• In looks I take after my mother.  
• My family used to say that I took after my mum. (= I looked like her.) 
• I take after my mother, being short and fair, but my older sister has dark hair and he's taller than me. 

VOCABULARY 

• a close/close-knit family (collocation) - spending a lot of time together and supporting each other  
• name somebody/something (after somebody) (phrasal verb) - I was named after my great-grandfather. 
• grow up (phrasal verb) - It is used for talking about the things that happened while you were a child. 
• spend your childhood somewhere (collocation) - I spent (most of) my childhood there. 
• bring up (phrasal verb) [OFTEN PASSIVE] - to look after a child until he/she becomes an adult 
• a bright child (collocation) - intelligent 
• a spoilt/spoiled child (collocation) - allowed to do or have whatever he or she wants, and behaving badly 
• a difficult child (collocation) - difficult to deal with 
• as a child (collocation) - when you were a child 
• comfortable with money - having enough money for a good standard of living - My parents were not rich or anything, but they were quite comfortable (with money). [You can use 'with money' if you wish or you can just say 'comfortable'.] 
• a wealthy/rich/well-off family (collocation) 
• a poor/low-income/disadvantaged family (collocation) 
• born with a silver spoon in (one's) mouth (idiom) - born into a wealthy family, rich from birth 
• a large/big/small family (collocation) 
• take after somebody (phrasal verb) - to look or behave like an older member of your family, especially your mother or father 

​TASK: 

1. Where were you brought up? 
2. ​Have you got any brothers or sisters, or are you an only child? 
3. Do you take after your mother or your father? How? 

​
Other lessons: 
English Lesson: Talking about Childhood 
English Lesson: Describing a Friend 
Confusing words in English: Famous vs. Popular 
Confusing words in English: Crowded vs. Congested 

Lessons with English collocations: 
Collocations for Urban Life 
Collocations for Rural Life 
Collocations for Success 
Collocations for Feelings 

Click below to read some of our IELTS related lessons: 
​Discourse Markers for IELTS Speaking and Everyday English 
Causes and Effects of Migration from Rural Areas to Cities 
IELTS: Advantages and Disadvantages of Using the Internet 
Social Media Addiction: Causes, Effects and Possible Solutions 


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