Social relationships

What 'social relationships' covers: Social relationships is part of the theme Social organization. You need vocabulary to talk about family, friends, getting on (or not getting on) with people, trust, conflict, and the bonds between different generations — and to give your opinion about them.

The words below are common English B vocabulary. Treat the list as a glossary: learn each term with its meaning and a synonym, then reuse them in the reading and writing sections.

relationship

the way two or more people are connected and behave towards each other

friendship

a close, friendly bond between people who are not family

to get on (well) with someone

to have a good, friendly relationship with them

trust

the belief that someone is honest and will not let you down

to support / to back someone up

to help and encourage someone, especially in difficult times

to argue / an argument

to disagree angrily — the disagreement itself

conflict

a serious disagreement or clash between people

to make up / to make peace

to become friends again after an argument

the generation gap

the difference in attitudes between younger and older people

to spend time together

to be with someone and share activities

close (to someone)

having a strong, affectionate bond with someone

to fall out (with someone)

to stop being friends after a disagreement

loyal — loyalty

always supporting your friends — the quality of being loyal

Why this matters: This vocabulary turns up in every skill — a reading text about families, a listening clip about friends, a Paper 1 blog about a celebration, or your oral. Reusing precise topic words is how you score Criterion A (Language).

Have something to say: Examiners reward developed ideas, not just vocabulary. Around social relationships, the common debates are: family vs friends, whether online friendships are as real as face-to-face ones, and how to keep a relationship healthy. Take a position and back it up.

Link your ideas: Connectors lift your answer from a list into an argument: moreover (to add), however (to contrast), therefore (to conclude), although (to concede). Use at least two or three in any written answer.

Read like Paper 2: Here is a short blog post — the kind of text Paper 2 (Reading) gives you. Read it once just for the general idea; don't worry about every word. Then we'll work through one exam question together.

Sundays with my grandmother: Every Sunday I visit my grandmother Carmen. When I was little we barely spoke, but now we are great friends.

At first we each did our own thing: I just stared at my phone and she watched television. One Sunday I suggested we cook her favourite recipe together, and everything changed. Now she teaches me old family recipes and I show her how to make video calls with my cousins. I have realised that older people have so much to tell us, and that listening to them is worth it. Looking after that relationship makes me feel close to her and genuinely happy.

to barely speak

to hardly speak at all; to speak very little

to do your own thing

to act separately, each on your own

to suggest

to put forward an idea for others to consider

to realise

to become aware of something you hadn't noticed

worth it

good enough to justify the time or effort

Reading technique: For an "according to the text" question, find the exact line that proves your answer — don't rely on memory or general knowledge.

The task: Your friend is finishing school and you want to organise a surprise party. Write a blog post for your group of friends: describe the idea for the party and give advice on how to organise it well.

Use an informal, friendly register. Write 250–400 words.

Why it scores: This answer hits all three Paper 1 criteria — here's what earns each one:

How listening is tested: Paper 2 also tests listening: you hear short clips, each played twice, and you never see the words. Read the questions first, listen for the key idea, then answer.

Here we'll use a transcript so you can practise the technique on the page. Read the questions, then find the answer in the speaker's words.

Transcript — Marcos plans a party: Hi, Elena! It's Marcos. I'm calling because I want to organise a surprise party for my sister, who turns eighteen on Saturday. I've thought of holding it in the garden at my parents' house, so the whole family fits. Can you help me make the cake? You cook so much better than I do. And, please, don't say a word to my sister — the most important thing is that it stays a surprise. Tell her friends from the basketball team too. See you soon!

Listening technique: Read the questions before the clip plays. Each question usually points to one short part of the recording — listen for the words around it, not the whole thing.