WORKSHEET

Topics: Family
by Adrian Tennant

LEAD-IN FIRST SENTENCES

INTEGRATED SKILLS WORKSHEET

Can you find ten words connected to family in Read these sentences. What do you think the
the wordsearch? Be careful! The words appear problem is in each situation?
in all directions.

G L M U N P Q U E N D S a. Recently, I had the shock of my life!

G R A N D P A R E N T S
K F T C A I N R A M T I
D E L L E W K B I L J S
I N K E Y C S S N I W T b. Last year, my mother got married again.
V I N X R U A A J I L E
S N E P H E W B F U H R
O L I X B A M E Y W F U
c. I’m 41 years old and I’m going to be
M A W Q E E U Z P N R E a grandmother!
V W U R L J X N B P K O
M S T E P B R O T H E R

d. I’m living with my in-laws

and we don’t always get on.

© Macmillan Education Limited, 2012

INTEGRATED SKILLS / Topics / Family / Intermediate + 1
 WORKSHEET

Topics: Family
by Adrian Tennant

READING: LETTERS
INTEGRATED SKILLS WORKSHEET

a. R
ead the letters sent to an agony aunt and fill
in the gaps with the correct first sentences
(a-d) from the previous exercise.
Dear Betty
Ima
ge:
1. Dear Betty, 3. Dear Betty,
G
etty

____________________________________________ ____________________________________________
My new dad is called Bryan. I know he’s actually I never knew my real parents. I was adopted and grew
my stepdad but that’s okay. He already had two kids up in a really loving home but knew nothing about my
– Carly and Tony – so now I have a stepsister and a original family. So, imagine my surprise when I bumped
stepbrother. The problem is that Tony is a brat – he into someone who looked exactly like me! It was like
keeps taking my things. He never asks me if he can looking in a mirror. It turned out I had an identical twin
borrow things and then he loses or breaks them. I’ve sister, Karen. But now I’m not sure what to do. Should
tried talking to my mum and Bryan but they tell me we try to get to know each other more? What if we don’t
I have to learn to share. What can I do? get on? What do you think I should do?
Aaron Trudy

2. Dear Betty, 4. Dear Betty,

____________________________________________ ____________________________________________
I know living with my husband’s family might sound I know it sounds shocking – I couldn’t believe it when
strange but in my culture it’s quite normal. Sometimes I heard the news, especially as my daughter is only
it’s great because I have two children and his parents 16. When I tell people, they look at me as though I’m
can help me look after them. The problem is that my to blame – that maybe I neglected my daughter which
mother-in-law doesn’t agree with the way I’m bringing is why she became pregnant – but the truth is we’re a
my children up. She says I’m not strict enough, so loving family and I just don’t understand what went
sometimes we argue. What can I do? wrong. I’ve come to terms with it now but how do I
Safia make other people realize that I’m not a bad mother?
Barbara

a. Read the letters again and answer

these questions. B. I know it must be difficult for you but I wonder if
the other children are also finding it hard? How old
1. What is the relationship between Aaron’s mum
and Carly?
are they? Are you the oldest? It seems as if you get
2. What is one thing that Safia likes about living on quite well with your stepdad, so at least that’s not a
with her in-laws? problem. And your mu m might be right – if you’ve
3. How long has Trudy known her sister?
4. How old was Barbara when she had her daughter?
never had a brother or sister before then it’s something
you might just have to learn to get used to.
a. H
ere are two replies from Betty that offer
advice. Match the replies to the correct letters.

A. I can’t imagine how you must have felt and I really do

understand that it must be very difficult for you – your
life has been turned on its head. But this is an opportunity
you can’t afford to miss. If you don’t take it, you might
regret it for the rest of your life. Take things slowly at first.
After all, you’ve got a lot to find out about each other.

© Macmillan Education Limited, 2012

INTEGRATED SKILLS / Topics / Family / Intermediate + 2
 WORKSHEET

Topics: Family
by Adrian Tennant

WORKING WITH THE LANGUAGE Focus 2: Topic-related words

INTEGRATED SKILLS WORKSHEET

Focus 1: Understanding meaning Look back at the letters and replies and find other
family words to complete the table.
Answer these questions.
male female either / both
1. In letter 2, what does the word it’s refer to in the
dad mum parents
phrase it’s quite normal?

2. In letter 3, what does the word it refer to in the

phrase It was like looking in a mirror?

3. In letter 4, what does the word it refer to in the

phrase I’ve come to terms with it now …?

4. In reply A, what does the word it refer to in the

phrase If you don’t take it …?

5. In reply B, what does the word it’s refer to in the

phrase … then it’s something you might just have
to learn to get used to?

Focus 2: Language use Can you think of more family words? Write them
into the table.
Look back at the letters and circle all the modal
verbs you can find. Which modals are used for …
LISTENING
1. … asking for and giving advice?
Listen to the radio show and answer the
2. … talking about necessity?
questions.
3. … asking for permission?
4. … talking about possibilities?
• Which letter is it most closely related to?
5. … talking about ability?
• What are the differences between the letter to
6. … talking about something that is true or likely?
the agony aunt and the radio show?

WORKING WITH VOCABULARY

SPEAKING
Focus 1: Meaning
Look back at the two letters that Betty didn’t
Find words and phrases in the letters and replies respond to. In groups, discuss the advice you
that match the definitions below. would give to the two people. Do you agree with
each other?
1. an annoying child who behaves badly
2. to be friends with someone (two words) PROJECT
3. having rules that must be obeyed / followed
4. to meet someone unexpectedly (two words) Find an agony aunt column in a newspaper,
5. exactly the same magazine or online. What kinds of problems do
6. to fail to look after someone when you are people have? Are there any letters about family
responsible for them problems? Bring some to the next class to
7. to accept something that was difficult to discuss with the other students.
understand or accept (four words)
8. completely changed suddenly (four words)
9. become familiar with something new
(three words)
© Macmillan Education Limited, 2012
INTEGRATED SKILLS / Topics / Family / Intermediate + 3