My Family
BasicWords for family members.
- Family words: father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter.
- Relatives: uncle and aunt; their children are your cousins.
- Say how many: There are six people in my family.
文體小知識：Family members.
§Text Passage
1There are six people in my family: my father, my mother, my brother, my sister and me. My father is a bus driver, and he works hard every day. My mother is a shop assistant in a supermarket, and she is very kind. They both love us very much, and we are a happy family. On weekends, we sometimes go to the park and have a picnic together.
2My brother is ten years old, and my sister is only five. My sister is the youngest daughter in our family. I am the middle child, but I do not mind. My uncle lives in Shatin with his son and daughter. His children are my cousins, and we play football together on Sundays.
3Every Sunday, my aunt brings her family to our home for dinner. Grandmother always cooks our favourite dishes, and the whole flat smells wonderful. After dinner, my cousins and I watch TV and share funny stories. I love my big, warm family. They are always there when I need them. Family is the most important thing in the world.
§Sentence-by-sentence translation Sentence-by-sentence translation
There are six people in my family: my father, my mother, my brother, my sister and me.
我家有六個人：爸爸、媽媽、哥哥、妹妹同我。
My father is a bus driver, and he works hard every day.
爸爸是巴士司機，他每天都很努力工作。
My mother is a shop assistant in a supermarket, and she is very kind.
媽媽在超級市場做店務員，她好善良。
They both love us very much, and we are a happy family.
他們兩個都好愛我們，我們是幸福的一家人。
On weekends, we sometimes go to the park and have a picnic together.
週末我們有時會一起去公園野餐。
My brother is ten years old, and my sister is only five.
哥哥十歲，妹妹只有五歲。
My sister is the youngest daughter in our family.
妹妹是家裡最小的女兒。
I am the middle child, but I do not mind.
我排中間，但是我不介意。
My uncle lives in Shatin with his son and daughter.
叔叔同他的兒子、女兒住在沙田。
His children are my cousins, and we play football together on Sundays.
他的孩子就是我的堂兄弟姊妹，我們星期日一起踢球。
Every Sunday, my aunt brings her family to our home for dinner.
逢星期日，姑媽會帶著一家人來我們家吃飯。
Grandmother always cooks our favourite dishes, and the whole flat smells wonderful.
奶奶常常煮我們最喜歡吃的菜，整間屋都香噴噴。
After dinner, my cousins and I watch TV and share funny stories.
吃完飯，我同表兄弟姊妹會一起看電視、講笑話。
I love my big, warm family.
我好愛我這個溫暖的大家庭。
They are always there when I need them.
我需要他們的時候，他們總會在。
Family is the most important thing in the world.
家人是世界上最重要的東西。
1Summary 重點摘要
Words for family members.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
Your male parent.
Your female parent.
A boy with the same parents as you.
A girl with the same parents as you.
Your male child.
Your female child.
The brother of your father or mother.
The sister of your father or mother.
3Step by step Steps
- NuclearStart with the basic family words: father, mother, brother and sister. When talking about your own family, add my, as in my father and my mother. Example: I have one brother and two sisters. Note that brother and sister do not show age; use elder brother and younger sister when you need to be precise. These words appear in almost every family description, so learn their spelling well.
- ChildrenSon means a male child and daughter means a female child, usually used from the parents' point of view. Example: My parents have one son and one daughter. From the child's side, say I am their only son. Note that daughter is tricky to spell: the letters gh are silent, and the word has only two syllables. The plurals are sons and daughters, as in They have three daughters.
- GrandparentsGrandfather means the father of your father or mother, and grandmother means the mother of your father or mother. English does not separate the two sides of the family the way Chinese does; it simply adds grand to parent. Example: My grandmother lives with us and cooks delicious meals every day. Note that grandparent is the general word and grandparents refers to all four; to be specific, say my father's mother.
- RelativesUncle covers the brothers of your parents and the husbands of your aunts; aunt covers the sisters of your parents and the wives of your uncles; cousin covers all the children of your aunts and uncles. Example: My uncle is a policeman. I have five cousins. Note that these English words do not show which side of the family or the age; cousin is used for both boys and girls, and the plural is simply cousins.
- Jobs in the familyTo talk about a family member's job, use the verb be plus a or an plus the job word. Example: My father is a bus driver. My mother is a shop assistant in a supermarket. Remember that a singular countable job word must have an article; never say My father is bus driver. Use an before a vowel sound, such as an artist and an engineer. With plural subjects, no article is needed: They are teachers.
- Age and birth orderTo give an age, use be plus a number plus years old, as in My brother is ten years old. For exactly one, say one year old with year in the singular. To describe birth order, use the eldest, the middle child and the youngest, as in I am the middle child. My sister is the youngest in our family. Note that before a noun we write a ten-year-old boy with a hyphen and no s on year; do not mix up the two patterns.
5Worked example Example
Question: How do we introduce the number and members of our family in order?
- Step 1: Start with the total number of people, using There are plus a number plus people — There are six people in my family.
- Step 2: Name each member one by one and join the last two items with and — my father, my mother, my brother, my sister and me.
- Step 3: Add details such as a job or an age for one or two members — My father is a bus driver. My sister is only five.
- Step 4: Describe what the family does together, using we as the subject — On weekends, we sometimes have a picnic together.
- Step 5: End with how you feel about your family so the paragraph has a clear closing — I love my big, warm family.
- Answer: Sample answer: There are six people in my family: my father, my mother, my brother, my sister and me. My father is a bus driver and my mother is a shop assistant. On weekends, we sometimes have a picnic together. I love my big, warm family.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1Father?
Q2Mother?
Q3Brother?
Q4Sister?
Q5Son?
Q6Daughter?
8Recap Recap
- Family words: father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter.
- Relatives: uncle and aunt; their children are your cousins.
- Say how many: There are six people in my family.
- Jobs need a / an: a bus driver, a shop assistant.
- Birth order: the youngest, the middle child.