Life and death

Useful Vocabulary

 
Sound
Birth
Pregnancy
pregnant
pregnancy

A woman becomes pregnant. We say she's pregnant. She's having a baby. We call also call it a pregnancy.

Antenatal
antenatal
She goes to an antenatal clinic for check ups. Antenatal means "before birth", it's also called prenatal.
Labour
labour
Eventually she starts to have the baby. We call this going into labour.
Labour

birth

newborn

When the baby arrives we say the mother has given birth. The baby is called a newborn baby.
Had a baby
baby
We also say the parents have had a baby.
Nursing

milk

breastmilk

Babies drink milk. They can be breast fed.
Bottle fed
bottle
They can be bottle fed.
Change nappy
nappy
Babies have to have their nappy changed.
Registrar
certificate
All babies are registered at birth, and issued with a birth certificate.
Christening
baptism / christening
Some babies are baptised / christened by their parents. The ceremony is called a christening or a baptism.
Pram
pram
Babies can't walk so they get pushed in prams.
Pushchair
pushchair
When babies are older they go for walks in pushchairs.
Pushchair adopt
If someone can't have children they may adopt a child who is in need of a family.

 

 
Sound
Growing Up - The stages of childhood
Nursing

baby
infant
girl
boy

Between 1 to 12 months you are a baby, an infant, or a girl / boy.
Toddler
toddler
Between the ages of 1 to 3 years, when you start to walk, you are a toddler, or a girl / boy.
Child
preschooler
child
kid
Between the ages of 3 to 5 years you are a preschooler, a child, a kid, or a girl / boy.
Schoolchild
schoolchild
schoolgirl
schoolboy
Between the ages of 5 to 10 years you are a child, a schoolchild / schoolgirl / schoolboy, or a girl / boy.
Preteen
preteen
Between the ages of 11 to 12 years you are a preteen, a schoolchild / schoolgirl / schoolboy, a child, or a girl / boy.
Teenagers

teenager

teen

Between the ages of 13 to 19 years you are a teenager.
Adult
man
woman
From the age of 18 you are legally an adult, or a man / woman. This is the age at which you can get married without having to ask your parents (called parental consent).

 

 
Sound
Growing Old
Nursing

graduate (v)

graduate (n)

When you are an adult you might graduate from University. Then you become a post graduate.
Toddler

work

job

When you are an adult you need to work and get a job.
Marriage

marriage

married

partner

When you are an adult you might get married.
Family
family
parent
When you're an adult you might have a family and become a parent.
Housework
housewife
househusband
When you're an adult you might decide to stay at home to look after your family. Then you become a housewife or a househusband.
Pensioners

retire

pensioner

When you are 65 you can retire. Then you become a pensioner.

 

 
Sound
Death and dying
Death

die

dead

death

When you die you pass away and you are dead.
You become known as the deceased.
Coffin

undertaker

coffin

funeral

burial

Your body is taken to an undertakers and placed in a coffin. Then your family and friends hold a ceremony - a funeral or burial
Grave

grave

buried

You are buried in a grave.
Mausoleum
mausoleum
You may end up in a mausoleum
Wreath
wreath
People send a wreath.
Will

will

heir(s)

inheritance

 

Hopefully your wrote a will before you died. A will tells your executor about how you want your belongings to be shared between your heirs. This is their inheritance..
Toddler orphan
If both your parents die when you're still young, you are an orphan.
SoundPronunciation Click hereSound

Build Up

- Irregular Plurals for People - You can't always just add an (s)

Singular

Plural

child

children

man men
person people
woman women

Naturally Speaking

Things we say / write:-
About the birth of a baby.

Congratulations!

Congratulations on the birth of your baby girl / boy.

About a graduation.

Congratulations!
Well done!
All the best for the future.

Congratulations on graduating.
Congratulations on your graduation.

About a wedding.

Congratulations!
All the best for the future.

Best wishes on your marriage.
Best wishes on your wedding day.

About retirement.

Congratulations!
All the best for the future.

Congratulations on your retirement.
Best wishes for your retirement.

About a death.

I'm sorry for your loss.
I'm so sorry to hear that.

When you hear someone has died you offer your condolences to the family and friends of the person. Sometimes there is an orbituary printed in the paper.

Please accept my sincere condolences.

Dialogue

Here is a conversation between Mr Smith and his doctor
It's Saturday morning and Mr Smith is reading the newspaper.
Mrs Smith : Anything interesting in the paper?
Mr Smith: Not much. I was just reading the announcements.
Mrs Smith:

That's a bit morbid.

Mr Smith: Not at all, it's births and marriages as well as deaths. But I did read one of the oribituaries. It seems that the old lady down the road passed away.
Mrs Smith: Really? That's a shame. I know she went to hospital, but I hadn't heard any more. I shall have to phone up and offer my condolences.
Mr Smith: Rather you than me. I never know what to say in those circumstances.

Games and Tests for this Vocabulary Unit

All these games and tests open in a new window.

Crossword
Hangman
Life or Death - Columns
Rumble in the Jumble - Life and Death
Word Search