English Vocabulary in Use Elementary » Unit 2: Birth, marriage and death

Word List
  • have a baby
  • baby
  • be born
  • birthday
  • born
  • bride
  • bridegroom
  • call after
  • dead
  • death
  • divorced
  • funeral
  • groom
  • honeymoon
  • marriage
  • married
  • separated
  • single
  • wedding
  • widowed
  • die
  • get married
  • ill
  • weigh
Exercises

2.1 ‣ Think of people you know. Where were they born? When?

  2. _____
  3. _____
  4. _____
  5. _____

2.2 ‣ Find a word on the opposite page which means ...

  1. the name for a woman on her wedding day.
  2. the name for a man on his wedding day. _____
  3. what you are if you haven’t got a partner. _____
  4. to be 57 kilograms. _____
  5. what you are if your marriage has legally ended. _____
  6. a religious service for a dead person. _____
  7. a holiday after a wedding. _____
  8. what you are if your husband or wife dies. _____

2.3 ‣ Complete the sentences with words from the box.

  1. in
  2. after
  3. of
  4. to
  5. born
  6. on

(1) 2003 Anne got married (2) _____ Daniel Smith. Unfortunately, Daniel’s grandmother, Lydia Smith, died (3) _____ old age soon after their wedding. Daniel and Anne were (4) _____ their honeymoon when she died. Anne’s baby daughter was (5) _____ two years later. They called the baby Lydia,(6) _____ Daniel’s grandmother.

2.4 ‣ When were these people born and when did they die? Write sentences.

  1. Genghis Khan (1162–1227)
  2. Christopher Columbus (1451–1506) 
    _____
  3. Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519)
    _____
  4. Princess Diana (1961–1997)
    _____
  5. Heath Ledger (1979–2008)
    _____

2.5 ‣ Complete the sentences using died, dead or death.

  1. Kelly’s grandfather last year.
  2. His _____ made her very sad.
  3. Her grandmother has been _____ for five years now.
  4. She _____ of a heart attack.
  5. Now all Kelly’s grandparents are _____ .

2.6 ‣ Write about your family. Use words and expressions from the opposite page.

_____

Here are some ideas for making your sentences.

I have _ _ _ _ . I/my _ _ _ _ got married in _ _ _ _ (year). For my/his/her honeymoon, I/he/she went to _ _ _ _.

I have / My _ _ _ _ has _ _ _ _ children. They were born in _ _ _ _ and _ _ _ _ (years).

Answer Key
A ‣ Birth

Anna had a baby yesterday.

He was born at 1.15 yesterday morning.

He weighed 3 kilograms.

They are going to call him John – after John, his grandfather. His grandfather’s birthday is June 16th too – but he was born in 1957!

The baby’s parents were born in 1986.

Common mistakes

Anna had a baby [NOT Anna got a baby].

He/She was born [NOT He/She born or He/She is born].

B ‣ Marriage

If you do not have a partner, you are single.

If you have a husband or wife, you are married.

If your husband or wife dies, you are widowed.

If your marriage breaks up, you are separated / divorced. [the marriage has legally ended]

Harry and Sarah got married.

They (got) married in 2001. (married without got is more formal)

They went on their honeymoon to Italy.

They were married for 15 years.

Common mistakes

Sarah got married to Harry [NOT with Harry].

C ‣ Death

Then Harry became ill.

He died last year.

He died of a heart attack.

Common mistakes

Harry is dead [NOT Harry is died or Harry is death].

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