Life is full of changes! Learning to talk about these changes in English is a really useful skill, especially when you’re sharing your personal stories or understanding others. In this lesson, we’ll explore essential vocabulary related to life changes and events. This is perfect for A2 level English learners who want to improve their spoken English and feel more confident talking about their lives. We’ll focus on practical words and phrases you can use every day. Let’s get started and boost your English vocabulary!

Why Learn Vocabulary About Life Changes?

Think about it: we all experience changes in our lives, big and small! Knowing the right words to describe these moments helps you:

• Share your experiences: Tell your friends, family, and colleagues about important events in your life.
• Understand conversations: Follow along when people talk about their own life changes.
• Improve your spoken English: Practice using new words in context and become a more fluent speaker.
• Connect with others: Share personal stories and build stronger relationships.

This vocabulary is not just about knowing words; it’s about using English for everyday life and connecting with people on a deeper level. So, let’s dive into some key vocabulary for major life events!

Important Life Changes Vocabulary

Here are some common words and phrases you’ll need to talk about life changes. We’ll look at different categories to make it easier to learn. Remember to practice saying these words out loud!

Starting New Stages

• Start school / university: To begin your education at a new institution.
  Example: “I started university last year to study engineering.”
• Begin a job / career: To get your first job or start a new profession.
  Example: “She began her career as a teacher ten years ago.”
• Move to a new house / city / country: To change your place of residence.
  Example: “They moved to a new house in the suburbs last month.”
• Get married: To legally become husband and wife.
  Example: “My brother is going to get married next summer.”
• Have a baby: To give birth to a child.
  Example: “They are very happy because they are going to have a baby soon.”

Ending Stages and Transitions

• Graduate from school / university: To complete your studies and receive a diploma or degree.
  Example: “He will graduate from university in June and then look for a job.”
• Lose a job / Get fired: To be dismissed from employment. “Lose a job” is more general, “get fired” implies you did something wrong.
  Example: “Unfortunately, many people lost their jobs during the pandemic.”
  Example: “He got fired for being late to work too often.”
• Get divorced / Separate: To legally end a marriage. “Separate” means to stop living together, but not legally divorced yet.
  Example: “After many years of marriage, they decided to get divorced.”
  Example: “They are separated and living in different houses.”
• Retire from work: To stop working, usually because of age.
  Example: “My grandfather is going to retire from work next year. He’s looking forward to it!”
• Pass away / Die: To stop living (a polite way to say ‘die’).
  Example: “Sadly, her grandmother passed away last year.”

Positive and Negative Changes

• Get promoted: To get a higher position in your job. (Positive)
  Example: “She got promoted to manager. Congratulations!”
• Get sick / Become ill: To start to suffer from a disease. (Negative)
  Example: “He got sick last week and had to stay home from work.”
• Recover from illness: To get better after being sick. (Positive)
  Example: “She is recovering from her illness and will be back at school soon.”
• Have an accident: To experience an unexpected event that causes harm or damage. (Negative)
  Example: “They had an accident on the way to work this morning, but thankfully no one was seriously hurt.”
• Get engaged: To agree to marry someone. (Positive)
  Example: “They just got engaged! They are so happy!”

Other Important Changes

• Learn to drive: To acquire the skill of operating a vehicle.
  Example: “I’m learning to drive so I can get my driver’s license.”
• Travel abroad / Travel overseas: To go to a different country.
  Example: “Next year, we plan to travel abroad for our vacation.”
• Buy a car / house: To purchase a vehicle or property.
  Example: “They just bought a new car. It’s very nice.”
  Example: “It’s their dream to buy a house by the sea.”
• Start a family: To begin having children.
  Example: “They are thinking about starting a family in the next few years.”

How to Talk About Life Changes

Now that you know some vocabulary, let’s look at how to use these words in sentences when you’re speaking. Here are some useful phrases:

• “I’m going to…” for future plans.
  Example: “I’m going to start university in September.”
• “I’m planning to…” for future plans.
  Example: “We’re planning to move to a new city next year.”
• “I just…” for recent events.
  Example: “I just graduated from college.”
• “I recently…” for events in the near past.
  Example: “I recently got a new job.”
• “A few years ago…” for past events.
  Example: “A few years ago, I traveled to Europe.”
• “When I was younger…” for events from your childhood.
  Example: “When I was younger, I moved to a different country.”

Remember to use these phrases and vocabulary in your own sentences. Practice speaking about your own life changes or imagine talking about someone else’s. This is great spoken English practice!

Let’s Practice!

Now it’s time to test your understanding! Fill in the blanks with the correct vocabulary word from the lesson.

1. Last year, my sister __________ from university. Now she is working as a doctor.
2. They are very excited because they are going to __________ a __________ next month!
3. After 30 years of teaching, my mother is going to __________ from work.
4. Unfortunately, he __________ his __________ because the company closed down.
5. They __________ to a new city because of his job.

Answers:

1. Last year, my sister graduated from university. Now she is working as a doctor.
2. They are very excited because they are going to have a baby next month!
3. After 30 years of teaching, my mother is going to retire from work.
4. Unfortunately, he lost his job because the company closed down.
5. They moved to a new city because of his job.

How did you do? Great job! Keep practicing these words and phrases. The more you use them, the more natural they will become.

Continue Learning with Lingofrnd

Want to practice speaking about life changes and other topics? Lingofrnd.com is your AI spoken English teacher! It’s perfect for practicing your vocabulary and improving your speaking confidence. You can talk about your life events and get instant feedback!

Ready to take your English to the next level?

Visit Lingofrnd.com to learn more and start practicing today!

Download App and practice speaking anytime, anywhere!

Keep learning and keep speaking! You are doing great on your English learning journey!