Unit 5: Relationships — Intermediate English Course

Vocabulary

Personal connections, social life, and how we relate to others.

Trust

Belief in the reliability and honesty of someone

Building trust takes time in any relationship.

Argue

To have a disagreement, often spoken

They tend to argue whenever they disagree about money.

Compromise

An agreement where both sides give something up

We decided to compromise and eat out twice a week.

Supportive

Giving help, encouragement, or emotional strength

She needs a supportive partner who listens to her.

Bond

A close connection between people

They formed a strong bond during their first year at university.

Commitment

A promise or decision to give time and effort to something or someone

A good relationship requires commitment from both sides.

Jealous

Feeling upset because someone else has something you want, or fearing a rival

He tends to feel jealous when she spends time with other friends.

Forgive

To stop feeling angry or resentful towards someone

She decided to forgive him after their argument.

Respect

A feeling of admiration and consideration for others

They need to learn to respect each other's differences.

Break up

To end a romantic relationship

They broke up after three years together.

Reliable

Consistently trustworthy and dependable

A good friend should be reliable and honest.

Long-distance

A relationship maintained while the two people are far apart geographically

They plan to maintain a long-distance relationship while she studies abroad.

Vocabulary exercises

Grammar

Verb patterns: verb + infinitive (to + base verb)

Many common verbs are followed by an infinitive (to + base verb), not by -ing.

Pattern: subject + verb + to + base verb
Example: She wants to meet new people. | He decided to apologise.

Verb	Example sentence	Note
want	I want to spend more time with my family.	Desire or wish
need	She needs to talk to him about it.	Necessity
decide	They decided to get married.	A choice made
hope	He hopes to stay friends with his ex.	Optimistic expectation
plan	We plan to move in together next year.	Intended action
learn	I'm learning to communicate better.	Acquiring a skill
agree	They agreed to give the relationship another chance.	Mutual decision
refuse	He refused to apologise.	Declining to act
manage	She managed to stay calm during the argument.	Success after effort
seem	They seem to understand each other well.	Appearance or impression

These verbs take to + infinitive. Don't confuse them with verbs that take -ing (like enjoy, avoid, finish, suggest). Compare: She enjoys spending time alone. vs She wants to spend time alone.

Grammar exercises

Reading

Read the article carefully, then answer the questions.

Making friendships last

Most people agree that close friendships are essential to a happy life. But maintaining them takes real effort — especially as we get older and life gets busier. Psychologists who study relationships say that people who want to keep their friendships strong need to invest time in them regularly, not just during a crisis.

One of the biggest challenges is distance. Many friends end up living in different cities, or even different countries. Those who manage to maintain long-distance friendships tend to do certain things differently. They plan to talk regularly — not just when something important happens. They seem to understand that the relationship needs active care, like a plant that needs watering.

Another challenge is change. As people grow and develop, they sometimes find that they have less in common with old friends. Experts suggest that instead of expecting friendships to stay the same, we should learn to accept that they evolve. A friendship that once revolved around going out every weekend might change into something quieter but no less meaningful.

The best friendships, researchers argue, are built on mutual respect and trust. Friends who refuse to be honest with each other — who always agree to avoid conflict — often find their relationship becomes superficial over time. Genuine closeness requires both people to feel free to disagree, to speak their minds, and to forgive each other when things go wrong.

Comprehension questions

Listening

Listen to each conversation, then answer the questions.

Conversation 1 — Relationship advice | Replace with: <audio controls src="audio/int5-listen1.mp3"></audio>

Script 1

Relationship advice

Scene: Two friends talk about one of them having relationship difficulties.

Carla:I need to talk to someone. Things aren't going well with Marco.

Beth:Oh no. What's happened?

Carla:We keep arguing about the same things. I want to move to a bigger flat, but he refuses to even consider it. And I feel like he doesn't want to listen to my point of view.

Beth:Have you tried talking calmly about it? Not during an argument?

Carla:I've tried. But he always seems to change the subject. I'm starting to wonder if we need to see a couples counsellor.

Beth:That might help. Has he agreed to go?

Carla:I haven't asked him yet. I'm planning to bring it up this weekend. I hope he'll agree to try it.

Beth:I think it's a good idea. The important thing is that you both want to work on the relationship. Do you?

Carla:Yes, absolutely. I love him. I just need things to change.

Listening 1 questions

Conversation 2 — Staying in touch | Replace with: <audio controls src="audio/int5-listen2.mp3"></audio>

Script 2

Staying in touch

Scene: Two old school friends catch up after not seeing each other for two years.

Mia:It's so good to see you! I can't believe it's been two years.

Dan:I know. We really need to make more effort to stay in touch. I kept meaning to call but never managed to find the time.

Mia:Same. I decided to start being more intentional about friendships this year. I've been making a list of people I want to reconnect with.

Dan:That's a really good idea. So what else is new? Are you still with Elena?

Mia:We broke up six months ago. It was sad but the right decision. We'd both changed a lot and we seemed to want different things from life.

Dan:I'm sorry to hear that. Are you OK?

Mia:Honestly? Yes. I'm learning to enjoy my own company more. And I'm hoping to travel this summer — I plan to go to South America if I can get the time off.

Dan:That sounds amazing. You should go. Life's too short.

Listening 2 questions

Writing

A guided paragraph task. Write 80–120 words using the prompts below.

Task: Write a short paragraph about an important relationship in your life — a friendship, family bond, or romantic relationship.

Use verb + infinitive patterns throughout. Include:

Who the person is and how you know them
Something you both want or need to do to keep the relationship strong
Something you have decided, planned, or hoped to do together recently
A quality you think is most important in that kind of relationship, and why

0 words

Model answer

My closest friend is Rosa, who I met at university eight years ago. We live in different cities now, so we need to make a real effort to stay connected. We have decided to call each other every Sunday evening, which has made a big difference. Recently, we planned to spend a long weekend together next month, and we are both really looking forward to it. I hope to keep this friendship going for the rest of my life. I think the most important quality in a friendship is reliability — knowing that the other person will be there for you when things are difficult. Rosa has always been that person for me.

Unit test

35 questions · Pass score: 28/35 (80%) · Unlimited attempts

Section C: Reading

Read the passage, then answer questions 19–26.

Why we need community

Humans are social animals. Throughout history, we have always lived in groups, and researchers have found that people who feel a strong sense of community tend to live longer, healthier lives. But in many modern cities, people seem to find it increasingly difficult to form genuine connections with those around them.

Loneliness has been described as a global health crisis. Studies show that people who feel lonely are more likely to experience depression, anxiety, and even physical illness. Governments and health organisations are beginning to recognise the problem — some countries have even appointed ministers for loneliness, hoping to coordinate national responses.

What can be done? Experts agree that individuals need to make a conscious effort to build community. Joining a club, volunteering, or simply deciding to speak to a neighbour can make a real difference. Some researchers suggest that people who want to form deeper connections should try to find shared activities — doing things together, rather than just talking, tends to build stronger bonds.

Technology has a complicated relationship with community. Social media allows us to stay in touch with people across the world, but many users report feeling lonelier after scrolling than before. Those who manage to use technology as a tool rather than a substitute for real interaction seem to fare best. The lesson, perhaps, is that we need to refuse to let screens replace the deeper human need to truly belong.

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