# Child / Children

## Verb + child

* have a child
* have children
* *bring up* children
* raise children
* look after children
* teach children something
* *neglect* children
* adopt children
* children play together
* children tease each other

## Adjective + child

* a small child
* a young child
* grown-up children
* well-behaved children
* a gifted children
* an only child
* a spoilt child
* the average child

## Common expressions

* ideal for children
* (un)suitable for children
* *happy as a child*
* treat someone like a child

## Exercise

### Verb + child / children

1. My mother ***looks*** after the children every Monday. That's the day my wife is at the office.
2. I believe in right and wrong, and I intend to ***bring*** *up* my children to know the difference.
3. The children are out ***playing*** in the garden *with* their friends.
4. I was very fat when I was a child and the other children ***teased*** me about it. They called me names like 'Porky'. Children can be very cruel.
5. The children were taken into care by social services because their parents had started ***neglect*** them.
6. I think it is important that children are ***taught*** how to share with others.
7. Both our children are ***adopted***. Sadly, we couldn't ***have*** any children of our own.

### Adjective + child / children

1. I'm an ***only*** child. I often wish I had a brother or a sister.
2. The house is quiet these days. All of our children are ***grown-up*** and married now.
3. He has a wife and three ***young / small*** children to support. The eldest is only 5.
4. Nowadays, the ***average*** child spends about 20 hours a week watching television
5. My brother is very clever. He goes to a special school for ***gifted*** children.
6. Callum! Stop behaving like a ***spoiled*** child. You can't have everything you want!
7. The teacher gave the children a chocolate for being so ***well-behaved*** at the school concert.

### Common expressions

1. I was very happy as a child. - c
2. The hotel has a leisure centre and is ideal for children. - a
3. The film contains a lot of violence and is unsuitable for young children. - d
4. Would you stop treating me like a child! I'm 6 and I can make up my own mind! - b

## Notes

1. **Note the expression:**

   *Shaun won't understand - he's just a child!*
2. **Your *****step-children***** are the children of your partner's previous marriage.**