Vocabulary to speak about family and friends a lifelong friend

To have a good working relationship – To work together well

To have a lot in common – To have shared interests

To hit it off – To like each other straight away

To keep in touch with – To keep in contact

To lose touch with – To lose contact

IELTS speaking part 1 - sample questions and answers
Examiner: Do you come from a large family?
Answer: My immediate family is not very big. I have a large extended family that includes many uncles, aunts, and cousins. We are a close-knit family, and we like to keep in touch with one another, so birthdays, and other celebrations, are noisy crowded affairs.
Examiner: When was the last time you had a family function?
Answer: Our extended family got together last year to celebrate my grandfather’s eightieth birthday. He is very dear to my heart. He has kept up healthy relationships with the whole family, so it was a happy occasion that we all enjoyed.
Examiner: Would you take a friend on a family holiday?
Answer: I have. My family and my best friend got to know each other quite well, as she visited me quite frequently at my home. My family believes that we should nurture our friendships, so they encouraged me to bring my friend along when we took a seaside holiday last year.
IELTS speaking part 2 - sample question and answer
Examiner: Tell me about your best friend.
To answer this question in full,

• 
  discuss who the person is,
  

• 
  the circumstances of your meeting,
  

• 
  and what it is that you like about them.
  

Answer: My best friend and I got to know each other when we were still very young. We lived in neighbouring houses. We had a lot in common, so we soon hit it off.
As we have grown older, we have moved apart. Because of this, we have to some degree lost touch, but anyone who has had a lifelong friend would understand that she will always be dear to my heart.
When we do find ourselves in the same city, we arrange a dinner date, so that we can enjoy each other’s company. We share the same ideas, and we share a common background.
We enjoy reminiscing about our past exploits. When we struck up a friendship, as children, we were inseparable. In those early days, we built up a relationship of trust that time and distance cannot break.