Environment and Nature Vocabulary in English
Do more with this exercise
Learn 29 words to talk about the environment, nature and energy. Read each word and its example, then do the exercises. These words are useful for opinions and news: you can say what has happened to the planet and what you would do to protect it.
Environmental problems
pollutiondirty air, water or land
Air pollution is a big problem in many large cities.
rubbish
People left a lot of rubbish on the beach after the festival.
wastethings we throw away because we do not need them
We produce too much waste, and a lot of it is food.
plastic
A lot of plastic is thrown into the sea every year.
global warmingthe Earth is getting hotter
Global warming is making the summers longer and hotter.
climatethe usual weather in a place over many years
The climate here has changed: the winters are warmer than they used to be.
droughta long time with no rain
The drought has lasted three months, and the farmers have no water.
floodtoo much water on land that is usually dry
Heavy rain caused a flood, and many streets were under water.
fuelpetrol, gas or coal that gives energy
Most cars use fuel such as petrol, and it is getting more expensive.
Nature and the planet
environmentthe air, water, land and nature around us
We must protect the environment for the next generation.
natureplants, animals and the natural world
I love spending weekends in nature, far from the city.
planet
There is no other planet where we can live.
forest
A huge forest was cut down to build the new road.
wildlifeanimals and plants that live in nature
The park is a safe place for wildlife, like rabbits and birds.
speciesone kind of animal or plant
Many species of animals are disappearing because of humans.
ocean
The ocean is full of plastic, and the fish are eating it.
Energy
energypower for light, heat and machines
Our school saves energy by turning off the lights at night.
renewablenever finishes; it can be used again and again
More and more countries are using renewable energy.
solar powerenergy from the sun
If I had a bigger roof, I would use solar power at home.
electricity
The village didn't have electricity until 2005.
What we do to nature
protectkeep safe from harm
The new law will protect wild animals and the places where they live.
recycle
In my town, we recycle glass, paper and plastic.
reducemake smaller or less
We need to reduce the amount of plastic we use.
reuseuse again
I reuse my shopping bags instead of buying new ones.
throw awayput in the bin
Don't throw away old clothes; give them to a charity.
damagehurt or break something
Cars and factories damage the air we breathe.
destroyend something completely
Fires have destroyed a large part of the forest.
endangeredin danger of disappearing for ever
The tiger is an endangered animal, so it is protected by law.
harmfulbad for health or nature
Some chemicals are harmful to fish and birds.
Audio uses a synthetic voice.
Practice exercises
Match the Words
Match each word with its picture or meaning.
Choose a word on the left, then its match on the right.
Choose the Correct Word
Choose the correct answer for each sentence.
9.Factories and cars cause a lot of air ___.
10.Please put your ___ in the bin. Don't leave it on the street.
11.Solar power and wind power are examples of ___ energy.
12.Tigers are ___ animals. There are very few left in the wild.
13.If we didn't use so much plastic, the oceans ___ cleaner.
14.Scientists say that global ___ is making the Earth hotter.
15.Which word means the usual weather in a place over many years?
Fill in the Blank
Type the missing word.
How to talk about the environment in English
The environment is one of the most common subjects in the news, in school and in conversation. Many of the words are also useful in opinion and discussion tasks: pollution, climate, wildlife and energy. Learn them in groups, and use them with the grammar you already know.
To describe a change in the world, use the present perfect: Pollution has increased, and many forests have disappeared. For something that happened in the past and is different now, use used to: Rivers used to be cleaner. To say who or what is affected, the passive voice is very common: Many species are threatened by climate change.
To talk about solutions and imaginary situations, use the second conditional: If more people recycled, we would produce less waste. You can also use I wish for things you would like to change: I wish the air in my city were cleaner.
Finally, remember three useful verbs for small daily actions: reduce, reuse and recycle. They are easy to remember, and they are a good answer to the question What can we do to protect the planet?
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between rubbish and waste?
Rubbish is the things in your bin, like paper, bottles and packaging. Waste is a wider word for anything we throw away or do not use well: food waste, plastic waste, a waste of energy. In American English, people say trash or garbage for rubbish.
What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather is what the sky is doing today: It's raining. Climate is the usual weather in a place over many years: Spain has a warm, dry climate. Weather changes every day, but the climate changes slowly.
What is the difference between reduce, reuse and recycle?
They are three ways to make less waste. Reduce means to use less: buy fewer things. Reuse means to use something again: take your own bag to the shop. Recycle means to turn old things, like glass and paper, into new things. The best idea is usually to reduce first.
Is it global warming or climate change?
Both are common. Global warming is about the Earth getting hotter. Climate change is a wider phrase, because it includes more floods, droughts and strong storms. In the news, you will hear climate change more often.
Answer key
1. forest
Answer: 🌲
A forest is a large area with a lot of trees.
2. ocean
Answer: 🌊
The ocean is the very big area of salt water on the Earth.
3. planet
Answer: 🌍
The Earth is our planet.
4. recycle
Answer: ♻️
This symbol means recycle: we make old things into new things.
5. electricity
Answer: ⚡
Electricity gives power to lights and machines.
6. rubbish
Answer: 🗑️
We put rubbish in the bin.
7. drought
Answer: a long time with no rain
In a drought, there is not enough water for people, animals and plants.
8. renewable
Answer: never finishes; it can be used again and again
Sun and wind are renewable: they never finish.
9. Factories and cars cause a lot of air ___.
Answer: pollution
Pollution is dirty air, water or land. Cars and factories make the air dirty.
10. Please put your ___ in the bin. Don't leave it on the street.
Answer: rubbish
Rubbish is what we throw away, so it goes in the bin.
11. Solar power and wind power are examples of ___ energy.
Answer: renewable
Renewable energy comes from things that never finish, like the sun and the wind.
12. Tigers are ___ animals. There are very few left in the wild.
Answer: endangered
An endangered animal is in danger of disappearing for ever.
13. If we didn't use so much plastic, the oceans ___ cleaner.
Answer: would be
This is an imaginary situation, so we use the second conditional: If + past simple, would + verb.
14. Scientists say that global ___ is making the Earth hotter.
Answer: warming
Global warming is the fixed phrase for the Earth getting hotter.
15. Which word means the usual weather in a place over many years?
Answer: climate
Climate is the weather in a place over many years. A drought and a flood are short-term events, not the usual weather.
16. The fire has ___ the whole forest. Nothing is left.
Answer: destroyed
After has, we use the past participle of destroy: has destroyed.
17. Heavy rain caused a ___ in the town, and the streets were under water.
Answer: flood
A flood is too much water on land that is usually dry.
18. I ___ my old school bag instead of buying a new one every year.
Answer: reuse
To reuse something is to use it again.
19. A lot of animals live in the ___. It is full of trees.
Answer: forest
A forest is a large area full of trees.
20. Most cars use ___, and it is getting more expensive.
Answer: fuel
Fuel is petrol, gas or coal that gives energy.
21. We must ___ the environment for our children.
Answer: protect
To protect something is to keep it safe from harm. Save is also possible here.
22. The village didn't have ___ until 2005, so people went to bed early.
Answer: electricity
Electricity gives power to lights and machines. Without it, people went to bed early.