IELTS Speaking Lesson about Recycling
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RECYCLING in IELTS Speaking is a challenging topic. In this lesson, you will learn how to talk about your recycling, why we should do it and the kind of things we can recycle.
Table of Contents
IELTS Vocabulary: Recycling
Here is some useful vocabulary, including word families and collocations to talk about recycling in IELTS Speaking.
Recycle (v) plastic Â
Reduce (v) our use of plastic  Â
Reuse (v) items Â
We can recycle plastic in other products Â
Recycling (n.)Â
Recycle (v.)
Recyclable( adj.)
- The recycling of glass
- recycled paper
- A recycling plantÂ
- To be completely/ easily recyclable (glass products/paper)
- Recycling is important to protect mother earth. Â
One of the main things we recycle is waste. There are many words we can use to talk about waste. Â
- wasteÂ
- rubbish (UK)
- trash (US)
- garbage (US)
- debrisÂ
- rubbish bin (UK)
- garbage can (US)Â Â
- trash can (US)Â
- landfill Â
- dumping ground Â
- rubbish tip Â
Biodegradable (adj.) – can decompose naturally  Â
I recycle biodegradable items, such as food, or any other organic material, in order to make compost.  Â
Compost (helps the soil)Â Â
Fertilizer (helps the plants)Â Â
I separate food from household waste Â
I segregate food from household waste Â
I keep degradable items separate from non-degradable things Â
Key phrases to talk about throwing away rubbish are, Â
- Throw away
- Throw out Â
- Get rid ofÂ
- Toss away / out (inf.)Â
- Dispose of (frml.)Â
- Donate (=give away)Â
Collocations:
Dispose of rubbishÂ
Throw away litter / rubbish / garbage / trash
Get rid of nuclear waste / all the old furniture  Â
Common Collocations Â
- Recycling ProgrammeÂ
- Recycling centre / factory / plantÂ
- Recycling bins / Recycling containers Â
- Recyclable items Â
The habit of recycling
I recycle to save/protect/conserve THE environment  Â
I do, for the sake of natureÂ
Yes, because it’s environmentally friendly/eco-friendly  Â
Yes I do, the reason behind this is, it prevents pollution and theÂ
remaining waste acts as compost Â
I do it in order to save trees Â
It’s important to protect the environment  Â
Yes, it’s our duty to conserve natural resources Â
I recycle to protect wildlife, especially endangered species Â
Yes, so that we can reduce greenhouse gases
Tips for IELTS Speaking part 1
Many students wonder how long their answers in Part 1 should be.
There is no clear answer to this, but generally speaking, I would say 3 to 4 sentences.Â
I actually think it is better to think of time, rather than sentences because we all speak at different speeds.
So speak for up to 20 seconds for each Part 1 answer.
Practice speaking for 20 seconds – put your timer on!Â
This will help you ‘feel’ how long 20 seconds last.
Remember also, to talk about you! Â
Try it now with these questions. Â
Do you recycle? Â
What do you recycle? Â
Did you recycle as a child?Â
Things we recycle
When it comes to recycling, we can recycle… Â
Common recyclables are…Â
- Plastic Â
- GlassÂ
- Paper / cardboard / boxesÂ
- Food / leftovers (uneaten food)Â
- Batteries Â
- Used oil Â
By putting it into separate containers/bins Â
When it comes to re-using, we can make good use of old clothes  Â
Selling second-hand clothes online is all the rage (=very fashionable) now Â
We can pass old clothes down to younger siblings    Â
When it comes to re-using, we can make good use of notebooks and magazines  Â
These can be used for craftwork projects or activities with kids.
Student's questions about recycling
Keith, will you recycle in the future?Â
To be honest, I think, I am gonna recycle more and more in the future.  On the one hand, the systems that the government has are being refined and polished and getting better and better, which makes it easier for me to recycle.  But also, I think there is a dire need (= an important need) for people generally to recycle more to save the environment.  So I want to do my bit (=make my contribution) to help conserve the environment and I think recycling is gonna play a key role in doing that.  So I will undoubtedly recycle more in the future.
Keith, how can you raise awareness about recycling in your town?Â
Well, I think it’s really important for young people and old people alike, to learn more about recycling and how important it can be.  So I think one of the key things I would do, is I would, first of all, do a  social media campaign, maybe with some memes and some videos,  showing people how to recycle. That’s probably the most important thing, but then also, showing them  the impact, the positive impact of recycling, and I think that’s a really  good way to do it because lots of people nowadays get their main information through social media, so it’s a channel where we can reach them and have a bigger impact.  Yes, I think that would be my key focus if I had an awareness campaign on the topic of recycling.Â
More Free IELTS Speaking Lessons
If you liked this lesson, leave a comment below!
There are more lessons you can follow in the links below too.
PROTECTING ANIMALS in IELTS Speaking. Learn useful vocabulary and idioms to talk about  endangered animals.
ENVIRONMENT in IELTS Speaking. Learn different ways to protect our environment and discuss it with idioms and vocabulary in this lesson.
NOISE POLLUTION in IELTS Speaking. How to talk about different types of noise, and how noise pollution affects our lives today.
