Nature and the environment problems and solutions
A LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS
Vital language for IELTS Writing Task 2 problems and solutions language through the common topic of the environment, also useful for IELTS Speaking Part 3
Lesson Plan Content:
Nature and the environment problems and solutions
with useful phrases for writing essays/ IELTS Writing Task 2
Choose one topic from the top of the next page. Describe problems caused by it and solutions to those issues using phrases like those below. You may also be able to think of root causes and positive consequences, but just focus on the problems and solutions.
Your partner will listen and ask for more details, suggest more ideas, and/ or (dis)agree. Discuss for longer if you like, then take turns doing the same. If your teacher tells you to, tick off language below as you use it, then try to use different phrases in the rest of the activity. Language on the same line and/ or divided by a slash has the same meaning/ use, but you can just tick off the one you use and use the other one on the same line later if you like.
When your teacher stops you, share a problem and solution that you agreed on in your group, and see if other groups agree.
Ask about words below you don’t understand, etc, working together to think of related issues and solutions each time.
Look at the following page. Write “S” if the things on the same line have the same meanings/ uses, or “D” if they have different meanings/ uses. If there are more than two on the same line, they are all the same or all different (not two the same and one different, etc).
Check as a class or with the first worksheets. Ones with different meanings are on different lines without a slash dividing them. Other classifications are possible, so please check if you marked any differently.
Test each other on the language:
- say two things on one line and see if your partner can say if they have the same or different meanings/ uses
- choose a line that has things with the same meaning, say one example, then help your partner say things which have the same meaning
- say two things which are different and see if your partner can explain what the difference is
- say one example and see if your partner can make an example sentence, preferably about nature and the environment
Topics
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1. (slash and burn/ intensive) agriculture/ farming 2. (over-)consumption 3. deforestation 4. domesticated animals/ pets 5. extinctions/ decreasing biodiversity 6. extraction/ mining (fracking, oil production, etc) 7. fishing/ the fishing industry 8. global warming/ the greenhouse effect/ the climate emergency 9. GMO (foods/ crops) 10. herbicides/ pesticides |
11. invasive species/ non-native species (parakeets, fire ants, palm civets, etc) 12. landfills/ rubbish dumps – incinerators/ burning rubbish 13. melting ice caps 14. nuclear energy/ nuclear power (stations) 15. poachers/ poaching (ivory tusks, etc) 16. (air/ soil/ light/ noise/…) pollution (microplastics, exhaust fumes, etc) 17. population booms/ growing populations/ overpopulation 18. (global) tourism 19. urbanisation |
Useful language for describing problems
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always/ invariably appear to/ seem to can conceivably could definitely frequently/ often generally/ usually has inevitably may well/ might well possibly potentially probably tend to will would
|
have
has
had |
a/ an a huge number of/ very many a large number of/ many a number of/ some
|
adverse/ detrimental/ negative considerable/ substantial disastrous fatal grievous huge/ massive large/ major long-term medium-term mixed serious short-term unexpected unintended |
consequence/ effect/ impact/ outcome/ ramification/ repercussion/ result
|
-s |
because due to for including/ such as namely/ specific-ally on which of which |
|
|
bring about/ cause/ give rise to/ lead to/ provoke/ result in |
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hugely/ massively substantially/ considerably |
damage/ harm/ hit
|
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adversely/ detrimentally/ negatively hugely/ massively substantially/ considerably |
affect |
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absolutely/ totally almost totally |
destroy/ devastate/ ruin/ wreck |
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The |
biggest/ chief/ largest/ main/ major immediate/ short-term long-term/ eventual most adverse/ detrimental/ negative most damaging/ harmful most disastrous most serious/ worst |
consequence/ effect/ impact/ outcome/ ramification/ repercussion/ result
|
is (probably/ certainly) could be has been will (definitely) (soon) be may/ might (well) be is probably would be |
|
is a |
critical difficult/ tricky growing/ increasing enormous/ huge/ massive large/ major looming potential concerning/ worrying neglected |
challenge/ issue/ problem
threat |
for in due to because (of) caused by which in situations |
Useful language for describing solutions
|
The One of the…s |
only/ only possible best/ most beneficial ideal/ perfect most practical/ most realistic most effective |
solution/ fix/ resolution/ answer |
is (definitely) would be could be is probably is almost certainly has been shown (by…) to be is said (by…) to be |
|
A/ An/ One |
proven good effective practical/ realistic possible/ potential guaranteed/ foolproof quick |
|
To/ In order to |
combat/ tackle deal with solve/ resolve/ sort out remove |
this |
problem/ issue/ situation |
the authorities have no choice but to by far the best option is to we must (make sure to) prioritise it is necessary to I strongly recommend governments (really) should it is worth those in charge could it is worth considering |
|
would definitely would almost certainly would probably may well could |
greatly substantially/ considerably somewhat partially |
alleviate ameliorate/ improve prevent reduce compensate for/ make up for aid with/ help with |
Similar and different phrases for talking about problems and solutions
Decide if things on the same line have the same (S) or different (D) meanings/ uses.
- always/ invariably
- appear to/ seem to
- can/ could
- conceivably/ possibly
- definitely/ inevitably
- frequently/ generally
- may well/ might well
- possibly/ probably
- potentially/ inevitably
- will/ would
- a huge number of/ many
- a number of/ some
- considerable/ substantial
- disastrous/ fatal
- grievous/ serious
- huge/ major
- unexpected/ unintended
- consequence/ effect/ impact/ outcome/ ramification/ repercussion/ result
- including/ such as
- namely/ specifically
- bring about/ cause/ give rise to/ lead to/ provoke/ result in
- hugely/ massively
- damage/ harm
- hit/ affect
- adversely/ detrimentally/ negatively
- destroy/ devastate/ ruin/ wreck
- biggest/ chief/ largest/ main/ major
- damaging/ harmful
- difficult/ tricky
- issue/ problem
- challenge/ threat
- critical/ looming
- concerning/ worrying
- ideal/ perfect
- effective/ practical
- solution/ fix/ resolution/ answer
- combat/ tackle
- solve/ resolve/ sort out
- it is worth/ it is worth considering
- greatly/ substantially/ somewhat/ partially
- ameliorate/ improve
- prevent/ reduce
- compensate for/ make up for
- aid with/ help with
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