Speaking About the Environment
Lesson 3.5 finishes Unit 3 with Part 3 abstract discussion, hedging language and fluency drills on the environment.
- Hedge opinions with 4 phrases
- Extend Part 3 answers with PREP
- Improve fluency with chunking
Get Ready · Part 3 questions
- Should governments fine companies that pollute?
- Will future generations live more sustainably than we do?
- Is it fair to ask developing countries to cut emissions?
Hedging · Sounding measured
Hedging stops you sounding dogmatic — examiners reward it.
Fluency · Chunking
Group words into 3–5 word chunks. Pause between chunks, not between words. Example: 'I think / on balance / governments should act / before the public does.'
Pathway focus · Academic-style hedged opinion
The same hedges appear in Academic Task 2 — 'It would appear that …', 'Arguably, …'.
Listening Skills — Discussion on Environmental Speaking Topics
You will hear a tutor, Australian, and a student discussing how to prepare answers about the environment for a speaking test.
- Predict advice about structuring speaking answers.
- Answer the questions using information from the conversation, no more than three words each.
- Note specific vocabulary suggested for band improvement.
- Watch for the tutor giving a corrected version of the student's answer.
Listen first — the transcript stays hidden so this works like the real exam.
Listening audio
Tap play to generate and listen.
Answer the questions. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS for each answer.
- How many more cars does the student say there are compared to ten years ago?
- When are breathing problems especially common, according to the student?
- What word does the student use instead of repeating 'pollution'?
- What does the student suggest the government invest more in?
- Besides examples and opinions, what should a strong answer ideally include?
- What has been removed to build apartments near the student's house?
Answer key
Exam Strategy
- Exam Tip
Hedge once per Part 3 answer.
- Exam Tip
Chunk for breath — pause between ideas, not mid-clause.
Independent Practice
Answer 3 Part 3 questions, hedging once each.
Key Takeaways
- Hedging = measured fluency.
- Common errors clinicError pairs: choose the sentence an examiner would accept.
- Sentence & summary completionWord-limit discipline: NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS.
- Trend language workoutDescribe movement precisely — verbs, adverbs and noun phrases.
Optional — this doesn't affect your lesson or course progress.