English: Environment & Nature

Level: B2. The environment is a favourite exam and conversation topic, and it rewards two things: a clear set of themed vocabulary and the cause-and-effect language that joins problems to their causes and solutions. This lesson gives you both, plus the small grammar traps (uncountable nouns, the passive) that trip learners up.

By the end of this page you can…

…use climate and conservation vocabulary accurately, explain a cause and its effect in a full sentence, and take part in a short discussion about an environmental problem.

Vocabulary — grouped by problem, cause, and solution

Learning these in three groups makes them far easier to recall in a discussion:

Group	English words
Problems	pollution, waste, climate change, global warming, drought, flooding
Causes	emissions, deforestation, fossil fuels, plastic, traffic
Solutions	recycle, reuse, conserve, renewable energy, public transport
Nature	wildlife, species, habitat, forest, ocean, ecosystem

A habitat is where a plant or animal naturally lives; a species is one kind of living thing (the word is the same in singular and plural: one species, many species). Renewable energy comes from sources that do not run out, such as wind and solar; fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas) do run out and release emissions when burned.

Cause-and-effect language — the heart of the topic

To discuss the environment you must link a cause to an effect. English gives you several patterns; learn one from each row and you can say almost anything:

cause → effect: A causes / leads to / results in B. — Burning fuel leads to global warming.
effect ← cause: B is caused by A. / B is due to A. — The flood was caused by heavy rain.
reason: because of / due to + noun. — Crops failed because of the drought.
result: so / therefore / as a result. — It rained for weeks, so the river flooded.

For the more formal connectors, see connectors of cause and contrast and advanced result linkers.

The passive keeps the focus on the problem

Environmental English uses the passive a lot, because the problem matters more than who caused it:

Forests are being destroyed at an alarming rate.
The river has been polluted by the factory.
Thousands of species are threatened with extinction.

A short conversation

A: Our city is banning single-use plastic next year. B: Good. Plastic waste ends up in the ocean and harms wildlife. A: Exactly. And it’s mostly due to packaging we don’t even need. B: So if shops cut the packaging, there’d be far less waste. A: That’s the idea. Small changes, but they add up.

Usage notes

weather vs climate: weather is today’s conditions (rain, sun); climate is the long-term pattern of a place. Climate change is the long-term shift.
affect vs effect: affect is the verb (pollution affects our health); effect is the noun (the effects of pollution). The one exception — to effect change (formal, = to bring it about) — is rare.
global warming vs climate change: global warming is the rise in temperature; climate change is the broader set of changes that follow. They are related but not identical.
environment: nearly always with the when it means the natural world (protect the environment), but nature takes no article (be kind to nature).

Example sentences

Press play and say each cause-and-effect line out loud — notice how the two halves join.

Pollution affects everyone's health.

Affect = the verb.
The flooding was caused by heavy rain.

B is caused by A.
Burning fossil fuels leads to global warming.

A leads to B.
We should recycle more and waste less.

Waste here is a verb; waste (noun) is uncountable.
Deforestation results in the loss of habitats.

A results in B.
Many species are threatened with extinction.

Passive: focus on the species.
The river has been polluted by the factory.

Present perfect passive.
Crops failed because of the drought.

Because of + noun.
It rained for weeks, so the river flooded.

So links result to cause.
Renewable energy produces fewer emissions.

Renewable sources don't run out.
There is too much plastic in the ocean.

Plastic is uncountable: much, not many.
Forests are being destroyed every day.

Present continuous passive.
Switching off lights saves a lot of energy.

Energy is uncountable.
Public transport reduces traffic in the city.

A reduces B.
The damage was due to years of pollution.

Due to + noun.
We must protect the environment.

The environment = the natural world.
Climate change affects the whole planet.

Climate = long-term pattern.
Wildlife is disappearing from the area.

Wildlife is uncountable: is, not are.
If we recycle, we create less waste.

Less + uncountable noun.
Protecting habitats helps rare species survive.

Species is the same in singular and plural.

Recap card for the English environment and nature lesson with themed vocabulary and cause-and-effect language

Quick recap before you practise.

Practice

Environment and nature practice

Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.

1 Which sentence is correct? There is too many pollution. There is too much pollution. There are too much pollutions. There is a pollution.

Show answer

There is too much pollution. — Pollution is uncountable: use 'much', never 'many' or 'a pollution'.

2 Cause and effect: 'Burning fuel ____ to global warming.' (one word, after 'leads')

Hint: A ___ to B

Show answer

leads — 'A leads to B' is a core cause-and-effect pattern.

3 Choose the correct word: 'Pollution ___ our health.' effects affects affect effect

Show answer

affects — Affect is the verb; effect is the noun.

4 Complete with one word: 'The flood was ____ by heavy rain.' (passive, after 'was')

Hint: B is ___ by A

Show answer

caused — 'B is caused by A' puts the effect first and names the cause after 'by'.

5 Put the words in order to make a cause-and-effect sentence.

Show answer

Deforestation results in the loss of habitats — 'A results in B' links a cause to its effect.

6 Match each word to its group.

emissions Match for emissions
recycle Match for recycle
drought Match for drought
habitat Match for habitat

Show answer

emissions → a cause
recycle → a solution
drought → a problem
habitat → nature

Grouping vocabulary by problem, cause, solution and nature makes it easier to recall.

Quiz

Recap cheat-sheet

Idea	Pattern	Example
Vocabulary groups	problems / causes / solutions / nature	pollution, emissions, recycle, habitat
Cause → effect	A leads to / results in B	Fuel leads to warming.
Effect ← cause	B is caused by / due to A	Flood caused by rain.
Reason / result	because of + noun; so / therefore	Failed because of drought.
Uncountable nouns	less / much + noun	less waste, much pollution
Passive focus	is / has been + past participle	Forests are being destroyed.

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English: Environment & Nature

By the end of this page you can…

Vocabulary — grouped by problem, cause, and solution

Cause-and-effect language — the heart of the topic

The passive keeps the focus on the problem

A short conversation

Usage notes

Example sentences

Practice

Environment and nature practice

Quiz

Environment and nature quiz

Recap cheat-sheet

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