When we talk about the environment, we often need to give our opinion, agree or disagree politely, and suggest actions. Knowing the right phrases for each function will make your conversations sound natural and confident. Below is a table of useful phrases organised by function. Try to learn three or four of them today, and use them in your own conversations this week.

In British English, people often use softeners when they disagree — for example, 'I'm not sure about that' or 'I see your point, but …'. This is more polite than saying 'I disagree' or 'You're wrong'. When we suggest something, we often use 'Why don't we …?' or 'We should …'. Both are friendly and open to discussion.

In the dialogue below, you will hear two friends, Emma and Tom, using some of these phrases to talk about plastic waste in their local park. Listen for the phrase 'I think we should …' and the phrase 'What can we do to help?' — both are very common when discussing environmental issues. You will also hear 'I agree with you' and 'If we don't act now, things will get worse' — useful phrases for showing concern.

After the dialogue, you will match each phrase to its function, and then put a short conversation in the right order. Finally, you will record yourself saying two of the key phrases out loud. Speak clearly, and use the 'th' sounds you practised in the pronunciation section.

Emma and Tom meet in the park and start talking about the rubbish they have seen there.

Read this phrase aloud. It is a great way to give your opinion about an environmental issue.

Read this question aloud. It is a perfect way to start a conversation about the environment.

In this listening activity, you will hear two friends, Emma and Tom, talking about an article they read about plastic in the rivers near their town. Tom is worried about the number of plastic bottles he sees in the park, and Emma is thinking about what they can do to help. They are standing outside their school, on their way home.

Before you listen, take a moment to predict: do you think Emma and Tom will decide to take action, or do you think they will just talk? Your prediction will help you listen for the answer. Then listen for three key ideas: the main problem they talk about, the solution Tom suggests, and the plan they make at the end.

The conversation has ten turns. Tom speaks five times, and Emma speaks five times. You do not need to understand every word — focus on the key information, just like in real life. If you miss one word, keep listening. Often the next sentence helps you understand the one before.

After the dialogue, you will answer one question for the gist (the general idea), one question for specific information (a fact from the conversation), and one question for detail (a phrase or sentence from the conversation). Read each question carefully, and choose the answer that fits what you actually heard — not what you think might be true.

Emma and Tom are at school, talking about an article on plastic pollution.

What is the conversation mainly about?

English has two 'th' sounds that are written with the same letters but produced differently. The first, /θ/, is voiceless — your vocal cords do not vibrate, and you push a lot of air out of your mouth. The second, /ð/, is voiced — your vocal cords vibrate, and the sound is softer. Many of the words we use in this lesson contain one of these sounds, so it is worth practising both before you start.

To make either sound, place the tip of your tongue gently between or just behind your upper front teeth. Let the air flow over the top of your tongue. You should feel the air, and you may see a small push of breath. This is normal, and it is one of the easiest ways to know you are making the sound correctly.

Try the /θ/ sound in words like think, three, bath, month and north. Hold a thin piece of paper in front of your mouth when you say these words. The paper should move because /θ/ is an aspirated sound with a strong flow of air. If the paper does not move, your tongue is probably too far back in your mouth.

Now try the /ð/ sound in words like the, this, that, they, breathe and clothes. Put your fingers on your throat and say 'the' — you should feel a small vibration. This is voicing. The mouth position is almost the same, but the air is softer and the sound is a little longer.

A common mistake is to replace these sounds with /t/ or /d/. Instead of 'tink', say think with the tongue between the teeth. Instead of 'dis', say this with the tongue between the teeth. With a little practice, both 'th' sounds will start to feel natural. You will hear them in phrases like the weather, this month, three weeks and they think.

The English 'th' has two sounds. /θ/ is voiceless (no vibration, more air). /ð/ is voiced (vibration, softer). Both use the tip of the tongue between or just behind the upper front teeth. The main difference is whether your vocal cords vibrate.

Read this sentence aloud. Notice the 'th' in 'think', 'the' and 'weather' — they are different sounds.

Read this sentence aloud. Put the tip of your tongue between your teeth for the 'th' in 'This' (voiced) and the 'th' in 'the' (voiced).

Read this sentence aloud. The first 'th' (in 'Three') is /θ/ voiceless, and the 'th' in 'they' is /ð/ voiced.

When you read a longer text in English, it helps to use a strategy. The strategy for this lesson is skimming for gist followed by scanning for detail. Skimming means reading quickly to get the general idea. You do not need to understand every word — just look at the title, the first sentence of each paragraph, and the last sentence. Scanning means looking for specific information, like a number, a name or a date.

Key words to know before you read:

• waste (noun) — rubbish, things that people throw away
• reduce (verb) — to make something smaller or less
• campaign (noun) — a plan to achieve something, usually over a period of time
• reusable (adjective) — something you can use again, not single-use

Read the short article below. It comes from a school newspaper in the UK. The article is in five short paragraphs. When you read, ask yourself: Who is doing something? What are they doing? Why? And what is the result? These four questions will help you find the gist quickly.

After you read, you will answer one question about the gist (the general idea) and two questions about details (specific information from the text). You may read the article more than once. First, skim for the gist. Then, scan for the details. This is how good readers work in their own language too.

Our town, our planet

Every minute, one million plastic bottles are bought around the world. Many end up in our rivers and oceans, harming fish, birds and other wildlife.

In Greenfield, a group of students decided to act. They started a 'plastic-free Friday' campaign at their school. Every Friday, students bring lunch in reusable containers and use water bottles instead of plastic ones.

The campaign worked. In six months, the school reduced its plastic waste by 40 percent. Other schools have started to copy the idea.

'Anyone can make a difference,' says 15-year-old Mia. 'We don't need to wait for the government.'

The students are now planning a clean-up day at the local river next month. Are you ready to join them?

What is the article mainly about?

What are the students planning next month?

Well done! You have reached the end of the lesson. In this lesson, you have practised giving opinions on environmental issues, listening to a conversation about plastic pollution, reading a short article, speaking in a live roleplay, and writing your own short article. You have also practised the two 'th' sounds in English: /θ/ (voiceless) and /ð/ (voiced).

Take a moment to think about what you have learned. Look at the list below. Can you do these things now? Tick the boxes that are true for you. If some are still difficult, you can return to that part of the lesson and try again. The more you practise, the more confident you will become.

In this section, you will practise giving your opinion about an environmental issue. A good opinion is more than just 'I think …'. It usually has three parts: your opinion, a reason and an example or suggestion. Listen to the model conversation, and notice how Emma and Tom use all three parts.

In British English, we often use opinion phrases at the start of a sentence to make our view clear. Common phrases include In my opinion, I believe that, I think and From my point of view. After the opinion, we usually give a reason with because or as. We can then suggest an action with We should or Why don't we …?.

Here is a useful phrases list for the speaking task. Try to use at least three of these in the roleplay at the end of the section.

You will first listen to a short model conversation, then read a key model sentence, then record two of your own sentences aloud. Finally, you will have a live conversation with the AI about an environmental issue in your town. Try to use the phrases from the table, and try to keep going for at least three turns. If you do not understand something, it is fine to say 'Sorry, could you repeat that?'

Listen to this short model conversation. Notice how Emma and Tom use opinion phrases, reasons and suggestions.

Read the model sentence aloud. Pay attention to the stress on the key words, and to the 'th' in 'the' and 'this' (if you change it).

Read your own sentence aloud. You have used a new opinion phrase ('I think'), a suggestion ('we should') and a reason ('because').

In this section, you will write a short article (about 50–60 words) about an environmental issue in your town. Below is a model article written by a B1 student. Read it carefully, and notice the structure: a clear opinion, a description of the problem, a suggestion and a strong ending.

Model article:

Save the Park

In my opinion, the local park is in danger. The main problem is rubbish. People leave plastic bottles and bags everywhere. If we don't act now, animals will suffer. We should organise a clean-up day. Everyone can help, and together we can make a difference.

Using opinion phrases

Notice how the model uses clear opinion phrases: In my opinion, The main problem is, If we don't act now and We should. These phrases help the reader follow your argument. They also make your writing sound organised and confident. When you write your own article, try to use at least three of these phrases.

Plan for your own article (3 short paragraphs):

1. Paragraph 1 — State the problem in your town. Use In my opinion or The main problem is.
2. Paragraph 2 — Suggest a solution. Use We should or Why don't we ….
3. Paragraph 3 — End with a strong sentence. Use If we don't act now, … or Together, we can ….

In the steps below, you will check that you can spot the opinion phrases in the model. Then you will write your own short article and read it aloud. Aim for about 50–60 words, in three short paragraphs. You do not need to use perfect English — focus on getting your ideas across clearly.

Writing strategy: Using opinion phrases

When you write an article giving your opinion, use clear phrases to introduce each new idea. Good phrases include:

• In my opinion, ... — to start with your view
• The main problem is ... — to describe the issue
• We should ... or Why don't we ...? — to suggest a solution
• If we don't act now, ... — to talk about consequences
• Together, we can ... — to end with hope

These phrases are like signposts. They tell the reader, 'Here is my opinion', 'Here is the problem' and 'Here is what we can do'. Use at least three of them in your own article.

Which phrase does the model use to suggest a solution?

Now write your own short article about an environmental issue in your town. Use at least three opinion phrases from the lesson, for example 'In my opinion', 'The main problem is' and 'We should'. When you finish, read your article aloud. This sentence is a model opening line — you can adapt it for your own article.