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Describe A Time When You Saw A Lot Of Plastic Waste: IELTS Speaking Cue Card

You should say

  • Where and when did you see the plastic waste?
  • Why was there a lot of plastic waste?
  • What did you do after you saw it?
  • And explain what your thoughts were about this.
Show all 88 answers

Cue 1:Where and when did you see the plastic waste?

  • Begin by describing the location where you encountered the plastic waste, such as a beach, park, or riverbank.
  • Mention the time of year or specific occasion, like a festival or holiday, to give context to your experience.

Example

I saw a lot of plastic waste last summer at Juhu Beach in Mumbai. It was during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, a time when many people visit the beach to immerse idols. Unfortunately, after the celebrations, the beach was littered with plastic bags, bottles, and food wrappers.

Cue 2:Why was there a lot of plastic waste?

  • Explain the reasons behind the accumulation of plastic waste, such as lack of awareness or inadequate waste disposal facilities.
  • You can also mention the cultural practices that contribute to the problem, like the use of single-use plastics during festivals.

Example

The reason for the excessive plastic waste was mainly due to the large number of visitors who brought food and drinks in plastic containers. Many people were unaware of the environmental impact of their actions, and there were not enough bins available for proper disposal.

Cue 3:What did you do after you saw it?

  • Share your immediate reaction upon seeing the plastic waste and any actions you took.
  • Mention if you participated in any clean-up efforts or raised awareness about the issue.

Example

After seeing the plastic waste, I felt compelled to do something. I joined a local group that was organizing a beach clean-up the following weekend. We collected bags full of plastic and other debris, and it felt good to contribute to the environment.

Cue 4:And explain what your thoughts were about this.

  • Reflect on your feelings regarding the situation and the broader implications of plastic waste.
  • Discuss any changes in your behavior or perspective that resulted from this experience.

Example

Seeing the plastic waste made me really concerned about our environment. It made me realize how important it is to reduce plastic usage and promote recycling. Since then, I’ve started carrying my own reusable bags and bottles to minimize my plastic footprint.

Conclusion

    Example

    In conclusion, witnessing the plastic waste at Juhu Beach was an eye-opening experience. It highlighted the urgent need for awareness and action regarding plastic pollution. I believe that if we all take small steps, we can make a significant difference in protecting our environment.

    Following this structure will ensure you cover all the essential points while providing a clear and engaging response to the cue card topic.

    Tips to answer this Cue Card

    1: Vague Descriptions

    Using vague language can make your answer unclear. Avoid general statements that do not provide specific details about the location or situation of the plastic waste.

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    Tip

    Be specific about where and when you saw the plastic waste. Use descriptive language to paint a clear picture for the examiner.

    2: Lack of Personal Reflection

    Failing to share your personal thoughts can make your response less engaging. It's important to express how the experience affected you emotionally or intellectually.

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    Tip

    Include your feelings and thoughts about the plastic waste. Explain why it was significant to you and what you learned from the experience.

    Ignoring the Cause

    Not addressing why there was a lot of plastic waste can lead to an incomplete answer. Understanding the cause adds depth to your response.

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    Tip

    Discuss the reasons behind the plastic waste, such as local events or habits. This shows your awareness of environmental issues and enhances your answer.

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    All Answers

    Here are all the answers by real-users practicing speaking for IELTS Cue Cards on our IELTS Prep App.

    Band 6-7

    Generally, in the cities, the wastage of plastic is more because with many food item covers, with many water bottles, in order to throw in the dustbin, they will throw it out on the roads, it became very polluted. So, in order to make that free, I prefer to GHMC to clear all that plastic and I suggest the government to use only normal leather bags and to avoid plastic. Actually, with plastic, many disorders will be seen.

    Band 6-7

    When I was wandering around near my locality, I visited a park where I saw a lot of plastic waste on the ground and many kids were playing there. At first, I felt very sad after watching that scenario, however, without wasting any further minute, I started picking all the plastic wrappers, cans and bottles and start throwing all of it into the dustbin. And after watching me, the kids around me started following my work and they helped me and within an hour or two, we almost cleaned the park together. And that was a lesson for me to take action first because that is important.

    Band 6-7

    One day, I went to a park for walking. At the corner of the park, I saw a lot of plastic items like plastic bottle, cover and bag. Suddenly, I was shocked because the place is known as well-maintained park. Suddenly, I called the panchayat president and informed the problem. After an hour, the panchayat members came to the park and I saw the picture of the corner. They were really shocked how it will happen. Every day, panchayat cleaners will come there and clean the place. There are a lot of foreigners come there for walking and for doing exercise day-to-day. Suddenly, our president took action. He called the authorities and immediately cleaned the park. After one or two hours, everything will be clear. I was so happy because when we put plastic into the surrounding, it affects our soil.

    Band 6-7

    Recently, I am going to Ernakulam. Recently, I visit Ernakulam. Ernakulam is most beautiful place. But, the place was very crowded. Because, I visit Ernakulam Children's Park. The name is Subhash Chandra Park. Recently, I visit Ernakulam. I can travel with the bus. I can see the river. The situation was very bad. It's like lots of plastic wastes and other kitchen wastes. Because of that, the scenery was very bad for me. Ernakulam is one of the best tourist place and most wonderful place. The people are doing this to make the river bad. Recently, I visit Ernakulam. Ernakulam is the district in Kerala state. It is a beautiful and main tourist place in our state. It is a crowded place. Lots of shopping streets and tourist places are there. I visit the Children's Park. The name is Subhash Chandra Park. Me and my father walking to the street. I can see the river. It looks like a big river. But, the situation was very poor. It's like lots of wastes are there. Mainly, the plastic wastes. In every year, lots of tourists are coming to visit that place. But, the situation of the river was very poor. It is not one plastic waste. It is a huge amount of plastic wastes. The smell was very bad. I felt very inconvenient. But, the place was amazing. But, the condition of the river was very bad. I can share my feelings with my father. My father said to me. The proper waste disposal is done near the river.

    Band 6-7

    A time when I saw a lot of plastic waste was during a trip to Kanyakumari. On the way to Kanyakumari, I saw a lot of plastic waste even by the side of roads and at places where people used to take some rest or like park their vehicles to enjoy the view. So I was quite intrigued at first to see all these people who are not concerning about our environment or our country and after that I saw my brother also joining the same drill and trying to throw the plastic waste of his wrapper and that he was eating from. So I just asked him not to throw it in the public and to use the dustbin which was in a quite obvious place. But no one even didn't care to use it and they just continued to throw the waste whenever and wherever they like. And it's mostly contributed by children who were like eating from wrappers and packed foods. So even though the children weren't aware about the influence of plastic, the parents should be more vigilant in what their child is doing when they are in a public place and they are responsible for

    Band 6-7

    Last weekend, me and my family visited the garden that is near to my house. We go there because we do some leisure activity in the garden. And I noticed that some people throw the plastic on the park. And that was very irresponsible thing. And I also see that some people throwing the plastic in dustbin. I think that some people are not responsible to do their environment good. Some people are not well know and not very responsible to help the environment. And this plastic pollution affect the environment also. Moreover, some people are also notice that and they also take the plastic and throw in the dustbin. I also do that. Whenever we go there, I just pick the dust and then throw in the dustbin.

    Band 6-7

    I clearly remember our family trip to Darjeeling, where I saw a shocking amount of plastic waste throughout the city. Darjeeling being one of the most beautifully environmentally located town in the north of India, was highly polluted with plastic and non-decomposable waste, maybe due to the high amount of tourists that visit the city. The train journey from the south to Ghum, the highest train station in India, was very badly maintained and it, this pollution was a result of both littering and environment as it was a highly moisture prone region with rainfall, continuous rainfall. The municipal corporation there, even though was trying to maintain a clean environment, they had banners and signs all through the city, but the place was still covered with food wrappers, carry bags, disposable plates, and this was extremely disturbing because it ruined the natural beauty of the area and also posed a serious threat to the birds and aquatic life that are indigenous to that part of India. At first, we took photos and videos to raise awareness.

    Band 6-7

    Well, as I recall, the time I saw a lot of plastic waste or a gigantic pile of plastic waste was when I attended the Sanbon concert in Hyderabad. As we know, concerts are a social event for drinking, for having fun and hanging out with your friends. In addition to that, you visit there for a good time. But in addition to that, as there are a lot of people gathered in a place, I think a lot of plastic waste is accumulated at the venue. And as soon as I saw that, I was very much disgusted. As I saw the plastic cups were not even biodegradable, and there was a lot of drinking and a hectic schedule ahead of us. As I saw that, I was like cajoling my friends, please at least try to put it in a waste recyclable pot so it can be recycled. But no, even my friends didn't heed my advice and they were like literally polluting everywhere. In addition to that, as I could recall that my friends even were not listening. I tried to persuade strangers who are acquaintances, like please don't pollute the venue, you can at least dispose it in the garbage disposable bin. In addition to that, I thought that it was my moral responsibility to at least educate people about the pollution and the consequences on human life and also on the animals too.

    Band 6-7

    In January 2025, I went on a trip to Sindagada Peak, which is the highest peak in the Eastern Ghats. On our return journey, I got a chance to look after Araku Valley and Paderu. While exploring the places in Araku Valley, I got to see a lot of plastic waste are simply thrown to the sides of the road. And I have even observed that there are no garbage bins and there is no proper maintenance where there is a regular footfall of tourists. After that situation, I felt very upset and after reaching Hyderabad, I started realizing that every day how much we are wasting and throwing the plastic waste into the nature. And I started to go to NGOs which are cleaning the plastic waste in the natural spots like rivers and lakes. I joined there and I started cleaning and also I stopped the usage of plastic quietly decreasing regularly.

    Band 6-7

    Well, to begin with, a time what immediately comes to my mind is the time when I saw plastic waste was during my last weekend trip at Palolam beach in Goa, where we used to hang out. Me and my friends planned for a weekend outing and immediately to give you a bit of, well to give you a bit of background, when we reached over there, there was a lot of plastic containers and plastic bags, wrappers and waste on the seashore and seeing that, in addition to seeing that, we felt, felt very embarrassed about the quality of the beach gas. We thought, immediately thought that what actually I found appreciate was, me and my friends took an initiative to clean all things, taking gloves which we had brought in our trip. Took the gloves and wore the mask and cleaned all the garbage and the plastic wrappers in a dustbin. We saw that people don't throw the garbage in the dustbin, rather than they lit everywhere, so we gave the initiative a measure and which is very harmful for the, it is.
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