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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 92 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

    I am a person who love to travel a lot and I saw a lot of plastic waste when I travel in the train. In the suburbs of the Mumbai, I saw a lot of plastic waste loaded there and so many people are walking around them and surroundings also there were so many buildings there. It's like a slum and I saw them from the train so I can't do anything. I think that so many people from the train who throws the waste into that area whenever they saw a lot of waste they can think it is also a place for waste the dumps. So many people in the train tries to dump the wastes in their hands and I can't do nothing because I am a person who just travels in train and I can't do anything. I just thought why all people like this also discouraging the environmental factors and encourage the waste of plastic through plastic dumping and I would like to complain it on the newspaper but I got.

    Band 6-7

    I used to see a lot of plastic when I was around 6th or 7th or 10th standard. They used to throw a lot of plastic bags around my way to school. It was really disgusting and it was very dirty. Cows would eat the plastic and it was really disgusting to see it. When I was around my 10th standard, they changed the collector of the town. She banned all the plastic items and was fined for throwing plastics on the road and everywhere. After the change, it was really good. I did not see any plastics around the road. The streets were not dirty and it was really clean. But I still do see little plastics around some places and they literally burn it, which is harmful for us. But compared to before, nowadays the plastic usage has been reduced and it is really less compared to previous years. It was a really good change and I look forward to this change in every part of the country. And save our environment from the plastic. As we know, plastic is one of the hardest materials to recycle. So we should limit our usage of plastics.

    Band 6-7

    So, in my town Nagpur, there is one very prestigious and religious event which is known as Marbath in which the whole city comes together and celebrates the festival. In this festival, what exactly happens is there are some statues and there is a rally because of which many people are involved and there is plastic waste throughout the city which was very disappointing but when there is a catering of a large crowd, this kind of things are very expected but it's not about the fact that there was lot of plastic, it was why wasn't that picked and why wasn't that cleaned up. But this is where small clubs and community come together. I being from one of those clubs was Nagpur bloggers in which every Sunday we used to go to each part of the city and pick up the plastic or waste, cigarette butts, everything. We used to sort them and recycle which was a very purposeful and motivated driven process. But when there was this kind of festivals or events, next day immediately it was our task to get up early in the morning and clean all those things up so that our city is clean and beautiful as before. Also, there is municipal corporation of my city which works relentlessly to provide clean and hygienic society to the city of Nagpur and we take lot of pride in it. We also go for drives in school and colleges so that they can also contribute in their own manner for it.

    Band 6-7

    The last time I saw a lot of plastic waste was during one of my cousin's wedding. As you all know, in India, the wedding of big fat weddings, which accommodate around 800 to 1000 people, to provide food for 800 to 1000 people, there were plates and plastic glasses which were served. The food was served in plates and plastic glasses. That got to me thinking, there are so many weddings in India throughout the year and most of them are not environment-friendly weddings. And plastic being the major waste during the wedding ceremonies, be it in ceremonies or to provide food, the dominant waste is plastic waste. That got to me thinking about my wedding and I have decided that if I get married anytime soon I would be going in an eco-friendly manner.

    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.
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