Below is a list of vocabulary for the topic of plants in IELTS speaking part 1.
Pot Plants
- Cactus (plural = cacti or cactuses)
- Peace lily (see picture above)
- Bamboo
- Palm
- Flowering plants
- Orchids
- Small plants for the window sill
- Easy to maintain
Balcony plants
Trailing plants / climbers
Plants and flowers attractive to bees and butterflies
Hanging baskets (flowering plants)
- Roses
- Geraniums
- begonia
Trees
- (tree) trunk
- wide trunk / thick trunk
- a tall tree with a height of about 4.5 meters
- a native tree
- limbs / branches
- twigs
- leaves
- lose their leaves in winter
- retain their colour year round (evergreen)
- foliage
- blossom
- root system
- age: ancient tree, sapling (young tree)
- adjectives: leafy, spreading, hollow, shady, verdant, gnarled, majestic
- perennial
- ornamental tree / dwarf tree
- tropical / sub-tropical species
- longevity
Other vocab
- Stem
- Bloom
- Petals
- Lush
- Wilting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Soil
- Compost
- Plant feed
- Pruning
- Re-potting
- Drainage
- Watering (daily/ regularly)
- Automatic watering system
- Full sunlight / shade / exposure to sun
- North facing window
- Variety of colours
- Herbs grown in pots
- mint, parsley, coriander, basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme
- Vegetables grown in pots
- tomatoes, peppers, peas, beans
- to have green fingers (idiom) = to be good at caring for plants
- I’ve never had green fingers.
- My father really has green fingers. He can grow anything.
- Botanist – someone who studies plants
Sample Questions & Answers
You can see that some questions might produce shorter answers and other questions require more detail and explanation. This is normal in speaking part 1.
- Do you like plants?
- Yes, I do. I usually have at least one indoor pot plant in my sitting room such as a peace lily.
- Are you good at growing plants?
- No, I’m not. I definitely don’t have green fingers, unlike my grandfather who was really good with plants. I frequently have to buy new plants for my house when they die.
- Why do people grow plants?
- I think some people grow plants because it’s a pleasurable hobby that they can enjoy all year round. It is very rewarding to grow a plant, particularly when the flowers bloom. For other people, it is a way to make their living environment better. What I mean is plants can provide not only clean air but also greenery which is supposed to be uplifting for the spirit.
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