Naturally Clever

Elementary (A1-A2) 20 minutes
ESL Natural World Activity for Elementary A1-A2, gap-fill, multiple-choice, guessing, pair work

ESL Natural World Activity - Vocabulary: Gap-fill, Multiple-Choice Questions, Guessing - Pair Work

This interesting natural world trivia quiz helps students practice vocabulary related to nature. First, in two groups, students complete natural-world trivia questions using words from a box. Next, students...

ESL Natural World Activity - Vocabulary: Gap-fill, Multiple-choice Questions, Guessing - Pair Work This interesting natural world trivia quiz helps students practice vocabulary related to nature. First, in two groups, students complete natural-world trivia questions using words from a box. Next, students pair up with someone from the other group and take turns reading their questions to their partner, along with three possible multiple-choice answers. Students score one point for each correct guess. The student with the most correct guesses at the end of the quiz wins.
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Nature Pair-Up

Elementary (A1-A2) 25 minutes
ESL Natural World Games for Elementary A1-A2, snap, matching, pelmanism, forming sentences, pair work

ESL Natural World Games - Vocabulary and Speaking: Snap, Matching, Pelmanism, Forming Sentences - Pair Work

Here are two enjoyable natural world vocabulary games to help students practice words related to nature. Students begin by playing a game of snap. In pairs, students turn over a card from their pile at...

ESL Natural World Games - Vocabulary and Speaking: Snap, Matching, Pelmanism, Forming Sentences - Pair Work Here are two enjoyable natural world vocabulary games to help students practice words related to nature. Students begin by playing a game of snap. In pairs, students turn over a card from their pile at the same time. If the nature word card and picture card match, the first student to say 'Snap' scores a point. Students then pick up their own cards, shuffle them, and play again. If a student says 'Snap' when the cards don't match, the other student scores a point, and the game continues. The first student to get ten points wins the game. After that, students move on to play a pelmanism game. Students take turns turning over one nature word card and one picture card. If the word matches with the picture, the student scores one point and keeps the two cards. For an extra point, the student then tries to make a sentence with the nature word. If the student successfully makes a sentence, they have another turn. If the cards don't match, the student turns them back over. The student with the most points at the end of the game wins.
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A Natural Match

Pre-intermediate (A2) 30 minutes
ESL Natural World Games Pre-intermediate A2 matching, describing, guessing, freer practice, group and pair work

ESL Natural World Games - Vocabulary and Speaking: Matching, Describing, Guessing, Freer Practice - Group and Pair Work

These two fun natural world games help students practice vocabulary related to the natural world. First, students play a gap-fill pelmanism game to practice the natural world vocabulary. In groups of four...

ESL Natural World Games - Vocabulary and Speaking: Matching, Describing, Guessing, Freer Practice - Group and Pair Work These two fun natural world games help students practice vocabulary related to the natural world. First, students play a gap-fill pelmanism game to practice the natural world vocabulary. In groups of four, students take turns turning over one gap-fill sentence card and one word card. If the word completes the gap-fill sentence, the student reads the sentence aloud, keeps the two cards, and plays again. If the word and sentence don't match, the student turns the two cards back over, and it's the next student's turn to play. The student with the most pairs of cards at the end wins. After that, students play a describing game using the words. In teams of two, students take turns picking up a word card and describing the natural world-related word on the card for their teammate to guess, e.g. 'It is something you find on the beach. It is usually white or grey.' Their partner then has ten seconds to guess the word. If they are successful, the team wins and keeps the card. If not, the card is removed from the game. It's then the other team's turn to play. The team with the most cards at the end of the game wins.
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Naturally Speaking

Pre-intermediate (A2) 25 minutes
ESL Natural World Board Game Pre-intermediate A2 vocabulary, multiple-choice questions, guessing, group work

ESL Natural World Board Game - Vocabulary and Speaking: Multiple-Choice Questions, Guessing, Impromptu Speech, Communicative Practice - Group Work

In this engaging natural world board game, students practice nature vocabulary and talk about nature-related topics. In groups, players take turns rolling the dice...

ESL Natural World Board Game - Vocabulary and Speaking: Multiple-Choice Questions, Guessing, Impromptu Speech, Communicative Practice - Group Work In this engaging natural world board game, students practice nature vocabulary and talk about nature-related topics. In groups, players take turns rolling the dice and moving their counter along the board. If a player lands on a 'Talk about' square, they talk about the nature-related topic on the square for 20 seconds. If a player can't think of anything to say or stops talking before the 20 seconds are up, they go back two squares. If a player lands on a 'Nature Quiz Question' square, another student picks up a card and reads out the quiz question along with three possible multiple-choice answers. If the player chooses the correct answer, they stay on the square. If not, they move their counter back two squares. The first player to reach the finish wins the game.
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Geo-Trivia Challenge

Intermediate (B1) 30 minutes
ESL Geographical Feature Games Intermediate B1 unscrambling, matching, true or false, guessing, pair work

ESL Geographical Feature Games - Reading and Vocabulary: Unscrambling, Matching, True or False, Guessing - Pair Work

Here are two useful geographical feature games to help students practice or review vocabulary related to geographical features. First, students play an unscrambling and matching game in pairs...

ESL Geographical Feature Games - Reading and Vocabulary: Unscrambling, Matching, True or False, Guessing - Pair Work Here are two useful geographical feature games to help students practice or review vocabulary related to geographical features. First, students play an unscrambling and matching game in pairs. Pairs begin by unscrambling the geographical feature words on sentence ending cards. Next, pairs line up sentence beginning cards in order and match each one with an ending card. The first pair to complete all the sentences correctly wins. After that, pairs play a true or false game with the sentences. Each pair discusses which sentences they think are true and which they think are false, putting a tick at the end of the sentences that they think are true. Afterwards, check the correct answers with the class. The pair with the most correct answers wins the game.
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Water Vocabulary

Intermediate (B1) 35 minutes
ESL Water Worksheet Intermediate B1 matching, categorising, crossword, question completion, freer practice

ESL Water Worksheet - Vocabulary Exercises: Matching, Categorising, Crossword, Question Completion - Speaking Activity: Freer Practice - Pair Work

This free water vocabulary worksheet helps students learn and practice water-related words that appear in nature as well as some water words that are...

ESL Water Worksheet - Vocabulary Exercises: Matching, Categorising, Crossword, Question Completion - Speaking Activity: Freer Practice - Pair Work This free water vocabulary worksheet helps students learn and practice water-related words that appear in nature as well as some water words that are associated with man-made structures. First, students match water-related words to pictures and sort the vocabulary into four groups, man-made structures, salt water, fresh water and land. After that, students categorize the water vocabulary into three groups, things or places near your hometown, things or places near where you live now, and things or places you have visited on holiday. Students then move on to use clues to complete a crossword with the water vocabulary. Finally, students complete Have you been to questions with names of places that correspond to the water vocabulary, e.g. names of islands, rivers, bridges, etc. Students then ask the questions to a partner and record their answers.
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At the Beach

Upper-intermediate (B2) 30 minutes
ESL At the Beach Worksheet Upper-intermediate B2 matching, gap-fill, short answer, drawing, describing

ESL At the Beach Worksheet - Vocabulary Exercises: Matching, Gap-fill, Short Answer Questions - Listening and Speaking: Drawing and Describing - Pair Work

In this productive beach vocabulary worksheet, students learn nature words related to beaches. To begin, students match beach vocabulary to pictures...

ESL At the Beach Worksheet - Vocabulary Exercises: Matching, Gap-fill, Short Answer Questions - Listening and Speaking: Drawing and Describing - Pair Work In this productive beach vocabulary worksheet, students learn nature words related to beaches. To begin, students match beach vocabulary to pictures and complete sentences using the vocabulary. After that, students answer questions related to beaches using specific words. Students then move on to indicate whether statements related to the beach vocabulary are true or false. In the last exercise, students draw a picture of a beach, containing as many beach words from the worksheet as possible. Students then take part in a picture dictation where they describe their picture to a partner for them to draw.
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Countryside Vocabulary

Upper-intermediate (B2) 35 minutes
ESL Countryside Worksheet Upper-intermediate B2 unscrambling, matching, gap-fill, questions, pair work

ESL Countryside Worksheet - Vocabulary Exercises: Unscrambling, Matching, Gap-fill - Speaking: Asking and Answering Questions, Freer Practice - Pair Work

In this detailed countryside vocabulary worksheet, students learn words related to the countryside and review the differences between similar words. First...

ESL Countryside Worksheet - Vocabulary Exercises: Unscrambling, Matching, Gap-fill - Speaking: Asking and Answering Questions, Freer Practice - Pair Work In this detailed countryside vocabulary worksheet, students learn words related to the countryside and review the differences between similar words. First, students unscramble letters to make words related to the countryside and match each countryside word with a related word. After that, students use the vocabulary pairs to complete sentences, describing the differences between the words. Students then read clues related to the countryside vocabulary and write the words being described. Following that, students name two examples for each item, e.g. name two famous rivers. Students then answer countryside conversation questions and write their answers in a chart. Students then ask the questions to a partner, writing down their answers and discussing each question. Finally, students share what they found out about their partner with the class.
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Natural Disasters

Upper-intermediate (B2) 35 minutes
ESL Natural Disasters Worksheet Upper-intermediate B2 gap-fill, matching, discussion, multiple-choice, pair work

ESL Natural Disasters Worksheet - Vocabulary Exercises: Gap-fill, Matching - Speaking Activity: Discussion, Multiple Choice - Pair Work

In this insightful natural disasters worksheet, students learn and practice the names of natural disasters and related vocabulary. Students begin by completing...

ESL Natural Disasters Worksheet - Vocabulary Exercises: Gap-fill, Matching - Speaking Activity: Discussion, Multiple-Choice - Pair Work In this insightful natural disasters worksheet, students learn and practice the names of natural disasters and related vocabulary. Students begin by completing sentences with natural disaster vocabulary from a box. Students then match the natural disasters to their definitions. Next, students guess what natural disaster each piece of advice is referring to. In the last exercise, students read, discuss and complete facts about natural disasters by circling the correct answers.
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The Poles

Upper-intermediate (B2) 30 minutes
ESL The Poles Worksheet Upper-intermediate B2 reading, identifying, matching, table completion

ESL The Poles Worksheet - Reading and Vocabulary Exercises: Short Answer Questions, Identifying, Matching, Table Completion

In this comprehensive North and South Poles worksheet, students learn and practice vocabulary related to the Poles. First, students read facts about the North...

ESL The Poles Worksheet - Reading and Vocabulary Exercises: Short Answer Questions, Identifying, Matching, Table Completion In this comprehensive North and South Poles worksheet, students learn and practice vocabulary related to the Poles. First, students read facts about the North and South Poles and write whether each fact is about the North Pole, the South Pole or both. After that, students find and underline polar-related words in the facts and match them with their meaning. Next, students complete a word family table with the North and South Pole vocabulary. In the last exercise, students read a passage about a scientist working in Antarctica. Students then find and underline the polar vocabulary in the passage and answer comprehension questions about the text.
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Climate Change

Advanced (C1) 35 minutes
ESL Climate Change Worksheet Advanced C1 matching, categorising, gap-fill, discussing solutions, pair work

ESL Climate Change Worksheet - Reading and Vocabulary Exercises: Matching, Categorising, Gap-fill - Speaking Activity: Discussion, Freer Practice - Pair Work

In this compelling climate change worksheet, students learn essential terms and collocations associated with the topic of climate change. To start...

ESL Climate Change Worksheet - Reading and Vocabulary Exercises: Matching, Categorising, Gap-fill - Speaking Activity: Discussion, Freer Practice - Pair Work In this compelling climate change worksheet, students learn essential terms and collocations associated with the topic of climate change. To start, students match each climate change word with its correct definition. Next, students match words together to make climate change collocations. After that, students put the climate change collocations under the correct headings, causes of climate change or effects of climate change. Students then move on to complete a text with climate change vocabulary from a box. Finally, students talk with a partner and make a list of four things they can do to reduce the size of their carbon footprint.
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Using Natural World Vocabulary

Natural world vocabulary describes landscapes, water features, plants and natural processes. Using these words accurately helps students describe places, compare environments and explain their experiences of nature.

This page contains 11 resources from elementary (A1-A2) to advanced (C1), including one free download. Topics include geographical features, water, beaches, the countryside, natural disasters, polar regions and climate change.

Connect each word with a clear meaning and a sentence students could use about a place.

PurposeUseful languageExample
Describe landforms mountain, hill, valley 'The village is in a valley between two mountains.'
Identify water features river, lake, waterfall 'A river flows through the forest.'
Describe the coast beach, cliff, bay 'There is a sandy beach beside the cliffs.'
Describe vegetation tree, bush, grass 'Tall grass grows beside the path.'
Discuss natural events flood, drought, earthquake 'The drought lasted several months.'
Discuss environmental change climate change, habitat loss 'Habitat loss can affect wildlife.'

How to Use Natural World Vocabulary

Clarify similar words with pictures: Show contrasting examples, such as a river and a lake, and ask students to explain what distinguishes them. Include both a meaning and a useful phrase when recording each new word.

Connect vocabulary with familiar places: Invite students to describe somewhere nearby, somewhere they have visited or a place in a photograph. Offer the photograph option so the task does not depend on travel experience.

Build descriptions with relationships: Move beyond lists of landscape words by adding location and action phrases, such as 'beside the river' or 'flows through the valley'. Ask partners to identify a picture from the description to give precise wording a purpose.

3-Step Framework for Teaching Natural World Vocabulary

For elementary to pre-intermediate students, move from recognising nature words to interpreting them in questions and developing short spoken answers.

1. Link words with pictures: Students play snap with nature words and pictures, then match pairs in a memory game. Making a sentence with a matched word earns an extra point. This extends visual recognition into using the word in context.

2. Interpret words in questions: Students complete nature trivia questions with supplied vocabulary, then read their questions and answer options to a partner. This shifts practice from single-word recognition to understanding the role of a word in a complete question.

3. Develop a spoken response: Use a board game with nature topics that students discuss for 20 seconds, alongside multiple-choice questions. Encourage them to support an answer with a description or example, building from the shorter sentence work in the first stage.

Common Mistakes with Natural World Vocabulary

Confusing 'nature' and 'natural': 'Nature' is a noun; 'natural' is an adjective describing something that exists or happens without being made by people. Incorrect: 'This is a nature lake.' Correct: 'This is a natural lake.' The noun is appropriate in a phrase such as 'I enjoy spending time in nature.'

Confusing 'scenery' and 'view': 'Scenery' is normally uncountable and describes the natural features of a landscape. A 'view' is what you can see from a particular place. Incorrect: 'There is a beautiful scenery from the window.' Correct: 'There is a beautiful view from the window.' You can also say 'The scenery is beautiful.'

Common Questions About Teaching Natural World Vocabulary

What free worksheet can I use for teaching nature vocabulary?

The free worksheet Water Vocabulary introduces words for natural water features and related structures through pictures and categories. Students connect the words with places they know, complete a vocabulary crossword, then ask a partner about places they have visited. This links word meanings with familiar locations and personal experiences.

What game helps students practice nature vocabulary?

The resource A Natural Match combines sentence matching with a team describing game. Students first match nature words to sentences and read them aloud. They then describe the words for a teammate to guess within ten seconds, moving from recognising vocabulary in context to explaining meanings in their own words.

What speaking activity helps students describe natural places?

The worksheet At the Beach finishes with a picture dictation activity. After matching beach words to pictures and using them in sentences, students draw a beach scene and describe it for a partner to reproduce. The drawing task gives students a reason to make their descriptions clear and specific.

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