B1IELTS-style · Band 4.5–5.0Speaking25 min

IELTS Speaking: Decluttering and Second-hand Items

Decluttering and second-hand things

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🎯 Target: 5.0-5.5

⏱️ Estimated Time: 25 minutes

Module 1: Vocabulary & Idea Build-up

Unit: Decluttering and second-hand things. Build your vocabulary, learn key phrases, and explore surprising facts before speaking.

📋 How to use this lesson

👩‍🏫 For the Teacher

Guide students through the word bank and check their understanding in 10-12 minutes.

Encourage students to review the instant feedback and explanations after each task.

🧑‍🎓 For the Learner

Read the word bank and complete the vocabulary and collocation tasks first.

Study the four sentence patterns, guess the two fun facts, and get ready to speak.

1. Unit Word Bank

10 Core Words

Here are the 10 words you will need for this topic. Read them aloud and note their meanings:

attic

wardrobe

garage

junk

declutter

swap

auction

useless

worn

reusable

Vocabulary Practice

Choose the correct word from the word bank to complete each sentence.

Question 1

My bedroom was full of old clothes and broken boxes, so I decided to [ ___ ] my room this weekend.

Your answer: ____

Question 2

After washing my shirts and jackets, I hung them neatly inside the wooden [ ___ ] in my bedroom.

Your answer: ____

Question 3

We store our family photo albums and old winter blankets right under the roof in the [ ___ ].

Your answer: ____

Question 4

Instead of taking single-use plastic bags from the supermarket, I always carry a [ ___ ] cloth bag.

Your answer: ____

Question 5

My sister and her best friend often [ ___ ] books and clothes with each other instead of buying new things.

Your answer: ____

2. Match Collocations to Meanings

6 Collocations

Match each common collocation on the left to its correct meaning (A–F). Each meaning has only one correct answer.

Meanings (A–F):

A. a business that sells pre-owned items

B. offer a possession to another person without asking for payment

C. remove things that make a space untidy

D. put unwanted domestic items into the bin

E. not broken and still looks like new

F. an informal event outside a house to sell unwanted goods

Collocation

A

B

C

D

E

F

1. clear out the clutter

____A ____B ____C ____D ____E ____F

2. in good condition

____A ____B ____C ____D ____E ____F

3. second-hand shop

____A ____B ____C ____D ____E ____F

4. garage sale

____A ____B ____C ____D ____E ____F

5. throw away rubbish

____A ____B ____C ____D ____E ____F

6. give something away

____A ____B ____C ____D ____E ____F

3. Useful Sentence Patterns

Speaking Ready

Here are four natural sentence patterns to talk about your possessions. Read the example sentences and use them when answering speaking questions:

1 Storing an object

Pattern:

"I put it away ..."

Example sentence:

"I put it away in a small box so it stays clean."

2 Keeping things in good condition

Pattern:

"We look after ..."

Example sentence:

"We look after our things so they last for years."

3 Giving an object to someone else

Pattern:

"I passed it on ..."

Example sentence:

"I passed it on to a younger cousin who really needed it."

4 Feeling attached to an object

Pattern:

"I cannot bring myself to part with ..."

Example sentence:

"I cannot bring myself to part with my old guitar because of special memories."

4. Fun Facts: Textile Waste in the UK

Test your knowledge with these two statistics from research by WRAP (2024). Guess the number first, then check the answer!

Fact 1 Source: WRAP (2024)

According to WRAP (2024), how many tonnes of used textiles did the UK produce in 2022?

____ a. 0.45 million tonnes ____ b. 1.45 million tonnes ____ c. 4.45 million tonnes

💡 Did you know? That includes clothing, shoes, curtains, and bedsheets collected or thrown away across the country in just one year.

Fact 2 Source: WRAP (2024)

In 2021, around how many tonnes of used textiles went into household bins and general waste in the UK?

____ a. 71 thousand tonnes ____ b. 711 thousand tonnes ____ c. 7 million tonnes

💡 Why this matters for your Speaking test: Many items thrown away in household bins are still wearable and could easily be reused, swapped, or recycled!

Module 2: IELTS Speaking Practice

Parts 1 & 2

Say your own answer out loud for each question. AI will listen and give you instant scores and feedback on four key criteria.

Assessed Criteria

Fluency and Coherence

Lexical Resource

Grammatical Range and Accuracy

Pronunciation

Part 1: Everyday Questions

Answer these 4 questions naturally. Aim for 2 to 3 sentences per answer.

1

What is the oldest thing in your room?

Press record and speak your answer in your own words:

[Bài tập luyện nói]

💡 Model Answer & Useful Phrases (Click to Expand) Toggle

"Well, to be honest, the oldest item is an old wooden desk lamp. It dates back to my grandfather's school days. It has a tiny scratch on top, but it still works like a charm today."

Phrase Notes:

• to be honest: used to say what you really think in a friendly way

• dates back to: was made or started at a specific time in the past

• works like a charm: functions very well without any trouble

2

Do you keep things for a long time, or do you often throw them away?

Press record and speak your answer in your own words:

[Bài tập luyện nói]

💡 Model Answer & Useful Phrases (Click to Expand) Toggle

"I usually keep things as long as possible. You know, I look after my stuff, so I hardly ever throw anything away. I still wear a warm blue winter scarf I got five years ago."

Phrase Notes:

• You know: a casual filler used to keep the conversation flowing smoothly

• look after: take care of something so it stays in good condition

• hardly ever: almost never

• throw anything away: put an object into the rubbish bin

3

Have you ever used something that another person had before you?

Press record and speak your answer in your own words:

[Bài tập luyện nói]

💡 Model Answer & Useful Phrases (Click to Expand) Toggle

"Yes, definitely! My older brother passed down his mountain bike to me. It was second-hand, of course, and the bell was slightly rusty, but it was still in good working order for my daily rides."

Phrase Notes:

• passed down: gave something to a younger family member

• second-hand: previously owned and used by someone else

• in good working order: functioning properly and ready to use

4

Is there a place at home where you put old things that you do not use?

Press record and speak your answer in your own words:

[Bài tập luyện nói]

💡 Model Answer & Useful Phrases (Click to Expand) Toggle

"Yes, we have a small storage cupboard under the stairs. Whenever we clear out our rooms, we put away boxes of old books and spare blankets there to keep them out of the way."

Phrase Notes:

• clear out: tidy up by sorting through and removing unwanted items

• put away: place an object back into its proper storage space

• keep them out of the way: prevent objects from causing clutter in daily areas

Part 2: Long Turn (Cue Card)

Take one minute to prepare your notes, then speak for 60 to 90 seconds.

Speaking Task Card

⏱️ Preparation: 1 minute • 🎙️ Speaking time: 60-90 seconds

Describe something that you gave away, sold or threw away.

You should say:

what it was
how long you had it
why you got rid of it
and explain how you felt about it.

When you are ready, start recording your response:

[Bài tập luyện nói]

💡 Model Answer & Useful Phrases (Click to Expand) Toggle

"Well, I'd like to talk about an old pair of leather football boots that I gave away about two months ago. I had owned those boots for roughly three years. I bought them when I joined my school team, so they held quite a few fond memories. They had a bright yellow stripe on the side, but eventually, the soles became very worn out.

I decided to get rid of them because they simply became too tight for my feet. I didn't want to just toss them in the bin, so I asked around. Luckily, my neighbour's younger son loved them, so I passed them along to him.

To be honest, I felt a bit reluctant at first because of the memories. But seeing the boy smile made me feel great. It was lovely to know they went to good use."

Phrase Notes:

• get rid of: throw away, give away, or sell something you no longer need

• toss them in the bin: throw items directly into household waste

• passed them along: handed an item over to someone else who could use it

• a bit reluctant: feeling slightly hesitant or unwilling before doing something

• went to good use: was used in a practical, helpful, and meaningful way

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