APIEVocabulary: Decluttering and Second-hand Things
Decluttering and second-hand things
Answers and an explanation for each question appear once you add this activity to your own library.
Decluttering and Second-hand Things
Learn 10 everyday words to talk about organizing your home, passing on old items, and living with less waste.
📋 How to use this lesson
For the Teacher
Use this 20-minute lesson for whole-class presentation or independent student practice.
Check the answers and listen to shadowing recordings together at the end of class.
For the Learner
Study the word table first and read the quick memory tips carefully.
Complete the 16 practice exercises and record your voice in the shadowing section.
Word table
Study the ten words below. Notice how words fit into phrases and change form.
| Word | Meaning | Common collocations | Word forms | Example sentence | Memory tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| attic | the space just below the roof of a house | clean out the attic, store in the attic | – | We found boxes of old books in the attic. | Top of the house: sounds like "at the top" |
| wardrobe | a tall cupboard for hanging your clothes | organise the wardrobe, full wardrobe | – | Hang your heavy winter coats inside the wardrobe. | Think of "ward" (protect) + "robes" (clothes) |
| garage | a building or room where cars and tools are kept | clear the garage, park in the garage | – | Dad parked the car and stored his tools in the garage. | Picture a car driving into a shelter |
| junk | old things that have little value or no use | sell junk, throw out junk, junk mail | – | There was so much junk in the basement that we could not walk. | Like "junk food": tempting to keep, but no real value |
| Word | Meaning | Common collocations | Word forms | Example sentence | Memory tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| declutter | to remove unnecessary things from a place to make it tidy | declutter your room, declutter the house | clutter (n) | I decided to declutter my desk so I could study better. | de- (remove) + clutter (mess) |
| swap | to give something and get something else in return | swap clothes, swap with a friend | – | Let us swap books after we finish reading them. | Two arrows pointing at each other (A ⇄ B) |
| auction | a public sale where items are sold to the person who offers the most money | hold an auction, online auction, buy at auction | – | She sold her vintage bicycle at a local auction. | Think of a wooden hammer tapping: "Going, going, gone!" |
| Word | Meaning | Common collocations | Word forms | Example sentence | Memory tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| useless | not helpful or not working at all | completely useless, useless item | use (n, v), useful (adj) | This broken toaster is useless now. | use + -less (without use; opposite of useful) |
| worn | damaged or thin because it was used for a long time | worn out, worn shoes, worn carpet | wear (v) | His running shoes were too worn to wear outside. | Past form of wear: worn down by time |
| reusable | can be used again instead of being thrown away | reusable bag, reusable bottle, reusable container | reuse (v, n) | Always bring a reusable bag when you go shopping. | re- (again) + use + -able (able to be used again) |
Practice
Work through the 16 tasks below to test your understanding.
🧩 Part A: Match verbs and nouns
Select the noun phrase that naturally pairs with each verb.
1. Which noun phrase naturally follows the verb "clean out"?
2. Which phrase naturally follows the verb "swap"?
3. Which phrase naturally follows the verb "organise"?
4. Which phrase naturally follows the verb "hold"?
✍️ Part B: Gap-fills with word bank
Choose the right word from the bank to complete each sentence or dialogue.
5. Anna: "There are so many useless old boxes in our living room!"
Mark: "I know. We really need to ____ this weekend."
6. Sam: "Where should I park my bicycle and leave the garden tools?"
Ben: "You can put them inside the ____ next to the car."
7. Clara: "Are you going to keep all these broken toys?"
Leo: "No, it is all just ____. I will put it in the bin."
8. Shop assistant: "Would you like a plastic bag for your groceries?"
Customer: "No thanks, I brought my own ____ shopping bag."
🎯 Part C: Choose the word
All three choices make a correct English sentence, but only one matches the specific meaning of the context.
9. We climbed up the folding wooden ladder right under the roof to check the ___.
10. The battery has no power and will not charge at all, so this flashlight is completely ___.
11. If you like my blue sweater and I like your jacket, why don't we simply ___?
12. Instead of throwing old furniture in the bin, my grandmother offered it to a local ___ house to sell to the highest bidder.
🔄 Part D: Word-formation gap-fills
Change the word in brackets into the correct form from our word table.
13. There is so much ____ on your bedroom floor that I cannot even open the door. (declutter)
14. This small pocket knife is very ____ for opening parcels and cutting tape. (useless)
15. His favourite leather boots were completely ____ out after three years of walking. (wear)
16. Many people wash and ____ glass jars to store rice, pasta, and spices. (reusable)
Shadowing
Listen to the natural pronunciation, repeat clearly, and record your voice for each item.
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