Why is "Putting a conjugated verb after il faut (writing *il faut je recycle*)" a common mistake in The natural environment and environmental issues?

Why it happens: English says 'we must recycle' with a subject, so beginners add je/on after il faut. How to avoid it: Use the infinitive every time: *il faut recycler*, *il faut protéger*, *on devrait économiser*. The same rule applies after *on peut* and *je dois*. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing), structure

Why is "Using the wrong gender (saying *la environnement* or *le pollution*)" a common mistake in The natural environment and environmental issues?

Why it happens: English has no genders, so learners guess and adjectives/pronouns then disagree. How to avoid it: Learn each noun with its article: *l'environnement* (m.), *la pollution* (f.), *le climat* (m.), *les déchets* (m. pl.). Then make adjectives agree: *la pollution est dangereuse* (f.). Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing), accuracy

Why is "Leaving accents off environment words (réchauffement, déchets, forêt, planète)" a common mistake in The natural environment and environmental issues?

Why it happens: English has no accents, so beginners treat them as optional. How to avoid it: Treat an accent as part of the spelling. Memorise high-frequency words with their accents: *réchauffement*, *déchets*, *énergie*, *forêt*, *planète*, *à mon avis*. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing), accuracy

Why is "Giving one-word answers in the Speaking exam (just *oui* or *la pollution*)" a common mistake in The natural environment and environmental issues?

Why it happens: Nerves and limited confidence lead candidates to say the minimum. How to avoid it: Always answer in a full sentence with a reason. For *Est-ce que le recyclage est important ?* say *Oui, c'est important parce que ça réduit les déchets.* Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 3 (Speaking)

Why is "Putting the adjective before the noun as in English (*un grave problème*)" a common mistake in The natural environment and environmental issues?

Why it happens: English word order (adjective + noun) is carried over into French. How to avoid it: Most French adjectives go AFTER the noun: *un problème grave*, *une énergie renouvelable*. Only a small set (grand, petit, bon, mauvais, beau) come before. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing), grammar

Why is "Stating a fact without an opinion or a reason" a common mistake in The natural environment and environmental issues?

Why it happens: Beginners list vocabulary (*la pollution, les déchets*) without building sentences that judge or justify. How to avoid it: Use the frame opinion + connective + reason: *Je pense que la pollution est grave parce que c'est dangereux pour la santé.* The justification is where the marks are. Source: Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Papers 3 & 4

Topic Area 3 - The World Around UsCambridge IGCSE French (0520)

The natural environment and environmental issues

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The natural environment and environmental issues in French — Cambridge IGCSE French 0520 (2025-2027)

A beginner-friendly toolkit of environment vocabulary, key verbs, opinions with reasons, and ready-to-use question-and-answer frames so you can talk and write confidently about nature, pollution and protecting the planet across all four 0520 papers.

At a glance

Learn two vocabulary families: la nature (nature — la forêt the forest, la rivière the river, la mer the sea) and les problèmes (problems — la pollution pollution, le réchauffement climatique global warming).
Three power verbs unlock most sentences: protéger (to protect), recycler (to recycle) and gaspiller (to waste). Add il faut + infinitive (you must / it is necessary to) to give advice.
l'environnement (the environment) is masculine: say l'environnement with elision, and le not la when the article reappears.
Opinions follow a simple frame: je pense que (I think that) / à mon avis (in my opinion) + reason with parce que (because).
Connectives lift your level fast: mais (but), donc (so/therefore), car (because/for), par contre (on the other hand).
il faut (you must) + an infinitive is the examiner's favourite advice structure: il faut recycler (you must recycle), il faut protéger la planète (you must protect the planet).
Watch the genders and accents: la pollution, le climat (the climate), l'énergie (f., energy), le déchet (the piece of rubbish) — accents on é are part of the spelling.
A reusable answer frame: À mon avis, le plus grand problème est la pollution, parce qu'elle est dangereuse pour les animaux. Pour aider, il faut recycler et utiliser les transports en commun.

What you’ll learn

Mapped to the Cambridge IGCSE 0520 syllabus (2025-2027).

Recognise and use core vocabulary for the natural environment (landscapes, weather, wildlife) and for environmental problems.
Use the key verbs protéger, recycler, gaspiller, polluer and jeter correctly with je and on.
Give and justify opinions about environmental issues using je pense que / à mon avis + parce que.
Use il faut + infinitive and on devrait + infinitive to suggest solutions.
Link ideas with connectives (mais, donc, car, parce que, par contre) to build longer answers.
Apply the correct gender and accents to high-frequency environment nouns (l'environnement, la pollution, l'énergie, le climat).
Answer and ask common environment questions in the Speaking and Writing papers using reusable frames.

Talking about nature — the landscape and weather vocabulary

Build a picture of the natural world: landscapes, water, sky and weather, each with its gender.

Start with the world you can see. These nouns describe la nature (nature) — and notice each one comes with le (masculine, "the") or la (feminine, "the"). The gender matters because adjectives and pronouns later must agree with it.

French	Pronunciation	English
la nature	la na-TÜR	nature
la forêt	la fo-REH	the forest
la montagne	la mon-TA-nyuh	the mountain
la rivière	la ree-VYAIR	the river
la mer	la mair	the sea
le fleuve	luh fluhv	the (large) river
la plage	la plazh	the beach
la campagne	la kom-PA-nyuh	the countryside
le ciel	luh syel	the sky
le soleil	luh so-LAY	the sun
l'arbre (m.)	LAR-bruh	the tree
la fleur	la flur	the flower

Weather (le temps) is part of this theme too. Examiners often link weather to climate change, so keep these ready. French uses the verb faire (to make/do) for most weather: il fait literally means "it makes".

French	Pronunciation	English
il fait beau	eel feh boh	the weather is nice
il fait chaud	eel feh show	it is hot
il fait froid	eel feh frwa	it is cold
il pleut	eel pluh	it is raining
il neige	eel nezh	it is snowing
le climat	luh klee-MA	the climate

Worked mini-example — describing a place. To say "I love the countryside because it is beautiful and calm" you build: J'aime la campagne parce qu'elle est belle et calme. (zhem la kom-PA-nyuh par-skel eh bel ay kalm). Note elle (it/she) replaces the feminine la campagne, and belle is the feminine of beau (beautiful).

Nature nouns carry a gender: la forêt, la mer, le ciel, **l'**arbre (m.).
Weather uses faire: il fait beau (nice), il fait chaud (hot), il fait froid (cold).
il pleut (it rains) and il neige (it snows) are single fixed verbs.
Replace a feminine noun with elle, a masculine with il.

Environmental problems — the issues vocabulary

The core nouns for pollution, waste, warming and their effects, with correct genders.

A mind map of the four big environmental problems — keep one example sentence ready for each branch.

Now the problems. These are the words examiners expect when a text or question turns to les problèmes de l'environnement (environmental problems). Learn the gender with each noun.

French	Pronunciation	English
l'environnement (m.)	lon-vee-ron-MON	the environment
la pollution	la po-lü-SYON	pollution
le réchauffement climatique	luh ray-shohf-MON klee-ma-TEEK	global warming
le changement climatique	luh shonzh-MON klee-ma-TEEK	climate change
les déchets (m. pl.)	lay day-SHEH	rubbish, waste
la déforestation	la day-fo-res-ta-SYON	deforestation
les espèces en danger	lay-zes-PESS on don-ZHAY	endangered species
les gaz (m.)	lay gaz	gases
les énergies renouvelables	lay-zay-ner-ZHEE ruh-noo-vlabl	renewable energy
les transports en commun	lay trons-POR on ko-MUH	public transport

Useful adjectives to describe a problem:

grave (grav) — serious; inquiétant (an-kyay-TON) — worrying; dangereux / dangereuse (don-zhuh-RUH / -RUHZ) — dangerous (m./f.); important (an-por-TON) — important.

Worked mini-example — naming the biggest problem. "In my opinion, the biggest problem is pollution" becomes: À mon avis, le plus grand problème est la pollution. (a mon a-VEE, luh plü gron pro-BLEM eh la po-lü-SYON). The structure le plus grand (the biggest) is a superlative you can reuse: le plus grand danger (the biggest danger).

Key problems: la pollution, le réchauffement climatique (global warming), les déchets (waste), la déforestation.
l'environnement is masculine — say le environnement, *l'*environnement with elision.
Solutions vocab: les énergies renouvelables, les transports en commun, le recyclage (recycling).
Describe with grave (serious), dangereux/dangereuse, inquiétant (worrying).

The key verbs — protect, recycle, waste, pollute

A handful of -er verbs do most of the work; learn them with je, on and the infinitive.

Most environment talk runs on a few regular -er verbs. Regular -er verbs are friendly: for je (I) the ending is -e, for on (we/one) the ending is -e as well (on always behaves like il/elle). The infinitive (the "to ..." form) is what you use after il faut and on doit.

Infinitive	English	je form	on form
protéger	to protect	je protège	on protège
recycler	to recycle	je recycle	on recycle
gaspiller	to waste	je gaspille	on gaspille
polluer	to pollute	je pollue	on pollue
jeter	to throw away	je jette	on jette
trier	to sort (rubbish)	je trie	on trie
économiser	to save (energy/water)	j'économise	on économise
utiliser	to use	j'utilise	on utilise

Note protéger keeps its accents: je protège (zhuh pro-TEZH) takes a grave accent (è) because of the "eh" sound, while the infinitive protéger has an acute (é). Jeter doubles its t in je jette (zhuh zhet).

Two must-have advice structures:

il faut + infinitive = "you must / it is necessary to": il faut recycler (you must recycle), il faut protéger la planète (you must protect the planet).
on devrait + infinitive = "we should": on devrait économiser l'eau (we should save water), on devrait utiliser les transports en commun (we should use public transport).

Worked mini-example — a solution sentence. "We should recycle and we must not waste water" becomes: On devrait recycler et il ne faut pas gaspiller l'eau. (on duh-VREH ruh-see-KLAY ay eel nuh foh pa gas-pee-YAY loh). Notice il ne faut pas + infinitive = "you must not": a negative wrapped around faut with ne ... pas.

Core verbs: protéger (protect), recycler (recycle), gaspiller (waste), polluer (pollute), jeter (throw away).
Regular -er verbs end in -e for both je and on: je recycle, on recycle.
il faut + infinitive = you must; il ne faut pas + infinitive = you must not.
on devrait + infinitive = we should — a strong, polite suggestion.

Opinions with reasons — saying what you think and why

Use an opinion phrase, then a connective, then a reason — the formula examiners reward.

The opinion + connective + reason frame — the reliable way to earn opinion marks.

A bare statement ("Pollution is bad") scores little. Examiners reward an opinion plus a reason. Build it in three slots: an opinion phrase, a connective, then a reason.

Opinion phrases (slot 1):

French	Pronunciation	English
je pense que	zhuh pons kuh	I think that
je crois que	zhuh krwa kuh	I believe that
à mon avis	a mon a-VEE	in my opinion
selon moi	suh-LON mwa	according to me
je trouve que	zhuh troov kuh	I find that

Connectives (slot 2) — these lift your grade:

French	English	Use
parce que	because	give a reason
car	because/for	give a reason (slightly more formal)
mais	but	contrast
donc	so / therefore	result
par contre	on the other hand	contrast
aussi	also	add an idea

Reasons (slot 3) — handy ready-made endings:

c'est dangereux pour les animaux (it is dangerous for animals)
c'est mauvais pour la santé (it is bad for health)
ça détruit la nature (it destroys nature)
c'est important pour l'avenir (it is important for the future)

Worked mini-example — a full opinion. À mon avis, le réchauffement climatique est le plus grand problème, parce qu'il détruit la nature et c'est dangereux pour les animaux. (In my opinion, global warming is the biggest problem, because it destroys nature and it is dangerous for animals.) Notice parce qu'il — parce que elides to parce qu' before the vowel of il.

Frame: opinion phrase + connective + reason (je pense que ... parce que ...).
Opinions: à mon avis (in my opinion), je pense que, selon moi (according to me).
Connectives that raise your level: parce que, car, mais, donc, par contre.
Ready reasons: c'est dangereux, c'est mauvais pour la santé, ça détruit la nature.

Question-and-answer frames for Speaking and Writing

Memorise these question shapes and a model answer for each — they recur every series.

The environment is a predictable theme, so you can prepare reusable question → answer frames. Learn the question so you recognise it when you hear or read it, and learn a model answer you can adapt.

Question	English	Frame for your answer
Quels sont les problèmes de l'environnement ?	What are the environmental problems?	Les problèmes principaux sont la pollution et le réchauffement climatique.
Que fais-tu pour protéger l'environnement ?	What do you do to protect the environment?	Je recycle le papier et je prends le bus.
Est-ce que le recyclage est important ?	Is recycling important?	Oui, le recyclage est très important parce que ça réduit les déchets.
Quel est le plus grand problème, à ton avis ?	What is the biggest problem, in your opinion?	À mon avis, le plus grand problème est la pollution.
Que peut-on faire pour aider ?	What can we do to help?	On peut recycler, économiser l'eau et utiliser les transports en commun.

A complete model paragraph (Writing or Speaking). Combine the frames:

À mon avis, le plus grand problème de l'environnement est la pollution, parce qu'elle est dangereuse pour les animaux et mauvaise pour la santé. Pour aider, je recycle le papier et le plastique, et je prends le bus au lieu de la voiture. Je pense qu'il faut protéger la planète pour l'avenir.

(In my opinion, the biggest environmental problem is pollution, because it is dangerous for animals and bad for health. To help, I recycle paper and plastic, and I take the bus instead of the car. I think we must protect the planet for the future.)

Worked mini-example — turning a question into your own answer. Take Que fais-tu pour protéger l'environnement ? Pick two actions you can spell and conjugate: Je recycle le verre (I recycle glass) and J'éteins les lumières (I switch off the lights — from éteindre, to switch off). Join with et (and): Je recycle le verre et j'éteins les lumières. You have just produced an exam-ready answer.

Prepare a model answer for each common question: problems, what you do, recycling, the biggest problem, how to help.
Que fais-tu pour protéger l'environnement ? → Je recycle ... et je prends le bus.
Que peut-on faire pour aider ? → On peut recycler, économiser l'eau ... (on peut + infinitive = we can).
Chain frames into a full paragraph with connectives for a top-band answer.

Memorise this

Verbatim phrases and definitions Cambridge mark schemes credit.

l'environnement (m.) — the environment; la pollution — pollution.
le réchauffement climatique — global warming; le changement climatique — climate change.
les déchets — rubbish/waste; la déforestation — deforestation; les espèces en danger — endangered species.
les énergies renouvelables — renewable energy; les transports en commun — public transport.
protéger — to protect; recycler — to recycle; gaspiller — to waste; polluer — to pollute; jeter — to throw away.
il faut + infinitive — you must; il ne faut pas + infinitive — you must not; on devrait + infinitive — we should.
je pense que — I think that; à mon avis — in my opinion; selon moi — according to me.
Connectives: parce que (because), car (because/for), mais (but), donc (so), par contre (on the other hand).
c'est dangereux pour les animaux — it is dangerous for animals; c'est mauvais pour la santé — it is bad for health.
Model line: À mon avis, le plus grand problème est la pollution, parce qu'elle est dangereuse pour les animaux.

How it’s examined

The natural environment is a core theme in Topic Area 3 (The World Around Us) and appears across all four 0520 papers.

Paper 1 (Listening): You may hear a conversation about recycling, weather, or environmental problems. Recognising the key nouns (pollution, déchets, recyclage) and the advice structure il faut is essential to pick the right answer.
Paper 2 (Reading): Texts about protecting the planet are common. Many words are cognates (pollution, climat, énergie) you can decode, but watch for the verbs gaspiller (to waste) and trier (to sort), which are not obvious.
Paper 3 (Speaking): Expect role-play or conversation questions such as Que fais-tu pour protéger l'environnement ? Answer in full, justified sentences using the opinion + reason frame; one-word answers waste marks.
Paper 4 (Writing): A written task may ask for your opinion on an environmental issue or what your school/town does. Use connectives (parce que, donc, par contre), il faut + infinitive, and correct accents (réchauffement, déchets, forêt).

Examiner reports note that candidates earn the most marks by justifying opinions and by using a range of connectives, and lose accuracy marks through missing accents and conjugating a verb after il faut instead of using the infinitive.

Sources: Cambridge IGCSE French 0520 Syllabus 2025-2027; Cambridge 0520 Paper 2 (Reading) & Paper 4 (Writing) Specimen 2025-2027; Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports 2022-2024. Last reviewed 2026-06-02.

Master this Topic

Worked examples, formulae, definitions and the mistakes examiners flag — everything you need to push from a pass to an A*.

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Download a branded revision sheet — worked examples, formulae, definitions and common mistakes for The natural environment and environmental issues, ready to print or save as PDF.

Step-by-step worked examples — The natural environment and environmental issues

Step-by-step solutions to past-paper-style questions on the natural environment and environmental issues, written exactly the way a tutor would explain them at the board.

1Name an environmental problem and describe it
Getting started
Question
Complete the sentence in French: 'Pollution is a serious problem.' Use the noun la pollution and the adjective grave (serious).
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Start with the noun and its article. Pollution is feminine: la pollution. The verb 'is' is est (from être, to be).
2. Step 2
  Add the adjective. Grave (serious) does not change before a feminine singular noun here because it already ends in -e, so it stays grave. Add un (a) for 'a problem': un problème.
3. Step 3
  Build it: La pollution est un problème grave. In French the adjective usually comes after the noun, so problème grave, not grave problème.
Answer
La pollution est un problème grave. (la po-lü-SYON eh tan pro-BLEM grav) — Pollution is a serious problem.
Examiner tip
A common Getting-started error is putting the adjective before the noun as in English. In French most adjectives follow the noun: un problème grave. Also remember problème keeps its accent grave (è).
2Give advice with il faut + infinitive
Getting started
Question
Translate into French using il faut (you must / it is necessary to): 'We must recycle and protect the planet.'
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Choose the structure. Il faut is followed directly by the infinitive — never a conjugated verb. So 'must recycle' = il faut recycler.
2. Step 2
  Add the second verb. 'Protect the planet' = protéger la planète. After the connective et (and) you keep the infinitive: il faut recycler et protéger la planète.
3. Step 3
  Check the accents. protéger has an acute (é) in the infinitive, and planète takes a grave (è).
Answer
Il faut recycler et protéger la planète. (eel foh ruh-see-KLAY ay pro-tay-ZHAY la pla-NET) — We must recycle and protect the planet.
Examiner tip
Examiner reports flag that candidates often write a conjugated verb after il faut (e.g. il faut je recycle). The rule is absolute: il faut + infinitive. This structure is one of the easiest ways to show range in Paper 4.
3Build an opinion with a reason
Building confidence
Question
Write a justified opinion in French meaning: 'In my opinion, global warming is dangerous because it destroys nature.'
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Opinion phrase. 'In my opinion' = à mon avis. Follow it with the subject le réchauffement climatique (global warming), which is masculine.
2. Step 2
  Adjective agreement. 'Dangerous' agrees with the masculine subject, so use dangereux (not the feminine dangereuse): est dangereux.
3. Step 3
  Connective + reason. 'Because' = parce que, which elides to parce qu' before the vowel of il: parce qu'il détruit la nature (because it destroys nature, from détruire).
4. Step 4
  Assemble: À mon avis, le réchauffement climatique est dangereux parce qu'il détruit la nature.
Answer
À mon avis, le réchauffement climatique est dangereux parce qu'il détruit la nature. — In my opinion, global warming is dangerous because it destroys nature.
Examiner tip
This hits two mark-scheme targets at once: an opinion phrase and a justification with parce que. Note dangereux (m.) matches le réchauffement; if the subject were la pollution you would need dangereuse (f.).
4Turn a Speaking question into a full answer
Building confidence
Question
The examiner asks: Que fais-tu pour protéger l'environnement ? (What do you do to protect the environment?) Give a full answer naming two actions.
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  Answer in a full sentence, not one word. Use je + a present-tense verb. Action one: je recycle le papier (I recycle paper).
2. Step 2
  Add a second action joined with et (and): je prends le bus (I take the bus, from prendre) or j'économise l'eau (I save water).
3. Step 3
  Add a short reason to reach for higher marks: parce que c'est bon pour la planète (because it is good for the planet).
Answer
Pour protéger l'environnement, je recycle le papier et je prends le bus, parce que c'est bon pour la planète. — To protect the environment, I recycle paper and I take the bus, because it is good for the planet.
Examiner tip
In Paper 3, developed answers score far more than single words. Two actions + a reason shows range of vocabulary and the ability to justify. Reusing part of the question (pour protéger l'environnement) is a safe, accurate way to start.
5Weigh two sides using a contrast connective
Stretch
Question
Write a more sophisticated answer in French meaning: 'Recycling is important, but on the other hand, we waste too much water.'
Step-by-step solution
1. Step 1
  First idea. 'Recycling is important' = Le recyclage est important. (recyclage is masculine, so important, not importante.)
2. Step 2
  Contrast connective. 'But on the other hand' = mais par contre. This signals you are weighing two sides — a top-band move.
3. Step 3
  Second idea. 'We waste too much water' = on gaspille trop d'eau (from gaspiller, to waste). trop de (too much) becomes trop d' before the vowel of eau.
4. Step 4
  Assemble: Le recyclage est important, mais par contre, on gaspille trop d'eau.
Answer
Le recyclage est important, mais par contre, on gaspille trop d'eau. — Recycling is important, but on the other hand, we waste too much water.
Examiner tip
Using a contrast connective (par contre, cependant) to balance two ideas reads as far more advanced than a list. Note trop d'eau with elision, and that on takes the same verb form as il/elle: on gaspille.

Model Answers — The natural environment and environmental issues

High-scoring sample answers for the natural environment and environmental issues on the Cambridge IGCSE 0520 paper, with examiner-style notes mapping each response to the mark scheme and assessment objectives.

Question 1
Paper 3 (Speaking) style. Quel est le plus grand problème de l'environnement, à ton avis ? (What is the biggest environmental problem, in your opinion?) Give a developed answer.
Model answer
À mon avis, le plus grand problème est la pollution, parce qu'elle est dangereuse pour les animaux et mauvaise pour la santé. (In my opinion, the biggest problem is pollution, because it is dangerous for animals and bad for health.)

Pour aider, on devrait utiliser les transports en commun et on ne devrait pas gaspiller l'énergie. (To help, we should use public transport and we should not waste energy.)
Why this scores
Why this scores. It names a problem, justifies it with two reasons (parce qu'elle est dangereuse ... et mauvaise ...), and offers a solution with on devrait + infinitive and its negative on ne devrait pas. The pronoun elle correctly refers back to the feminine la pollution, and dangereuse / mauvaise take feminine agreement.
Question 2
Paper 4 (Writing) style. Write 2-3 sentences about what you do to protect the environment.
Model answer
Chez moi, je recycle le papier, le verre et le plastique. (At home, I recycle paper, glass and plastic.)

Je prends le bus pour aller à l'école et j'éteins les lumières quand je quitte une pièce. (I take the bus to go to school and I switch off the lights when I leave a room.)

Je pense qu'il faut protéger la planète pour l'avenir. (I think we must protect the planet for the future.)
Why this scores
Why this scores. It uses a range of present-tense verbs (recycle, prends, éteins), a list to show vocabulary, an opinion (je pense que) and the il faut + infinitive structure. The accents are correct (école, éteins, planète) — accuracy that Paper 4 rewards.
Question 3
Paper 3 (Speaking) style. Que peut-on faire pour aider l'environnement ? (What can we do to help the environment?) Give three suggestions.
Model answer
On peut faire beaucoup de choses. (We can do a lot of things.)

D'abord, on peut recycler les déchets. Ensuite, on peut économiser l'eau et l'électricité. Enfin, il faut planter des arbres et protéger les forêts. (First, we can recycle waste. Then, we can save water and electricity. Finally, we must plant trees and protect the forests.)
Why this scores
Why this scores. The sequencers d'abord (first), ensuite (then), enfin (finally) organise the answer clearly — examiners reward structured responses. It mixes on peut + infinitive (we can) with il faut + infinitive (we must) to show range.

Key Definitions and Keywords — The natural environment and environmental issues

Definitions to memorise and the exact keywords mark schemes credit for the natural environment and environmental issues answers — sharpened from recent examiner reports for the 2026 0520 sitting.

l'environnement (m.)
Examiner keyword
The environment. A masculine noun; use le, and l' with elision before the vowel.
Example
Il faut protéger l'environnement. — We must protect the environment.
la pollution
Examiner keyword
Pollution. A feminine noun, so it is replaced by elle and takes feminine adjectives.
Example
La pollution est dangereuse pour les animaux. — Pollution is dangerous for animals.
le réchauffement climatique
Examiner keyword
Global warming. Masculine; keep the acute accent on réchauffement.
Example
Le réchauffement climatique est un grand problème. — Global warming is a big problem.
les déchets (m. pl.)
Examiner keyword
Rubbish, waste. A masculine plural noun; the final -s and -t are silent (day-SHEH).
Example
Le recyclage réduit les déchets. — Recycling reduces waste.
recycler
Examiner keyword
To recycle. A regular -er verb: je recycle, on recycle, il faut recycler.
Example
Je recycle le papier et le plastique. — I recycle paper and plastic.
protéger
Examiner keyword
To protect. An -er verb that takes a grave accent in some forms: je protège, il faut protéger.
Example
Il faut protéger la planète. — We must protect the planet.
gaspiller
To waste (water, energy, food). A regular -er verb: je gaspille, on gaspille.
Example
Il ne faut pas gaspiller l'eau. — We must not waste water.
il faut + infinitive
Examiner keyword
An impersonal structure meaning 'you must / it is necessary to'. Always followed by an infinitive, never a conjugated verb.
Example
Il faut recycler. — We must recycle. (Negative: il ne faut pas gaspiller — we must not waste.)
parce que
Examiner keyword
Because. A connective used to justify an opinion; elides to parce qu' before a vowel.
Example
C'est grave parce qu'il détruit la nature. — It is serious because it destroys nature.
à mon avis
In my opinion. An opinion phrase to open a justified answer; note the accent grave on à.
Example
À mon avis, la pollution est le plus grand problème. — In my opinion, pollution is the biggest problem.

Common Mistakes and Misconceptions — The natural environment and environmental issues

The traps other students keep falling into on the natural environment and environmental issues questions — taken from recent Cambridge IGCSE 0520 examiner reports and mark schemes — and how to avoid them.

✕Putting a conjugated verb after il faut (writing il faut je recycle)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing), structure
Why it happens
English says 'we must recycle' with a subject, so beginners add je/on after il faut.
How to avoid it
Use the infinitive every time: il faut recycler, il faut protéger, on devrait économiser. The same rule applies after on peut and je dois.
✕Using the wrong gender (saying la environnement or le pollution)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing), accuracy
Why it happens
English has no genders, so learners guess and adjectives/pronouns then disagree.
How to avoid it
Learn each noun with its article: l'environnement (m.), la pollution (f.), le climat (m.), les déchets (m. pl.). Then make adjectives agree: la pollution est dangereuse (f.).
✕Leaving accents off environment words (réchauffement, déchets, forêt, planète)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing), accuracy
Why it happens
English has no accents, so beginners treat them as optional.
How to avoid it
Treat an accent as part of the spelling. Memorise high-frequency words with their accents: réchauffement, déchets, énergie, forêt, planète, à mon avis.
✕Giving one-word answers in the Speaking exam (just oui or la pollution)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 3 (Speaking)
Why it happens
Nerves and limited confidence lead candidates to say the minimum.
How to avoid it
Always answer in a full sentence with a reason. For Est-ce que le recyclage est important ? say Oui, c'est important parce que ça réduit les déchets.
✕Putting the adjective before the noun as in English (un grave problème)
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Paper 4 (Writing), grammar
Why it happens
English word order (adjective + noun) is carried over into French.
How to avoid it
Most French adjectives go AFTER the noun: un problème grave, une énergie renouvelable. Only a small set (grand, petit, bon, mauvais, beau) come before.
✕Stating a fact without an opinion or a reason
Cambridge 0520 Examiner Reports — Papers 3 & 4
Why it happens
Beginners list vocabulary (la pollution, les déchets) without building sentences that judge or justify.
How to avoid it
Use the frame opinion + connective + reason: Je pense que la pollution est grave parce que c'est dangereux pour la santé. The justification is where the marks are.

Past paper style quiz

Get a report showing which sub-topics you've nailed and which ones still need work.

The natural environment and environmental issues

Detailed Notes

What you’ll learn

How it’s examined

1Name an environmental problem and describe it

2Give advice with il faut + infinitive

3Build an opinion with a reason

4Turn a Speaking question into a full answer

5Weigh two sides using a contrast connective

l'environnement (m.)

la pollution

le réchauffement climatique

les déchets (m. pl.)

recycler

protéger

gaspiller

il faut + infinitive

parce que

à mon avis

✕Putting a conjugated verb after il faut (writing il faut je recycle)

✕Using the wrong gender (saying la environnement or le pollution)

✕Leaving accents off environment words (réchauffement, déchets, forêt, planète)

✕Giving one-word answers in the Speaking exam (just oui or la pollution)

✕Putting the adjective before the noun as in English (un grave problème)

✕Stating a fact without an opinion or a reason

Past paper style quiz