CELPIP vocabulary: weather and the environment
Everyday words and phrases for weather and the environment that come up across CELPIP Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, each with its meaning, an example, similar words and a CELPIP tip. This is topic 13 of our 500 essential CELPIP words.
Nouns 20
forecast
nounCLB 6/ˈfɔːrkæst/A prediction of the weather.
“The forecast says heavy snow tomorrow.”
SimilarpredictionoutlookCELPIP tip Also a verb: "Snow is forecast for tomorrow." Pattern: the forecast says, the forecast calls for.
temperature
nounCLB 5/ˈtemprətʃər/A measure of how hot or cold something is.
“The temperature dropped overnight.”
Similarheatdegree of warmthCELPIP tip Canada uses Celsius. Temperatures "drop" or "rise"; say "a high temperature", not "a hot temperature".
wind chill
nounCLB 7The effect of wind making the air feel colder than it really is.
“With the wind chill, it feels like −30.”
Similarwindchill factorfeels-like temperatureCELPIP tip A very Canadian weather term; forecasts say "with the wind chill, it feels like minus 30".
snowstorm
nounCLB 5/ˈsnoʊstɔːrm/A storm with heavy snow.
“The snowstorm closed schools.”
Similarblizzardwinter stormCELPIP tip A "blizzard" is a severe snowstorm with strong wind. Closures caused by storms often appear in Listening Part 4.
freezing rain
nounCLB 7Rain that turns to ice.
“Freezing rain made the roads dangerous.”
Similarice stormsleetCELPIP tip Common in Ontario and Quebec winter news. Pair it with effects: icy roads, power outages, school closures.
heat wave
nounCLB 6A period of very hot weather.
“Cooling centres opened during the heat wave.”
Similarhot spellheatCELPIP tip Canadian spelling: cooling centres. Heat wave advice for seniors is a likely Reading Part 3 topic.
flooding
nounCLB 6/ˈflʌdɪŋ/Water covering normally dry land.
“Spring flooding damaged several homes.”
Similarfloodsinundationhigh waterCELPIP tip Uncountable when it means floods in general. "Spring flooding" is common in Canadian news reports.
wildfire
nounCLB 6/ˈwaɪldfaɪər/An uncontrolled fire in nature.
“Wildfire smoke affected air quality.”
Similarforest firebushfireCELPIP tip Pairings: wildfire smoke, wildfire season, evacuation order. A frequent Listening Part 4 news topic in summer.
air quality
nounCLB 7A measure of how clean the air is.
“Poor air quality warnings were issued.”
Similarair pollution levelair conditionsCELPIP tip Pattern: poor or good air quality; an air quality warning. Often linked to wildfires or traffic in news items.
power outage
nounCLB 6A loss of electricity.
“The storm caused a power outage for 2,000 homes.”
Similarblackoutpower cutCELPIP tip "Power outage" is the usual Canadian term. Pattern: a power outage hit or affected 2,000 homes.
emergency kit
nounCLB 7Supplies kept for emergencies.
“Keep water and a flashlight in your emergency kit.”
Similarsurvival kitemergency suppliesCELPIP tip Government notices in Reading Part 3 often list what to put in an emergency kit; scan for item lists.
climate change
nounCLB 7Long-term change in the Earth's climate.
“Climate change is making summers hotter.”
Similarglobal warmingclimate crisisCELPIP tip Uncountable, no article: "Climate change is..." Pair it with verbs like "tackle", "fight" or "address".
pollution
nounCLB 6/pəˈluːʃən/Harmful substances in air, water or land.
“Traffic is a major source of pollution.”
Similarcontaminationdirty airCELPIP tip Pairings: air, water or noise pollution; reduce pollution. The verb is "pollute".
emissions
nounCLB 8/iˈmɪʃənz/Gases released into the air.
“Electric buses reduce emissions.”
Similargreenhouse gasesexhaustCELPIP tip Usually plural: carbon emissions, reduce emissions. Strong vocabulary for Writing Task 2 environmental surveys.
compost
nounCLB 7/ˈkɑːmpoʊst/Food waste turned into soil.
“We put fruit peels in the compost bin.”
Similarorganic wastegreen wasteCELPIP tip Many Canadian cities use a "green bin" for compost. Also a verb: "We compost food scraps."
single-use plastic
nounCLB 8Plastic used once and thrown away.
“The city is banning single-use plastic straws.”
Similardisposable plasticthrowaway plasticCELPIP tip Hyphenate "single-use" before a noun. Bans on single-use plastic are a classic Writing Task 2 survey topic.
conservation
nounCLB 8/ˌkɑːnsərˈveɪʃən/Protecting nature.
“Conservation groups planted 1,000 trees.”
SimilarprotectionpreservationCELPIP tip Pairings: conservation group, water conservation, energy conservation. Common in Reading Part 3 information texts.
wildlife
nounCLB 6/ˈwaɪldlaɪf/Wild animals.
“Don't feed the wildlife.”
Similarwild animalsfaunaCELPIP tip Uncountable: say "the wildlife is", never "wildlifes". Park signs in Reading texts often warn not to feed wildlife.
hiking trail
nounCLB 6A path for walking in nature.
“The hiking trail is closed after dark.”
Similarwalking trailpathCELPIP tip Pairings: a well-marked, steep or easy trail. Describing trails adds detail to Speaking Task 2 stories.
provincial park
nounCLB 7A protected park run by a province.
“We camped in a provincial park.”
Similarnature reserveprotected areaCELPIP tip Lower case unless it is part of a name. A Canadian alternative to "national park" in Speaking Task 5 trip choices.
Phrases 1
below zero
phraseCLB 6Colder than 0 °C.
“It's been below zero for a week.”
Similarsub-zerofreezingCELPIP tip Often heard in Listening Part 4 weather news: "Temperatures will stay below zero all week."
Adjectives 4
humid
adjectiveCLB 6/ˈhjuːmɪd/Hot and damp.
“Toronto summers can be very humid.”
SimilarmuggystickydampCELPIP tip The noun is "humidity": "The humidity is high today." Useful for describing summer weather in Speaking Task 2.
reusable
adjectiveCLB 6/riˈjuːzəbəl/Able to be used again.
“Bring a reusable bag to the store.”
SimilarrefillabledurableCELPIP tip Pairings: reusable bag, bottle or cup. Contrast it with "single-use" or "disposable" in environment answers.
sustainable
adjectiveCLB 8/səˈsteɪnəbəl/Able to continue without harming the environment.
“We need more sustainable transport.”
Similareco-friendlygreenrenewableCELPIP tip The noun is "sustainability". A strong, formal choice for Writing Task 2 survey answers on city plans.
energy-efficient
adjectiveCLB 8/ˌenərdʒiɪˈfɪʃənt/Using little energy.
“Energy-efficient windows lower heating bills.”
Similarenergy-savinglow-energyCELPIP tip Hyphenate it before a noun. Pair it with savings: "energy-efficient appliances lower bills" makes a persuasive reason.
How to learn these words
- Skip the words you already use with confidence, and start with the ones at or just above your target CLB. Pick a level in Any CLB level to see only those.
- Say each example sentence out loud, then make your own sentence about your life.
- Open Flashcards to test yourself. Words you mark I know it drop out of the To learn view.
- Use two or three of the words on purpose in your next Speaking or Writing practice answer.
More CELPIP vocabulary by topic
- Housing and renting (25 words)
- Community and local life (25 words)
- Work and the workplace (25 words)
- Jobs and careers (25 words)
- Shopping and customer service (25 words)
- Money, banking and bills (25 words)
- Transportation and commuting (25 words)
- Travel and holidays (25 words)
- Health and wellness (25 words)
- Education and children (25 words)
- Family, friends and social life (25 words)
- Food and eating out (25 words)
- Technology (25 words)
- News and current events (25 words)
- Events and free time (25 words)
- Requests, complaints and apologies (25 words)
- Opinions and persuasion (25 words)
- Describing pictures and scenes (25 words)
- Linking words (25 words)
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