Hobbies and Activities
| English | Meaning / Example |
|---|---|
| reading | looking at and understanding written text — Reading is my favourite hobby. |
| drawing | creating pictures with pencil or pen — She loves drawing portraits. |
| painting | creating art with paint — He paints landscapes at the weekend. |
| photography | taking photographs — Photography is a great creative hobby. |
| cooking | preparing food — I enjoy cooking new recipes. |
| gardening | growing and caring for plants — My grandmother loves gardening. |
| gaming | playing video games — He spends hours gaming online. |
| watching films | viewing movies for entertainment — We love watching films on Friday nights. |
| hiking | walking long distances in nature — They went hiking in the mountains. |
| dancing | moving rhythmically to music — She takes dancing classes twice a week. |
| yoga | a physical and mental practice involving poses — I do yoga every morning. |
| collecting stamps / coins | gathering stamps or coins as a hobby — His grandfather collected stamps from around the world. |
| knitting | making fabric by looping yarn with needles — She knitted a scarf for the winter. |
| playing chess | the strategy board game — They play chess in the school club. |
| programming | writing computer code — He learned programming at 12. |
| blogging | writing regularly on a website — She blogs about sustainable fashion. |
| crafting | making things by hand — Crafting is relaxing and creative. |
Tip After like, love, and enjoy always use the -ing form: "I enjoy reading." / "I love painting." — never "I like to reading". The same applies to My hobby is + -ing and I'm interested in + -ing.
Verb Patterns for Hobbies
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| I like + -ing | I like hiking. |
| I love + -ing | I love watching films. |
| I enjoy + -ing | I enjoy cooking. |
| I'm interested in + -ing | I'm interested in photography. |
| I'm into + -ing / noun | I'm into gaming. |
| My hobby is + -ing | My hobby is knitting. |
| I spend time + -ing | I spend time gardening. |
Talking About Frequency
| English | Meaning / Example |
|---|---|
| every day | daily — I read every day. |
| once a week | one time per week — I go hiking once a week. |
| twice a week | two times per week — She dances twice a week. |
| at the weekend | on Saturdays and Sundays — I paint at the weekend. |
| occasionally | sometimes, not often — I play chess occasionally. |
| rarely | not often at all — I rarely go to concerts. |
| never | at no time — I never miss yoga. |
Real world: Talking about your hobbies
"What do you do in your free time?" "I love gaming and I'm really into photography. I try to go hiking once a week when the weather is good." "I also enjoy cooking — I spend most Sunday afternoons trying new recipes." "My hobby is blogging. I write about films and post about three times a week."
Practice Problems
Which verb form follows 'enjoy'? Give an example.
Show answer
-ing form. Example: 'I enjoy reading.'
What does 'occasionally' mean?
Show answer
Sometimes, but not very often.
How do you say 'My hobby is photography' using the 'I'm interested in' pattern?
Show answer
'I'm interested in photography.' (or 'I'm interested in taking photographs.')
Name three hobbies from this article that involve creating something.
Show answer
Any three of: drawing, painting, photography, cooking, knitting, crafting, blogging, programming