Video Transcript
Hello everyone! Welcome to our English class. Today, let’s talk about free time and hobbies. What do you do for fun? We can say, “I like playing video games,” or “I love reading books.” Notice the ‘ing’ at the end of the verb? Play becomes playing. Read becomes reading.
Let’s practice. What do you like doing? Maybe you like watching movies? Or maybe you enjoy listening to music? I love cooking. What about you?
We can also talk about when we do these things. For example, I like hiking on the weekend. Or, I read books after work. What do you do on the weekend?
Great job today! Practice talking about your hobbies with a friend. Thanks for watching, and see you next time.
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Free Time – Talking About Hobbies
This lesson introduces common vocabulary used to discuss free time activities, hobbies, and how often you do them. We will practice using the -ing form of verbs when talking about activities we enjoy.
Lesson Goals
- Learn common vocabulary for popular hobbies and free time activities.
- Practice asking and answering questions about free time.
- Review and apply the structure: Like / Love / Hate + Verb-ing.
- Learn simple time phrases (e.g., on the weekend, after work).
Vocabulary: Hobbies and Activities
In English, hobbies follow different grammar patterns. There are three main groups:
1. Activities with “-ing” (Activity Nouns)
These activities naturally take the -ing form when we talk about them as hobbies. They are treated like nouns.
- Reading (books/magazines)
- Cooking (meals/recipes)
- Swimming (in the pool/ocean)
- Drawing / Painting (pictures/art)
- Hiking / Running (for exercise)
- Shopping (for clothes/groceries)
Usage: I like reading books. / She enjoys swimming in the ocean.
2. Activities with “Play”
We use play for sports and musical instruments.
- Play football / basketball
- Play the guitar / piano
Usage: I play football every weekend. / He plays the guitar after school.
Note: With instruments, we normally use the → “play the guitar,” “play the piano.” Saying “play guitar” is informal and less natural.
3. Activities with “Go”
We use go + activity for outings or movement activities. Some sports also use “go + -ing.”
- Go to the movies / to a concert
- Go out with friends
- Go swimming / hiking / running
Usage: We go to the movies on Fridays. / They go hiking twice a month.
Functional Language: Talking About Free Time
Here are common questions and answers. Notice the correlation between the Ask and Answer parts:
| Ask | Answer |
|---|---|
| What do you like to do in your free time? | I like reading books. |
| What are your hobbies? | My hobbies are playing the guitar and drawing. |
| Do you like running? | Yes, I love running in the park. / No, I don’t like running. |
| How often do you go swimming? | I usually go swimming on the weekend. |
Time Phrases: Adding Context
Time phrases explain when you do your hobbies. Use them at the end of your sentence to give context.
| Phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| on the weekend | Saturday and Sunday | I play football on the weekend. |
| after work / school | When the activity ends | I go swimming after school. |
| in the evening | After dinner, before bed | I enjoy reading in the evening. |
🎧 Shadowing Dialogue: Talking About Hobbies
Listen and repeat each line aloud. Focus on the -ing forms and time phrases.
A: What do you like to do in your free time?
B: I love playing basketball after school.
A: That’s great! Do you like reading books?
B: Yes, I enjoy reading in the evening.
A: How often do you go swimming?
B: I usually go swimming on the weekend.
Practice: My Free Time
Your Task: Write three sentences describing your free time, using a preference verb and an activity verb (-ing).
- (I love/like/hate + -ing): ____________________________
- (I usually go + activity): ____________________________
- (Activity + time phrase): ____________________________