Keith Speaking Academy
Live Lesson Notes
Hobbies
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IELTS Speaking
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These are the kind of questions you might get on
this topic
Part 1
Do you have a hobby?
What equipment do you need for it?
Why do you think people have hobbies?
What hobbies are popular in your country?
Part 2
Describe a leisure activity that you do with your family
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Some useful Links
Great list of hobbies with definitions and pictures
[Link]
Link to get a complete Mock IELTS Test. Use the CODE: keith10 to get
a 10% discount.
[Link]
Collect my free materials here
[Link]
Follow me on social media
[Link]
[Link]
[Link]
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VOCABULARY AND EXPRESSIONS
WHAT IS A HOBBY?
Hobby - interest - pastime - leisure activity
Do you have a hobby?
Yes, I do.
Note: It’s really natural English to answer this question with ‘Yes, I do’ /
‘No, I don’t’. Rather than just ‘yes’ or ‘no’.
I like doing yoga
I am obsessed with doing yoga
I’m passionate about doing yoga
I am fascinated by doing yoga
I like to dabble in the kitchen
I like to dabble in cooking
I enjoy watching films, if that counts.
I enjoy watching films, if you can consider that a hobby
I draw/play chess/take photos… just for fun
Brisk walking is my thing
I’m a bit of a cricketer/painter/stamp collector…
I’m an amateur chef/phoTOgrapher/painter…
I’m an aficionado of films (a lover of…)
I love to crochet
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I love to listen to music (emphasises habit)
I love listening to music (emphasises action / enjoyment)
Note: We can use both to talk about hobbies. The first might be slightly
better if the hobby is also a habit (i.e. you do it regularly)
The same applies to ‘like’.
No, I don’t have a hobby.
Note: You don’t want to just say ‘no’. Start to develop your answers.
For example…
No, but I am looking into jogging …
(look into = investigate/research/find out about)
Note: you can use complex grammar really easily just by using the
following Present Perfect Continuous tense
No, but I’ve been looking into …yoga
No, but I am thinking about taking up jogging
(to take up = to start (a hobby))
No, but I am thinking about starting jogging
Note: Again, you can use complex grammar really easily just by using
the following Present Perfect Continuous tense
No, but I’ve been thinking about taking up…yoga
No, but I’d like to try…yoga
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No, but I’d like to try my hand at…
(to try my hand at…= to have a go = to try (something new))
Some of your most popular hobbies!
Reading
Travelling
Cooking
Gardening
Watching films
Running
Fishing
Writing poetry
Doing origami
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What equipment do you need for it?
Equipment is uncountable. (Similar to these NOUNS - advice, news,
information)
You don’t need much equipment to go jogging
You only need one main piece of equipment, and that’s a camera
For photography, a camera is a prerequisite
For photography, a camera is essential
I just need a camera and I am good to go
I just need a camera and I am all set
Note: Remember each item/piece of equipment needs an article ‘a’ or
to be in the plural. For example….
The only thing I need is a bat and a ball
I only need a bat and balls
I need lots of utensils for cooking
I don’t need any sophisticated gadgets for reading
A Kindle is a useful device for reading
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Why do you think people have hobbies?
It has a calming effect
It’s a great stress buster
It helps us relieve our stress
It helps me unwind / chill out / lay back / kick back
It’s just a way to kill time
It’s a way to socialise
When you get in the zone - you can disconnect from work / from your
daily routine
It’s very grounding (brings you down to earth/back to nature)
to work with your hands
Get back to nature
It feels fulfilling - satisfying
To discover and showcase their hidden talent
It can increase our productivity
To enables us to grow and develop
It can be a channel to express our creativity
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To preserve our mental health
Some hobbies help us keep healthy
It can help me stay in shape
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