The examiner might ask about your hobbies in part 2 of your IELTS Speaking test. If they do, the hobbies cue card could ask you to describe your favorite hobby.
Let’s look at how to give a wonderful band-7 answer to this question. First, we’ll look at some ideas of what you can talk about. Then some useful vocabulary and idioms.
Lastly, we’ll look at three hobby cue cards and example answers (go straight to the answers here).
Examples of Hobbies
Here are some common hobbies people have.
- Reading
- Watching TV or movies
- Cooking or baking
- Painting or drawing
- Photography
- Gardening
- Hiking or camping
- Fishing
- Swimming
- Running or jogging
- Yoga or other exercise
- Dancing
- Singing or playing a musical instrument
- Writing
- Woodworking or other DIY projects
- Collecting
- Board games or card games
- Video games
- Skiing or snowboarding
- Surfing or other water sports
- Any other pastime or hobby you can think of
What If You Don’t Have Any Hobbies?
Don’t worry if you think you don’t have any hobbies. You can talk about:
- Anything you enjoy doing (work, learning English, drinking coffee, meeting friends…)
- A hobby you used to have in the past
- A hobby you would like to try one day in future
- A hobby your friend has
- Anything else that you can think of
Focus on Vocabulary
In part 2 of the speaking test, while you’re preparing your answer, it’s best to focus on just two things:
- Ideas of things you can talk about
- Interesting vocabulary you can use
If you focus on ideas and vocabulary, you’ll probably give a great answer. Then try to speak using pretty simple English.
Here are some good words to use when describing a hobby:
- Engrossing
- Relaxing
- Gratifying
- Stimulating
- Amusing
- Creative
- Fulfilling
- Adventurous
- Mind-blowing
- Therapeutic
- Intense
- Artistic
- Competitive
- Educational
- Social
- Dynamic
- Inspiring
- Challenging
- Unique
- And here are some idiomatic phrases you can also use:
- I’m an avid fan of…
- It’s my hobbyhorse
- It’s my passion
- It’s my go-to activity
- It’s just my cup of tea
- It’s never far from my mind
- I do it night and day
- It’s my guilty pleasure
Example Answers
There are many more interesting words and phrases in the following three example answers. Think what you can borrow to describe your own favorite hobby.
Hobby Cue Card 1
Describe your favorite hobby.
You should say:
- What your hobby is
- How often you do it
- Who you do it with
And say why you enjoy this hobby so much.
I’m going to talk about my favorite hobby, which is probably reading. There’s just something about getting lost in a good book that I absolutely love. It’s like being transported to another world for a little while, and I find it really relaxing and enjoyable.
I’ll read just about anything, but my favorite type of books are probably mysteries and thrillers. I love trying to solve the puzzle along with the main character, and I love being surprised by unexpected twists and turns. I also really enjoy historical fiction and biographies, and I’ll occasionally dip into a romance or a self-help book if I’m in the mood.
I usually try to read a little bit every day, but I’ll really hunker down and get into a book when I have a longer stretch of time.
I’ve been a reader for as long as I can remember. My parents were both big readers too, so I grew up with books all around me. I can still remember getting my first library card and feeling like I had the whole world at my fingertips. As I got older, I started to discover all sorts of different genres and authors, and I just fell more and more in love with reading. It’s definitely been a constant in my life, and I can’t imagine not having it as a hobby.
These days, I also really enjoy discussing books with other people, and I’m lucky enough to have a couple of friends who are just as avid readers as I am. We’ll often swap books and recommendations, and it’s always fun to see what everyone else is into.
Overall, reading is definitely my go-to hobby. It’s my happy place, and it’s something that I can always count on to give me a little bit of joy and relaxation.
Hobbies Cue Card 2
Describe your favorite hobby.
You should say:
- What the hobby is
- How you do this hobby
- When you started it
And say what you like most about this hobby.
I’m going to talk about playing card games with my friends. There’s just something about the strategy and the competition that I find really enjoyable. And my all-time favorite card game is definitely Magic: The Gathering.
I’ve been playing Magic for about five years now, and I just love everything about it. The artwork on the cards is always so beautiful, and I love the feeling of building my own deck and trying to outsmart my opponents. It’s just such a fun and engaging game, and I never get tired of it.
In Magic, players use a deck of cards to battle against each other. Each player starts with a certain amount of life points, and the goal is to reduce your opponent’s life points to zero before they do the same to you. Players take turns playing cards, which can include creatures, spells, and other abilities that can attack, defend, or have other special effects. It’s a really fun and strategic game, and there are tons of different ways to play and lots of different strategies to try out.
But I think what I love most about Magic is the sense of community that comes with it. I’ve made so many great friends through the game, and it’s just such a great way to hang out and have fun. We’ll often have game nights where we’ll play Magic and other card games, and it’s just such a great way to relax and have a good time.
I also really enjoy the sense of accomplishment that comes with getting better at the game. It takes a lot of practice to really excel at Magic, and I love the feeling of improving and mastering new techniques.
Hobbies Cue Card 3
Describe your favorite hobby.
You should say:
- What your favorite hobby is
- Who you do it with
- How often you do it
And say why you like it so much.
Well, my favorite hobby is definitely anything and everything sports-related. I’ve always been super active and I just love the feeling of pushing my body and testing my limits. It’s just such a great way to blow off steam and feel accomplished.
My go-to sport is probably running. I love the feeling of hitting the pavement and just letting everything else fade away. I’ll run anything from a short 5k run to a marathon, and I just love the feeling of crossing the finish line.
I’ve been running for about 10 years now, and it’s definitely something that I’ve stuck with. I first got into running when I was in college. I was looking for a way to get in shape and clear my head, and I saw a flyer for a local half-marathon. I figured I’d give it a shot, and I ended up really enjoying it.
These days, I try to run at least a few times a week. I usually aim for around 20-30 miles a week, depending on my schedule and how I’m feeling. I’ll usually do a couple of shorter runs during the week and then a longer one on the weekend.
I’m also a big fan of trail running, and I love nothing more than getting lost in the wilderness for a little while. There’s just something about being out in nature and feeling the wind in my hair that’s really special.
Overall, running is just something that I absolutely love. It’s something I always look forward to. I’ll probably go for a run later today, in fact.
It’s Your Turn To Try
Now that you’ve read a few good examples, why not try it yourself?
One excellent way to practice for part 2 questions is by recording yourself.
You can listen to your recordings many times and keep improving a little each time.
So, open the voice recorder on your phone and ask yourself to ‘Describe your favorite hobby.’
Set a timer for 60 seconds and prepare your answer quickly: focus on thinking of things to talk about and interesting vocabulary you can use.
Then, set a stopwatch for two minutes and start talking!
Keep talking for two minutes without stopping if you can.
Afterward, think of ways you could do it better.
If you follow this method, you’ll be ready for part 2 of your IELTS Speaking test in no time.
