“Do you have any hobbies or interests?” is an easy question to answer in part one of your IELTS Speaking test.
Let’s take a look at tips for providing an excellent answer, including 10 good example answers (go straight to the answers here).
Talk About the First Hobby You Think Of
If you enjoy doing anything or learning about anything in your free time, talk about that. Even if it’s something simple like shopping, hanging out with friends, eating good food, watching TV, or browsing social media.
Any answer is fine. You just have to talk about it using good English.
In part one, you need to focus on fluency. That means to start talking quickly; do not hesitate.
First, say yes (if you have a hobby) and say what hobby you have.
Then, say one or two short sentences more about it. You can say one or two of these things:
- Why you like that hobby
- How often you do it
- How long you’ve been doing it for
- How you started doing it
- Who you do it with
- Where you do it
- Anything else that comes to mind
If You Don’t Have Any Hobbies or Interests
You really might not have any hobbies. That’s ok. Just say that you don’t have a hobby. Then you could say:
- Why you don’t have a hobby (too busy, not interested…)
- If you had a hobby when you were younger
- If you’d like to try a new hobby, and why
- Someone you know who has a hobby
- Anything else you think of
Use the Three-Step YES Method
In all your part-one answers, you can follow the YES Method. This helps you to give the right kind of answer. Just say:
- Your answer (‘Yes, I have a hobby’ or ‘no, I don’t’)
- Explain your answer (say what hobby you have and why you like it)
- Stop talking (wait patiently for the next question)
It’s important to stop because some students get nervous in part one and keep talking and talking and talking…
This is a bad idea.
If you talk too much you’ll annoy the examiner. They have many simple questions to ask you (10-12 questions) in a short period of time (four to five minutes).
So keep it short and sweet with the YES Method.
Phrases for Expressing Interest
You can say “I like doing something” or “I love doing something.” That’s good English, and it’s fine for the exam.
If you want to practice some more interesting phrases, you could also say:
- I really enjoy…
- I’m really into…
- I’m a big fan of…
- I’m crazy about…
- I’m a little obsessed with…
Example Answers
Read these 10 good example answers. Maybe you can borrow some ideas for your own answer.
Basketball
1. Yes, I’m really into basketball. I love watching basketball on TV and playing it too. Almost every week, I go to the local sports center to shoot some hoops with my friends.
Comics
2. I suppose my only real hobby is reading comics. I’ve been reading comics since I was very young. I love the artwork and thrilling stories and cool superheroes.
Piano
3. Yes, I play the piano. I practice every day and I enjoy it a lot, even though it’s quite challenging. I find it very peaceful and relaxing to play beautiful piano music.
Shopping
4. Yes, I’m crazy about shopping. I like window shopping, shopping online, and going to the mall with my friends to shop for clothes. To be honest, I think I’m a bit of a shopaholic.
Going to the Gym
5. Yes, I do. My main interest is working out at the gym. I go to my local gym every other day to lift weights or do some cardio exercise. I’m a big fan of staying in shape. It makes me feel great.
Dance
6. Yes, I do. I’m totally in love with dancing. Every week, I go to tango classes, salsa classes, and ballet. Actually, I want to be a dance teacher in future, so it’s more than just a hobby.
Computer Games
7. Yes, I’m really into computer games, especially online RPG games. Those are large roleplay games where you can play with your friends and develop your characters over time.
Karaoke
8. I think my only hobby is karaoke. I love singing and I love renting out a karaoke room just for me and my friends or coworkers. We all have fun and sing our hearts out.
No Hobbies
9. To be frank, I don’t really have any hobbies. I used to enjoy collectible card games when I was younger but these days I don’t have time for it.
No Hobbies
10. Well, I don’t think I have any real hobbies or interests at the moment. But in future, I’d like to try rock climbing. It seems like a really exciting, entertaining activity.
Your Turn To Try!
Hopefully, you’ve got some ideas from these example answers. So it’s time to give this question a go yourself.
Turn on the recorder on your phone and ask aloud, “Do you have any hobbies or interests?”
Answer as quickly as you can, using the three-step YES Method.
Afterward, listen to your answer, and write down what you said.
This way you can check for mistakes.
Try to answer again, even better.
Keep repeating this process to prepare for part one of your IELTS Speaking test. And you’ll do just fine!