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English: Hobbies & Free Time

Updated 27 Oct 2026 3 min read LingoLadder Editorial Team
Cover: English hobbies and free time — I like reading, I enjoy playing football, I go swimming, usually, sometimes
Short answer

To talk about hobbies, use 'I like' or 'I enjoy' plus the -ing form: 'I like reading', 'I enjoy playing football'. Add how often with frequency words like 'usually' and 'sometimes'. Ask others 'What do you do in your free time?' or 'What are your hobbies?'

On this page10 sections · tap to jump
  1. 01By the end of this page you can…
  2. 02Saying what you like doing
  3. 03Play, go or do?
  4. 04Saying how often: frequency words
  5. 05Asking about hobbies
  6. 06A short conversation
  7. 07Example sentences
  8. 08Practice
  9. 09How to say it
  10. 10Quiz

Level: A2. Talking about your free time is one of the first real conversations you will have in English. It rests on a simple pattern — a verb of liking plus the -ing form — plus the right verb for each activity and a few words to say how often. Learn those and you can describe your whole week.

By the end of this page you can…

…say what you like and don’t like doing, choose ‘play’, ‘go’ or ‘do’ for an activity, say how often you do it, and ask other people about their hobbies.

Saying what you like doing

The core pattern is a verb of feeling — like, love, enjoy, don’t like, hate — followed by the -ing form of the next verb:

  • I like reading.
  • I love playing the guitar.
  • I enjoy cooking.
  • I don’t like running.

This -ing form is called the gerund — a verb used as a noun. After these feeling verbs, English nearly always uses it.

Play, go or do?

Different activities take different verbs. Choosing the wrong one is the most common A2 mistake with hobbies.

Verb Use it for Examples
play sports with a ball and games play football, play tennis, play chess
go activities ending in -ing go swimming, go shopping, go cycling
do many other activities do yoga, do karate, do a puzzle

So you play basketball, you go running, and you do exercise. With musical instruments, use play the: play the piano, play the guitar.

Saying how often: frequency words

To say how often, use a frequency adverb: always, usually, often, sometimes, rarely, never. The important rule is where they go:

  • Before the main verb: I often read at night. / She never watches TV.
  • But after the verb ‘to be’: I am usually busy on Mondays.

You can also add a phrase at the end: once a week, twice a month, every day, at the weekend.

  • I usually go to the gym twice a week.
  • We sometimes play cards on Friday evenings.

Asking about hobbies

To ask someone about their free time, the natural questions are:

  • What do you do in your free time?
  • What are your hobbies?
  • Do you play any sports?
  • How often do you …?

A short conversation

Maya: What do you do in your free time? Tom: I love playing the guitar, and I go cycling most weekends. How about you? Maya: I usually read, and I sometimes do yoga in the morning. Tom: Nice! Do you play any sports? Maya: Not really — I prefer quiet hobbies. But I go swimming once a week.

Example sentences

Press play and repeat. These show the main patterns for talking about free time.

  1. What do you do in your free time?
    The natural way to ask about hobbies.
    Add 'in your free time' — without it, it asks about your job.
  2. What are your hobbies?
    Another friendly question about free time.
  3. I like reading.
    Feeling verb + -ing form.
  4. I love playing the guitar.
    Use 'play the' with instruments.
  5. I enjoy cooking at the weekend.
    'Enjoy' is also followed by -ing.
  6. I don't like running.
    A negative with 'don't like' + -ing.
  7. I play football every Saturday.
    'Play' for a sport with a ball.
  8. I go swimming once a week.
    'Go' for activities ending in -ing.
  9. I do yoga in the morning.
    'Do' when 'play' and 'go' don't fit.
  10. She plays the piano beautifully.
    Third person adds -s: plays.
  11. I usually go to the gym after work.
    'Usually' before the main verb.
  12. I am usually busy on Mondays.
    After 'to be', the adverb comes after: am usually.
  13. We sometimes play cards on Fridays.
    'Sometimes' with a time phrase.
  14. I never watch sport on TV.
    'Never' before the main verb.
  15. How often do you exercise?
    Asking about frequency.
  16. Twice a week, usually.
    A short answer about how often.
  17. Do you play any sports?
    A yes/no question about sport.
  18. My hobby is photography.
    Naming a hobby with 'is'.
  19. I'm learning to paint.
    Talking about a new hobby.
  20. I prefer quiet hobbies to loud ones.
    Saying what you like more.

Recap card for the English hobbies and free time lesson with like plus -ing, play go do, and frequency words

Quick recap before you practise.

Practice

Practice

Hobbies and free time practice

Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.

Hint: after 'enjoy', use -ing

Show answer

cooking — Feeling verbs like 'enjoy' are followed by the -ing form: enjoy cooking.

2 Which verb goes with 'football'?
Show answer

play football — Use 'play' for sports and games: play football.

3 Which is correct?
Show answer

I go swimming. — Activities ending in -ing take 'go': go swimming.

Hint: it goes before the main verb 'go'

Show answer

usually — Frequency adverbs go before the main verb: I usually go.

5 Put the words in order to make a sentence.

Show answer

I love playing the guitar — Feeling verb + -ing form: I love playing the guitar.

6 Match each activity to the right verb.

  • football
  • swimming
  • yoga
  • the piano
Show answer
  • football → play
  • swimming → go
  • yoga → do
  • the piano → play the

Play for sports and instruments, go for -ing activities, do for the rest.

How to say it

A few of these everyday words catch English learners out — copy the audio.

  • hobbies has a short o and a clear b: HOB-eez, not hoe-bees.
  • enjoy stresses the second part: in-JOY.
  • usually is often squeezed to three beats: YOO-zhoo-lee.
  • cycling starts with a soft s sound: SY-kling, not ky-cling.

Quiz

Check yourself

Hobbies and free time quiz

8 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.

0/8 0 answered
  1. 1Which is correct after 'I like'?
    Show answer

    I like reading. — After 'like', use the -ing form: I like reading.

  2. 2Choose the correct verb: I ___ tennis on Sundays.
    Show answer

    play — Use 'play' for sports with a ball: play tennis.

  3. 3Which sentence is correct?
    Show answer

    I go swimming. — Activities ending in -ing take 'go': go swimming.

  4. 4Where does 'often' go? 'I ___ read before bed.'
    Show answer

    before 'read' — Frequency adverbs go before the main verb: I often read.

  5. 5Complete: 'I am ___ tired after work.'
    Show answer

    usually — With 'to be', the adverb comes after the verb: I am usually tired.

  6. 6How do you ask about someone's hobbies?
    Show answer

    What do you do in your free time? — 'What do you do?' alone asks about a job; add 'in your free time' for hobbies.

  7. 7Which verb goes with 'yoga'?
    Show answer

    do yoga — When 'play' and 'go' don't fit, use 'do': do yoga.

  8. 8'I love playing ___ guitar.' Fill the gap.
    Show answer

    the — With instruments, use 'play the': play the guitar.

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A1 9 topics · 9 ready
  1. 01 English: Greetings & Introductions
  2. 02 English: Numbers 0 to 100
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  4. 04 English: Days, Months & Dates
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  9. 18 English: Hobbies & Free Time You are here
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