HOBBIES & FREE TIME

1-2 Minutes | Level: A2-B1

TRANSCRIPT

Hello everyone! I'm Minh. Today, I want to talk about hobbies.

A hobby is something you do in your free time because you ENJOY it.You don't get paid for it.

I have three hobbies. First, I LOVE reading. I read novels - especially fantasy and mystery stories. Reading helps me relax.

Second, I PLAY guitar. I've been playing for five years. I practice three times a week. Third, I ENJOY cooking. I started cooking two years ago. I love making Italian and Thai food.

Why are hobbies important? There are three reasons. First, hobbies help us RELAX after a busy day. Second, they help us LEARN new skills. Third, hobbies help us MEET other people with the same interests.

There are different types of hobbies. Some people like OUTDOOR hobbies - hiking, cycling, sports. Some people like CREATIVE hobbies - painting, photography, writing. Some people like COLLECTING - stamps, coins, cards. Other people like INDOOR hobbies - gaming, puzzles, movies.

How can you find YOUR hobby? Think about what interests you. Try different activities. Don't compare yourself with others. And remember - hobbies can change. You can have many hobbies!

So, what's YOUR hobby? I'd love to hear about it! Thank you for listening to Easy English Today. See you next time!

KEY VOCABULARY & IPA

• hobby /ˈhɑːbi/ Activity you do for fun in free time
• enjoy /ɪnˈdʒɔɪ/ To like something very much
• relax /rɪˈlæks/ To rest and become calm
• novel /ˈnɑːvəl/ A long story book
• fantasy /ˈfæntəsi/ Imaginative, not real
• mystery /ˈmɪstəri/ Story with a secret or crime
• reading /ˈriːdɪŋ/ The activity of reading books
• guitar /ɡɪˈtɑːr/ A musical instrument
• practice /ˈpræktɪs/ To do something many times to improve
• cooking /ˈkʊkɪŋ/ Preparing food
• creative /kriːˈeɪtɪv/ Able to create new things
• outdoor /ˈaʊtdɔːr/ Outside, in nature
• hiking /ˈhaɪkɪŋ/ Walking in mountains or nature
• cycling /ˈsaɪklɪŋ/ Riding a bicycle
• painting /ˈpeɪntɪŋ/ Creating art with paint
• photography /fəˈtɑːɡrəfi/ Taking pictures with a camera
• collecting /kəˈlɛktɪŋ/ Gathering and keeping things
• gaming /ˈɡeɪmɪŋ/ Playing video games
• interest /ˈɪntrəst/ Thing you like
• skill /skɪl/ Ability to do something well

IMPORTANT PHRASES TO LEARN

"My hobby is ________."

Example: My hobby is reading.

"I love ________ (verb+ing)."

Example: I love playing guitar.

"I enjoy ________ (verb+ing)."

Example: I enjoy cooking.

"I've been ________ (verb+ing) for (time)."

Example: I've been playing for 5 years.

"I practice ________ times a week."

Example: I practice 3 times a week.

"It helps me ________."

Example: It helps me relax.

"I started ________ (years) ago."

Example: I started cooking 2 years ago.

"There are different types of hobbies."

"Don't compare yourself with others."

"I'd love to hear about your hobby."

GRAMMAR FOCUS

1. PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Pattern: Have/has + been + -ing verb + for

Example: I've been playing guitar for 5 years.

(I started 5 years ago and I still play)

2. VERB + GERUND (verb + -ing)

Pattern: Enjoy/love + -ing verb

Example: I enjoy cooking.

I love reading.

3. SIMPLE PRESENT (habits)

Example: I read every day.

I practice three times a week.

Transcript & IPA

Hello everyone! I’m Minh. Today, I want to talk about hobbies.

/həˈloʊ ˈɛvriˌwʌn! aɪm min. təˈdeɪ, aɪ wɑnt tə tɔk əˈbaʊt ˈhɑbiz./

A hobby is something you do in your free time because you ENJOY it.

/ə ˈhɑbi ɪz ˈsʌmθɪŋ ju du ɪn jʊr fri taɪm bɪˈkʌz ju ɪnˈdʒɔɪ ɪt./

You don’t get paid for it.

/ju doʊnt ɡɛt peɪd fɔr ɪt./

I have three hobbies. First, I LOVE reading.

/aɪ hæv θri ˈhɑbiz. fɜrst, aɪ lʌv ˈridɪŋ./

I read novels – especially fantasy and mystery stories. Reading helps me relax.

/aɪ rid ˈnɑvəlz – əˈspɛʃəli ˈfæntəsi ænd ˈmɪstəri ˈstɔriz. ˈridɪŋ hɛlps mi rɪˈlæks./

Second, I PLAY guitar. I’ve been playing for five years. I practice three times a week.

/ˈsɛkənd, aɪ pleɪ ɡɪˈtɑr. aɪv bɪn ˈpleɪɪŋ fɔr faɪv jɪrz. aɪ ˈpræktɪs θri taɪmz ə wik./

Third, I ENJOY cooking. I started cooking two years ago.

/θɜrd, aɪ ɪnˈdʒɔɪ ˈkʊkɪŋ. aɪ ˈstɑrtɪd ˈkʊkɪŋ tu jɪrz əˈɡoʊ./

I love making Italian and Thai food.

/aɪ lʌv ˈmeɪkɪŋ ɪˈtæljən ænd taɪ fud./

Why are hobbies important? There are three reasons.

/waɪ ɑr ˈhɑbiz ɪmˈpɔrtənt? ðɛr ɑr θri ˈrizənz./

First, hobbies help us RELAX after a busy day.

/fɜrst, ˈhɑbiz hɛlp ʌs rɪˈlæks ˈæftər ə ˈbɪzi deɪ./

Second, they help us LEARN new skills.

/ˈsɛkənd, ðeɪ hɛlp ʌs lɜrn nu skɪlz./

Third, hobbies help us MEET other people with the same interests.

/θɜrd, ˈhɑbiz hɛlp ʌs mit ˈʌðər ˈpipəl wɪð ðə seɪm ˈɪntrɪsts./

There are different types of hobbies.

/ðɛr ɑr ˈdɪfərənt taɪps əv ˈhɑbiz./

Some people like OUTDOOR hobbies – hiking, cycling, sports.

/sʌm ˈpipəl laɪk ˈaʊtˌdɔr ˈhɑbiz – ˈhaɪkɪŋ, ˈsaɪklɪŋ, spɔrts./

Some people like CREATIVE hobbies – painting, photography, writing.

/sʌm ˈpipəl laɪk kriˈeɪtɪv ˈhɑbiz – ˈpeɪntɪŋ, fəˈtɑɡrəfi, ˈraɪtɪŋ./

Some people like COLLECTING – stamps, coins, cards.

/sʌm ˈpipəl laɪk kəˈlɛktɪŋ – stæmps, kɔɪnz, kɑrdz./

Other people like INDOOR hobbies – gaming, puzzles, movies.

/ˈʌðər ˈpipəl laɪk ˈɪnˌdɔr ˈhɑbiz – ˈɡeɪmɪŋ, ˈpʌzəlz, ˈmuviz./

How can you find YOUR hobby? Think about what interests you.

/haʊ kæn ju faɪnd jʊr ˈhɑbi? θɪŋk əˈbaʊt wʌt ˈɪntrɪsts ju./

Try different activities. Don’t compare yourself with others.

/traɪ ˈdɪfərənt ækˈtɪvɪtiz. doʊnt kəmˈpɛr jʊrˈsɛlf wɪð ˈʌðərz./

And remember – hobbies can change. You can have many hobbies!

/ænd rɪˈmɛmbər – ˈhɑbiz kæn tʃeɪndʒ. ju kæn hæv ˈmɛni ˈhɑbiz!/

So, what’s YOUR hobby? I’d love to hear about it!

/soʊ, wʌts jʊr ˈhɑbi? aɪd lʌv tə hɪr əˈbaʊt ɪt!/

Thank you for listening to Easy English Today. See you next time!

/θæŋk ju fɔr ˈlɪsənɪŋ tu ˈizi ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ təˈdeɪ. si ju nɛkst taɪm!/