Talking About Interests
An ESL lesson to talk about your interests.

A fun lesson for beginner ESL students to learn vocabulary and expressions for talking about interests and hobbies. Learn present continuous, present simple, and adverbs of frequency. English vocabulary and expressions to describe and explain while talking about interests, hobbies, present continuous vs. present simple, adverbs of frequency, and more. Watch the ESL video and practice using new vocabulary and expressions. Get the downloadable PDF, digital flashcards, listening and reading exercises, and everything you need for the perfect digital and remote English lesson when you subscribe.

ESL Video and ESL Listening Practice to Talk about Your Hobbies and Interests

Part 1 – Talking About Interests and Hobbies

Passage A

This is Amanda. Amanda loves Yoga. She often does yoga on the weekend. She likes yoga because it helps her to focus. Amanda is very flexible. She has been doing yoga for three years. She sometimes watches does yoga at home while watching YouTube videos, but she usually takes classes at the gym.

Listening Questions A

  1. What does Amanda like to do?
  2. When does Amanda often do yoga?
  3. Why does Amanda like yoga?
  4. How long has Amanda been doing yoga for?
  5. Where does Amanda sometimes do yoga lessons?
  6. Where does she usually do yoga lessons?
Talking About Yoga

Passage B

Jack never does yoga. He’s not flexible and he doesn’t like to go to the gym. He often stays at home and watches TV. He always watches TV until he falls asleep on the sofa. He usually watches game shows, but he occasionally watches movies. He likes watching TV because it helps him relax after work.

Listening Questions B

  1. What doesn’t Jack ever do?
  2. What doesn’t he like to do?
  3. What does Jack often do?
  4. Until when does Jack watch TV?
  5. What does he usually watch on TV?
  6. What does he occasionally watch on TV?
  7. Why does he like to watch TV?
Talking About TV Interests

Passage C

This is Sarah. Sarah’s really into painting. She likes to paint pictures of nature. She has been painting since she was four years old. She always paints on the weekend. She occasionally sells her paintings online. Her favorite painter is Jeff Koons. Sarah works at a busy office. She likes to paint because it makes her feel calm after a stressful day at work.

Listening Questions C

  1. What’s Sarah really into?
  2. What does she like to paint pictures of?
  3. How long has she been painting? 
  4. When does she always paint?
  5. Where does she occasionally sell her paintings?
  6. Where does Sarah work?
  7. Why does Sarah like to paint?
Talking About Painting

Passage D

This is Frank. He’s taking an online class. Frank is an accountant, and he doesn’t like his job. He’s studying design. He wants to change his job in the future. He wants to be a web designer. He rarely studies though. He isn’t a good student. Frank needs to study harder or he will never be able to finish his online class.

Listening Questions D

  1. What is Frank doing?
  2. What’s Frank’s job?
  3. How does Frank feel about his job?
  4. What does Frank want to do in the future?
  5. How often does Frank study?
  6. What does Frank need to do?
Talking About Interests and Hobbies

Passage E

Sheila is playing the guitar. She plays the guitar every day. She’s really into rock-n-roll. She started playing the guitar when she was seven years old. Sheila never sings. She doesn’t like to sing. She has a bad voice, but she’s really good at playing the guitar. Sheila is a math teacher. She teaches young children. She wants to be a music teacher someday.

Listening Questions E

  1. What’s Sheila doing?
  2. How often does Sheila play the guitar?
  3. What kind of music is Sheila really into?
  4. When did Sheila start playing the guitar?
  5. Why doesn’t Sheila sing?
  6. What does Sheila do for a living?
  7. Who does Sheila teach?
  8. What does Sheila want to do in the future?
Talking About Playing Guitar

Matching – Talking About Interests and Hobbies

Match the words on the left with the meanings on the right.

1. focus
2. flexible
3. while
4. calm
5. stressful
6. accountant
7. sell
8. relax
a. able to easily move and bend
b. a person whose job is to keep financial accounts
c. pay attention to
d. causing anxiety and worry
e. to let someone have something in return for money
f. happening at the same time
g. to rest and do something enjoyable
h. not showing or feeling nervous

Talking About Interests & Hobbies

Part 2 – Talking About Interests and Hobbies

Passage F

Mario is singing. He’s passionate about singing. He always sings in the shower in the morning. He often sings in the car on the way to work. He sometimes sings at work, but his co-workers don’t like it very much. He often goes to karaoke. Mario wants to be a famous singer someday, but he needs to take more lessons. Mario is a bartender. He works at a very popular bar in the city. He always sings at work.

Listening Questions F

  1. What’s Mario doing?
  2. Where does Mario always sing in the morning?
  3. Where does he often sing on the way to work?
  4. How do his co-workers feel about his singing?
  5. Where does Mario often go to sing?
  6. What does Mario want to be someday?
  7. What does he need to do to become a famous singer?
  8. What’s Mario’s job?
  9. Where does Mario work?
  10. What does he always do at work?
Talking About Singing Interests

Passage G

Peter is playing the piano. He plays the piano every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. He often plays the piano for his girlfriend. His girlfriend’s name is Amanda. She loves to watch Peter play. He plays classical music and sometimes he sings to her. He’s very romantic. Peter is a talented piano player. His dream is to quit his job and make a living playing the piano while traveling around the world.

Listening Questions G

  1. What’s Peter doing?
  2. When does Peter play the piano?
  3. Who does Peter often play the piano for?
  4. What does he sometimes do for his girlfriend?
  5. How do they describe Peter?
  6. What’s Peter’s dream?
Talking About Piano

Passage H

Greg is exercising. Greg always exercises before he goes to work. He wakes up early and goes to the gym. He lifts weights and he runs on the treadmill. He works out for one hour every morning. He always drinks protein after his workout. Greg eats a lot of healthy food. He often eats an apple for breakfast. He occasionally eats fast food. He loves cheeseburgers and fried chicken. 

Listening Questions H

  1. What’s Greg doing?
  2. When does Greg always exercise?
  3. Why does he wake up early?
  4. What does he do at the gym?
  5. How long does he work out for every morning?
  6. What does he always drink after his workout?
  7. What does Greg often eat for breakfast?
  8. What does Greg occasionally eat?
  9. What does he love to eat?

Passage I

Linda is playing basketball. She’s really good at basketball. She plays basketball every day. She can dribble, she can shoot, she can pass, and she can defend. She often watches her favorite basketball team on TV. She likes the Chicago Bulls. Linda’s dream is to meet her favorite basketball player someday.

Listening Questions I

  1. What’s Linda doing?
  2. Is she good at basketball?
  3. How often does she play basketball?
  4. What can she do?
  5. What does she often watch on TV?
  6. What’s Linda’s dream?
Talking About Basketball Interests

Passage J

Neil is swimming. Neil wants to swim across the ocean. He’s a strong swimmer. He always swims in the morning. Neil swims when it’s sunny or raining outside. He doesn’t care about the weather. He trains hard and he never eats junk food. He eats salad, fish and chicken every day.

Listening Questions J

  1. What’s Neil doing?
  2. What does Neil want to do?
  3. When does Neil always swim?
  4. Does Neil care about the weather?
  5. What doesn’t Neil eat?
  6. What does Neil eat every day?
Talking About Swimming Interests

Matching – Talking About Interests and Hobbies

Match the words on the left with the meanings on the right.

1. passionate
2. famous
3. popular
4. co-worker
5. talented
6. quit
7. dribble
8. shoot
9. pass
10. defend
11. favorite
12. work out
a. to move an object from one player to another
b. having a natural skill for something
c. having and showing strong feelings about something
d. to completely stop doing something
e. best liked or most enjoyed
f. to stop the other team from scoring in sports
g. to aim and move something in a direction with the goal of hitting a target
h. to bounce a ball up and down
i. a person that you work with
j. liked or admired by many people
k. exercise
L. known by many people

Talking About Hobbies

Part 3 – Talking About Interests and Hobbies

Passage K

Adam is playing baseball. He’s really crazy about baseball. He plays baseball for his company team every weekend. He practices catching every Monday and Wednesday. He practices hitting on Tuesdays and Thursdays. He goes to the gym every Thursday. He’s a pretty good player. He often hits home runs. He runs very fast and he steals many bases. His team usually wins the championship every year, but last year they lost. Adam was really disappointed.

Listening Questions K

  1. What’s Adam doing?
  2. Who does Adam play baseball for every weekend?
  3. When does Adam practice catching?
  4. When does Adam practice hitting?
  5. When does Adam go to the gym?
  6. Does Adam play on a good team?
  7. Is Adam a good baseball player?
  8. How did Adam feel about losing the championship last year?
Talking About Baseball

Passage L

Paul is rock climbing. He really loves outdoor sports and adventure. He has been rock climbing for about 5 years. He often goes rock climbing with his friends, but he occasionally goes by himself. Paul isn’t afraid of heights. He loves hiking and going for long walks. Paul wants to live in the countryside someday. He doesn’t like the city so much.

Listening Questions L

  1. What’s Paul doing?
  2. What does Paul really love?
  3. How long has he been rock climbing for?
  4. Who does Paul often go rock climbing with?
  5. Who does Paul occasionally go rock climbing with?
  6. Where does Paul want to live someday?
  7. Why does Paul want to live in the countryside?
  8. How does Paul feel about high places?
Talking About Climbing

Passage M

Scott is skiing. It’ s his favorite sport. He really loves being outside in the mountains. He loves nature and he really likes cold weather and snow. He often skis on the weekends in the winter. He sometimes goes snowboarding, but he prefers skiing. He occasionally falls down. He likes to jump and do many tricks.

Listening Questions M

  1. What’s Scott doing?
  2. What’s Scott’s favorite sport?
  3. What does Scott really love?
  4. When does Scott often ski?
  5. What does Scott sometimes do?
  6. What does Scott occasionally do?
  7. What does Scott like to do?
  8. Does Scott prefer skiing or snowboarding?
Talking About Sport Interests

Passage N

Samantha is jogging. She often runs in marathons. She usually runs in the morning, but she occasionally runs after work. She never runs outside in the winter. She always runs inside because she can’t stand cold weather and she’s afraid that she will slip and fall on the ice. Samantha wants to run in marathons all over the world. 

Listening Questions N

  1. What’s Samantha doing?
  2. What does Samantha often do?
  3. When does Samantha run?
  4. Where doesn’t she run in the winter?
  5. Why does Samantha always run inside in the winter?
  6. What does Samantha want to do?
Talking About Running esl lessons

Passage O

Juan is playing soccer. It’s his favorite sport. He practices soccer every night after work. His soccer team is always the best in the league. He always scores goals. He’s very athletic. He often works out. He plays basketball and often goes jogging in the morning before he goes to work.

Listening Questions O

  1. What’s Juan doing?
  2. What’s Juan’s favorite sport?
  3. How is Juan’s soccer team?
  4. Is Juan a good player?
  5. What does he do before he goes to work?
  6. How often does Juan practice soccer?
Talking About Sports esl lessons

Matching – Talking About Interests and Hobbies

Match the words on the left with the meanings on the right.

1. disappointed
2. prefer
3. slip
4. win
5. to be crazy about
6. practice
7. afraid of
8. fall
9. nature
10. adventure
a. to lose your balance
b. part of the world including plants and animals
c. to succeed
d. to do something regularly so that you can improve
e. an unusual, exciting or daring experience
f. to like one thing more than another
g. to drop to the ground from a higher position
h. sad or displeased about something
i. to really love something or someone
j. feeling fear or anxiety

Talking About Interests & Sports esl lessons

Talking About Interests and Sports

Part 4 – Talking About Interests and Hobbies

Passage P

This is Lee. He’s riding his motorcycle. Lee lives and breathes motorcycles. He always goes to motorcycle shows. He has been riding motorcycles since he was in high school. He always drives fast, but he’s a safe driver. He rarely crashes his motorcycle. He hardly ever gets a speeding ticket and very rarely loses his license.

Listening Questions P

  1. What’s Lee doing?
  2. Does Lee like to ride a motorcycle?
  3. How often does Lee go to motorcycle shows? 
  4. How long has he been riding a motorcycle?
  5. Is Lee a good rider?
  6. How often does Lee lose his license? 
Riding a Motorcycle

Passage Q

Sam is driving. He’s crazy about driving. He has three sports cars. He always drives to work. He never takes the train or bus. He drives everywhere. When his friends want a ride someplace, they call Sam. Sam picks them up and drives them anywhere they want to go. Sam’s a really nice guy. He never charges his friends any money. He just loves to drive.

Listening Questions Q

  1. What’s Sam doing?
  2. How does Sam feel about driving?
  3. How many cars does Sam have?
  4. What do Sam’s friends do when they want a ride?
  5. What does Sam do when his friends call him for a ride?
  6. How much does Sam charge his friends?
Driving

Passage R

This is Leslie. She’s listening to music. She usually listens to music on the train. She often listens to pop music, but she occasionally listens to classical music. She also likes to read. She rarely reads on the train because it’s very crowded. It’s difficult for her to concentrate with so many people.

Listening Questions R

  1. What’s Leslie doing?
  2. Where does she usually listen to music?
  3. What kind of music does she often listen to on the train?
  4. What kind of music does she occasionally listen to?
  5. What else does Leslie like to do?
  6. Why does she rarely read on the train?
Listening Music

Passage S

Tina is watching a movie. She often goes to the movies with her friends. She goes to the movies with her boyfriend once in a while. She likes romance movies the best, but she also likes comedy. Tina always buys popcorn when she goes to the movies. She eats junk food every day. Tina’s favorite things are movies, hanging out with friends and junk food.

Listening Questions S

  1. What’s Tina doing?
  2. Who does Tina often go to the movies with?
  3. How often does she go to the movies with her boyfriend?
  4. What kind of movies does she like best?
  5. What does she eat every day?
  6. What are Tina’s favorite things?
  7. What does Tina always buy when she goes to the movies?
  8. What kind of movie does Tina like besides romance?
Talking About Interests & Movies

Watch Movies

Matching – Talking About Interests and Hobbies

Match the words on the left with the meanings on the right.

1. safe
2. junk food
3. hang out
4. crowded
5. comedy
6. charge
7. concentrate
8. crash
a. to hit another vehicle
b. to spend time with
c. to ask a fee or payment for something
d. to focus one’s attention on
e. unhealthy food
f. a genre which is funny
g. free from danger or physical harm
h. full of people

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Reference: BE17