Describe a hobby you enjoy

The cue card

Describe a hobby you enjoy. You should say:

• what the hobby is
• when you started it
• how much time you spend on it
• and explain why you enjoy it

You have 1 minute to prepare and should speak for 1 to 2 minutes.

🎙 Practise this card with the examiner

Notes you could make in 1 minute

Write key words only, one line per bullet point:

• photography
• started 4 years ago
• weekends, sunrise
• notice details, creative

Band 7+ sample answer

A hobby I really enjoy is photography, especially taking photos of streets and landscapes. I'm definitely not a professional, but it's something I've become quite passionate about.

I started about four years ago. I'd always taken photos on my phone, but a friend who was upgrading her equipment sold me her old camera for a very good price, and I got hooked almost immediately. I watched a lot of free online tutorials to learn the basics, like how to use light and how to compose a picture, and I joined a local photography group on social media.

I don't have as much time for it as I'd like, but I usually spend a few hours every weekend on it. My favourite time is early in the morning, at sunrise, when the light is soft and the streets are empty. Sometimes I'll get up at five and go to the beach or into the city, and by the time I come home I've completely lost track of time. Then I spend another hour or two editing the photos on my laptop.

I enjoy it for a few reasons. It's a creative outlet, which I don't really get in my job. It also makes me notice small details I'd normally walk past, like interesting shadows, old shop signs or people's expressions. And it gets me outside and exploring new places. There's also something very rewarding about looking back at a photo and remembering exactly how that moment felt.

🔊 Listen to the sample answer

About 246 words, or roughly 2 minutes at a natural speaking pace.

Useful vocabulary for this topic

• to take up a hobby
• to capture a moment
• to lose track of time
• a creative outlet
• to get hooked on
• rewarding

Why this answer works: it covers every bullet point, tells a short story with specific details (names, places, numbers), uses a range of tenses, and finishes with the "explain" point, which is where you show your best vocabulary.

Follow-up and Part 3 questions

Examiner's follow-up (Part 2): Do any of your friends share this hobby?

Part 3 discussion questions:

• Why do people need hobbies?
• Are hobbies more expensive than they used to be?
• Can a hobby become a career?
• Do men and women have different hobbies?

Answer Part 3 questions in 3–4 sentences: your view, a reason, an example, and the other side.

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