Best Way To Answer "What Are Your Hobbies And Interests" Fluently In English [Advanced]
Hey Advanced English Learners! Mary Daphne here, this is where we come together to boost your fluency, confidence, and clarity in English.
One way to get to know someone better is to ask them about their hobbies and interests. We do this for several reasons: (1) to see if we have any overlapping interests and establish common ground, (2) to understand the type of person they are, (3) to establish rapport with each other.
In this lesson, we’ll look at how to best answer the question about what interests you.
When someone asks you about your hobbies and interests they might say:
- What do you do for fun?
- How do you unwind?
- What do you get up to when you’re not running a company?
- What do you do during off-hours?
- What do you do with your downtime?
As these are open-ended questions, they invite more elaborate responses with a bit of detail and explanation.
Let’s look at some responses and see how to strike a balance between providing enough information without talking someone’s ear off.
Simply put, you want to share what you like doing and then explain why you like it. You can provide some context for why you do that activity.
LIKE
- I like hiking. Just being outside to experience nature therapy is so cathartic. I’m an outdoorsy person.
- I like to bake. I’ve been trying out various gluten-free recipes lately. I don’t have celiac’s, but I prefer baking with almond flour. I recently made super delicious pumpkin bread.
DO
I do a lot of painting. I find that that helps me tap into my source of creativity. I’m improving my technique with a few online tutorials I’ve found on YouTube.
ENJOY (+ noun / gerund)
I enjoy (noun)
I enjoy strength training. It’s definitely a journey and makes you appreciate what your body can do. I’m working my way up to increasing the load on the power rack. Incrementally adding weight really makes a huge difference!
I enjoy (gerund)
I enjoy being physically active and spend a fair amount of time training. My training varies between plyometrics, strength training, endurance training, and balance. I also try to add in some flexibility, but I’m not that into it as it’s a bit slower paced. But that’s important, too!
Recently I’ve found that I spend a good amount of time practicing the piano.
Side note: to spend a good amount of time / to spend a fair amount of time doing something is a humble way of expressing that you dedicate a lot of time on something, indicating that it is one of your top priorities.
TO BE INTO
I’m into (+ noun / gerund)
I’m into photography. I bring my camera everywhere I go and spend some time getting to know a place through my camera lens. I took a course on the different types of lenses and it’s extraordinary how much nuance you can capture based on the type of lens you use. Fascinating.
I’m into running, specifically trail running. Where I grew up there were a lot of hiking trails so I’d run a lot. It’s physically intense and you’re surrounded by the beauty of nature. I find it’s a workout for the body, mind, and soul. It never gets old.
So there you have it, Advanced English learners, talking about your hobbies in more detail and saying why you like your hobby helps the person get to know you better. Also, giving a deeper explanation, without overdoing it, might get them interested in the activity too in which case they might join you!
Now that I’ve shared the strategies, can you think of other ways to describe your hobbies and interests? What kind of an elaboration do you usually provide to this open-ended question? Share that with me and the Advanced English community in the comments down below.
Thanks so much for joining me. Don’t forget to smash that like button, subscribe and turn on notifications so that you don’t miss any of our lessons or livestreams. I’ll see you in the next one!
Bye for now 😊
About the Author and the Explearning Academy:
Meet Mary Daphne, the founder of the Explearning Academy. She specializes in helping professionals build strong communication habits, refine their executive presence, and achieve personal growth. The Explearning Academy is designed for those looking to boost their social fluency, advance their careers, and confidently navigate any social setting. Through a flexible blend of self-study materials and supportive monthly live coaching, participants develop sought-after social skills and find pathways to significant career advancement. Ready to elevate your negotiation prowess and network with driven individuals? Head over to academy.explearning.co to see how. Become part of the Explearning Academy community and start transforming your potential into reality.
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