Hobbies & Interests
A complete two-session B1 lesson built around gerunds and infinitives — the verb patterns students need to talk in detail about what they enjoy doing, want to try, and are good at, with a Two Truths & a Lie centerpiece, audio scripts, and answer keys.
Can-Do Statements
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
- Talk in detail about hobbies and interests, giving reasons and examples.
- Use gerunds (-ing) after verbs like enjoy, love, can't stand, and after prepositions.
- Use to-infinitives after verbs like want, decide, hope, and learn.
- Express likes and preferences with phrases such as "I'm passionate about", "I'm keen on", "I'm into".
- Understand a text and an interview about people's hobbies.
- Write a detailed paragraph about a favorite hobby with clear reasons.
Vocabulary & Phrases
Activities & Interests
- collecting · painting · gardening · photography
- hiking · cycling · rock climbing · jogging
- playing chess / an instrument · doing puzzles
- a hobby · a pastime · leisure time · a collector
- challenging · rewarding · relaxing · creative
- indoor / outdoor · team / solo activities
Talking About Interests
- I'm passionate about… / I'm really into…
- I'm keen on… / I'm good at…
- I took it up … (years) ago.
- I can't stand… / I'm not a fan of…
- What got you into it? / How did you start?
- You should give it a go / a try.
The Engine of the Lesson
Gerunds and infinitives — the verb patterns that let B1 students speak naturally about what they do.
1. Verb + -ing (gerund)
Some verbs are followed by the -ing form: enjoy, love, like, hate, don't mind, can't stand, finish, keep, practice, suggest.
2. Verb + to + base verb (infinitive)
Other verbs are followed by the to-infinitive: want, would like, decide, hope, plan, choose, learn, offer, promise.
3. Preposition + -ing
After a preposition, always use the -ing form. This is key for the topic phrases.
| good at | She's good at drawing. |
| interested in | I'm interested in learning chess. |
| keen on | He's keen on cycling. |
| passionate about | They're passionate about cooking. |
Note: like / love / hate / start can take both forms with little change in meaning (I like swimming = I like to swim). The traps below are the ones to drill.
Materials Needed
In Praise of Being Bad at Things
A self-grading article on why adults give up new hobbies too early. It carries the unit's vocabulary and models gerunds and infinitives, so it fits straight into Session 2 — or set it as homework.
What's inside
- An article on starting a hobby, the 20-hour rule, and the idea of "flow".
- Self-grading comprehension questions with instant feedback and a score.
- A "verb + -ing vs verb + to" sorting task.
- A vocabulary flashcard deck and a discussion box to extend the topic into speaking.
How to use it: project it for shared reading, or assign it for homework before the discussion. Students read, then tap Show My Score on the comprehension quiz and bring the result to class.
Open the Reading →Timed Lesson Stages
Each stage lists timing, teacher instructions, and the interaction pattern.
1. Warm-Up — Hobby Brainstorm
In pairs, students list as many hobbies as they can in two minutes. Collect on the board, grouping into outdoor, creative, and indoor/solo.
Interaction: Pairs → whole class.
2. Vocabulary & Preference Phrases
Present hobby vocabulary and preference phrases (I'm passionate about, keen on, into, not a fan of). Drill collocations: play chess, go hiking, do yoga. Students make true sentences about themselves.
Interaction: Teacher → class → individual.
3. Grammar — Gerunds & Infinitives
Guided discovery: write "I enjoy ___ " and "I want ___ " on the board and elicit the pattern (enjoy + -ing, want + to). Build two lists of verbs, then add the preposition + -ing rule (good at, interested in).
- Concept check: "After 'enjoy', do we say 'to read' or 'reading'?" "After 'at', which form?"
- Controlled drill: students complete mixed sentences from the workbook's grammar task.
Interaction: Guided discovery → individual.
4. Speaking — Two Truths & a Lie (Hobbies)
The centerpiece speaking activity (full instructions in the Activities section below). Students invent three statements about their hobbies — two true, one false — and their group asks questions to spot the lie.
Interaction: Small groups.
5. Wrap-Up
Groups report the most surprising truth they discovered. Note any verb-pattern errors for the next session.
1. Review — Pattern Race
Call out a verb (enjoy, want, decide, can't stand, good at). Teams race to make a correct sentence with the right pattern. One point per accurate, natural sentence.
Interaction: Teams.
2. Reading — "An Unusual Hobby"
Students open the Student Workbook and read the text about Marta the postcard collector. They answer the comprehension and multiple-choice questions, which grade instantly.
- Read for gist first ("Is her hobby common?"), then for detail.
- Pairs find every gerund and infinitive in the text.
Interaction: Individual → pairs.
3. Listening — A Hobby Interview
Play Audio 2 (script below). Students complete the fill-in-the-blank and multiple-choice listening task in the workbook. Play twice.
Interaction: Individual → class check.
4. Writing — My Favorite Hobby
Students complete the workbook's grammar, word-order, and error-correction tasks, then write a detailed paragraph (80–100 words).
Model: "One of my favorite hobbies is photography. I took it up three years ago, and now I'm passionate about it. I love walking around the city and taking pictures of old buildings. I'm quite good at editing photos, too. It's challenging because the light is never perfect, but it's very rewarding when I get a great shot."
- Target: at least three gerunds, two infinitives, and two preference phrases.
- Students self-check against the workbook checklist, then review the flashcard deck.
Interaction: Individual.
5. Share, Score & Reflect
Students read their paragraph to a partner, who asks one follow-up question. Then they tap Show My Score in the workbook and show you the result on their phone.
Speaking Activities
This unit's centerpiece is Two Truths & a Lie — high engagement, lots of question forms, and the target verb patterns in real use.
Two Truths & a Lie — Hobbies Edition
Groups of 3–4. Goal: fool your group, and catch their lies.
- Each student writes three statements about their hobbies — two true, one false. Encourage the target patterns: "I'm really into…", "I took up…", "I'm good at…", "I can't stand…".
- One student reads their three statements aloud. The group asks follow-up questions ("How long have you done it?", "Why do you enjoy it?") to test each one.
- The group votes on which statement is the lie. The speaker reveals the answer. One point for each group member who guesses correctly; one point to the speaker if the group is fooled.
- Rotate until everyone has spoken. The follow-up questions are where the real speaking happens — insist on them.
More Activities (rotate these)
Interview Carousel
Students interview a partner about a hobby using set questions ("What got you into it?", "What's the best part?"), take quick notes, then change partners and report what their last partner said — practicing reported speech and the verb patterns.
Diamond 9 — Best Free-Time Activities
Give nine hobby cards. Groups rank them in a diamond from "most worth your time" to "least", justifying with "We think reading is better than gaming because…". Strong for opinion and comparison language.
Hobby Taboo
A student describes a hobby word (photography, gardening) without saying the word or three "taboo" words. Teammates guess. Fast, fun vocabulary recall that forces paraphrasing and relative clauses.
Desert Island Hobbies
"You're stranded on an island and can keep only three hobbies." Groups negotiate and agree on a shared list, then present and defend it: "We decided to keep… because we enjoy…" Built-in gerund/infinitive practice.
Audio & Transcripts
Tap a transcript to open it. Add your recording in the player, and use the same file in the student workbook's Listening task.
Audio 1Talking About a Hobby (model)+
Speaker: One of my favorite hobbies is baking. I took it up during a long winter a few years ago, and now I'm passionate about it. I really enjoy making bread because it's relaxing, and I'm quite good at decorating cakes. I want to learn how to make French pastries next. It can be challenging — sometimes a cake doesn't rise! — but it's so rewarding when friends enjoy what I've made.
How to use: Play once as a model before the speaking activity. Ask students to count the gerunds and infinitives they hear, then to copy the structure when they talk about their own hobby.
Audio 2A Hobby Interview (listening task)+
Interviewer: So, Ben, what do you do in your free time?
Ben: Well, I'm really into rock climbing. I took it up about two years ago.
Interviewer: That sounds exciting! Why do you enjoy it?
Ben: I love being outside, and I'm quite good at solving problems. Climbing is like a puzzle for your body.
Interviewer: Is it dangerous?
Ben: Not really, if you're careful. The hardest part is staying calm. I practice climbing twice a week at an indoor center.
Interviewer: Would you recommend it to other people?
Ben: Definitely. I'd suggest starting indoors with a teacher. It's challenging, but it's so rewarding.
How to use: This is the source audio for the workbook's Listening task. Two voices work best. Play for gist first ("What's Ben's hobby?"), then for detail. Notice the verb patterns: into climbing, good at solving, practice climbing, suggest starting.
Audio 3Pronunciation — the -ing ending (optional)+
Listen-and-repeat. The -ing ending is /ɪŋ/ — a clear "ng" sound, not "-in".
reading · cooking · climbing · painting · collecting · solving
I enjoy reading. — I'm good at cooking. — I can't stand waiting.
How to use: B1 students often drop the "g" or add a vowel. Model the /ɪŋ/ ending and the natural stress, then drill the full preference sentences so the gerunds sound fluent.
Workbook Answers
These match the self-grading student workbook. The workbook grades automatically; keys are here for your reference and board correction.
Reading — Comprehension ("An Unusual Hobby")
- What does Marta collect? — (old) postcards
- How long ago did she start? — three years (ago)
- How often does she meet other collectors? — every month / once a month
Reading — Multiple Choice
- Why does Marta love reading the messages? — b) she is passionate about history
- Collecting postcards is challenging because… — c) some old cards are expensive and hard to find
Listening — Fill in the Blank (Audio 2)
- Ben is really into rock climbing.
- He took it up about two years ago.
- He practices climbing twice a week.
Listening — Multiple Choice (Audio 2)
- What is the hardest part for Ben? — b) staying calm
- What does he suggest for beginners? — c) starting indoors with a teacher
Grammar — Gerund or Infinitive
- I enjoy reading in the evening.
- She wants to learn the guitar.
- He's good at painting.
- They decided to join a chess club.
- I can't stand waiting in lines.
Word Order
- She is keen on playing tennis.
- We decided to take up yoga.
Error Correction (verb patterns)
- I enjoy reading books. (not "to read")
- She is good at drawing. (not "to draw")
- He wants to learn English. (not "learning")
- They finished painting the room. (not "to paint")
Common Student Errors
Watch for these at B1 and correct gently in the moment.
| Typical Error | Correct Form | Why & How to Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "I enjoy to read." | "I enjoy reading." | enjoy is always followed by -ing. Drill the verb+ing list. |
| "I'm good at to cook." | "I'm good at cooking." | After a preposition (at, in, on, about), use -ing. |
| "I want learning Spanish." | "I want to learn Spanish." | want takes the to-infinitive. Contrast with enjoy + -ing. |
| "I'm interested in cook." | "I'm interested in cooking." | Preposition + -ing, not the base verb. |
| "I look forward to see you." | "I look forward to seeing you." | Here "to" is a preposition, so + -ing. A classic B1 trap. |
| "I decided playing chess." | "I decided to play chess." | decide takes the to-infinitive. |
Extension & Homework
In-Class Options
- Design a poster advertising a hobby club, using gerunds and infinitives.
- Plan a "hobby swap day" and write the schedule.
- Use the workbook flashcards to quiz a partner on the key vocabulary.
At-Home Practice
- Try a new hobby and write a short reflection (why you chose it, what was challenging).
- Research a hobby popular in another country and write a short summary.
- Finish any workbook tasks and review the flashcards; bring your score to class.
How to Measure Success
Ready to run the lesson?
Open the student workbook on any phone or laptop — self-grading, with a built-in flashcard deck. No login.
Open the Student Workbook