Hobbies & Free-Time Vocabulary
Hook
“What do you do in your free time?” is one of the most common small-talk questions in English. To answer it, you need the names of hobbies and the right verb for each one: play, go or do.
Notice
- I love reading and cooking.
- My brother plays football and plays the guitar.
- We go swimming on Saturdays.
- She does yoga every morning.
- In the evening I listen to music or watch films.
Which verb goes with sports and games? Which goes with activities ending in -ing?
Rule
| Verb | Use with | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| play | ball sports and games (no the) | play football, play tennis, play chess, play video games |
| play the | musical instruments | play the guitar, play the piano, play the drums |
| go + -ing | activities you go somewhere to do | go swimming, go shopping, go fishing, go hiking, go running |
| do | some exercise and other activities | do yoga, do karate, do exercise, do puzzles |
Other hobbies: reading · painting · drawing · cooking · dancing · gardening · taking photos · listening to music · watching films/series · meeting friends.
Watch Out
- ✗ I play the football. → ✓ I play football. (no “the” with sports)
- ✗ I play guitar well. (British English) → ✓ I play the guitar well. (instruments take “the”)
- ✗ I go to swimming. → ✓ I go swimming.
- ✗ I make yoga. → ✓ I do yoga.
Practice
- Complete: I like playing ___ guitar.
- Complete: He plays ___ football every weekend.
- go or play? ___ chess
- go or play? ___ swimming
- do or play? ___ yoga
- Name three hobbies you can do outside.
- Correct it: “We go to shopping on Saturdays.”
- What do you do with a camera?
Show the answers
- the
- no word needed (plays football)
- play
- go
- do
- hiking, fishing, gardening, running… (any three)
- We go shopping on Saturdays.
- take photos
Your Turn
Make three lists: play, go and do. Write two hobbies in each. Then write four sentences about your free time: I often go running. I play…
Connect
Check hobby words in our Vocabulary Quiz (choose A1).
Our Daily Unscramble game is a quick word puzzle you can play every day.
CEFR A1 — Spoken Production: I can name and describe everyday leisure activities and hobbies.
- Imagery: Meaning, 7 Types and Examples in Writing - October 10, 2026
- Literary Devices: 30 Common Devices with Meanings and Examples - October 9, 2026
- Bandwagon Fallacy: Meaning, Examples and Origin - October 8, 2026
Reading as a guest. Create a free account or log in to save your progress, mark lessons complete and earn a certificate.