ChatGPT Basic Grammar × Conversation: Talking About Hobbies

Learn how to express your interests using “I like + -ing”

Introduction

Do you enjoy watching movies, listening to music, or playing sports? These are all hobbies. A hobby is something you like to do in your free time.

When you meet someone new, it’s common to talk about your hobbies. It helps people learn more about you and makes the conversation fun and friendly.

In English, we often use this sentence pattern to talk about hobbies:

“I like + verb with -ing”

For example:

• I like swimming.
• I like reading books.
• I like playing the guitar.

This grammar is simple and very useful. In this lesson, you will learn how to use it, read sample conversations, and practice with ChatGPT.

Let’s learn together!

Example Conversations: Talking About Hobbies

Here are some short and easy conversations to help you talk about hobbies in English.
All the conversations use the sentence pattern “I like + -ing”.
Try to read them out loud. You can also use them to practice with ChatGPT.

Conversation 1: Talking About One Hobby

Situation: Two friends are talking about what they enjoy doing.

A: What do you like to do?
B: I like swimming.
A: Oh, nice! Do you swim every day?
B: No, only on weekends.

Explanation:
In this conversation, B says “I like swimming.” This means swimming is one of B’s hobbies.
Notice how A asks a follow-up question: “Do you swim every day?” You can use this in your own practice.

Conversation 2: Talking About Two Hobbies

Situation: Classmates are talking about what they like to do in their free time.

A: What are your hobbies?
B: I like reading and listening to music.
A: Cool! What kind of books do you like?
B: I like mystery books.

Explanation:
B gives two hobbies: “reading” and “listening to music.”
It’s okay to say more than one hobby. Then A asks for more detail: “What kind of books?” This helps the conversation continue.

Conversation 3: Sharing Hobbies with a Classmate

Situation: Two students meet for the first time.

A: I’m new here. My name is Anna.
B: Hi Anna, I’m Mark. Nice to meet you.
A: Nice to meet you too! I like cooking. How about you?
B: I like playing basketball.

Explanation:
Anna introduces herself and shares her hobby: “I like cooking.”
Mark replies with his hobby: “I like playing basketball.”
You can use the question “How about you?” to ask the other person to share.

Grammar Focus: “I like + -ing”

When you talk about hobbies in English, we often use this pattern:

“I like + verb ending in -ing”

This is called the gerund form. It means you enjoy doing something regularly or for fun.

Sentence Structure

Example Sentences

• I like cooking.
• I like watching movies.
• I like reading books at night.

⚠ Common Mistake

Be careful not to use the base verb by itself. For example:

• ❌ I like swim.
• ✅ I like swimming.

The verb after “like” must always end in “-ing” when talking about hobbies.

Bonus Tip

You can also use “I love ~” or “I enjoy ~” in the same way:

• I love traveling.
• I enjoy painting.

All of these verbs (like / love / enjoy) are followed by a verb ending in “-ing.”

With this grammar, you can talk about all your favorite activities in English!

Practice with ChatGPT: Recommended Prompts

You can use ChatGPT as your speaking partner to practice talking about hobbies.
These prompts will help you start a natural conversation using the grammar point “I like + -ing”.
Just copy and paste the prompt into ChatGPT and begin speaking in English.

Recommended Prompt ①: Share One Hobby

Use this prompt to practice saying one thing you enjoy. ChatGPT will ask you about your hobby, and you can respond using “I like ~.”

Let’s practice talking about hobbies. Please ask me, “What do you like to do?” I will answer with one hobby, like “I like cooking.” After that, ask me a follow-up question to continue the conversation.

Recommended Prompt ②: Talk About Two Hobbies

This prompt lets you practice saying more than one hobby. ChatGPT will help you speak in full sentences.

I want to practice saying two hobbies in English. Please ask me, “What are your hobbies?” I will answer with “I like reading and listening to music.” Please continue the conversation by asking me more questions about my hobbies.

Recommended Prompt ③: You Go First!

Use this prompt to reverse roles. ChatGPT introduces its hobbies first, and then asks you to share yours.

Let’s talk about our hobbies. First, please introduce one or two hobbies you like, such as “I like playing games” or “I like singing.” Then ask me, “What do you like to do?” I will answer and we can keep chatting.

Practice Exercises: Use “I like + -ing” Confidently

Let’s practice what you learned! These exercises will help you remember how to use “I like + -ing” to talk about your hobbies.
Try to say your answers out loud, or write them down. Don’t worry if you make mistakes — this is how you improve!

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Complete each sentence using “I like” and the correct verb with “-ing.”

1. I like ________. (swim)
2. I like ________ to music. (listen)
3. I like ________ books at night. (read)
4. I like ________ with my friends. (talk)
5. I like ________ TV on weekends. (watch)

Tip: Always use the “-ing” form of the verb!

Exercise 2: Make Your Own Sentences

Write 3 full sentences about your real hobbies using “I like + -ing.”
If you don’t have a hobby, just make one up!

• Example: I like drawing.
• Example: I like taking photos.

Exercise 3: Find and Fix the Mistakes

Each sentence below has one mistake. Can you find it and fix it?

1. I like to swiming.
2. I like play video games.
3. I like listen music.
4. I like watching movie.
5. I like to playing tennis.

Hint: Remember, the verb after “like” should end in “-ing.” No extra “to” is needed!

Exercise 4: Practice with a Friend or ChatGPT

Now try using your own hobbies in a conversation. Use one of the prompts above, or speak with a friend.
Here’s a challenge:

• Say your name and one hobby.
• Ask the other person, “What do you like to do?”
• Try to keep the conversation going with questions like “Do you do it every day?”

Example:
A: I’m Yuka. I like painting. What do you like to do?
B: I like playing soccer. Do you paint every day?

Tips and Common Mistakes

Even though the pattern “I like + -ing” is simple, many beginners make small mistakes when using it.
Here are some helpful tips and common errors to watch out for.

✅ Tip 1: Always Use the “-ing” Form

After “I like,” always use a verb that ends in “-ing.” This is called the gerund form. It turns the action into a thing you enjoy.

• ✅ I like cooking.
• ✅ I like reading books.
• ❌ I like to swiming. (Incorrect spelling)

✅ Tip 2: Don’t Add “to” Before the Verb

Some learners mix “I like to + verb” and “I like + -ing.” Both are okay in some situations, but in this lesson we focus on the “-ing” form only.

• ❌ I like to playing soccer.
• ✅ I like playing soccer.

✅ Tip 3: Be Specific (Optional)

To make your sentence more interesting, you can add details like time, place, or reason.

• ✅ I like reading books at night.
• ✅ I like walking in the park.
• ✅ I like listening to music because it relaxes me.

❌ Common Mistake 1: Forgetting the “-ing”

• ❌ I like watch movies.
• ✅ I like watching movies.

❌ Common Mistake 2: Using the Base Verb Incorrectly

• ❌ I like dance.
• ✅ I like dancing.

✅ Tip 4: How to Add “-ing” to Verbs

When you use “I like + verb-ing,” it’s important to spell the “-ing” form correctly. Here are some basic rules to help you:

• Most verbs: just add “-ing”
  play → playing
read → reading
study → studying
enjoy → enjoying
• Verbs ending in “e”: drop the “e” and add “-ing”
  make → making
dance → dancing
write → writing
• One-syllable verbs with consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC): double the last consonant
  swim → swimming
run → running
sit → sitting
  *Do not double w, x, or y (e.g., fix → fixing)

These rules will help you avoid common spelling mistakes when writing or speaking about your hobbies.

Final Advice

It’s okay to make mistakes! The most important thing is to keep speaking and keep practicing.
ChatGPT is a great tool to help you get better every day. Just use one small sentence at a time, and soon you’ll feel confident talking about all your hobbies in English.

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