Free Time and Hobbies ESL Lesson for Beginners

Teach beginners how to talk about hobbies with fun grammar, speaking, and vocabulary activities.

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Talking about your hobbies is one of the best ways to start conversations in English. This blogpost introduces key vocabulary and ideas from our full lesson on “Free Time and Hobbies.” It’s designed to be fun and educational—and it includes a free downloadable worksheet sample. Whether you’re a student or teacher, this post will help you speak more naturally about the things you enjoy doing in your free time.

Table of Contents:

1. What are the best English words for free time and hobbies?
2. Picture Dictionary: Learn with Images
3. Using Adjectives and Adverbs to Describe Hobbies
4. Talking About Time and Frequency
5. Fun Practice Ideas You Can Do Anytime
6. Sample Worksheet Download
7. Get the Full Lesson
8. Final Thoughts + Resources

What are the best English words for free time and hobbies?

When you talk about hobbies in English, you use a mix of nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. For example, you might say: “I love painting,” or “She plays music beautifully.” This lesson introduces common words like read, swim, dance, hike, and cook—and helps students build sentences using different parts of speech. It also teaches how to describe when, how often, and how well someone enjoys an activity. Let’s take a look at some vocabulary to get started.

Picture Dictionary – Learn with Images

First up, mastering key vocabulary. Words like ‘swimming,’ ‘painting,’ and ‘hiking’ are your best friends here. These aren’t just words—they’re conversation starters. Practice using them in sentences.

For example, ‘I go hiking every Sunday’ or ‘She enjoys painting.’ Maybe even try writing a mini diary entry about a hobby-filled weekend to get those words flowing.

One of the easiest ways to build vocabulary is by using a picture dictionary. This visual tool helps students connect English words to real-life actions and objects. For example, in this lesson, we introduce words like:

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Each word is paired with a realistic image that makes learning stick.

You can download and print the picture dictionary from this post and use it in your classroom or self-study. Teachers can use it for labeling games or warm-up activities, while students can use it to practice speaking and writing full sentences.

Example: “I like to read outside in the summertime.”

These words become even more powerful when students learn how to describe them using grammar, like adjectives and adverbs. Let’s look at that next.

Using Adjectives and Adverbs to Describe Hobbies

Incorporating adjectives and adverbs can bring color and flair to your descriptions. Saying, ‘I paint vividly’ or ‘He quickly jogs every morning’ adds an extra layer of detail. Adjectives and adverbs help to paint a fuller picture of your hobbies, making them more relatable and interesting.

Once students learn basic hobby vocabulary, they can begin to describe their activities in more detail. That’s where adjectives and adverbs come in.

• Adjectives describe nouns. Example: “She is a creative painter.”
• Adverbs describe how something is done. Example: “He swims quickly.”

This helps students talk about how they feel about hobbies, how well they do them, or how often they participate. Try combining both in a sentence: “I am a careful gardener. I water my plants gently every morning.”

Encourage students to mix and match:

• Fun, relaxing, creative, social (adjectives)
• Slowly, often, well, happily (adverbs)

Hobby	Adjective	Adverb	Example Sentence
Painting	creative	carefully	She is a creative painter. She paints carefully.
Gardening	careful	gently	I am a careful gardener. I water my plants gently.
Playing guitar	relaxing	often	Playing guitar is relaxing. I practice often.
Dancing	fun	well	Dancing is fun. She dances well.
Swimming	social	quickly	Swimming is a social hobby. He swims quickly.
Reading	quiet	happily	Reading is a quiet activity. I read happily each night.

Time and frequency are crucial to detailing how often you do your hobbies. Phrases like ‘I read books once a week’ or ‘We go biking on weekends’ help give context to your activities. Practicing these will make your storytelling smoother and more vivid.

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Fun Practice Ideas You Can Do Anytime

Now, try out some fun speaking activities to boost your confidence. Set up a ‘hobby interview’ with a classmate or friend, or work on a hobby role-play scenario. The more you practice, the more naturally these conversations will come.

Here are a few fun ways students can practice what they’ve learned:

1. Hobby Interview – Ask a classmate: “What do you like to do? When do you do it? How well do you do it?”
2. My Hobby Poster – Create a simple poster using a picture, 3 sentences with adjectives/adverbs, and one sentence with a time expression.
3. Draw and Describe – Students draw themselves doing a hobby and describe it aloud or in writing.

These types of creative activities reinforce both vocabulary and grammar in a personal way. They’re great for group work, individual reflection, or homework.

Sample Worksheet Download

I’ve also put together a handy downloadable worksheet sample. It’s packed with exercises and resources to keep you learning and practicing. Perfect for teachers looking to spice up lessons and students eager to keep improving. Download it and get cracking—learning vocabulary in context is a game changer.

Download this free worksheet to try out part of the lesson with your class or study group. It includes:

• Hobby vocabulary matching
• Fill-in-the-blank grammar practice
• A speaking question starter

Get the Full Lesson

You can purchase and instantly download the complete 14-page “Free Time and Hobbies” lesson on Teachers Pay Teachers: 👉 Get the Full Lesson on TPT

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Final Thoughts + Resources

The journey to speaking English fluently is all about enjoying the process. When you talk about what you love, it’s natural and engaging for both you and your listener. So keep practicing, and enjoy weaving your hobbies into everyday conversations.

Learning to talk about free time and hobbies makes English more personal and enjoyable. This beginner-friendly lesson helps students build confidence with vocabulary, grammar, and speaking skills.

Want more lessons like this? Check out the ESL Lesson Library Download full lessons from The KBob Teacher Toolbox on TPT Access free printables by joining the Free Resource Library

Thanks for reading—and don’t forget to make time for things you enjoy!

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