IELTS Speaking Hobbies: Vocabulary, Sample Answers & Tips (Parts 1, 2 & 3)

“Hobbies” is a very familiar topic in the IELTS exam. However, to truly master this subject, candidates need to equip themselves with a diverse range of vocabulary to express themselves fluently across various aspects of the topic. This will help you handle more in-depth questions with greater confidence.

The hobby topic isn’t inherently difficult, but in real life, there are countless hobbies, each with its own unique characteristics and requirements. Therefore, the vocabulary needed is extensive, and it also requires candidates to have a solid background knowledge of different pastimes. This is especially important in Part 3, where you are expected to analyze and provide perspectives on various facets of the issue.

Let’s join Ms. Thuy in exploring essential vocabulary, common questions, and sample answers for this classic topic.

Useful Vocabulary & Structures for IELTS Speaking: Hobbies

When discussing active hobbies or sports, you can use the following vocabulary:

• archery – the sport of shooting arrows with a bow
• ice skating – skating on ice
• skateboarding – the sport of riding a skateboard
• golf – a game played on a large open course with 9 or 18 holes
• bowls – a game played on a level lawn with biased wooden balls rolled toward a jack
• climbing – an activity that involves ascending to a higher point
• scuba diving – swimming underwater using a self-contained breathing apparatus
• snorkeling – swimming near the surface of the water with a snorkel and mask
• spelunking – exploring natural caves
• parachuting – jumping from an aircraft and using a parachute to slow the fall

When talking about artistic hobbies, we have terms such as:

• painting – creating a picture with paints
• drawing – representing forms or objects on a surface using lines
• watercolour – painting using water-soluble pigments
• photography – taking pictures with a camera or phone
• embroidery – the art of decorative needlework
• pottery – making objects from clay and baking them in a kiln
• woodcarving – creating art by carving wood
• craft – the skilled practice of making things by hand
• jewellery making – creating adornments from precious metals and gems

If you want to talk about indoor or sedentary hobbies, here are some common terms:

• chess – a board game for two players involving strategic movement of 16 pieces
• board game – a game played on a specially designed board
• computer game – a game played on a computer or console
• stamp collecting – the hobby of collecting postage stamps
• antique collecting – collecting items valued for their age and history
• billiards – a game played on a table using cue sticks to strike balls

For hobbies related to nature, you can use these terms:

• gardening – the cultivation of plants
• caving – exploring underground geological formations
• collecting shells – gathering the outer coverings of marine animals
• collecting pebbles – gathering small, smooth, rounded rocks

Vocabulary for important qualities required for different hobbies:

• stamina – enduring strength and energy
• perseverance – persistent determination
• creative – having the ability to invent or make something new
• artistic – relating to human creativity and aesthetics

Adjectives to describe the characteristics or provide an evaluation of different hobbies:

• time-consuming – requiring a lot of time and patience
• tricky – having hidden difficulties
• tedious – boring and causing mental weariness
• dull – lacking interest
• costly – having a high price
• expensive – high in price
• unimportant – not significant
• trivial – small and of little importance
• silly – foolish or ludicrous

When describing materials, tools, or methods, you may need these terms:

• oil – (as in oil paints)
• copper – a ductile, reddish-brown metal
• silver – a soft, white precious metal
• gold – a soft, yellow, malleable metal
• beads – small pieces of material threaded together
• badge – an emblem signifying status or membership
• shell – the outer covering of a mollusk
• pebble – a small, smooth, rounded rock
• by hand – without the use of machinery
• by machine – using automated tools

Useful phrases and structures for the hobby topic:

• pet hobby: a personal or favorite hobby.

While “pet” is usually a noun, when used as an adjective, it means “something special and important to you.”

• To have a hobby: to possess a pastime.
• To enjoy/follow/indulge in/pursue a hobby: to be passionate about or deeply engaged in a hobby.
• To take up a hobby: to start a new hobby.
• Among someone’s hobbies = one of someone’s hobbies.
• To take up [something] as a hobby: to adopt something as a pastime.

IELTS Speaking Part 1 Sample: Hobbies

• Do you have any hobbies?

Actually, I have quite a few, ranging from sedentary ones like playing chess or crafting, to physical activities such as swimming or skateboarding. When I was younger, my parents invested a lot in my extracurricular classes, hoping to help me develop in as many aspects as possible, and fortunately, I enjoyed them all.

• Did you have any hobbies when you were a child?

As I mentioned, there were many activities I took up back then, but my favorite was painting, probably because I was quite good at creating artworks and even won several prizes for them. To this day, it remains my all-time favorite pleasure. Whenever there’s too much going on in my head, I simply sit down with my canvas and watercolors to unwind.

• Do you have the same hobbies as your family members?

Not exactly. We try to spend our spare time together doing things like watching films or traveling, but our individual hobbies are quite different. My parents prefer calming and relaxing activities like gardening or meditating, while I’m more into creative and physical hobbies.

IELTS Speaking Part 2 Sample: Hobbies

Describe an interesting hobby that you used to have. You should say:

what it is

when you had this hobby

how you did it

why you found it interesting

I’d like to talk about collecting leaves, which was a somewhat strange but exciting hobby I had back when I was in primary school.

I remember I first took up this hobby in the autumn of my third-grade year. As a dreamy little girl, I fell in love with that colorful season, when leaves of various shades were falling to the ground. At the time, decorating scrapbooks was a trending activity among girls. I suddenly came up with the idea of using these leaves as little stickers for my notebook. Gradually, however, I became more interested in the beautiful leaves themselves than the book.

I usually collected fallen leaves in parks or around my neighborhood, trying to choose ones with different shapes, colors, and sizes. Afterward, I would dry them between the pages of old books and sometimes label them with notes about where and when I found them. I stopped doing it when I became busier with my studies in secondary school.

I found this hobby rewarding and relaxing because it helped me feel more connected to nature and notice the small details that people often overlook. It also didn’t cost me a penny. Looking back, this past pleasure taught me to be more patient and observant, which I think is quite meaningful.

IELTS Speaking Part 3 Sample: Hobbies

• Why do people have hobbies?

I think the main reasons are to relax and escape from daily pressure. Life can be quite stressful for many people, and hobbies serve as a necessary mental break after dealing with hardships. Also, most hobbies require some financial investment, so for those whose pastimes are costly—such as extreme sports or luxury travel—these activities provide the motivation to work harder and earn more.

• Do you think men and women tend to have different types of hobbies?

To some extent, yes. Traditionally, men have been more likely to choose physically demanding or competitive hobbies, such as sports or video games, while women have tended to prefer creative or social activities like decorating or joining group classes. However, I think this distinction is becoming less clear nowadays. People’s attitudes toward gender roles are shifting, so both men and women are free to explore any hobby they enjoy without worrying about gender stereotypes.

• What can we learn from hobbies?

They can teach us many valuable skills and qualities. Since most leisure activities require patience, time, and consistency, I believe that when we invest enough effort into something, we reap the rewards. Different hobbies offer different benefits. For example, creative hobbies help develop imagination and problem-solving skills, while sports can improve teamwork, discipline, and perseverance.

We have now explored the “Hobby” topic for IELTS Speaking, along with some great vocabulary and “standard” sample answers. Thank you for reading this post, and I wish you all the best in your studies and hope you achieve your desired results soon!