Speaking: Likes and Dislikes
In Part One and Part Two of the IELTS speaking test, you will often be asked about your preferences. It is very common for candidates to use only "I like..." and "I don't like..." again and again. This is a very basic structure and won't get you many marks. You can sound much more impressive by using the phrases below.
Strong likes:
- I love... (+ing/noun)
- I'm really into... (+ing/noun)
- I'm really keen on... (+ing/noun)
- I think ..... is amazing/wonderful/superb/a lot of fun. (with singular or +ing verb)
- I think ..... are amazing/wonderful/superb/a lot of fun. (with plural)
Weak likes:
- I'm quite keen on.... (+ing/noun)
- I think ..... is/are ok.
Strong dislikes:
- I hate... (+ing/noun)
- I can't stand... (+ing/noun)
- I have no interest in... (+ing/noun)
Weak dislikes:
- I'm not so keen on... (+ing/noun)
- I'm not really interested in... (+ing/noun)
You can also explain why you like or don't like something:
- What I love about ...... is that....
- What I really dislike about .... is that...
TASK
Give your feelings about the subjects below. Use a range of phrases. Remember to record yourself and check the example answer below.
- Doing exercise
- Junk food
- Going to the cinema vs. renting a DVD
- Travelling by plane
- Pets
- Learning English
- Working in an office
- Your city
- Your neighbourhood
- Social networking
4. I can't stand junk food. I find it really greasy and tasteless. What I really dislike about it is that one hour later I am hungry again!