Describe a hobby you would like to try
Describe a hobby you would like to try
You should say:
- what the hobby is
- how you found out about it
- what you would need to do to start it
and explain why you would like to try this hobby
Practise this card
One minute to plan, two minutes to speak, exactly like the exam. Nothing you record leaves your device.
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- what the hobby is
- how you found out about it
- what you would need to do to start it
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How to approach this cue card
This card is unusual among cue cards because it deliberately asks about the future rather than the past, so the examiner is specifically listening for conditional and future-oriented language: “would like to,” “I’d probably,” “if I started.” Getting comfortable with this shift is really what separates a strong answer here from a generic one.
Pick a hobby you have genuinely thought about, even briefly, rather than inventing one on the spot, since real curiosity produces more specific reasons and detail than a made-up interest. Pottery, learning an instrument, gardening, or a martial art are all common, believable choices that give you something concrete to say about the “what you would need to do to start it” bullet.
Open with what the hobby is and where you first heard about it, spend the middle on the practical steps you would need to take to actually begin, and close with a specific personal reason you are drawn to it, since that is what the “explain” line is really asking you to develop.
Vocabulary that lifts this answer
These phrases describe curiosity and future intention more naturally than “I want to try it” repeated throughout.
| Word or phrase | What it means | In a sentence |
|---|---|---|
| catch my eye | attract my attention or interest | A pottery class near my flat caught my eye a while back. |
| get around to (doing something) | eventually find time to do something | I’ve just never quite got around to it. |
| look into (something) | research or investigate something | I’ve looked into a few beginner classes nearby. |
| a steep initial cost | a high expense at the very start | There’s a fairly steep initial cost for the equipment. |
| dip my toe in | try something cautiously at first | I’d probably want to dip my toe in with a short course first. |
| appeal to me | seem attractive or interesting to me | The creative side of it really appeals to me. |
| a beginner-friendly class | a class suitable for people with no experience | Luckily there’s a beginner-friendly class not far from home. |
| take the plunge | finally commit to doing something | I keep meaning to take the plunge and just sign up. |
| a nice change of pace | a welcome break from one’s usual routine | It would be a nice change of pace from staring at screens all day. |
| get stuck into (something) | become fully engaged and busy with an activity | Once I start, I know I’ll get properly stuck into it. |
A one-minute plan
- hobby: pottery, saw a friend’s finished pieces
- found out: friend’s apartment, small clay bowls, asked her about it
- to start: find beginner class, buy basic tools, set aside evenings
- why: creative, screen-free, tangible result unlike work
Sample answer
This is one way to structure an answer on this topic, meant as a model for organisation rather than something to memorise and repeat.
A hobby I would genuinely like to try is pottery, something I first became curious about after visiting a friend’s apartment and noticing a handful of slightly uneven but clearly handmade clay bowls on her shelf. When I asked about them, she explained she had been taking a weekly class for about six months, and honestly, I have not stopped thinking about it since. If I decided to actually start, I would probably need to look into a beginner-friendly class somewhere nearby, since I have no experience with a pottery wheel and would rather not attempt it entirely alone with online videos. There is apparently a fairly steep initial cost for some of the equipment and materials, though most local studios let you rent a wheel and tools for the first few sessions, which would let me dip my toe in before committing to anything more expensive. What appeals to me most about it, I think, is that it is completely hands-on and screen-free, which is the opposite of most of my working day, and it produces something tangible at the end, unlike a lot of what I do for work. I keep meaning to take the plunge and just sign up for an introductory class, and I suspect that once I actually start, I would get properly stuck into it rather quickly.
Common mistakes on this card
- Describing a hobby using past tense, as if it is already something the candidate does regularly.
- Choosing a hobby with nothing practical to say about how you would actually begin it.
- Giving a vague reason like “it looks fun” instead of a specific, personal reason for the “explain” line.
- Forgetting that the card asks about starting a new hobby, not developing one you already have.
Part 3 questions that often follow
After your two-minute turn, the examiner usually moves into a related Part 3 discussion — these are the kinds of follow-up questions that commonly come up around this topic.
- Do adults have less free time for hobbies than they used to?
- Should hobbies be purely for enjoyment, or should they also be productive?
- How do social media and video platforms influence what hobbies people take up?
- Is it better to have one serious hobby or several casual interests?
Frequently asked questions
Is this card asking about a hobby I already have?
No, it specifically asks about one you have not tried yet, so keep your verbs in structures like "would like to" and "I'd probably need to," not "I do" or "I have done."
Does the hobby need to be unusual to sound interesting?
No, an ordinary hobby such as pottery, gardening, or playing an instrument works well, as long as you explain a genuine, specific reason you are drawn to it rather than a generic one.
Can I mention a practical obstacle, like cost or time, stopping me from starting?
Yes, briefly mentioning why you have not started yet, such as a busy schedule, adds natural detail, as long as it does not take over the whole answer.
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