Talking About Likes and Dislikes in English - Spoken English Lesson

Summary

In this Oxford Online English lesson, Stephanie teaches viewers how to express their likes and dislikes in English. The video covers various phrases for discussing favorite activities, music preferences, and food choices, as well as how to convey indifference or strong dislikes. Examples include 'I really love...', 'I'm not keen on...', and 'I can't stand...'. The lesson encourages practice by inviting viewers to create sentences about their own preferences and ends with a prompt for sharing thoughts on studying English.

Takeaways

• 😀 The lesson focuses on expressing likes and dislikes in English.
• 🎶 Phrases like 'I really love...' and 'I'm a big fan of...' are used to express strong likes.
• 🍽️ 'I quite like...' and 'It's alright' are used for mild liking or neutrality.
• 🚫 Phrases such as 'I'm not keen on...' and 'It's not my thing' are used to express dislikes.
• 🤔 'I don't have strong opinions about...' and 'I'm not bothered either way' indicate a lack of strong feelings.
• 😡 'I can't stand...' and 'I absolutely hate...' are used to convey strong dislikes.
• 🎵 The script uses music preferences as an example to illustrate the phrases.
• 🍔 The dialogue includes a conversation about food preferences, demonstrating how to use the phrases in context.
• 🗣️ Practicing by writing and speaking the phrases helps reinforce language learning.
• 💡 The lesson encourages using intonation to convey the strength of likes or dislikes with words like 'alright' and 'okay'.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the lesson presented by Stephanie?

The main focus of the lesson is to teach students how to express their likes and dislikes in English using clear and natural language.

What are some phrases used to express a strong liking for something in English?

Some phrases used to express a strong liking include 'I really love...', 'I'm a big fan of...', 'What I really like is...', and 'My favourite thing to do is...'.

How can one indicate they enjoy something but not to a great extent?

To indicate a mild liking, one can use phrases such as 'I quite like...', 'It's alright.', and 'It's not bad.'.

What are some ways to express a neutral or indifferent opinion about something?

To express a neutral or indifferent opinion, one might say 'It was okay.', 'I didn’t mind it.', 'I can take it or leave it.', or 'I’m not bothered either way.'.

How does the intonation affect the meaning of the word 'okay' in English?

The word 'okay' can have different meanings depending on intonation. A positive intonation can make it sound like 'quite good', while a negative intonation can suggest 'not very good'.

What is a fixed phrase used to express indifference towards something?

The fixed phrase 'I can take it or leave it' is used to express indifference towards something, meaning that the person is not particularly interested or affected by it.

What are some phrases to express a strong dislike for something or someone?

Phrases to express a strong dislike include 'I can't stand...', 'I absolutely hate...', '...drives me crazy', 'I have no time for...', and 'I really dislike...'.

How can one practice using the language from the lesson?

One can practice by pausing the video and writing sentences about their own likes and dislikes, then saying them out loud several times until comfortable with the pronunciation.

What is the advice given for using phrases like 'I'm not bothered either way'?

The advice is to consider the context and the people you are talking to before using phrases like 'I'm not bothered either way', as it can sound informal and potentially rude or dismissive.

What question does Stephanie pose to the viewers at the end of the lesson?

Stephanie asks viewers to share in the comments what they like or dislike most about studying English.

Where can viewers find more free English lessons like the one presented?

Viewers can find more free English lessons on the website Oxford Online English.com.

Outlines

00:00

🎧 Discussing Likes and Dislikes in English

The first paragraph introduces a lesson focused on expressing likes and dislikes in English. Stephanie, the presenter, poses questions about favorite activities and dislikes to engage learners. She then illustrates how to use phrases like 'I really love...', 'I'm a big fan of...', and 'What I really like is...' to talk about preferences. The lesson also covers varying these phrases to add emphasis or variety, such as 'My absolute favourite food is...' and 'Doing yoga in the morning makes me feel good.' The dialogue includes a conversation about music preferences, with one person favoring blues and classic soul, while the other enjoys hip-hop. The discussion moves to how they listen to music, with one person preferring vinyl records for their authentic listening experience, while the other is more flexible with digital formats. The paragraph concludes with an invitation for learners to practice making sentences using the language introduced.

05:03

🍕 Expressing Mild Preferences

Paragraph two delves into phrases for expressing mild likes and dislikes. It presents a dialogue where characters discuss food preferences, using phrases like 'I quite like...', 'It's alright,' and 'It's not bad.' The paragraph explains that 'alright' can have a positive or negative connotation depending on the speaker's intonation. The dialogue continues with characters trying to decide on a place to eat, showcasing how to use these phrases in conversation. The lesson then suggests variations of these phrases, such as 'I’m not keen on...' and '…isn’t my thing,' and provides examples of how to use them in different contexts. The paragraph encourages learners to practice by writing sentences about their own preferences, either on food or any other topic, and to say them out loud for better retention.

10:03

😕 Conveying Indifference and Disinterest

The third paragraph addresses how to communicate a lack of strong feelings or indifference towards something. It features a dialogue where characters discuss a movie, using phrases like 'It was okay,' 'I didn’t mind it,' and 'I can take it or leave it.' These phrases are used to express a neutral stance, neither positive nor negative. The lesson emphasizes the importance of intonation in conveying meaning, as 'okay' can be interpreted differently based on how it's said. It also cautions that certain phrases, like 'I’m not bothered either way,' can be perceived as informal or even rude in certain contexts. The paragraph concludes with an exercise for learners to write sentences about a movie or TV show they found mediocre, using the language from the lesson.

😠 Describing Strong Dislikes

The final paragraph focuses on expressing strong dislikes, using a dialogue where a character is frustrated with their workplace and colleagues. It introduces phrases like 'I can’t stand...', 'I absolutely hate...', '…drives me crazy,' and 'I have no time for…' to convey intense dislike. The lesson explains that these phrases can be used with nouns or -ing verbs to describe a wide range of dislikes, whether they are about people, things, or activities. It also touches on the importance of attitude and how it can affect workplace relationships. The paragraph ends with a call to action for learners to write three sentences about things they strongly dislike, using the language provided in the lesson, and to reflect on their experience with the language used.

Keywords

💡like

The term 'like' is used to express a preference or enjoyment for something. In the video, it is central to the theme of discussing personal preferences and activities one enjoys. For instance, phrases such as 'I really love...' and 'I’m a big fan of…' are used to indicate strong affection or interest, as seen when a character says, 'I’m a big fan of blues, classic soul, things like that.'

💡dislike

The word 'dislike' is used to convey aversion or lack of interest in something. It is a key concept in the video as it helps learners express their negative feelings towards certain activities or things. Phrases like 'I’m not keen on…' and 'It’s not my thing' are used to communicate mild to moderate disinterest, as illustrated in the dialogue where a character says, 'Spicy food isn’t my thing.'

💡favourite

The term 'favourite' is used to denote a preferred choice or the most liked item among a set of options. It is integral to the video's focus on discussing preferences. For example, 'What’s your favourite thing to do?' is a question that prompts learners to talk about their top preferences, as seen in the script.

💡regularly

'Regularly' is an adverb that describes the frequency of an action, indicating that something is done often or at consistent intervals. In the context of the video, it is used to discuss activities that are part of one's routine, but perhaps not always enjoyed, as in 'What things do you have to do regularly, but you aren’t so keen on?'

💡can't stand

The phrase 'can't stand' is used to express a strong dislike or intolerance for something. It is a key phrase in the video for describing extreme negative feelings. For example, 'I can’t stand working with him.' is used to show a high level of aversion towards a work situation.

💡keen on

The phrase 'keen on' is used to express enthusiasm or interest in something. It is used in the video to describe a moderate level of liking. For instance, 'I’m not keen on the pizza places around here.' suggests a mild dislike or lack of enthusiasm for local pizza options.

💡alright

'Alright' is a term that can be used to express that something is acceptable or satisfactory, but not necessarily good or bad. It is used in the video to convey a neutral stance towards something, as in 'KFC’s alright.' which indicates that the speaker finds KFC to be neither particularly good nor bad.

💡not bad

The phrase 'not bad' is used to indicate that something is of moderate quality or slightly better than average. It is used in the video to express a mild positive opinion, as in 'This garlic sauce is not bad!' which suggests that the speaker finds the sauce to be acceptable or somewhat enjoyable.

💡hate

The word 'hate' is a strong term used to express extreme dislike or aversion. In the video, it is used to describe intense negative feelings towards something, such as in 'I absolutely hate it!' which shows a very strong negative reaction to a situation.

💡chill out

The phrase 'chill out' is colloquial and means to relax or unwind, often after a period of stress or work. It is used in the video to describe a preferred leisure activity, as in 'My favourite thing to do at the end of a long day is put on a record and just chill out,' which illustrates the speaker's way of relaxing.

💡vinyl

'Vinyl' refers to vinyl records, which are a type of phonograph record that was popular for music playback before the advent of CDs and digital music. In the video, it is used to show a preference for a traditional and often nostalgic form of music listening, as in 'There’s no other way to listen,' indicating a strong preference for vinyl over other formats.

Highlights

Introduction to discussing likes and dislikes in English

Learning to express favorite activities

Inquiry about regular but disliked activities

Encouragement to think about activities that are hated

Use of phrases to describe strong likes: 'I really love…', 'I’m a big fan of…'

Examples of using likes phrases with nouns and -ing verbs

Variations of phrases to add strength or variety to expressions of liking

Dialogue demonstrating low-level likes and dislikes with phrases like 'I quite like…', 'It’s alright.'

Explanation of how 'alright' can have positive or negative connotations based on intonation

Ways to express mild dislike: 'I’m not keen on…', '…isn’t my thing'

Practice suggestions for using language of likes and dislikes

Guidance on expressing indifference with phrases like 'It was okay.', 'I don’t mind it.'

Use of gestures and intonation to convey a neutral stance on opinions

Dialogue illustrating strong dislikes with phrases such as 'I can’t stand…', 'I absolutely hate…'

Advice on using strong dislike phrases with caution in professional settings

Encouragement to practice expressing likes, dislikes, and indifference in various contexts

Invitation for viewers to share their likes and dislikes about studying English in the comments

Promotion of additional free English lessons on the Oxford Online English website

Transcripts

Hi, I’m Stephanie.

Welcome to Oxford Online English!

In this lesson, you can learn how to talk about things you like or dislike in English.

What do you like doing most of all?

What’s your favourite thing to do?

What things do you have to do regularly, but you aren’t so keen on?

What about the things you can’t stand doing?

Can you think of something you really hate?

During this lesson, you’ll learn how to talk about things that you like and dislike using

clear, natural English.

Let’s go back to a question you heard before: what’s your favourite thing to do?

So, what kind of music are you into?

I’m a big fan of blues, classic soul, things like that.

I really love Billie Holliday and a lot of stuff from that era.

What about you?

I listen to a lot of different stuff, but what I really like is hip-hop.

Do you listen to music a lot at home?

Oh sure, all the time.

My favourite thing to do at the end of a long day is put on a record and just chill out

on the sofa with some good tunes.

Record?

You mean vinyl?

Of course!

There’s no other way to listen.

I wouldn’t go that far!

Music makes me happy wherever I am.

I can listen on my phone, at home, on vinyl, on CD…

I don’t care.

I just like it!

Here, you heard several useful phrases to talk about things you really like.

Can you remember any of them?

If you really like something, you can say:

I really love…

I’m a big fan of…

What I really like is…

My favourite thing to do is… … makes me happy

In the gap, you can put a noun, or an -ing verb.

For example:

I really love seafood.

Or: I really love swimming in the sea.

This is true for all these phrases.

Look at two more:

I’m a big fan of 80s glam rock.

I’m a big fan of listening to music when I go jogging.

You can also vary some of these phrases, to make them stronger or weaker, or just to add

variety.

For example:

What I really enjoy is getting up late on a Sunday and going for coffee with friends.

My absolute favourite food is spicy chicken wings.

Doing yoga in the morning makes me feel good.

Okay, what about you?

Can you make some sentences using these phrases?

You can talk about music, or any other topic you like.

Pause the video and write down two or three sentences, using the language from this section.

Ready?

Let’s move on to part two.

Where shall we go?

How about pizza?

Errgh…

I’m not keen on the pizza places around here.

There’s a Chinese place nearby which is supposed to be alright.

Want to check it out?

Honestly, I don’t like Chinese food so much.

I quite like Japanese food, though.

Are there any Japanese places around here?

No, don’t think so.

That doesn’t help then.

Indian?

Spicy food isn’t my thing.

KFC?

Yeah…

KFC’s alright.

Let’s go to KFC.

So, we live in a town with all these great restaurants, and we’re going to KFC?

Seriously?

What’s wrong with KFC?

It’s not bad.

Fine, let’s go.

In this dialogue, you heard phrases to talk about low-level likes and dislikes.

If you like something, but not that much, how can you say that?

Here are the three ways you heard:

I quite like…

It’s alright.

It’s not bad.

The word alright doesn’t mean that something is good by itself.

However, with a positive intonation, it can mean that you like something.

Again, you can use these phrases with a noun or an -ing verb, like this:

I quite like going for a short walk after lunch.

The film was alright.

This garlic sauce is not bad!

What if you don’t like something?

What could you say?

Here are the phrases you heard in the dialogue:

I’m not keen on…

I don’t like … so much … isn’t my thing

Let’s see how you could use them:

I’m not keen on horror films.

I don’t like going to the gym so much.

Getting up early isn’t my thing.

Again, you can use many of these phrases in different ways, by changing or adding words.

For example:

I quite enjoy cycling.

I’m not massively keen on that plan.

Spending hours sitting on the beach isn’t exactly my thing.

What about you?

In our dialogue, we talked about food.

Can you use the language you’ve seen to make two or three sentences about yourself?

You can write about food, or any other topic.

For extra practice, say your sentences out loud.

Say them several times, until the pronunciation is comfortable.

Try to remember them, so that you can say them without reading.

This way, you’ll remember the language better.

Pause the video and write your sentences now; start again when you’re ready.

Okay, you’ve seen how to talk about things you like a lot, or things you like a little.

But what if you really don’t have an opinion about something?

What a great movie!

What did you think?

It was okay.

You didn’t like it?

I didn’t mind it.

I’ve seen better; I’ve seen worse.

You’re difficult to please, aren’t you?

I thought it was amazing!

Don’t you think he’s a great director?

I really like everything he’s made.

I don’t have strong opinions about him.

So, what do you like?

Honestly, I haven’t seen many movies that have impressed me recently.

I saw that new ‘Blade Runner’ film.

And, you didn’t like it?

Meh…

I could take it or leave it.

You’re annoying.

Anyway, what shall we do now?

Get a drink, or something to eat?

I’m not bothered either way, to be honest.

In that dialogue, I did not have a lot of strong feelings about, well, anything really.

Can you remember the words and phrases I used to express this?

Often, you can express this kind of idea just with a word or a gesture.

Imagine you’re watching something on TV, and someone asks you if it’s a good show

or not.

You can express that it’s neither good nor bad by making a ‘meh’ noise and shrugging.

However, there are also some useful phrases you can use, such as:

It’s okay.

I don’t mind…

I don’t have strong opinions about…

I can take it or leave it.

I’m not bothered either way about…

Like the phrases you’ve seen in other sections, you can use these with a noun or an -ing verb,

except for I can take it or leave it, which is a fixed phrase, meaning that you can use it

as a response to someone else’s question or suggestion.

Let’s see how you could use these phrases to talk about different things:

The modern art museum was okay.

I don’t mind doing housework.

I don’t have strong opinions about which curtains we buy.

I’m not bothered either way about where we go.

When you use okay, like the word alright, a lot depends on your intonation.

The word okay literally means ‘not good and not bad’.

However, with positive intonation, it can have a positive meaning, like quite good.

With negative intonation, it can mean something like not very good.

Listen to the difference: It’s okay!

It’s okay.

It’s okay.

In this way, okay can mean different things.

Also, the phrase I’m not bothered either way is more informal, and could sound rude

or dismissive if you use it in the wrong situation, so think about where you are and who you’re

talking to before you say it.

So, it’s your turn to practice again!

Can you think of a movie or TV show that was just okay—not that good, and not that bad?

Your job is to write three sentences about yourself using the language from this

section.

If you can’t think of a movie or TV show to talk about, you can choose a different

topic.

Pause the video and write your sentences now.

Okay?

Finally, let’s see how you can talk about things you hate.

That’s IT!

I’m finished with that place.

I’m definitely quitting this time!

I can’t work there another day.

What happened now?

He is the worst manager ever!

I can’t stand working with him.

I used to like going to work, but now I absolutely hate it!

I have to find another job.

You know you’ve been saying that for…

Ooh…

Since I met you?

Yeah, but this time I mean it.

Even the little things are starting to drive me crazy, like the way he fidgets with his

coffee cup when he talks.

So, have you started looking for a new job?

Not yet, but I will.

I need a change.

What about your colleagues?

I thought you got on well with them.

Some of them are alright, but I have no time for that woman in the accounts department.

I really dislike the HR guy, too, whatever his name is.

You know, maybe you should be less negative.

If you go to work with that kind of attitude, I’m not surprised you clash with people.

What do you mean, negative?

I can’t stand people telling me what to do!

What are you even talking about?

I have no time for people like you and your stupid advice…

Okay, here you heard a lot of phrases to talk about something—or someone—you strongly

dislike.

Can you remember any of them?

If you really dislike something, you can say:

I can’t stand…

I absolutely hate… … drives me crazy.

I have no time for…

I really dislike…

As before, you use these phrases with a noun or an -ing verb.

For example:

I can’t stand people who cut in line.

I absolutely hate every song he’s ever made.

Walking behind someone who walks really slowly drives me crazy!

Some of these phrases are more general.

You can use I can’t stand…, I absolutely hate…, or I really dislike… to talk about

anything: people, things, or activities.

However, with the other two phrases, you would use them to talk about people and

their habits.

For example:

She’s always late, which drives me crazy.

I have no time for people who say nice things to your face, then gossip behind your back.

Okay, what about you?

It’s your last practice: pause the video, and write three sentences about things you

strongly dislike.

Use the language from this section, and start again when you’re ready.

How was that?

Could you use the language easily?

Did you check to make sure you didn’t make any mistakes?

Finally, we have a question for you: what do you like or dislike most about studying

English?

Please tell us in the comments!

Remember that you can find more of our free English lessons on our website: Oxford Online

English.com.

Thanks for watching!

See you next time!