What do you love?

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Welcome

Hello and welcome to Learn English Vocabulary. My name is Jack and I’m making this podcast for you to learn or revise English vocabulary. You can find a transcript of this podcast on LearnEnglishVocabulary.co.uk. There’s a page for this podcast with the transcript, an activity and a task for you to do in the comments section.

Introduction

Last week, I spoke about vocabulary connected to fear. That was OK, but today, I want to be more positive. Instead of talking about what you are most afraid of, I want to know what you love the most. 

I’m going to talk about three things I love. Well, I’m going to talk about different things so you’ll see the different sort of language you can use to talk about the things you love. And then at the end, I’d like you to come to the Learn English Vocabulary website and tell me what you love in the comments on the page for this podcast.

The topics I’m going to talk about are: food, music and hobbies. 

What food do you love?

So to start off, I’m going to to talk about food. Now, I love lots of different types of food too much. But what do I love the most? This is a really difficult question. I love sushi and sashimi, I love rare steak and clams and barbequed fish. I’m partial to well-cooked pasta and very fond of fresh tuna OK, but the food I love the most, the food I crave the most was something I ate when I lived in Jakarta. There was a restaurant that served prawns in a tangy curry sauce with little crispy shrimp. When you bit into a prawn, it would crack and burst between your teeth releasing jets of rich sweet and salty juices. It was so delicious. In the end, I must have been eating there every week. I just couldn’t get enough of those prawns. 

To be partial to something

I’ve just used four phrases to say that I like or love something. The first thing I said was I’m partial to well-cooked pasta. To be partial to something mean to like it more than other things. It’s a bit old fashioned and quite formal so most people usually use it in a slightly jokey way, perhaps because they are admitting they like something that’s not healthy or perhaps not very sophisticated. So if someone asked me if I like to drink, I might answer I’m partial to the occasional small glass of whisky.

To be fond of something

The next phrase I used was I’m very fond of fresh tuna. To be fond of something means to like something or to like doing something. There is something personal about the word fond. I think it’s most commonly used about people. You know I’m very fond of you. Or he’s very fond of his brother. If you use it to talk about food or an activity, it suggests an emotional connection, at least to me. 

To crave something

I used the verb crave. To crave something means to want something very badly. A drug addict craves their drug when they have not had it for a while. I used to smoke cigarettes and when I quit, the cravings were very unpleasant for a long time. Sometimes, I wake up in the morning thinking about food. Perhaps a particular meal at a restaurant or an ingredient. It will be on my mind all day; I crave some foods, until I can satisfy my craving and eat whatever it is I’ve been dreaming about.

To not be able to get enough of something

I said I just couldn’t get enough of those prawns. This is a nice phrase to say that you like something so much, you are never satisfied. I can’t get enough means I like something so much I want more and more of that thing. 

What kind of music do you love?

OK. Time to move on to music. So what kind of music do I love? Well, this is another tricky question. You see, I’m really into all kinds of music. When I was a teenager, I was mad about Jimi Hendrix and just loved his guitar playing. But I probably listened to it too much because I only listen to it now and again these days. I’ve listened to so much music and I think I appreciate nearly all of it. I don’t think I can really choose one band or album. Recently, I’ve really been enjoying Christian Scott. But I’ve also been listening to Joni Mitchell. I love different music at different times. When I’m driving, I’m addicted to Trombone Shorty and my kids love it too. 

To be into something

The first phrase I used was: I’m really into all kinds of music. To be into something means you really like it. It’s a bit informal so it’s usually used to talk about the sort of music you listen to or the sorts of films you like to watch. You could also talk about other artists or theatre if you are a big fan. I don’t think you’d use it as much to talk about food though. I’m really into East coast hip hop, not I’m really into pizza. You could use it to talk about pizza, but it implies a level of understanding or sophistication. 

To be mad about something

When I was a kid, I was mad about Hendrix. I used to get focused on one thing when I was young and listen to it all the time. I had Hendrix posters, Hendrix t-shirts and would listen to his music all the time. To be mad about something means to like something so much, it starts to take over other aspects of your life. To be crazy about means the same. I have known people who were crazy about heavy metal and who grew their hair and dressed in black and … well, you would have known what sort of music they were into before you spoke to them.

To appreciate something

To appreciate means to see what’s good about something or to recognise what’s important or valuable about something. If someone does you a favour, you can say: thank you, I appreciate it. I understand the value of what you have done. Normally, if you appreciate music, it means you like listening to it. However, it is a bit cold and formal. So, you might appreciate that music is well written and performed, but not have a strong emotional reaction. Normally, you only appreciate music because you do have an emotional reaction. I don’t appreciate opera because I don’t really like it and can’t listen to it for long enough to understand it. 

To be addicted to something

The last phrase I used was to be addicted to something. I said I’m addicted to Trombone Shorty. This means the same as I can’t get enough of something. The more common use and origin of this word comes from drug addiction. However, there are other things that you can become addicted to that start out as a strong liking. People get addicted to gambling, to social media, to shopping and even to exercise. 

What do you love doing in your free time?

The last topic I want to talk about is hobbies or free-time activities. What do you love doing in your free time? I love playing my guitar. I have a really lovely guitar that my wife bought me for my birthday and I don’t get to play it enough. However, I really love playing it when I can. And I have two boys who are 4 and 6 years old. I really love just messing around and spending time with my boys. My oldest is nearly 7 and he’s into everything. He adores animals and nature and my youngest is a little monkey who is always getting into mischief. My youngest is a natural musician and dancer. It’s really him who loves Trombone Shorty in the car and demands which tracks get played.  

I love + gerund

This question is interesting because it’s about activities and that means you need to use gerunds. Gerunds are the noun forms of verbs. They are also known as the -ing form. So to run becomes running. To play becomes playing. I love running. I love playing my guitar. I love messing around with my boys. 

To adore something

The only new verb I used was when I said that my oldest son adores animals. Basically, adore means love very much, but I think it’s a bit like to be fond of. If you adore something, it’s important to you. You have a strong emotional bond with the things you adore. So both of my boys love animals; all children love animals, but for my oldest, they are more important. He really adores them. 

Your turn

I have covered a lot of verbs and phrases you can use to say what you love. Now it’s your turn to have a go at using some of this language. There is an activity on the podcast page for you to test that you have understood the differences between these words and phrases and to help you confirm the way that they are normally used. After that, I want you to answer these questions in the comments section.

  1. What food do you love?
  2. What music do you love?
  3. What do you love doing in your free time?

I’m really looking forward to reading your responses. I will also post these questions on facebook so feel free to answer them there if you follow or like the Learn English Vocabulary facebook page.

Conclusion

If you have enjoyed this podcast, please leave me a comment or a rating or a review. I love to hear from you and any comments or suggestions you have. So please visit LearnEnglishVocabulary.co.uk and say hello.

Thanks for listening. 

Test yourself

Your turn

Answer these questions in the comments section below.

  1. What food do you love?
  2. What music do you love?
  3. What do you love doing in your free time?
Show CommentsClose Comments

13 Comments

  • Nicky
    Posted 14/10/2020 at 1:13 pm

    Many thanks Jack for this marvelous lesson! Now I know a lot of alternatives to ” I like”😊

    What food do you love?
    I crave for pasta, in particular ravioli and lasagna

    What music do you love?
    I am fond of pop music and relaxing music

    What do you love doing in your free time?

    I love going for a walk while listening to podcast
    I also adore spending time with my dog

  • Celeste
    Posted 17/10/2020 at 2:25 pm

    Hi, Jack. Thanks for making us these amazing podcasts. I have learned a lot from you.

    1.What food do you love?
    I crave for variety of desserts and pastries, because I love sweet food.
    2.What music do you love?
    I appreciate romantic music as it touches me sometimes.
    3.What do you love doing in your free time?
    I love running recently, I go for running in the morning and really enjoy it because it help relieve stress. Besides that, I always listen to Learn English Vocabulary podcast when I’m running.

    • Jack
      Posted 24/10/2020 at 12:02 am

      Thanks Celeste – sorry for taking so long to reply. It sounds like you have a sweet tooth. I have a bit of a sweet tooth as well – I can’t resist good biscuits.
      I am delighted to hear that you listen to the podcast when you are running. I wish I loved running!

  • Naasiha Nusr
    Posted 14/01/2021 at 6:42 am

    Hello……… Jack , your podcasts learn English vocabulary is very useful and l have learned a lot from you… My another request I need speak English fluently… So can I join speaking club…. How to join this one… Please reply soon

    • Jack
      Posted 26/01/2021 at 11:13 am

      Hi Naasiha – I will send you an email about the speaking club.

  • Usain
    Posted 30/01/2021 at 11:01 am

    İ love this podcast Jack. And İ want to learn about business. Can you give me about business podcast.

    • Jack
      Posted 02/02/2021 at 7:01 pm

      Hi Usain – I think I could make a lot of podcasts about business. What business are you in?

  • Melody
    Posted 10/04/2021 at 4:16 pm

    Hello! I’m French and I’m going to try to answer this questions.
    What food do you love?
    Oh I love all the food 🙈 I’m a really food lover but I’m crazy about the Italien food : pizza, pastas…
    I also like the Spicy food! I use to cook with a lot of pepper and garlic.

    What music do you love? I don’t have a really specific type of music. I can also listen to pop, rap, French or American music … but, I can’t pass one day without listen the music! It makes me so happy!

    What do you love doing in your free time? In my free time, I like to cook, learn english of course, listening your podcasts😉 and also walk with my family, we love to walk along the sea.

  • Gisele Copatti
    Posted 25/04/2021 at 4:35 pm

    Hi Jack, thank you for the lesson. I am addicted to sushi and sashimi, but of course I can get enough because the rice make me feel full very fast! 😀
    I love different kinds of music, in my playlist you can find samba, rock, pop…but I have a favourite band: Queen! For the moment, when I have a free time I like running and listening podcats.

  • Mandaline
    Posted 22/08/2021 at 4:53 pm

    Hi Jack, I’m really appreciate your podcasts. In this topic, l’ve learnt the alternative words and phrases to express my feelings.

    Here I’m trying to answer the questions.

    1. What food do you love?
    I love sweet foods, especially chocolate and tiramisu. I just couldn’t get enough of it. I could finish a whole bar chocolate by myself.

    2. What music do you love?
    I’m learning classical music most of the time. I’m very fond of Chopin’s etude. The music is beautiful and pleasant.

    3. What do you love doing in your free time?
    I’m addicted to watching dramas and movie during my free time. English movie is my priority choice so I could spend my time with entertainment yet learn some vocabulary through the movies.

  • Kiam
    Posted 23/08/2021 at 4:55 pm

    Join to share my favorites:
    1. What food do I love: I love lots of food and I have chance to travel to many countries and try their food. I love Japanese Izakaya vivid culture, Namabiru (draft beer), sashimi and sushi. I love medium-rare ribeye steak but only can take up to 10oz, I love red wine if this is counted as food. I love Italian fruitti di mare with white wine of course. I love Spanish tapas (salami, taco) with Sangria. I am Taiwanese so for sure I love the most my food, braised pork rice, fried vegetables, braised intestines. Steam fish (whole fish), goose meat with Taiwan beers!!!
    2. What music do I like: I am lucky to be able to enjoy 70-90’ western music so from Beatles, WHAM!, Queen, U2, Billy Holiday, Coldplay, Keane, Michael Buble. All varieties. But when I read or work, I only listen to the Classical music which help me concentrate, Mozart, Chopin, Bach.
    3. What do I love doing in my free time: I love cycling and golfing. I love to ride my foldie to explore any cities and when I am tired I can fold and bring up to public transportation. Golfing is a tricky one, despite golf is a Game Of Lifetime Frustration sport, I still love this challenge and motivate myself keep going on, never forget and set a target to make golf as Game Of Lifetime Fulfillment.

    Thank you.

    • Kiam
      Posted 26/08/2021 at 12:28 pm

      I wanted to share my experiences in UK, my first country for travel overseas.
      1. What food do I love in UK: I always remembered my first and ever experience of Haggis in Edinburgh, Rabbit meat in Lake District and English breakfast (egg, ham, beans and tea)
      2. What music do I like from UK: I preferred British musician than others. George Michael, Bono, Freddie, Beatles, Sting, Dire Strait, Rod Stewart, Take That, Blur, Coldplay, so on and so forth.
      3. What do I love doing in my free time in UK: Hang around whiskey distiller and bar hopping in London 🙂
      3.

  • Huyen Le
    Posted 12/11/2021 at 8:45 am

    Hi Jack,

    I’m Huyen from Vietnam, I think your Podcast was so inspiring and useful with tons of English vocabulary, I saw that you have a speaking club so I wonder how to join in, can you send me the info too? I’m now trying to help people at my company and hopefully, they can use English one day, and I also have a son who I would love to teach to speak English in the future, so please email me.

    Thank you.

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