Everyone has something they love to do when class is over, so this is one of the easiest topics for a real, two-way conversation. Your student talks about their hobbies, you share yours, and the English flows naturally from there.
⏱ About 60 minutes🎯 All levels (questions are leveled)📋 No prep — tap 🔊 to hear any phrase
Before you start tutor prep
This lesson needs zero preparation. Skim it once before the call, then teach straight from the screen. Here is your quick checklist:
Open this page in your browser and share your screen, or just keep it on the side.
Test your microphone and the 🔊 buttons — tap one now so you know the sound works.
Have your camera on. A friendly face helps a shy student relax.
Keep a simple chat box open to type new words your student wants to see spelled out.
Think of one or two of your own hobbies — you will share too, so the talk feels equal.
Mindset: Your job is not to be perfect or to "fix" every mistake. Your job is to get the student talking and to enjoy the conversation with them. If they speak more than you do, the lesson is working.
1 · Warm-up 5 min
Start gently and with a smile. Ask a few easy questions to warm up the student's ears and mouth before the harder talking begins.
Hi! How are you today? How was your day?
What do you like to do after school or after work?
Do you have any hobbies?
What did you do last weekend?
Are you a busy person, or do you have a lot of free time?
Tip: Let the student answer fully before you move on. Nod, react, and ask one quick follow-up ("Oh, really? Tell me more!") so it feels like a chat, not a test.
2 · Key words & phrases 8 min
Go through these together. Tap 🔊 to play the sound, have the student repeat, then ask them to make their own short sentence with each one.
hobbyReading is my favorite hobby.
free timeI don't have much free time on weekdays.
sportBasketball is a popular sport in Taiwan.
video gameI play video games with my friends online.
to drawI like to draw cartoon characters.
to readI love to read before I go to sleep.
to collectI like to collect old coins.
to practiceI practice the piano every evening.
funHiking with friends is really fun.
relaxingListening to music is so relaxing.
I'm into ___I'm into photography these days.
In my free time I ___In my free time I go hiking in the mountains.
Tip: Don't drill all twelve like a list. Pick the ones closest to your student's real life and spend longer there. Skip or save the rest if time is short.
3 · Read & talk 8 min
Read this short chat between two friends. First, you read A and the student reads B. Then switch roles. Tap 🔊 to hear any line first.
A:
Hey, what do you like to do in your free time?
B:
I love playing video games. How about you?
A:
Cool! I'm really into photography. I take pictures every weekend.
B:
That sounds fun. What do you like to take pictures of?
A:
Mostly nature and the city at night. It's very relaxing.
B:
Nice. Maybe you can teach me sometime.
A:
Sure! And maybe you can show me your favorite game.
B:
Deal! It's more fun when we share our hobbies.
Tip: After reading, close the script and ask the student to remember it: "What is A's hobby? What is B's hobby?" Then ask, "Which one is more like you?"
4 · Let's talk 12 min
This is the heart of the lesson. Pick questions at your student's level and let them speak. Share your own answers too, so it feels like two friends talking.
BEGINNER
What is your favorite hobby?
Do you like sports? Which one?
What do you do on the weekend?
Do you play video games? Yes or no?
Do you read books? What kind?
INTERMEDIATE
How often do you do your hobby? When did you start?
What do you usually do on a typical weekend?
Do you prefer hobbies you do alone, or with other people? Why?
Is there a hobby that is popular in Taiwan right now?
What hobby did you enjoy as a child?
ADVANCED
Why do you think hobbies are important for a healthy life?
Has the internet changed the kinds of hobbies people have?
Some people say "you should turn your hobby into a job." Do you agree?
If you had unlimited time and money, what hobby would you take up?
How do you make time for your hobbies when life gets busy?
Tip: If an answer is short, gently push for more with "Why?" or "Can you give me an example?" Echo back their answer using full sentences so they hear correct English without feeling corrected.
5 · Going deeper 10 min
Now stretch the student a little further. These questions ask them to explain, imagine, and give opinions in longer answers.
BEGINNER
How do you do your hobby? Tell me the first step.
What do you need for your hobby? (a ball, a book, a phone?)
Is there a new hobby you want to try?
Do you spend more time on your phone or outside?
INTERMEDIATE
Explain how to do your hobby, step by step, like I have never tried it.
What is a hobby you would like to try, and why haven't you yet?
Do you spend too much time looking at screens? How do you feel about it?
How could you get more outdoor time in your week?
ADVANCED
Teach me your hobby in detail — give me three tips a beginner should know.
Many people worry about too much "screen time." Where do you draw the line?
Is outdoor time really better than indoor hobbies, or is that just a popular belief?
What hobby would you love to master, and what is stopping you?
Tip: When the student explains "how to" do something, listen for sequence words like first, next, then, after that, finally. Feed them one if they get stuck.
6 · Activity — teach me your hobby 10 min
Time for a fun role-play. The student becomes the teacher and explains one of their hobbies to you.
Ask the student to choose one hobby they really enjoy.
Have them explain it to you step by step, as if you've never done it. You ask real questions: "Why?", "What do you need?", "Is it hard?"
Pretend to try it and react: "Oh, I see! That sounds tricky but fun."
Then switch — you teach them one of your hobbies in simple English.
Finally, find a hobby you both share, or one you'd both like to try together.
My hobby is ___.
First, you need ___.
Then you ___.
The best part is ___.
I think you would like it because ___.
We both like ___!
Tip: Stay in character as the curious learner. The more questions you ask, the more the student has to talk — and that is exactly the goal.
7 · Wrap-up 5 min
End on a warm, encouraging note and help the student remember what they practiced.
Ask: "What are two new words you learned today?"
Ask: "Tell me one hobby of mine and one hobby of yours."
Give one specific compliment: "You explained your hobby really clearly!"
Give one gentle tip for next time (just one — keep it light).
Set a tiny "homework": "This week, try saying 'I'm into ___' to a friend in English."
Say a friendly goodbye and thank them for the great conversation.
Tip: Always close with encouragement. The feeling the student leaves with matters more than any single grammar point.
🧭 Tutor notes
A few reminders for getting the most out of this lesson with any level of learner:
BEGINNER
Speak slowly and use short questions. Accept one-word or short answers, then model the full sentence back.
Lean on the 🔊 buttons and lots of repetition. Smiles and patience matter most.
INTERMEDIATE
Push for "why" and examples. Introduce the phrases "I'm into ___" and sequence words.
Let small mistakes go; recast the sentence correctly instead of stopping the flow.
ADVANCED
Use the opinion and "imagine" questions. Challenge them to give detailed, organized answers.
Note one or two natural-sounding upgrades to share at the wrap-up, not mid-flow.
Most important: This is a conversation, not a lecture. Aim for the student to talk about 70% of the time. If you both leave the call smiling and they spoke a lot, you did a great job.
