What 'leisure & free time' covers: Leisure & free time is part of the theme Experiences. You need vocabulary to talk about hobbies, sports, music, going out, screen time and how you use your spare time — and to give your opinion about it.
The words below are common English B vocabulary. Treat the list as a glossary: learn each term with its meaning and a synonym, then reuse them in the reading and writing sections.
- leisure / free time
- time when you are not working or studying
- a hobby / a pastime
- an activity you do regularly for enjoyment
- to make the most of your time
- to use your time well, not waste it
- to sign up for (a club / a course)
- to put your name down to join a club or course
- to meet up with friends
- to arrange to see your friends and spend time together
- to play / do a sport
- to take part in a sport regularly
- to play an instrument
- to make music on the guitar, piano, drums, etc.
- screen time
- the hours you spend looking at a phone, tablet, computer or TV
- to switch off / unwind
- to stop and relax; to take a break from work or screens
- to have fun / to have a good time
- to enjoy yourself
- a creative activity
- something that lets you make or invent (art, music, cooking, writing)
- outdoors / outdoor activities
- things you do outside, in the open air
- to take up (a hobby)
- to start doing a new activity
| Useful expression | What it means |
|---|---|
| In my free time I play the guitar. | Playing the guitar is how I spend my spare time. |
| I signed up for a cookery club. | I joined a club where people cook together. |
| I usually meet up with my friends at weekends. | I normally see my friends on Saturday and Sunday. |
| I spend too much time in front of a screen. | I use my phone, laptop or TV more than I should. |
| Reading is my favourite way to unwind. | Reading is how I relax best. |
Why this matters: This vocabulary turns up in every skill — a reading text about hobbies, a listening interview about a weekend, a Paper 1 blog about free time, or your oral. Reusing precise topic words is how you score Criterion A (Language).
Have something to say: Examiners reward developed ideas, not just vocabulary. Around leisure, the common debates are: active hobbies vs too much screen time, doing things alone vs with others, and whether free time should be productive or just for resting. Take a position and back it up.
Opinion phrases (use these to introduce a view)
- In my opinion… / From my point of view… — to introduce what you think
- It seems to me that… / I believe that… — a slightly softer way to give a view
- The most important thing is… — to highlight your main point
- On the one hand… on the other hand… — to weigh up two sides
- I (completely) agree that… / I'm not convinced that… — to react to an idea
Too much screen time (drawbacks)
- Many young people spend their free time in front of a screen.
- Video games and scrolling can eat into hours of sleep.
- If we never go out, we make fewer friends in real life.
Active hobbies (benefits)
- A creative hobby helps you switch off and reduce stress.
- Signing up for a club is a great way to meet new people.
- Sport and music are good for both your body and your mind.
Link your ideas: Connectors lift your answer from a list into an argument: moreover (to add), however (to contrast), therefore (to conclude), although (to concede). Use at least two or three in any written answer.
Stop wasting time on topics you know
Our AI identifies your weak areas and focuses your study time where it matters. No more overstudying easy topics.
Try Smart Study Free7-day free trial • No card required
Read like Paper 2: Here is a short blog post — the kind of text Paper 2 (Reading) gives you. Read it once just for the general idea; don't worry about every word. Then we'll work through one exam question together.
A summer in the kitchen: Last summer I signed up for an international cookery course, and I spent two weeks with young people from several different countries.
At first I was a little nervous, because I didn't know anyone and I was quite shy. But in the kitchen none of that mattered: we chopped, mixed and laughed together all day long. I learned to make fresh pasta from scratch, and I discovered that cooking is a brilliant way to switch off from my phone and to make new friends. I came home with a notebook full of recipes, far more confidence, and a real urge to keep using my free time on something creative.
- to sign up for
- to put your name down to join something
- shy
- nervous and uncomfortable around people you don't know
- from scratch
- from the very beginning, using basic ingredients
- to switch off
- to stop using screens / working and relax
- an urge
- a strong wish or need to do something
IB-style task — one Paper 2 question
One question, step by step
- The question — "According to the text, what did the writer learn to make on the course?"
- Find it in the text. Look for the words "I learned to make": "I learned to make fresh pasta from scratch, and I discovered that cooking is a brilliant way to switch off."
- The answer — They learned to make fresh pasta (from scratch). The words are right there in the text, so no outside knowledge is needed.
Reading technique: For an "according to the text" question, find the exact line that proves your answer — don't rely on memory or general knowledge.
The task: Your school is running a hobbies and activities week. Write a blog post for other students: describe a hobby or a course you enjoyed and give advice for making better use of your free time.
Use an informal, friendly register. Write 250–400 words.
Blog structure — 5 steps
1
Catchy title
A title, often a question. "How do you spend your free time?"
2
Greeting + topic
Greet the reader and say what the post is about. "Hi everyone! Today I want to talk about…"
3
Your experience
Describe your hobby or course in the past. "Last summer I signed up for a cookery course…"
4
Two or three tips
Give advice using imperatives. "Try a new hobby", "sign up for a club", "put your phone down".
5
Motivating close
Finish with an encouraging line. "Pick one activity this week — you'll feel better."
Title → Greeting → Experience → Tips → Close
Model: the 5 steps in action
The blog post, step by step
- How do you really spend your free time? I found my passion one unforgettable summer.
- Hi everyone! I'm Marta, and today I want to talk to you about a hobby that changed me: cooking.
- Last summer I signed up for an international cookery course and spent two weeks with young people from other countries. I learned new recipes and, above all, I made lots of friends.
- So here are three tips. First, try a brand-new hobby. Second, sign up for a club or a course to meet people. And third, put your phone down and actually enjoy the moment.
- The most important thing, though, is to choose something you genuinely enjoy. Pick one creative activity this week and you'll feel so much better.
Why it scores: This answer hits all three Paper 1 criteria — here's what earns each one:
A — Language /12
- Range of tenses: past "I signed up", imperatives "try", "put your phone down"
- Connectors: "so", "though", "first/second/third"
- Topic vocabulary, used accurately
B — Message /12
- Task fully done: describes a hobby/course AND gives advice
- Ideas developed with concrete examples
C — Conceptual /6
- Blog conventions: a catchy title
- Direct address: "Hi everyone", "you'll feel better"
- A persuasive, personal tone
See how examiners mark answers
Access past paper questions with model answers. Learn exactly what earns marks and what doesn't.
Try Exam Vault Free7-day free trial • No card required
How listening is tested: Paper 2 also tests listening: you hear short clips, each played twice, and you never see the words. Read the questions first, listen for the key idea, then answer.
Here we'll use a transcript so you can practise the technique on the page. Read the questions, then find the answer in the speaker's words.
Transcript — Hugo's free time: Hi, I'm Hugo. In my free time I have several hobbies. During the week I play the guitar for an hour and, when I can, I read adventure novels. At weekends I usually meet up with my friends to play basketball in the park. I used to spend too much time on video games, but now I try to do more outdoor activities. For me, the best thing about leisure is switching off and having fun with the people you love.
IB-style task — two listening questions
Two questions, step by step
- Q1 — What does Hugo do at weekends? Listen just after "At weekends": "I usually meet up with my friends to play basketball in the park." That is your answer.
- Q2 — What is the best thing about leisure, for him? He says it at the end: "For me, the best thing about leisure is switching off and having fun with the people you love."
Listening technique: Read the questions before the clip plays. Each question usually points to one short part of the recording — listen for the words around it, not the whole thing.