Likes and dislikes

Like and dislike are two words that help you to express your preferences and interests. Often you like or dislike something because of the way it makes you feel when you do or look at it.

You can express what you like or don´t like as follows:

The most common verbs you use to express preference:

You usually use the present simple describing preferences:

Example:

• I like doing aerobics
• We don´t like going shopping

Like can be followed by verb –ing or to-infinitive verb

When one verb is followed by another, the second verb can either be an infinitive or an -ing form. Some verbs can be followed by either an infinitive, or an -ing form but with a change in meaning. These are some of the most common ones.

For example:

I like watching TV every evening. -> This is an action that happens over a period of time. It expresses enjoying and liking if it is followed by a gerund.

• I don´t like watching TV.
• I hate watching TV.
  (You don´t enjoy watching TV)

I like to be on time. -> If the verb is followed by a to-infinitive, they express habitual preference, something that we do not necessary enjoy but consider as useful or right to do.

• I don’t like to walk to school.
• I hate to walk to school.
  (You don´t like or enjoy it, but it is necessary)

Prefer can also be followed by verb –ing or to- infinitive verb.

• I prefer taking the bus to walking to school ( taking a bus is better for me than walking to school)
• If you prefer to walk to school, it will take an hour to be at school.

The following charts show you the structure and form of the verbs like, love, prefer and hate followed by verb –ing or to- infinitive verb.

Structure and forms: Verb that express preference + gerund (verb + ing)

More examples:

• What do you like doing on weekends?
• I like going to the movies on weekends.
• I don´t like going to the movies on weekends.
• Do you like going to the movies on weekends?
• What do you love doing on weekends?
• I love playing the guitar on weekends.
• I don´t love playing the guitar on weekends.
• Do you love playing the guitar on weekends?
• What do you prefer doing on weekends?
• I like going to the movies, but I prefer playing the guitar on weekends.

Structure and forms: Verb that express preference + infinitive verb

More examples:

• What do you like to do after in the afternoon?
• I like to watch TV in the afternoon.
• Do you like to watch TV in the afternoon?
• What do you love to do in the afternoon?
• I love to listen to music in the afternoon.
• Do you love to listen to music in the afternoon?
• What do you prefer to do in the afternoon?
• I like to watch TV but, I prefer to listen to the music in the afternoon.

Vocabulary

The following charts will give you more vocabulary that you can use to express what you like to do in your free time.

When you talk about free time activities, hobbies and sports you need learn collocations.

A collocation is a combination of words that are commonly used together. Each verb goes with a word or phrase.

For example:

• Go sailing
• Go fishing
• Go shopping

There are many different verb collocations, we will focus on the verbs: go, play and do. Take a look at the following verb collocations that you can use to express what you like to do in your free time.

Look at the verb on the top of the columns, you can use it with all the combinations below.

Sports:

Using the correct verb for sports:

Would like and would prefer

You can express preferences about something you would like to do in the future.

Examples:

• I would like to go out for dinner.
• I would prefer to stay at home.

Structure and forms: Would like/prefer + infinitive verb

Interrogative form

You use would in the interrogative form for a polite request or inquire:

Examples:

• What would you like to do?
  I would like to go swimming.
• What would you prefer to do?
  I would prefer to play cards.

Structure

Would like examples:

Affirmative form

• I would like to have a piece of cake.
• She would like to visit her mother.

Negative form

• He wouldn´t like to climb a mountain.
• You wouldn´t like to stay here.

Interrogative

• Would you like to go to the market with me?
• Would they like to play baseball with us?

Would prefer examples:

Affirmative form

• They would prefer you to start tomorrow.
• Ana would prefer to eat Chinese food to Japanese

Negative form

• We would prefer not to go out this night and stay at home.
• I would prefer not to drive this weekend.

Interrogative

• What would you prefer to eat for lunch?

Adjectives of personality

People use adjectives to describe each other, and everybody has a combination of qualities or characteristics that form the personality.

Everybody is an individual so we all have different personalities. Personality adjectives answer the question: “What is he/she like?

Look at the example:

Personality adjectives can be divided into positive and negative, as show you the following chart:

Note:

Adjectives that describe physical appearance like tall or short are not personality adjectives. For example:

• My sister´s hair is long.
• Luis has short and brown hair.
• My grandmother has wrinkles in her hands.

Fuente: Secretaría de Educación Pública. (2015). Lengua adicional al español IV. Ciudad de México.