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Interesting ways to say LIKE and DON’T LIKE in IELTS Speaking

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In this lesson, I will show you some interesting ways of expressing likes and dislikes, so you can show off a wider range of vocabulary to the examiner.

We will look at ways to say,

  1. You like it
  2. You are indifferent (neither like nor dislike)
  3. You don’t like it

Table of Contents

Other words for LIKE

  1. To be into _____

Often used for hobbies

I am into art

I am into modern art

I’m quite into art, especially modern art

  1. To have a thing for ____

When you like unusual and specific things

I have a thing for chocolate mints 

I have a thing for 90’s music

I have a thing for Chinese comic books

This phrase can also be used for people, when you are attracted to that person.

I have a thing for this girl at work

  1. To have a soft spot for ____

You like something or someone, but it’s hard to explain why

I have soft spot for old movies 

I have a soft spot for dogs

I have a bit of a soft spot for old movies

She has a soft spot for her niece  

This father has a soft spot for his youngest daughter 

  1. To be partial to ______

I am partial to red wine

I am partial to Spanish red wine

I’m quite partial to Spanish red wine

I’m rather partial to Spanish red wine

  1. To take to  / To warm up to / To grow on

The following phrases are for things you didn’t like at first, but now you are starting to like it / them.

When I arrived in Spain, I didn’t like the food, but now I’m taking to it

When I arrived in Spain, I didn’t like the food, but now I have taken to it

I never used to like this job, but now I’m warming to it

I never used to like this job, but now I have warmed to it

I used to hate gardening, but nowadays it’s growing on me 

I used to dislike history, but since watching that documentary it has grown on me 

Other Words for Like

Other words for INDIFFERENT

Below we have some phrases to talk about both things and activities that you neither like nor dislike.

Do you like art?  

I don’t mind it

It’s not bad 

I can take it or leave it 

I don’t dislike it 

Do you like getting up early in the morning?

It’s no big deal 

It doesn’t bother me 

I don’t mind it

TIP 1.
If we use ‘don’t mind’ followed by a verb, the verb needs to be in the gerund.

I don’t mind + Verb (Gerund)

I don’t mind doing that 

I don’t mind getting up early, so long as it’s not too early!

Other words for Indifferent​

Other words for DISLIKE

Do you like cooking?

  1. I don’t care for____

I don’t care for it

I don’t care for cooking, it’s too much hard work!

I don’t care for English food

TIP 2.
If we use ‘don’t care for’ followed by a verb, the verb needs to be in the gerund.

I don’t care FOR + VERB (gerund)

I don’t care for cooking 

I don’t care much for cooking

  1. It does nothing for me

I’m really not into history, it does nothing for me.

  1. I can’t be doing with it

Often connected to being impatient and not liking something. 

Do you like modern art?

No, I can’t be doing with it. It makes no sense to me.

  1. I can’t stand it

Saying more strongly that you really don’t like something

I can’t stand waiting in line

I can’t stand maths, it’s just too complicated 

I can’t stand this food, it’s horrible. 

TIP 3
Notice, when speaking, we sometimes drop the subject

Do you like this?

don’t care for it

does nothing for me

can’t be doing with it

can’t stand it

TIP 4
Be careful with plurals! 

Do you like celebrating birthdays?

I don’t care for them 

They do nothing for me

I can’t be doing with them

Can’t stand them

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Keith O'Hare

Trinity Dip TESOL, MSc Digital Education (UK). Helping more than 40,000 students worldwide with my online courses. A lover of languages, teaching and lasagna!

1 thought on “Interesting ways to say LIKE and DON’T LIKE in IELTS Speaking”

  1. Pingback: Attention-grabbing methods to say LIKE and DON'T LIKE in IELTS Talking - Meyild01

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