Speaking: Functional Language A2 - Lesson 5
Function: Talking About Likes & Dislikes
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to use a range of phrases to express different levels of likes and dislikes, from "love" to "can't stand".
Conversation Scenario: Discussing Hobbies
When you get to know someone, you often talk about your hobbies and interests. Using a variety of phrases to describe your feelings makes the conversation more interesting.
Rithy: What do you like to do in your free time, Sophea?
Sophea: Well, I'm a big fan of1 playing football. I play every weekend. How about you?
Rithy: I'm not a big fan of sports. I prefer reading3 books.
Sophea: Oh, nice. What kind of books do you enjoy2 reading?
Rithy: I love mystery stories.
Sophea: Cool. Do you like watching movies?
Rithy: It's okay,4 but I can't stand5 horror movies! They're too scary.
Your Functional Toolkit: The Scale of Preference
- I love... / I'm a big fan of... (+++) | ខ្ញុំស្រលាញ់... / ខ្ញុំចូលចិត្ត...ខ្លាំងណាស់ | Phrases for something you like very, very much. ↩
- I like... / I enjoy... (++) | ខ្ញុំចូលចិត្ត... / ខ្ញុំរីករាយនឹង... | Standard phrases for something you like. ↩
- It's okay. / I don't mind... (+/-) | វាមិនអីទេ / ខ្ញុំមិនប្រកាន់ទេ | Phrases for a neutral feeling. You don't like it or dislike it. ↩
- I don't really like... / I'm not a big fan of... (-) | ខ្ញុំមិនសូវចូលចិត្ត... | A soft, polite way to say you don't like something.
- I hate... / I can't stand... (--) | ខ្ញុំស្អប់... / ខ្ញុំទ្រាំមិនបាន... | Strong phrases for something you dislike very much. ↩
Pronunciation: Stress and Emphasis
To show your strong feelings, you must put strong stress on the key word.
- "I LOVE spicy food." (Stress LOVE to show a very strong, positive feeling).
- "I CAN'T STAND the traffic." (Stress CAN'T STAND to show a very strong, negative feeling).
- "Eh, it's okay." (A flat intonation on 'okay' shows a neutral, not-so-interested feeling).
Grammar: Using Verbs after Preference Phrases
This is a very important grammar rule. After most preference words and phrases, if you use a verb, it must be in the -ing form (the gerund).
Formula: [Preference Phrase] + [verb-ing]
| Preference Phrase | + Verb | Correct Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| I like | (watch) | I like watching movies. |
| I enjoy | (read)3 | I enjoy reading books. |
| I hate | (wait) | I hate waiting in long lines. |
| She doesn't mind | (cook) | She doesn't mind cooking dinner. |
Practice Your Preferences
Activity 1: Correct the Verb
Change the verb in parentheses to the correct form (-ing).
- I love (listen) to music. -> listening
- She doesn't like (get up) early. -> getting up
- Do you enjoy (learn) English? -> learning
- He can't stand (be) late. -> being
Activity 2: What's Your Opinion?
Work with a partner. Ask each other for your opinion on these topics. You must use a different phrase from the "Scale of Preference" for each answer.
Topics: durian, rainy season in Cambodia, horror movies, getting up at 5 AM.
Example: A: "What do you think about durian?" B: "I'm a big fan of durian! I love it."
Your Functional Mission
This week in Siem Reap, your mission is to express your opinion clearly.
When you give your own opinion, don't just say "I like" or "I don't like." Use a different phrase from this lesson, like "I'm a big fan of..." or "I don't mind..." or "I can't stand...".